Spoilers and Spoiler Speculation: Benchmarking

[blondiec0332]

3 hours ago, BaseOps said:

kids think that the things they say have no consequences and there's also a really gross air of entitlement; "I love this show and tweet about it 24/7 SO THE WRITERS SHOULD LISTEN TO ME!!!!"

I'm sure if it hadn't been the characters Arizona and April to write off but two other characters their fans would have reacted the same way.  What if it had been Bailey and Jackson being let go?

[anna0852]

 Alex looks like he's about to start laughing in that picture. I wonder what they're looking at?

[BaseOps]

56 minutes ago, blondiec0332 said:

I'm sure if it hadn't been the characters Arizona and April to write off but two other characters their fans would have reacted the same way.  What if it had been Bailey and Jackson being let go?

It would still be awful of them to be sending death threats & calling the cast vile names. 

[GalvDuck]

46 minutes ago, anna0852 said:

 Alex looks like he's about to start laughing in that picture. I wonder what they're looking at?

Maybe his mother? 

[Deanie87]

My guess is it’s whoever is officiating the wedding. Maybe they fainted and it looks like they can’t get married. I could see Alex being grimly amused by his bad luck.

Other than that I’m just thrilled that he shaved and I’m going to blame that boutonnière on April lol!

[pennben]

21 hours ago, Layne said:

Are there any non Jolex fans super excited about anything anymore?

I think this has previously been asked and answered, but yes.  For me, the answer isn't necessarily "excited", rather it simply remains one of my favorite shows.  It's one that I never let pile up on my dvr and watch as soon as I'm home after the current episode has aired if I'm out and can't watch it live.  I simply enjoy this show and have, with few exceptions of storylines, since the very beginning.  

Probably the last preview that "excited" and made me cackle with glee and anticipation was at the very end of one episode we see that Ellen had opened the door to her house for a dinner party and Penny was standing on the other side of the door.  That teaser was brilliant and my goodness, the dinner episode lived up to it.  But, I don't need excitement to just simply enjoy the show.  Most shows lose the "excitement" factor after a few years, that's not really what I'm looking for from this show....just enjoyment.

I also get why Ellen has absolutely had it, and I fully support her just letting idiots that tweet garbage at her have it in her interview (even though the diplomat in me may have said something different).  I went back to when Patrick Dempsey left to get a few quotes I remember leaving responding to the ridiculousness (putting it kindly) directed to her on social media at that time:

Quote

---Exactly! The shit Ellen and others got on twitter last night was ridiculous.  Hence, I found Ellen's "emergency" warning hilarious, because she knew she was going to be subject to abuse all night on twitter.

---Oh no, Ellen didn't say she loved Patrick last night on twitter!  She is a monster!  She didn't quit her job trying to save him!  She is horrible!  For all we know, she didn't agree with this decision, but she is a professional and not speaking out against her bosses and fulfilling her contract. But, I guess if she doesn't behave precisely how some expect, well, she's awful too.

----True dat (responding to post that Grey's fans can be crazy)

Change the names of the person leaving and those are my thoughts on this kerfuffle.  I couldn't resist looking at the comments on Instagram when she left lovely notes for Jessica and Sarah on their last day of shooting......same garbage, even though folks had begged for her to pay tribute.  Didn't matter what she did. 

I still predict Grey's is going to leave the air on it's own timeframe well before any of the numerous boycotts (does anyone know how many there are now?) make a dent!:) Although I'm sure some will claim moral vindication if it doesn't run forever. 

Edited May 3, 2018 by pennben

[GalvDuck]

1 hour ago, Deanie87 said:

My guess is it’s whoever is officiating the wedding. Maybe they fainted and it looks like they can’t get married. I could see Alex being grimly amused by his bad luck.

Other than that I’m just thrilled that he shaved and I’m going to blame that boutonnière on April lol!

He shaved, but then there's still scruff on his face.  I don't understand the whole not-quite-a-beard look.  What is it with guys lately, especially characters on TV, who have this scraggly, five-o-clock shadow thing going on?  Either grow a beard or shave it.  I don't see a lot of doctors, nurses, or other staff here at my hospital walking around half-shaved...and they're actually real medical staff, working long hours and getting very little sleep at times.  Yet, they still keep it clean or grow a proper beard.  I can understand trimming a beard.  But let it still be a beard.  When it just looks like weak whiskers trying to emerge from the epidermis like blades of dead grass peering out from the moderate snow thaw, it looks unkempt to me.  

[mkmusic]

Jesse accidentally let this slip on Twitter tonight. He quickly deleted it + reworded his answer to (we’re all people + we’re all still alive).

 

He could’ve meant the literal actors, but the fact that he reworded makes it a little more suspect ?

Edited May 4, 2018 by mkmusic

[mkmusic]

On 4/20/2018 at 1:34 PM, mkmusic said:

So here's what I'm thinking, bear with me:

14x23 - April gets seriously hurt at whatever function is happening at the church they were filming at (an ambulance was seen leaving). Meanwhile Dr. Herman offers Arizona whatever it is she's offering (as per the description) + 14x24 goes like this for: 

April - They were filming part of the finale at a farm that seems to point to April's home so either: a) everyone goes there to see her/have a party/her + Matthew/Koercick's wedding (she is "seeing someone")/or do whatever (this seems the most likely since Sarah Drew doesn't look like she was "done up" to be dead) or b) God forbid, she dies + they're all there for the funeral.

Arizona's - It's seeming like they'll have her leave to do either work for Herman (or whatever that opportunity is) or to do more work for the birthing complications thing. However it is possible (at least I hope), that Herman comes back for a single episode and that the opportunity is contained to the episode. The reference in the 14x23 description of "making the team reflect on what is truly important to them", may open the door to Arizona moving/going after Callie. I still have a little hope for a Calzona or NY ending, judging by the amount of times that Callie has been referenced (and they spent a whole episode on Sofia missing NY) - the most recent being 14x20.

So those are my thoughts, but hey, it's Shonda, so it's probably nothing that we've even thought of/heard about yet....

I mean I really don’t want to say “I told you so”, and I will hold off, BUT it’s starting to actually happen... ?

[BaseOps]

Promo for next week confirms that April is the seriously injured doctor.

[anna0852]

Tweets from Jesse notwithstanding, I'm pretty sure April is dead and we are seeing Matthew in the context of dream sequences.

[BaseOps]

21 minutes ago, anna0852 said:

Tweets from Jesse notwithstanding, I'm pretty sure April is dead and we are seeing Matthew in the context of dream sequences.

I'm still not convinced that she dies, but it's possible. Either way, next week will be rough. I'm thinking maybe a near-death scare leads her to make a big change...... or hoping....

Edited May 4, 2018 by BaseOps

[Deanie87]

I don’t think she’s dead either. The promo people do this every time. I do think there will be a time jump though.

[Tierney]

6 minutes ago, Deanie87 said:

I don’t think she’s dead either. The promo people do this every time. I do think there will be a time jump though.

Well, this show has me guessing. I was convinced she wasn’t going to die but now...maybe the pics of her on set for the last episode were to throw the fans off? I agree about the time jump though, there has to be, whether April lives or dies.

[BaseOps]

I really wonder what happens that leads to Owen finding her outside.

[funnygirl]

+3 to April not dying. For one thing, that's not something they would reveal in a promo. Also, Sarah Drew's last day of filming was on location for Jolex's wedding. 

[jschoolgirl]

Ellen said somewhere that neither Arizona nor April "have a tragic ending."

[Guest]

Ive never been more convinced April will live than now that I’ve seen the promo that implies she dies.

[anna0852]

14 minutes ago, funnygirl said:

+3 to April not dying. For one thing, that's not something they would reveal in a promo. Also, Sarah Drew's last day of filming was on location for Jolex's wedding. 

Scenes aren't always shot in order.

[funnygirl]

39 minutes ago, anna0852 said:

Scenes aren't always shot in order.

That has nothing to do with the fact that she's in the finale alive and well (Sarah Drew posted a Japril photo all dressed up for the wedding). 

[LaughingOne]

12 hours ago, funnygirl said:

Ellen has a right to defend herself. Fans got completely out of hand blaming and attacking her for the choices that the higher-ups made, and turned it into an ugly public situation all because when Ellen did speak, she didn't respond in the way that fans wanted her to; which, from the looks of it, was for her to disagree and shame her bosses for this decision and throw a parade for both Sarah and Jessica. She is now being accused of making this all about her when she even acknowledges that it's not. 

Maybe silence would've been the best way to handle this, who's to say? But for better or worse, Ellen has never had a filter. And the only thing she really got wrong in all of this is that it's not simply kids and "13 year olds" who are attacking her. Far worse, actually. It's also adults. 

Fans have no idea how that business works and what happens behind the scenes. But because they insert their own theories and biases as fact, it's the negative that catches on and spreads. Such is the ugliness of social media.  

Of course she has the right to defend herself, but it doesn't make it a winning PR strategy. I think tweeting mean things at celebrities is completely ridiculous. I also think a 48-year-old woman who makes $20 million a year attacking 13-year-old fans of her TV show because they were mean to her on social media is completely ridiculous. There's a reason most celebrities don't comment about this kind of stuff.

[cycworker]

@BaseOps - I totally agree with you! As much as I'm frustrated by the decision to fire these two actresses, I can't deny the things that Vernoff has done to improve the show. She's actually got me liking Jo! She's actually gotten decent work out of Camilla Luddington. Some of the stories she wrapped up needed to be wrapped up. Season 13 was a mess. Totally stagnant. 

 

That all said; 

-I hated Amelia's brain tumour

-I hated the ending of the Paul story. 

-I thought the Bailey/Ben argument dragged out too long, that Bailey often looked childish, and frankly, as fantastic as the heart attack episode was, reducing it to "Bailey's scared that Ben's new job is too dangerous' was a cop-out.

 

And those thoughts are just for starters.

One thing about Vernoff: She's old school. She fully believes, it seems, that it's not her job to listen to fan bases, or fan mail or the like. She's got a vision and if people come along for the ride, great. If they don't, oh well... she's not going to veer from her vision. Now, in the old days of TV where it wasn't particularly easy to quickly gauge fan reaction, that made more sense. But things have changed & to an extent, TV's become a more interactive media, and show runners have to find some kind of balance that allows for them to bend their creative visions to take into account an analysis of how what they're presenting is being received. By the same token, you also have to trust yourself to some extent, too. It's about finding a balance between holding on to your core vision yet also listening & observing as to how your vision is being received. 

[cycworker]

I was going to say something about the latest Ellen interview, but @LaughingOne pretty much said what I was thinking. I will add that Pompeo did totally oversimplify things. There were a lot of calm, intelligent, respectful tweets directed at her & KV criticizing both the decision & how the announcement was handled. The reality is Ellen basically started this by getting defensive before anyone even started tweeting her, because she didn't like the Deadline reference suggesting that the firings were budgetary  vs story dictated, and they tied it to her raise. That would've been fine, but she didn't even acknowledge anything about JCap & Sarah. She just was totally focussed on defending herself. Had she not gone that route to begin with, she might well have saved herself from experiencing so much of the negativity that she received. 

[GalvDuck]

There was a lot of grief-stricken crying in the promo for the next episode and they edited it in a way to appear that April may have died.  But many of us are convinced that won't happen. 

Is it possible Harriet dies or is critically injured as well?  Maybe when Owen is calling out for April and then he looks down and says, "Oh, no!," could it be that he just discovered Harriet's injured body?  From the very first shot of the promo, it looks like a car struck a tree.  Maybe Harriet was thrown from the car?  

[beautifulGA]

I think for sure april won't die. there are too many spoilers to support that narrative. I just think that maybe something do happens to her that forces her to quit/not get back to surgery - and that'll probably be her exit sl.

[Snow Fairy]

I hope Harriet is safe. April and Jackson don't deserve to have 2 dead children.

[transitfan]

On 5/1/2018 at 4:55 PM, Snow Fairy said:

Oh I hope Teddy won't be coming back. After that speech, I don't want her to come to Owen. And I don't want her to be pregnant. 

This is interesting, as Kim Raver's character on Designated Survivor seems to be in flux as well.  Either she will turn out to be Kirkman's love interest following the death of his wife, or she might be an evil villan (sp?) who (previously unbeknownst) has been causing havoc all season. (I hope that doesn't constitute a spoiler, albeit on a different show).

[Tierney]

12 hours ago, beautifulGA said:

I think for sure april won't die. there are too many spoilers to support that narrative. I just think that maybe something do happens to her that forces her to quit/not get back to surgery - and that'll probably be her exit sl.

I’m starting to agree with this. It looks like there are two separate “injured” scenes - one in ER, one in OR. Maybe the blonde intern is gravely injured? Maybe April’s “death” scene is some type of dream sequence? Or, maybe I’ve unknowingly eaten one of Grey’s special cookies?

[cycworker]

3 hours ago, Tierney said:

I’m starting to agree with this. It looks like there are two separate “injured” scenes - one in ER, one in OR. Maybe the blonde intern is gravely injured? Maybe April’s “death” scene is some type of dream sequence? Or, maybe I’ve unknowingly eaten one of Grey’s special cookies?

I quite like the blonde intern so I hope they don't have her die. 

Spoiler

Also given that they now some to be thinking she may be either a lesbian or bisexual, I think it's less likely they'll kill her. A friend of mine thinks she's gay & has a crush on Meredith. 

LOL - I think I just misused/wasted the use of the spoiler tag. Grrr. 

[BaseOps]

12 hours ago, Tierney said:

I’m starting to agree with this. It looks like there are two separate “injured” scenes - one in ER, one in OR. Maybe the blonde intern is gravely injured? Maybe April’s “death” scene is some type of dream sequence? Or, maybe I’ve unknowingly eaten one of Grey’s special cookies?

I think you're just seeing April first being brought into the ER & then her surgery, which would come later. That's pretty standard.

[cycworker]

I really hope April doesn't die. 

I have also reached the point where I hope the person she's been seeing is Matthew. While I know it will drive JApril fans to even more anger than they already have, at this point they may as well go with the idea I tried to express elsewhere - I can't remember which thread it was but probably this one - that April's realizing that she made a mistake marrying Jackson/leaving Matthew. They've hinted at that in various scenes for a while anyway. 

 

I'm likening April & Matthew to this old Collin Raye song... 

Not That Different

 

She said we're much too different
We're from two separate worlds
And he admitted she was partly right
But in his heart's defense he told her
What they had in common
Was strong enough to bond them for life
He said look behind your own soul
And the person that you'll see
Just might remind you of me

She could hardly argue
With his pure and simple logic
But logic never could convince a heart
She had always dreamed of loving someone more exotic
And he just didn't seem to fit the part
So she searched for greener pastures
But never could forget
What he whispered when she left

I laugh, I love, I hope, I try
I hurt, I need, I fear, I cry
And I know you do the same things, too
So we're really not that different, me and you

Was it time or was it truth
Maybe both lead her back to his door
As her tears fell at his feet
She didn't say "I love you"
What she said meant even more

I laugh, I love, I hope, I try
I hurt, I need, I fear, I cry
And I know you do the same things, too
So we're really not that different, me and you

=======

Now, I know the first verse doesn't really work; in fact it almost describes Jackson more. The thing is, though, I really do think what made April choose Jackson was the sheer romance of being swept away by this big declaration from him. There is something about Jackson that is so much more exotic & exciting than reliable, predictable, slightly dull yet sweet, earnest Matthew. That's not to say Jackson's not a good guy - he is. Just not necessarily the right good guy for April. 

[Deanie87]

8 hours ago, cycworker said:

I really hope April doesn't die. 

I have also reached the point where I hope the person she's been seeing is Matthew. While I know it will drive JApril fans to even more anger than they already have, at this point they may as well go with the idea I tried to express elsewhere - I can't remember which thread it was but probably this one - that April's realizing that she made a mistake marrying Jackson/leaving Matthew. They've hinted at that in various scenes for a while anyway. 

 

I'm likening April & Matthew to this old Collin Raye song... 

Not That Different

 

She said we're much too different
We're from two separate worlds
And he admitted she was partly right
But in his heart's defense he told her
What they had in common
Was strong enough to bond them for life
He said look behind your own soul
And the person that you'll see
Just might remind you of me

She could hardly argue
With his pure and simple logic
But logic never could convince a heart
She had always dreamed of loving someone more exotic
And he just didn't seem to fit the part
So she searched for greener pastures
But never could forget
What he whispered when she left

I laugh, I love, I hope, I try
I hurt, I need, I fear, I cry
And I know you do the same things, too
So we're really not that different, me and you

Was it time or was it truth
Maybe both lead her back to his door
As her tears fell at his feet
She didn't say "I love you"
What she said meant even more

I laugh, I love, I hope, I try
I hurt, I need, I fear, I cry
And I know you do the same things, too
So we're really not that different, me and you

=======

Now, I know the first verse doesn't really work; in fact it almost describes Jackson more. The thing is, though, I really do think what made April choose Jackson was the sheer romance of being swept away by this big declaration from him. There is something about Jackson that is so much more exotic & exciting than reliable, predictable, slightly dull yet sweet, earnest Matthew. That's not to say Jackson's not a good guy - he is. Just not necessarily the right good guy for April. 

I have no dog in the Matthew/April/Jackson/Maggie fight, but I would be okay with her ending involving Matthew.  As I've said before, it doesn't need to be declarations of love or soulmates or anything like that. It can just be that they have been spending time as friends with the possibility of more sometime in the vague future offscreen.  I would much prefer that to death or disgrace in anyway and if there is a possibility of a great career opportunity as well, all the better.

And similar to what you're saying, April was introduced as someone was a late bloomer, so it would make sense to me that Jackson was the cliched "high school boyfriend" or "college boyfriend."  That guy (or girl) that you love passionately that had all of the attributes that you thought that you wanted in a partner (and popularity and good looks definitely applied here), and who was perfect at the moment that you were beginning to become the person you would eventually be, but not the person that you could ultimately make a fulfilling life with.  I know that there are exceptions to this rule, I have a friend from high school that got married at 18 to her high school boyfriend and is still married 33 years later.  I also don't mean to belittle the Japril relationship as just a shallow high school fling because they were friends first, they have been through something traumatic together and they have a child that they seem to successfully co-parent.  But I do see how they could each find the other to be exotic and unlike anyone else they have dated and how appealing that would be, and how a part of them will always love each other in that way.  But I also think that the show has done a pretty good job over the years of showing why they don't work and that was well before Krista came on the scene.  In some respects, their most significant scenes/episodes (the wedding interruption and both Japril the Movies) made clear, to me at least, that love and sexual passion may not be enough to overcome their differences and issues.

[Chas411]

I'm happy for April to move on alone but I really don't want it to be with Mathew and that's just mainly because I feel she's literally settling for the "good guy" after Jackson basically wouldn't take her back. I don't think Japril would have ever worked out as already said. last two seasons proved that passion is not enough to overcome major differences. However it bugs me that Jackson basically moved on so now she has to with the nearest best option. Mathew was originally a rebound from Jackson and now her going back to him just feels like a second rebound - for both of them. 

I just wish they'd give her a better send off.

[moonorchid]

Forgetting japril for a second, Matthew is the embodiment of things april has outgrown and to say that he’s the one for her feels like such a betrayal of who april is now. I don’t want her to die so if it has to be this way then so be it, but it solidifies to me that Krista doesn’t know who April Kepner became, only the April she knew back in season 7. 

Then forgetting all this, I might have been down for a mapril ending if writing off april was given anywhere close the consideration and care characters like Cristina got or even callie. This feels like it was slapped on for thrills and it annoys me.

Not even mentoring how Arizona’s send off has been a “C” story and now this Hail Mary is coming in. Smh.

[Bort]

I don’t want April to end up with Matthew because I don’t buy for a second that anyone would get back together with someone who literally left them standing at the altar. That’s something that’s pretty hard to forgive, at least to the point that they’d be willing to risk that again. 

[Pallas]

1 hour ago, kariyaki said:

I don’t want April to end up with Matthew because I don’t buy for a second that anyone would get back together with someone who literally left them standing at the altar.

People do. If the person jilted is convinced that the jilter erred in judgment, reacted in fear and betrayed their own core, and is now aware of that. And, if both have come to understand more about life. April's not the only one who's changed and been changed over the last several years. She and Matthew have more in common now, beyond their faith and occupations. 

[blondiec0332]

1 hour ago, Pallas said:

People do. If the person jilted is convinced that the jilter erred in judgment and re-acted against their own core, and is now aware of that. And, if both have come to understand more about life. April's not the only one who's changed and been changed over the last several years. She and Matthew have more in common now, beyond their faith and occupations. 

And he has a child to raise.  What better person to have as the mother to  your child but someone you already know and had planned to have a life with.

[beautifulGA]

I don't think Callie in any way or form got an decent send off. It was mediocre, forced and way out of character - more like I didn't even recognise s12 Callie.

Anyways, I'm against calling any relationship toxic just because they have different opinions or beliefs, so for me, japril were good together (at least better than Crowen or Slexie or Izzex for that matter). All shondaland couples had/have issues and japril aren't different.

If you take April's potential exit out of equation, japril were actually written interacting this season + co-parenting successfully and being friendly again. A crisis amidst this would have thrown them back together or given them a slexie sort of ending in classic shondaland style. But since we know april is leaving & jackson is staying - is why a mapril reunion would be an better option. It doesn't have to be romantic - it could just be two same kind of people raising their kids together. It doesn't/won't erase japril's relationship just as maggiexjackson 's pairing hasn't deleted it either.

The mentality that april JUST CAN'T BE WITH MATHEW is sounding more and more condescending consider you have Jackson moved on from April like a million episodes ago.

[betsyboo]

On 5/1/2018 at 4:34 PM, BaseOps said:

I think that season 14 has been, without contest, the strongest season of the show since the first half of its run. So I’m excited about the future of the series in general. I’ll miss April & Arizona… but not any more than I missed Izzie, or George, or Burke, or Cristina, so I don’t think the show is suddenly going to crumble. A year ago I was annoyed as hell pretty much every time Amelia came onscreen, now I actually find her endearing, and I love that Owen has finally been able to find some happiness as well. Krista has lifted the veil of constant misery and doom & gloom from GSM and I find the show genuinely fun to watch again. A year ago I would have been happy to see Owen leave, now I’m more excited to see a character that I once loved (especially in season 5 / 6) continue to reclaim some happiness.

I love Alex and I’m so happy to have seen Jo get some development this year. I’m excited about their prospects as a couple and for whatever Vernoff gives them to do next year. I think Bailey had her best writing in AGES this year, so I’m excited to see more for her character. I loved seeing Meredith leave behind romantic woes and focus on being an amazing surgeon (and mentor to Jo), and I also thought that she had more chemistry and better writing in a single episode with Nick than she’d been given for 2 seasons with Riggs (and I’m one of the fans who actually didn’t mind Riggs, but the entire storyline was totally botched).

I love that Vernoff writes the characters as being friends + colleagues with rich histories rather than constant adversaries whose motives change with each story. A lot of seasons 11 to 13 felt like we were constantly watching doctors battle each other (especially season 13), whereas now we’re still seeing competition and drama but between characters who actually have conversations with each other, build each other up, etc. I love that she plays on so many things that Stacey neglected (like Amelia and Richard’s sobriety actually being discussed, Maggie & Richard’s relationship, constant references to Cristina, the return of Matthew, Teddy, and Olivia, etc.)

Season 14 actually had arcs that developed over time and paid off, rather than introducing stories that were constantly dropped & forgotten. Vernoff is also much better at introducing new recurring characters (Koracick and Casey, the trans intern, both have a lot of potential) and the patients have been more engaging this year than they had been for ages – Kimmie, Eli the rabbi, the lesbian couple who recurred, etc.

As for Teddy - there's no confirmation that she's coming back next year, that's been all speculation, but of course anything is possible. 

ALL. OF. THIS.

[tua20782]

Except in my opinion April leaving with Matthew is just further evidence that the show runner cares so little for the character that she cant even think of a new ending for her and is instead reverting her back to where she was four years ago. I would gladly see April date someone new or find a job somewhere else. I'm not one of the people saying japril or nothing but mapril is not a relationship I enjoyed seeing the first time around. Mainly because Matthew has always been a one dimensional character, there to be whatever the plot needs him to be. Furthermore, any of the many issues they would have had to be address prior to dating has not been seen onscreen and I doubt very little of the actual finale will go to the relationship of the character that the showrunner is not interested  in "creatively." As someone who has rarely cared about Meredith or jolex this season hasn't done much for me and I'm not planning on sticking it out any further but I'm going to go ahead and disagree on the sentiment that april fans should be satisfied with her exit.

Edited May 8, 2018 by tua20782
Grammer

[mkmusic]

As I’ve been watching the promo, it really wouldn’t surprise me if it’s super misleading. While April is obviously hurt badly, Owen’s “April?!” is from a different shot than him saying “oh no”. Add that to the fact that when Meredith says, “we’re not going to lose her” - you also don’t see April in the shot. Yes, I know that she flatlines in a frame of the promo, but Meredith (and I believe Izzie + Callie at one point) flatlined.

 

All that to say I’m excited to see what happens, but I’m not entirely convinced that the promo is what it seems. However, it could be exactly what it seems.

 

Plus, I feel like we won’t get all the answers this week cause they have to set the stage for the accident. I’m assuming they’ll leave us hanging on whether or not she dies until the finale.

[BaseOps]

[LaughingOne]

8 hours ago, tua20782 said:

Except in my opinion April leaving with Matthew is just further evidence that the show runner cares so little for the character that she cant even think of a new ending for her and is instead reverting her back to where she was four years ago. I would gladly see April date someone new or find a job somewhere else. I'm not one of the people saying japril or nothing but mapril is not a relationship I enjoyed seeing the first time around. Mainly because Matthew has always been a one dimensional character, there to be whatever the plot needs him to be. Furthermore, any of the many issues they would have had to be address prior to dating has not been seen onscreen and I doubt very little of the actual finale will go to the relationship of the character that the showrunner is not interested  in "creatively." As someone who has rarely cared about Meredith or jolex this season hasn't done much for me and I'm not planning on sticking it out any further but I'm going to go ahead and disagree on the sentiment that april fans should be satisfied with her exit.

 

 

Exactly. In Krista’s mind, April is still who she was in season seven when Krista left the show - a dorky, insecure, sweet, religious girl who is not worth featuring. To ship her off with the dorky, sweet, insecure, religious guy just further confirms for me that Krista has zero clue of what Sarah Drew and the last seven seasons of storylines brought to April that turned her from pariah into a beloved character for so many fans. But since Krista doesn’t get April at all, a Matthew-April ending wouldn’t surprise me in the least. Ugh, I hate that a new showrunner is ruining and ending a character I’ve loved for years.

Edited May 8, 2018 by LaughingOne

[cycworker]

14 hours ago, moonorchid said:

Forgetting japril for a second, Matthew is the embodiment of things april has outgrown and to say that he’s the one for her feels like such a betrayal of who april is now. I don’t want her to die so if it has to be this way then so be it, but it solidifies to me that Krista doesn’t know who April Kepner became, only the April she knew back in season 7. 

 

@moonorchid  - would you elaborate please? I'm not sure what you mean by outgrown in this context. I'm not disagreeing with you - I'm genuinely unsure I understand your point. 

I just saw @LaughingOne's post and I get it now. I only half agree. I think that if the point, though, was for April & Matthew to end up together, they made some mistakes in the execution of it. 

I would argue that Matthew can't still be the same dorky, insecure, sweet guy you describe & we remember. In both JB's two episodes this season - where Karen dies & then when he brings Ruby to the hospital - I saw a bit more edge to the character, for sure. And certainly this season April's kept her snark/edginess that he developed after her time in the Middle East with Owen. If they do go the route of an April/Matthew reconciliation, for me the problem will be too much of it will have been off-screen If, when they knew that at the end of April's crisis of faith the plan was ultimately to have her with Matthew, they needed to bring Bruening into the show. 

 

And I completely agree that the Arizona departure has been written far too quickly. It makes me wonder when the decision really was made. At first I suspected the process of the decision around not renewing SD & JCap's contract was a bit longer & KV had been pondering it for a decent amount of time before she told them. Now I'm thinking the gap between when the decision was made & when the two were told was shorter than I suspected, resulting in these tacked on endings. 

 

As tacked on & quick as Arizona's is, at least the groundwork for it was laid in the 200th episode, with Sofia's "I miss Mama," and Arizona's response of "I miss Mama too." At the time I think they were still working to convince Sara to return for Season 15, though.  

Edited May 8, 2018 by cycworker

[Chick2Chic]

Grey’s Anatomy's Sarah Drew Urges Angry Fans to 'Stop Attacking' Co-Star

I'm happy Sarah Drew made a statement as I've read some seriously vile comments about Kelly McCreary - usually about her looks or speech pattern - over something that is out of her control. The misogynoir has been really awful to read. Kelly McCreary doesn't deserve it yet she's been bearing the brunt of some OTT anger misplaced her way about a fictional couple whose break-up had nothing to do with her character nor does Kelly McCreary have control over which actors the showrunners fire.

Wonderful to read Sarah Drew stand up for a colleague and tell people to knock off the unnecessary vitriol about / towards Kelly McCreary. She's not wrong on how extra some folks are being over both character and actress. I have to wonder what Sarah Drew has seen that made her put out that statement. As long as Sarah Drew has been on the show and knowing how passionate fans are about characters and ships, what she has seen must be really vile for her to make that statement for folks to stop being nasty to/about Kelly McCreary. 

Edited May 8, 2018 by Chick2Chic
addition... addition!

[readster]

Drew puts it plainly: "She is an actor doing her job, hate the relationship all you want, but stop out right attacking someone just doing their job." Amazing how people think they are one in the same. Like how you hate a weatherman, when they are: "forecasting" the weather. Meaning they go by models, mathematics, ect to try and predict the weather, but they can't always figure out wind fronts changing on a dime or something, but hey it must be their fault. Reminds me on The Middle when Brick was so angry they were making a Planet Nowhere movie that nothing to deal with the book. What's he do? Tries to destroy and take things from the movie theatre, because he thinks the movie theatre has anything to do with it. That's an example of a short sighted view. 

[JNM5505]

Yeah. Mike Wankum (local meterologist) is such a Wanker because he forecasted three nor'easters in the month of March. /sarcasm (No joke, his last name is Wankum)

I am so happy Sarah told those rabid 'fans' (quotation marks because they're not true fans) off for bashing on Kelly McCreary. I see nothing wrong with the actress herself, she's gorgeous with a brilliant smile and hair I'd die for. Sure, I'd be too lazy to manage it appropriately, but living with straight-as-stick hair for 33 years does get a bit tiring and blah.

I guess my 'idea' (god, didn't realize that'd start such a controversy! *eye roll* ) won't pan out now looking at this week's previews. Good or bad, well, depends on what happens tomorrow. But I am glad that Japril won't have been retconned.

[BaseOps]

I'm convinced that there's no way April dies. The social media accounts have never done THIS much over an episode like this. I just don't think they'd give it away if she actually dies; it seems like they're setting us up to be worried and then be relieved when she survives.

[Deanie87]

41 minutes ago, BaseOps said:

I'm convinced that there's no way April dies. The social media accounts have never done THIS much over an episode like this. I just don't think they'd give it away if she actually dies; it seems like they're setting us up to be worried and then be relieved when she survives.

I was feeling that way, but now I'm not so sure.  (Waiting for EW to show up and blow the spoiler)  I'm kind of surprised that Sarah is putting so much emphasis on tonight vs. next week, which makes me think that we find out her fate tonight, which really only means one thing.   Now on top of a death, I'm worried about a big time jump and some kind of afterlife segment in the next episode, none of which I'm excited for.

[Chas411]

Japril: The Funeral