S12.E06: The Me Nobody Knows

[TVAddict]

I guess I'm OK with Meredith working out her grief ya-yas on Penny.  There was one line that rang true to me in that arc, when Mer said words to the effect that she needed to determine what Penny had been taught in her previous program.  She didn't need to be quite so bitchy about it, but I think almost anyone would have trouble with that scenario.  Penny can go away any time now and it will suit me just fine.  Callie needs a more dynamic partner anyway.  

 

As for the foreign orphan of the week, his story was a little bit compelling in that amongst all the mess that was his hands, if they looked hard enough, they could find enough to piece together real hands.  So if April and Jackson look hard enough into the mess that is their marriage, maybe they'll find enough that is salvageable?  But probably only if they adopt the little guy in the mean time.  Yawn.  I'm just wondering if the new pretty-face guy will cause trouble down the road for the Drs. Avery, as well as firing up the long ago trouble between he and Angry Owen.  Time will tell, but will I care long enough to find out?  Shows like the past few have really made me miss Cristina, Mark, Lexi and even Derek.

Edited November 6, 2015 by TVAddict

[Cementhead]

Initially, when the friend asked Richard if he had any kids (I'm assuming the friends "knows" that Richard doesn't and it was more of a rhetorical question?) Richard said he didn't, and later Maggie was pretending not to feel kind of hurt by that but both she and Richard admitted that they still haven't really talked about the fact that he's her biological father or what he means to her or she to him. So later, after Richard comes clean to his friend about the affair and having a daughter, Maggie points out that he didn't mention to his friend that she was the daughter; he says it's because that's something for her to tell people if she wants to, but he wants her to know that he would be perfectly fine with it if she did. I think that was about it, just them having their long overdue moment of finally acknowledging the fact that they have yet to really acknowledge their father-daughter status.

 Thanks so much, Chicken Wing, for taking the time to fill me in -- much appreciated!

[funnygirl]

Penny has the charisma of a dish rag.

 

That's a low blow for the dish rag.

 

But yes, Penny is essentially a wet noodle that is taking precious screen and story time away from the characters viewers actually tune in for.

[windsprints]

As much as I want Alex to get some story, they're obviously not interested in writing for him and Jo together.

 

They're obviously not interested in writing much for him period so I don't really find this a reason why Jo should depart. He barely gets medical cases and he apparently has no male friends. The writing for Alex outside of Jo is nothing but him with Meredith and the vagina sisters. Those scenes are never about Alex or even any of them expressing even a fleeting interest in Alex's life.

 

Alex being paired with Jo, even with the shitty screentime, at least allows the potential for future story. There is an established history with progression (even if its been via 2 minute snippets). They were friends first, they've been living together, they bought the loft together and they've expressed the desire for a future together. More importantly Jo has been shown to actually care about Alex. She's not perfect of course but overall she's been supportive of Alex, more than any friend or love interest has been during the course of the show.

 

I don't like Meredith so obviously I wouldn't want them paired. Meredith is selfish and the relationship between them is lopsided - its 90% Alex being there for Meredith. The 10% of Meredith giving a crap about Alex is from years ago, from when she agreed to Derek's idea of giving Alex/Izzie the wedding and before. Friendships don't need to be equal as people have differing needs at various points in their life but there should be some balance and there's not. I also don't want Alex to be the one to get McDreamy's seconds and have to live in that house with the sisters. I'm holding out hope that Meredith moves on to a love interest sooner than later (regardless of what Shonda has said). Once Meredith finds a man and is spending time with him she'll go back to barely interacting with Alex. Bring it on, Martin's character is here now.

 

 

[Joana]

I've come to abhor their "friendship". Meredith has absolutely no interest in him whatsoever apart from making him listen to her crap whenever it suits her, has no respect for his needs and doesn't even make the slightest attempt to at least be cordial to his partner. All the while he follows her around like a puppy. It's disgusting.

[Primetimer]

It's Penny's first day at Grey-Sloan, and she's on Meredith's service, which goes exactly as well as you think it would. Also, April basically becomes a supervillain holding a child hostage so that Jackson will get in the mood to save their marriage.

Read the story

[sadie]

About the music. Ugh. Whoever took over as music director should just quit. This show used to have amazing songs put to the drama. Like life altering, have to immediately find out how to get the song greatness. I remember hearing Damien Rice "9 Crimes" during season 3, when Burke kicks Christina out of the ER and it blew my mind at the time.

Oh Greys of old, where have you gone?

[esco1822]

There were a couple of moments of total Cheez Whiz that took me completely out of the moment during this episode and both relating to the little boy.  I was totally into the surgery until Jackson cheesily announced "we've got five fingers people!"  The second moment was when the kid realized he had hands and Jackson high fived him.  I totally stopped sobbing and just stared at the tv like someone farted.  I wish they'd just let a moment be a moment without trying to force a particular feeling on the audience.  I feel like that tends to backfire.

 

As for Penny, I don't mind her story if it forces the other characters to work through their own crap but what I do mind is the total lack of chemistry with Callie.  Let them be friends but i'm not buying that relationship.  I seem to recall somewhere there being an article talking about how much we would enjoy her and Arizona's respective relationships these year and so far i'm a HELL no.  The kiss just reminded me of how much more chemistry Callie has with everyone else, including the audience.  She deserves better.  It must makes me think of the early stages of Callie and Arizona.  That was fun and exciting and you wanted to see where it went.  I don't need to see Callie/Penny go anywhere but the breakup bin.  Please stop it now.  

[sekay87]

Again-any sympathy that I feel for Penny is thrown off by one question: What on earth possessed her think taking a job at Grey-Sloan was a good idea? Derek was not a low profile doctor there. I don't understand what she was expecting-to be welcomed with open arms? That was just such a bad judgment call that I can't bring myself to feel bad when Meredith is horrible to her-even though her behavior towards Penny was despicable in itself.

I can't believe I'm saying this, because I do like Camilla Luddington, but I was glad to see minimal Jo this week.

Callie, Karev, Richard, and Bailey are the 4 reasons I still tune in, so as long as we keep featuring those 4 being amazing (like Callie this week and Richard) then I'm good.

[BaseOps]

About the music. Ugh. Whoever took over as music director should just quit. This show used to have amazing songs put to the drama. Like life altering, have to immediately find out how to get the song greatness. I remember hearing Damien Rice "9 Crimes" during season 3, when Burke kicks Christina out of the ER and it blew my mind at the time.

Oh Greys of old, where have you gone?

 

The super shitty thing is that some of these covers would work just fine - but not when EVERY song is a cover. Like you said, Grey's is so known for their phenomenal placement of music. But when every song is a top 40 cover, it just gets distracting and starts to feel really trite. Way too gimmicky. It's like when they did all 80s covers back in season 10.. some of them were great, but it was all just too much. 

[readster]

Again-any sympathy that I feel for Penny is thrown off by one question: What on earth possessed her think taking a job at Grey-Sloan was a good idea? Derek was not a low profile doctor there. I don't understand what she was expecting-to be welcomed with open arms? That was just such a bad judgment call that I can't bring myself to feel bad when Meredith is horrible to her-even though her behavior towards Penny was despicable in itself.

I can't believe I'm saying this, because I do like Camilla Luddington, but I was glad to see minimal Jo this week.

Callie, Karev, Richard, and Bailey are the 4 reasons I still tune in, so as long as we keep featuring those 4 being amazing (like Callie this week and Richard) then I'm good.

Another thing with Penny, when Richard was going over her qualifications and even saying he was giving her the same chance he gave Meredith. I wanted to smack him upside the head. Because he knows what happened when he did that was Addison and Derek and later on with Derek and Mark. Yes, it worked out in the end but it caused so much drama and he was upset over it. Especially when it made him face his affair with Elis and Adel basically giving up her life to keep the shame in check. Plus, all good grades and acknowledgement and Penny is still the same character she was introduced at the clinic. She gets told to shut up or not to bother people, she shuts up and walks away. She doesn't try to stand up for herself, she crumbles and then goes: "but I'm good." So, either have her find her backbone or go work for a practice where no one will belittle you. I also agree, she has zero chemistry with Callie. You can have them make out all you want, its not there.

[represent]

I still like Penny, and I like her with Callie. But Callie has chemistry with everyone. 

 

Too bad the writers are going to screw it up as they always do.

 

The new male character, Nathan, I like his vibe and I'm not sure he's supposed to be hiding his accent. 

 

He probably doesn't have to, whose to say he's from the US, he's a doctor overseas, he could be from what's that accent anyway? It sounds Australian?

 

They can get rid of Jo, April and Amelia, the actresses do nothing for me. Except they need a nuero surgeon, but sorry Amelia ain't it. 

 

I like Arizona, the actress is pretty good and they better figure out something for her to do.

 

 

Oh, I forgot, love Richard and Maggie, love it.

Edited November 6, 2015 by represent

[represent]

 

I also don't want Alex to be the one to get McDreamy's seconds

THIS, THIS, is my issue with a pairing between them. Everyone deserves a great love and if not, they don't deserve the seconds of a great love, sorry, this is how I feel. Now Meredith should love again, just don't give her a character that I care about and who I feel has not yet had a  chance at a great love with someone else. So that if they should hook up with Meredith I can say well Meredith will never really measure up to (insert her name), just like Alex will never measure up to Derek, but they can compliment each other. 

 

Alex has paid his dues as a character on this show and has yet to have his chance at a great love.

 

Again, Izzie will never count because that shit that went down with Denny, I could not come back from. He truly was played as her great love, she even looked at Alex and told him that he would never be half the man that Denny was on his best day so...

 

When Alex married her she was Denny's leftovers, she gave her heart and soul to that man in a way that Alex had never had. Now granted, he screwed up in season two but that doesn't change the fact that he loved Izzie  a lot more than she loved him by the time they got married.

 

And although I'm not into his relationship with Jo, at least she's not treating him like sloppy seconds and whatever happened to that sentiment  where he held her face in his hands and proclaimed that she was his family?  I'm not getting that from them. What did the writers do with that feeling ? Did they decided to get rid of that when Derek died?

Edited November 6, 2015 by represent

[Muffyn]

The kid from Jordan wouldn't speak English

Except in the world of TV.  Children from other nations speak English with highly affected twee accents.  It is something that miraculously happens when they cross into US airspace.  

 

As for the urchin's hands o' deformity, didn't they say the biopsies showed cancerous growths?  So how certain can they be, with that level of deformity, that they did not leave in cancerous areas?  

[LADreamr]

Is the Jordanian boy the new Zola?

God, I hope not. Also, show, if you're going to have a kid from the Middle East, could you work a little more on the accent? Or maybe get a kid who actually has some Middle Eastern roots? I don't know what they were going for there, but that accent was awful.

He could speak some English. Most of my friends from that region learned it. I'm not sure he'd be that good, that young, though.

Edited November 6, 2015 by LADreamr

[Nobodysfan]

Oh my gosh, I can´t get over the boy. Just the cutest kid!!!! Such a talented young actor. Kamal must come back, Japril must adopt him, this is a must.

 

And that Nathan guy, really handsome. I am impressed. His eyes really draw you in. I do have an instant crush. Silly me.

Edited November 6, 2015 by Nobodysfan

[gonewiththeschwinn]

If Weber's friends caused his daughters accident because his blood sugar was so high....he would have most likely have been passed or very lethargic.

 

Medical person lurking here - It's possible that Richard could determine that his friend wasn't taking care of himself without his glucose being so high that he would be passed out/lethargic. Long term high blood sugar levels can lead to diabetic neuropathy or decreased sensation, most commonly in the feet. If the friend's glucose was on the higher end (but without being in the coma/lethargy range), Richard could have run a test that determines what the average blood glucose has been for the patient over the past three months.

[preeya]

Looks like a male collision is in the offing between Hunt and Riggs. Can't wait to find out what their issues are.

[Readalot]

I met someone on a work exchange program from Egypt. I was surprised to learn from her that English is required teaching alongside their native language in school starting at the elementary. Both Reading and writing. Maybe Jordan is like that too? - and I think Alex and Jo is too real for TV. I know couples that have been together forever with no relationship growth at all. It's boring.

[DearEvette]

The Meredith/Penny storyline was insufferable.  Not because Mer was being a bitch.  Let's face it, she was.  And not because Penny was being all victim-y.  But because it had all the subtlety of a bag of hammers, follow by a 10-ton anvil followed by a rain of arrows all falling onto our heads.  We know, show, we know.  Make Meredith bitchy, bullying and irrational to create sympathy for Penny.

 

It just wasn't necessary.  The situation already had enough drama to give it its heft.  Why not let Meredith be tough, but reasonable instead of a ranty person?  Why not let Penny be nervous but still competent?  Meredith could have still come off as angry and cold and Penny still could have made small, but not life threatening errors.  Meredith could have cooly pointed them out, Penny could have shown flashes of brilliance amongst her nerves and amidst some first day errors.  The tension between the women still could have been adequately conveyed without making Mer a mean girl and Penny a dishrag.

 

I hate Amelia.

 

The new guy is cute.

 

I loved the stuff between Webber and Maggie.  Their relationship is so undefined that at some point what they are to each other needed to be addressed.  And for once, Maggie's sexual oversharing was welcome in that tense car ride over to the hospital.  Did I say i hate Amelia?

 

I thought that kid was hella cute. 

 

I am meh on April and Jackson. 

 

I have always hated the over-use of music on this show.  I am in re-watch of earlier seasons and they didn't start with music until the back half of season 2.  And it is sooo intrusive to me.  So when we get the odd episode here and there where they use no music I tend to enjoy that episode that much more. 

[Gladrags]

Is the Jordanian boy the new Zola?

Of course! He and Jackson and April will make such a happy family, and give Meredith's and Callie's kids more playmates. Yay.

 

 

According to the story, Maggie went to the court records and discovered that Ellis was her mother.  I don't think Ellis was sleeping with other men because it seems like Richard was the 'love' of her life...

Seemed to me like Richard leaving her pretty much alienated Ellis to all men, and work became her spouse at the expense of her daughter.

 

Looks like a male collision is in the offing between Hunt and Riggs. Can't wait to find out what their issues are.

I can ...  self-righteous Owen has issues with everyone. It's gotten kind of annoying. 

 

I have always hated the over-use of music on this show.  I am in re-watch of earlier seasons and they didn't start with music until the back half of season 2.  And it is sooo intrusive to me.  So when we get the odd episode here and there where they use no music I tend to enjoy that episode that much more. 

Oh, thank you! I thought I was the only one that didn't care for the music on this show. It's too loud, too precious ... and at least half of it is downright awful. And don't get me started on those abysmal 80s covers from a couple of years ago!

[preeya]

Of course! He and Jackson and April will make such a happy family, and give Meredith's and Callie's kids more playmates. Yay.

 

 

Seemed to me like Richard leaving her pretty much alienated Ellis to all men, and work became her spouse at the expense of her daughter.

 

I can ...  self-righteous Owen has issues with everyone. It's gotten kind of annoying. 

 

Oh, thank you! I thought I was the only one that didn't care for the music on this show. It's too loud, too precious ... and at least half of it is downright awful. And don't get me started on those abysmal 80s covers from a couple of years ago!

In total agreement, and this is not the only show that has been doing this. It seems to have become the latest TV fad. I hate it.

[brandyelf]

Maybe I'm the only one, but I hated this episode. Hated it. The Richard and Maggie scenes were enjoyable, but the rest... I can't stand Penny. I don't like the actress, I don't buy that she'd end up at Seattle Grace Grey Sloan Shepphard. I think even Ellen had trouble with the writing this episode.

I hate Amelia. She really is a giant toddler.

I didn't like the kid playing the patient. He was poorly suited for the part.

April Kepner has always annoyed the crap out of me. She's manipulative and thinks she's always right. For all the empathy she had for the child, she has none for her husband. I thought Nathan was getting through to her when he told her God has bigger things to worry about than the state of her marriage, but apparently not.

I like Callie, but I don't buy her and Penny. There's no chemistry.

Ugh, just ugh. I've been really liking this season, but this one was just a strike out for me.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

If I were giving someone the silent treatment, I would not be carpooling to work with her. I don't know if that makes me a better or worse person than Meredith.

 

STFU, April. Lying and deceiving Jackson when you're already on thin ice with him is not a good idea, no matter how good your intentions are. And I don't need her army buddy propping her up to Jackson with "she's a machine and makes everyone want to be better." Seriously, you guys are ALL doctors so why are April and Nathan acting like Jackson is just being a negative Nelly and giving up? I'm not saying I want a fictional kid to have his hands amputated, but I hate the the message is if a doctor just tries harder, he will find a medical miracle under a mass of tumors. Belief isn't always enough. If that were true, no one would die of what looked like inoperable tumors. I do not want this to be the beginning of April and Jackson reconciling. What are the chances that April will want to adopt Kamal and then try to convince Jackson he's the replacement for the one who died so they can be one big happy family? UGH.

 

Meredith freaking out on Penny was predictable. While I admire her attempt to rise above, if she can't handle it emotionally then she should have just been honest and said so instead of using their workplace situation to yell at her. That said, I still don't like Penny, her sadsack face, or her martyring self-pity. Once she knew that Meredith (and all of Derek's coworkers/friends) were at her new hospital, she had the option to try to get rematched and she chose not to. And in Meredith's defense at least during the surgery she was criticizing an error that Penny actually made. We have seen attendings yell at the residents or take them off surgeries when they screw up so it wasn't totally out of left field. Damn it, we were so close to losing Penny but now it looks like we're stuck with her.

 

Hey, Weber, there's a vast middle ground between coddling someone and torturing them. There's also a difference between working with at the same hospital with your mistress's daughter and assuming said daughter will be okay working with one of her husband's doctors from the night that he died. Here's a better idea: instead of assuming one way or the other, why not just ask Meredith if she would be okay with accepting Penny as an intern beforehand?

 

I'm never clear on the timeline on this show, but Maggie has been around since before Derek died and so it's been at least a year and Weber is just now figuring out his relationship with Maggie?

 

Yay for minimal Jo, Stephanie, and Amelia.

 

OMFG, stop with the emo cover songs. And if you're going to pick a well known Britney Spears song, at least choose a cover version that isn't nonstop words over and over and over for four minutes straight? It's okay to just have instruments for a few seconds, Shonda. I don't know if it was just edited that way or if this version is really like that but either way, I hated it. Why does Shonda think we need someone singing endless words over the dialogue for the show?

Edited November 7, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[breezy424]

I can't stand it when the cover songs are so loud that I have to turn up the volume on the TV so I can hear what is being spoken.  It's fine for an intro or 'scene' shot but once the actors start talking, turn the music off.  They especially love to do this at the beginning of episodes.

 

(I think it was last season of Aerial America the background music was so loud, you couldn't hear what the narrator was saying most of the time.  Hey, I like Aerial America...)

[Nobodysfan]

Of course! He and Jackson and April will make such a happy family, and give Meredith's and Callie's kids more playmates. Yay.

 

 

Seemed to me like Richard leaving her pretty much alienated Ellis to all men, and work became her spouse at the expense of her daughter.

 

I can ...  self-righteous Owen has issues with everyone. It's gotten kind of annoying. 

 

Oh, thank you! I thought I was the only one that didn't care for the music on this show. It's too loud, too precious ... and at least half of it is downright awful. And don't get me started on those abysmal 80s covers from a couple of years ago!

Preach it!He feels like the king of the jungle once Derek is out, now with Nathan here he feels his position is  threatened. Their backstory whatever it is will prove to be in Nathan´s favour. I will bet.

 

BTW,has anyone read the book Doctor X intern??? One of my favourite characters there - one super cool guy surgeon Nathan.I do love the name. I hope this Nathan proves to be excellent,too.

Edited November 7, 2015 by Nobodysfan

[Nobodysfan]

What did April's Doctor friend do to make Owen so hostile? It might not be too wise to pit the two of them against each other. The other guy just might win the audience.

I totally agree. 

 

Oh, and as soon as i saw the doctor that came in the boy, i suspected he'd be staying-- per the pretty face rule of Grey's employment.

He is handsome,but has a really manly vibe, strong charisma which is even more appealing. I think he is much more than a pretty face. Don´t you think so? 

Thank you! I thought I was hearing things, I hear an accent one second then the next second it would be gone. I don't know anything about the actor so I don't know if he has an accent or not.

 

 

 

Yes, what´s up with the mixed accent? Does he actually play a New Zealander? Well, actually does the actor himself know the nationality of his character???

Edited November 7, 2015 by Nobodysfan

[ElectricBoogaloo]

It's been several episodes since Arizona put up the ad for a roommate and Andrew said he wanted to move in, but since then we have heard absolutely nothing about it. No wacky roommate hijinks with those two? No mention of it among anyone else on the show?

 

On the plus side, no Owen/Amelia relationship drama/face eating this week so yay.

[craziness]

Regarding Penny choosing GSMH, maybe she selected it so as to stay in the Seattle area, more than anything else. Isn't GSMH pretty much the only hospital left after Mercy West merged into Seattle Grace, that place Dillard closed, and the place that Callie and Webber visited turned out to just be a money making outfit? Not a lot of options left in the area (PS, I realize a huge metropolitan area like Seattle would have many many hospitals. But on this show, it seems like only one or two exist).

[Nobodysfan]

It's been several episodes since Arizona put up the ad for a roommate and Andrew said he wanted to move in, but since then we have heard absolutely nothing about it. No wacky roommate hijinks with those two? No mention of it among anyone else on the show?

 

On the plus side, no Owen/Amelia relationship drama/face eating this week so yay.

I wonder when Maggie keeps mentioning that amazing sex,whether he even sleeps at the place where he moved in with Arizona,or he just sleeps over at Maggie´s,but we did not see him in the car pool last epi or he leaves earlier.

Also, it must be said that Ellen Pompeo does not have the face shape for that hairstyle. Distracted me for the whole dang episode. Wear it down, please. Pulling it back just makes her head look like a box.

It was truly awful. She usually has her hair nicely styled. I think her hairstylist is the one who also did Patrick´s hair. She usually styles Pompeo really chic for the role, something that fits her,but last episode was so so bizarre.

I hated the child actor for the hands story.  While I should have cared, I would have been happy to not have seen him again after the surgery.  Just me?   

Why?

Edited November 7, 2015 by Nobodysfan

[Nobodysfan]

I'm enjoying Jackson more and more - when he first came on, I think Jesse Williams wasn't a great actor, but he's grown a lot. And I love when we get to see him be a doctor, because I happen to think he's a great one. April is incredibly grating, though, constantly circling everything back to their marriage. Henderson's character was refreshing, repeatedly telling the doctors to get over themselves. "God has bigger things to worry about then whether you get a divorce." AMEN. I wonder what his deal is with Hunt? Seems to be sort of one-sided, as it was clear that Owen wasn't happy to see him. I wonder how he winds up back at the hospital next week? I'm guessing Bailey offers him a job. 

 

I also wonder,Nathan seemed rather calm and stoic when he saw Hunt, like a grown-up mature man, Owen threw a tantrum like a child as if he has taken away all his toys. 

Edited November 7, 2015 by Nobodysfan

[Deanie87]

I wonder when Maggie keeps mentioning that amazing sex,whether he even sleeps at the place where he moved in with Arizona,or he just sleeps over at Maggie´s,but we did not see him in the car pool last epi or he leaves earlier.

 

Wait, are they still having sex?  I admit that I fast forwarded through more of the last episode than I watched, but I thought that they kind of put a hold on things after the UTI.  And then Maggie mentioned that he wasn't speaking to her.  I'm confused.

[Nobodysfan]

I wonder when Maggie keeps mentioning that amazing sex,whether he even sleeps at the place where he moved in with Arizona,or he just sleeps over at Maggie´s,but we did not see him in the car pool last epi or he leaves earlier.

 

Wait, are they still having sex?  I admit that I fast forwarded through more of the last episode than I watched, but I thought that they kind of put a hold on things after the UTI.  And then Maggie mentioned that he wasn't speaking to her.  I'm confused.

My mistake, I have to check the subtitles. I must have misunderstood then.

[Deanie87]

My mistake, I have to check the subtitles. I must have misunderstood then.

 

No problem, I may have missed something in my mad dash to fast forward through all things Penny.  I still think Maggie and the new guy are going to go at it.

[Nobodysfan]

No problem, I may have missed something in my mad dash to fast forward through all things Penny.  I still think Maggie and the new guy are going to go at it.

You mean Nathan and Maggie???

Edited November 7, 2015 by Nobodysfan

[Muffyn]

Regarding Penny choosing GSMH, maybe she selected it so as to stay in the Seattle area, more than anything else. Isn't GSMH pretty much the only hospital left after Mercy West merged into Seattle Grace, that place Dillard closed, and the place that Callie and Webber visited turned out to just be a money making outfit? Not a lot of options left in the area (PS, I realize a huge metropolitan area like Seattle would have many many hospitals. But on this show, it seems like only one or two exist).

My theory is she knows the hospital has been referred to as Grey Sloan Shepherd Mercy Death.  With death in the title and being seen as the slayer of the great Derek Shepherd (so great that his floating head appeared when his wife gave birth), she figured it was the perfect place for her.  

[autumnhermit]

Strange that Richard would say to Meredith that she was hazing Penny.  Penny would have made a fatal error on the operation.   Prior to that she had made a mistake with the steps leading up to the operation that the intern knew and Penny being a third year resident did not.  Then post operation, Penny failed again with the patient's care.  

 

How could Penny have been first in her class at the other hospital when it was not a teaching hospital?  How did she get to be a third year resident there?  Penny stated that it was not a teaching hospital to Meredith when Meredith came to hospital when Derek was dying.

 

Callie of all people should not be calling Meredith a bully.  Isn't it on her permanent record about Murphy?

 

I remember when Bailey caught Meredith and Derek in the car and Bailey put Meredith through hell.  Meredith accepted her fate with grace and did everything Bailey asked her to do without question.  She did not complain to anyone. Where was Richard then to chastise Bailey? 

 

Richard allowed Cristina to be treated like crap from about every attending after Burke left.  

 

Such a double standard on this show towards Meredith.

 

How awful of Richard to tell Meredith he didn't want her there either?  Yuck.

[North]

Callie of all people should not be calling Meredith a bully.  Isn't it on her permanent record about Murphy?

Oh not this again.

 

The scene Leah's claim was based on was pretty clear.  They just chose to rewrite history.

 

Callie was trying to teach Leah and Leah freaked out because she used to sleep with Arizona.

 

If anyone's behaviour was inappropriate during that surgery it was Leah and yet Callie got the shit end of it.

[Chas411]

Meredith came off as utterly hateful in this episode, more then Amelia for the first time ever. I can't believe she advised Amelia to rise above it like she was. What a hilariously hypocritical statement. Penny shouldn't have been at the hospital and if Bailey and Richard had half a brain in their head neither would allow her to work with Meredith considering the history and be put in such an unfair position to be bullied by her and have her career put in jeopardy. Callie calling Meredith out on being a bully was wonderful.

 

... Not that I care really though because Penny is the dullest most awful character ever. She's a dishrag. I can't believe we can't watch Jo learn and get any sort of skillset but we'll be stuck watching boring Penny suck up all the development that should be going to Ben, Jo and even Stephanie for the rest of the season.

 

April is back to bugging again. If she would just give Jackson the space he so badly needs from her I'm sure they'd be fine as it's clear a divorce isn't what he wants. The problem is she keeps pushing and manipulating him into corners and demanding he take her back because SHE thinks they shouldn't give up. If she'd just back the fuck off I think they'd work it out.

 

Maggie and Richard are sweet. I don't get why her and DeLuca aren't talking though. They seemed fine by the end of the last episode.

[Rae Spellman]

 

I'm never clear on the timeline on this show, but Maggie has been around since before Derek died and so it's been at least a year and Weber is just now figuring out his relationship with Maggie?

 

Maggie hasn't figured out her relationship with Richard, either. A couple of episodes she called him "the kind stranger" that fathered her. Does she consider Jackson her stepbrother? Does Jackson consider her his stepsister? Figuring out that relationship would take both of them doing the figuring out. Of course you're right, you'd think they would have figured something out since they see each other at work quite a bit. 

 

Also, regarding Richard saying he has no kids, he has a step-son. While he didn't raise Catherine's son since he was already 30ish before Richard and Catherine started dating, it's not quite the same as having no children. Back when Richard and Catherine broke up the first time and Jackson returned the engagement ring, Jackson mentioned something about how he would have liked having him in the family. Conceivably, Richard could have to deal with whether or not to disclose an illness to Jackson. So, it's not like Richard would have absolutely no idea what that guy was going through.

 

I wonder if Maggie and Catherine are the only people Richard has talked to about the Maggie situation. Maybe he's also told his sponsor. Maybe he should chat with Amelia.

[riffraff]

Thank goodness for Callie. And I agree with everyone that said the Jordinian orphan was the new Zoya. I kept waiting for April to say they were going to adopt him. I thought I missed an episode before this one. And it was slightly boring.

[tomatoflyer]

The thing that drove me crazy this episode was April wanting to save her marriage and then she finally has a tiny opening with Jackson...and she leaves? That was the moment to not go to dinner, to have a moment with this man you claim you're fighting for. She talks a good game, but she still isn't choosing him.

[Joana]

I would have liked to see Jackson agree to help the kid and then realize that there's nothing that can be done, as awful as it sounds. Because, sometimes you can have the best intentions and try all you might, but some things are just beyond repair. This way they saved his sounds which automatically means they're going to save their marriage as well and it's so predictable. And gah, they really might adopt the kid, it didn't occur to me earlier. 

[TVForever]

Meredith and Alex would be gross as well. It just reeks of little brother big sister Gizziness.

10 years ago, maybe I could have seen them getting together. But by this point, their relationship is clearly best friend/brother-sister.

I can even get Alex being her "person", in the way that Christina was. But for that to really happen, we need to see Meredith willing to drop things in her life to be Alex's shoulder the way she and Chrsitina did for each other. Right now, its all very one-sided, with us only seeing Alex willing to drop almost anything to comfort Meredith.

[represent]

 

I can even get Alex being her "person", in the way that Christina was. But for that to really happen, we need to see Meredith willing to drop things in her life to be Alex's shoulder the way she and Chrsitina did for each other. Right now, its all very one-sided, with us only seeing Alex willing to drop almost anything to comfort Meredith.

This is interesting that the relationship plays this way, because way back in the day, Meredith was his big sister. She was the one who got the rest of the group to care about him and let him in. Even Cristina tells him off and says exactly that when he ratted Meredith out for the whole Derek's trial debacle.  Cristina tells him that she, Meredith was the only one there for him when the rest of them weren't and that was true. She was the one to get Izzie to get over herself and let it go enough to join the group and help him study for the boards he failed. She was the one who he opened up to the most about what he was feeling with regards to Izzie, which resulted in him deciding to show up to Izzie's Thanksgiving dinner. She was his only confidant IMO back then. So they need to get back to that feeling, because it use to be there.

Edited November 8, 2015 by represent

[izabella]

I would have liked to see Jackson agree to help the kid and then realize that there's nothing that can be done, as awful as it sounds. Because, sometimes you can have the best intentions and try all you might, but some things are just beyond repair. This way they saved his sounds which automatically means they're going to save their marriage as well and it's so predictable. And gah, they really might adopt the kid, it didn't occur to me earlier. 

 

This was my least favorite patient metaphor/anvil from this episode.  I hated when the other doctor was talking about April being a machine and making everyone want to work a little harder, and how intense she was about things and that she was usually right, especially when Jackson was all, "yes, she is."  Ugh.  Really?

 

I have no doubt they'll reconcile at some point, but I didn't want it to be because "Jackson realizes how awesome April is because she cares soooo much about things."  I need to see April truly acknowledging that Jackson also lost a child and she literally abandoned him for a year or two right after.

[Artymouse]

I agree, Izabella. I actually like Jackson and April together, but this storyline has been convoluted for way too long when you factor in the time jump. If time had gone on normally, we'd only be several months out from the loss of the baby, but the post-McDreamy time warp has every storyline feeling like it's been dragged out to within an inch of its life.

 

It also seems slightly out of character for April to continue to be THIS oblivious to Jackson's pain. I know she can be obtuse sometimes, which was particularly evident when the two first got together and she kept comparing their romance to car crashes and fattening desserts. But since then, she seemed to have grown up a lot, and their relationship matured. And she does need to acknowledge that she wasn't the only one who experienced the tragedy of losing a child, that Jackson's loss was equal to hers.

 

And, she out-and-out lied about the Middle Eastern kid's condition, on the assumption that Jackson would rise to the occasion. But I guess April knows that medical magic happens at Grey-Sloan-whatever, that the doctors there have special healing powers found in no other hospital in the (logical) world, so of course, Jackson and Callie would be able to fix the child's problem. And yeah, that little boy was a bit too cutesy for a kid who was supposed to have endured so much. 

[Marni]

And, she out-and-out lied about the Middle Eastern kid's condition, on the assumption that Jackson would rise to the occasion. But I guess April knows that medical magic happens at Grey-Sloan-whatever, that the doctors there have special healing powers found in no other hospital in the (logical) world, so of course, Jackson and Callie would be able to fix the child's problem. 

 

I agree, we have to accept Grey Sloan is a special magical place where real world rules and logic don't apply. How many times have we seen the doctors take on some impossible case, no one else would dare to and perform a miracle surgery. The shows message has always been that these doctors are special and amazing because they try harder then others and find a way in the end. I am also frustrated by this message, but it's ridiculous to vilify April for following the same logic the show has always presented. She lied about the severity of the patient's condition so he would be treated by the mythical doctors at Grey Sloan. The other thing is whether they were able to save his hands or not he still required treatment as they found pre cancerous cells. It annoys me that if someone like Alex had done something dishonest like this for a child, which he did with his African exchange program, everyone would be praising him but because it's April she is so quickly condemned.

[timimouse]

Oh, and by that same rule, i don't expect Penny to last. Sorry.

 

HAHAHAHAHAHA. Thanks for that. Hilarious and so true.

The symbolic patients storylines could not have been any more obvious and predictable. If they can save the boy's hands, they can also save their marriage. You make one mistake and you're judged by it for the rest of your life no matter what you do and it's unfair. And Maggie and Richard finally have a chance to bond. That one was kinda nice, actually, although I'm still not sure where they're going with those do. And for the love of God, please make her stop talking about AMAZING SEX!!!1, vaginas and UTIs. It's cringeworthy.

 

 

THIS. As much as I did like this episode, it was too obvious. I missed the subtlety that was Grey's, that made you feel all warm and fuzzy at the end of the episode.

 

From your keyboard to Shonda's ear! 

 

And the more I think about it, I agree with what someone said upthread about the boy from Jordan being the new Zola. April and Jackson will adopt him, and that's what will save their marriage. Ugh, can't these characters solve marital problems like normal people? If any couple needs marriage counseling, it's those two.

 

I've gotten so irritated with Maggie and the "sisters" dynamic that I'd forgotten that I do actually like her sometimes. I wish they would give her more scenes with Webber. She seems intelligent and competent when she's with him, and she doesn't talk about UTIs and such when she's with him.

 

Also crossed my mind that they're going to use this child as their saving grace. Which is utterly ridiculous and the kid suffers in the end.

Not so keen on Maggie though. With or without her vagina monologues (yes, that was deliberate :)) 

 

That's a low blow for the dish rag.

 

But yes, Penny is essentially a wet noodle that is taking precious screen and story time away from the characters viewers actually tune in for.

 

LMAO! thank you again! I'm happy to learn I am not alone with the lack of interest in that character or actress.

[Nobodysfan]

Also crossed my mind that they're going to use this child as their saving grace. Which is utterly ridiculous and the kid suffers in the end.

Not so keen on Maggie though. With or without her vagina monologues (yes, that was deliberate :)) 

 

 

LMAO! thank you again! I'm happy to learn I am not alone with the lack of interest in that character or actress.

I thought it would be nice to have the boy back, but the more I think about it,you are right, it would not be good for the child. He could find home,loving parents, but April does not seem to be feeling any remorse for the pain she caused to her husband.

 

Maybe Nathan could adopt him.

 

We will hear Maggie´s vagina monologues all season long. I only like her in scenes with Richard, otherwise she is totally insufferable, especially in scenes with Deluca.

Edited November 10, 2015 by Nobodysfan