S12.E10: All I Want Is You

[beautifulGA]

I wished Jo was more concentrated on Callie, her career than Alex. Jolex are still in the same limbo and from last episode I have the strangest suspicion that Meredith's anger towards Jo stems from the fact that she's probably not happy with Alex finding his happily ever after. I think the therapist made her realize that. She doesn't have feelings for Alex, but she envys Jolex. Which is petty, really, but I guess it's sows the seeds to her moving on.

Do you guys know that they call Callie and penny penlie ? Lol fitting. It's just that Callie never bent this much for Arizona but her principles are all forgotten for penny. It was okay for her Penny to lie, okay for her to choose her career over Callie, okay for her to get insulted by Penny when she was defending her in front of Meredith. So yeah Penny is bringing Callie down and I don't like it or like Penny.

And that kiss? Awkward. Samantha S needs some acting lesson, she S bringing Sara Ramirez down with her dullness. Forget about chemistry, that kiss was questioning physics.

If Arizona is still going to trivia nights with Webber, putting herself out there, than how's she contemplating dating in 12.12? What pushes her? Do Callie and penny move in together? Does Penny adopt Sofia? Lmao

Even if I don't like penny, I won't mind her sticking around. That way every one will have a minion to train and send off for boards and all.

The therapist was brilliant idea, it was nice to see Meredith accepting certain things. Though I wonder why the plane crash victims never got a therapist to rule out ptsd.

The Owen Riggs thing was predictable and really did Owen and Amelia went from not talking at all for weeks to pouring souls in a heart beat? Lol.

If a character is in more than 14 episode, doesn't it means that she's regular? Are they hiding Samantha's contract status on purpose? Anyone?

[BaseOps]

If a character is in more than 14 episode, doesn't it means that she's regular? Are they hiding Samantha's contract status on purpose? Anyone?

They can have someone 'guest' for as long as they want. Jason George guested in 40+ episodes before becoming a regular.

[Slider]

 

They can have someone 'guest' for as long as they want. Jason George guested in 40+ episodes before becoming a regular.

He was given a contract and then promptly put on the back burner.  Poor guy.  I really like his character, but we haven't gotten to see much of him.  

 

Maybe they'll put Penny on contract and then we'll see her as much as Ben and Arizona and Jo!

[candall]

Meredith's frustration at failing to outsmart the visiting trauma counselor was one of my favorite storylines and I also liked it when she visited the in-hospital therapist.  This one makes me just as happy.

 

Last week, we all noted that Meredith had a big, loving, extended family.  But at the same time, she's going to have a big raw nerve on high alert about people she loves ultimately leaving her.   That's a rich meaty-brothy conflict.   More sessions, Mer! 

 

Too bad every man who likes to laugh and share notes with his bro's about hot sex with those little "wildcats" can't later learn he's been discussing his own daughter.

[beautifulGA]

Oh bummer. I honestly thought Penny had an Geena Davis arc but now I think she's here to say. Maybe they're unable to negotiate the series regular deal with Samantha S because she's guest starring in other shows as well. Just like Jason managed for all these years. With that residents scene, it looks like Ben & Penny are our new Shane and Leah. They always want 4-5 residents.

[Pallas]

As if Owen's vendetta against Nathan weren't tiresome enough -- it's also tired. Amelia's held a grudge against Meredith, her dead brother's wife, around the circumstances of his death. Amelia thinks Meredith gave up, when she (Amelia) could have saved him! Owen holds a grudge against Nathan, his dead sister's lover, around the circumstances of her death. Owen thinks he (Nathan) fucked up, when he should have saved her!

 

Maybe when the guys started fighting again after the operation, Owen had asked Nathan if he knew how awful Owen felt, seeing Nathan hurt like that...

[Chas411]

I really really wish they could cut the attempts at making us like Penny and instead give us the Jolex storyline we never got to see.

[Deanie87]

I find it so funny how so many people are against Merlex. I don't ship them but I'm not against this ship either. I've watched so many stories of best friends/almost siblings falling in love and I shipped it most of the times so I guess I'd be okay with Merlex if it were to happen, which I doubt.

 

It seems to me that the majority of people who are very much on board with Alex and Meredith getting together are big fans of Meredith and/or MerDer.  They don't want some new guy to replace Derek or his legacy tarnished, so they will settle for good, old reliable Alex, who, while inferior to McDreamy in every way, is at least a known quantity.  Every article about them getting together focuses on how great Alex treats Meredith and how it will benefit Meredith.  I haven't seen one article that frames it in a way that puts Alex first, not one.  Alex doesn't need kids of his own, he can just have Meredith's.  Alex is used to coming in second, he can do it again for Meredith.  Alex doesn't need his own storylines or his own life, he can just service Meredith, who is now the sun and the center of the show and universe.  THIS is why I don't want them together.  I don't think that they are brother/sister, I bet that they could have some decent sexual chemistry, and friends falling in love is my second favorite romantic cliche after the love/hate thing.  In fact, after Izzie left, I was all for a Meredith/Alex pairing.  Alex had absolutely nothing else going on, so why not?  Funny how it was never, ever mentioned then.

 

And believe me, I get why people don't like Jo or the Jo and Alex pairing. I am barely hanging on myself.  But as an Alex fan since the beginning, no one has ever put him first, or supported him AS IS, more than Jo and that counts for a lot in my book.  I wish that they got storylines and I wish that Jo as a character was more dynamic and interesting, but right now it is what it is.  Becoming Meredith's "person" hasn't really done much for Alex as a character, the Jolex relationship, or for his screentime or storylines, so I don't think that putting them together romantically is going to do it either.  IMO, Alex deserves more than to come in second to Derek, to raise someone else's kids (more than he does now), and to completely dissolve even more into Meredith's orbit.  THAT is why I don't want them together.

 

Back to the episode, the mere sight of Penny makes me angry and I wish that Ben, Alex and Jackson would hang out more.

[windsprints]

It seems to me that the majority of people who are very much on board with Alex and Meredith getting together are big fans of Meredith and/or MerDer.  They don't want some new guy to replace Derek or his legacy tarnished, so they will settle for good, old reliable Alex, who, while inferior to McDreamy in every way, is at least a known quantity.  Every article about them getting together focuses on how great Alex treats Meredith and how it will benefit Meredith.  I haven't seen one article that frames it in a way that puts Alex first, not one.  Alex doesn't need kids of his own, he can just have Meredith's.  Alex is used to coming in second, he can do it again for Meredith.  Alex doesn't need his own storylines or his own life, he can just service Meredith, who is now the sun and the center of the show and universe.  THIS is why I don't want them together.  I don't think that they are brother/sister, I bet that they could have some decent sexual chemistry, and friends falling in love is my second favorite romantic cliche after the love/hate thing.  In fact, after Izzie left, I was all for a Meredith/Alex pairing.  Alex had absolutely nothing else going on, so why not?  Funny how it was never, ever mentioned then.

 

And believe me, I get why people don't like Jo or the Jo and Alex pairing. I am barely hanging on myself.  But as an Alex fan since the beginning, no one has ever put him first, or supported him AS IS, more than Jo and that counts for a lot in my book.  I wish that they got storylines and I wish that Jo as a character was more dynamic and interesting, but right now it is what it is.  Becoming Meredith's "person" hasn't really done much for Alex as a character, the Jolex relationship, or for his screentime or storylines, so I don't think that putting them together romantically is going to do it either.  IMO, Alex deserves more than to come in second to Derek, to raise someone else's kids (more than he does now), and to completely dissolve even more into Meredith's orbit.  THAT is why I don't want them together.

Perfectly stated, every word. 

Edited February 20, 2016 by windsprints

[Greysaddict]

Interesting thoughts Deanie87. I am the biggest Meredith/MerDer fan and am vehemently against the paring. For all you reasons you said for Alex but I also feel like Meredith and Alex ending up together completely tarnishes everything MerDer and everything this show has done over the past 12 years. It's like all that time we spent with Meredith and Derek is like oops just kidding I was really in love with Alex the whole time.

I'd rather have Meredith date someone new with the understanding that Derek will always have a place in her heart. Alex will always be second to (dead) Derek and he deserves more than that.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Greysaddict

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I wasn't a huge Meredith/Derek shipper but I still don't want Meredith to end up with Alex, mostly because it drives me crazy when tv shows won't let people just be platonic friends and insist on hooking up two characters just because they're male and female.

[Deanie87]

Greysaddict and ElectricBoogaloo, I agree with both of you, although I think that they would make it abundantly clear that Alex was second choice and that Derek is her great love.  I don't think that it would ever be presented as Meredith being in love with Alex the whole time.   I guess I did generalize a bit about who wants Mer and Alex together, but  its just that the reasons given in the many articles that are now coming out and the reasons I have seen people post on Twitter (I know, I know) revolve around Meredith and what would be best for her now.  I think that it is very telling that there were no articles about this after Izzie left and Derek and Meredith were having trouble.  Alex was there for Meredith then too. Why is it suddenly an option now that Derek is gone?  Alex has been in a (very, very poorly written) relationship for years now, but that just gets dismissed.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Deanie87

[Greysaddict]

I completely agree with you on the Alex front also! I am both a Meredith and Alex fan. Just not together.

When I said Meredith/Alex pairing negated everything I meant for Alex too. I feel like if Meredith and Alex end up the together it negates everything Alex has been through the past 12 years.

[moonorchid]

Overall I liked this episode. It was enjoyable since none of the angsty stuff was dealt with and everything else had a quick fix (hello jolex) and weird references to break up and awkward reconciliations (hello whatever we call Callie/penny).

I still don't understand the source of Owens anger toward Nathan beyond "he was supposed to take care of her but she died"...sounds like an exceptionally unfair grudge to hold on to all these years.

I did love Aprils snark all through out this episode. Love it or hate it but that girl has grown her backbone and I for one get a kick out of it.

Owen and Nathan's surgery was aesthetically pleasing and I don't feel that way about the surgery scenes often.

Owelia...if they are a take it or leave it is much rather leave it.

Merediths therapy scenes were well done and I appreciated how different it was from her previous experiences. In the past, it was always about Derek (or her mother in regards to Derek). With him gone, and Cristina gone, she's forced to actually think about herself and her next steps and what she wants for herself. It was refreshing.

[Biggie B]

This may be the first time in YEARS of watching medical soap operas that I actively rooted for a child to die. That Maya was horrible - just awful. I appreciate that she was the strong one in the mother-daughter relationship, but she was so blatant about it - she basically said, in front of her own mother - I'm smarter, my mom's too dumb to understand any of this, I'll make all the decisions. Sure, could be a defense mechanism but jeez - what an insufferable brat. The poor mother - no one was willing to even give her a chance. Maybe she's a decent, smart woman who's been so busy trying to singlehandedly raise a very sick child that she hasn't had a chance to be her own person. Kudos to Alex for putting up with Maya  - she didn't deserve it.

 

The second ANY character on ANY show says to a therapist, "I'm fine, I'm only here because I have to be," you know they're a friggin' mess. Unoriginal writing. How refreshing it would be to hear a character say, "I think I'm doing well, but there are a few things sort of troubling me, that I'm confused about..." 

 

The brief scene with Arizona leaving her house, notice the camera never showed below the hem of her dress. You'd never know she has a prosthetic leg.
 

Edited February 21, 2016 by Biggie B

[izabella]

The second ANY character on ANY show says to a therapist, "I'm fine, I'm only here because I have to be," you know they're a friggin' mess. Unoriginal writing. How refreshing it would be to hear a character say, "I think I'm doing well, but there are a few things sort of troubling me, that I'm confused about..."

 

I am so sick of that "I don't need therapy" trope, too.  Med shows and cop shows are full of people who think they don't need therapy, and only go kicking and screaming and full of denial to mandatory therapy.  I guess I want my medical and police professionals to know better.   Surely, there's at least one or two people who would be like, "OMG, yes, I need some help here!"

[saltycheese]

This all might make me sound very paranoid and conspiracy-theorist, and I'll preemptively extend my apologies if this post is going to waste anyone's time. I first began to feel this way after the Sound of Silence episode, and my feelings solidified after this episode. Here goes: Meredith's face looked like she had some work done over the winter recess (in real life), and I feel like getting beat up in the hospital bought the producers time to get her looking back to normal. She hasn't had any long scenes (post-recovery) with other people, and most of them are with the therapist (which could have easily been filmed later and inserted in). In the flashback scene where she was drinking with friends in her house, her mouth area looked especially like Jack Nicholson's Joker when he put on the tan foundation. I hate myself for even putting so much time into thinking about this. Also, I realize that they would have had to have booked Denzel way in advance (with a solid script) -- so I know that none of this can be right. Still, I wonder. . . 

 

Did anyone else notice this? 

[Greysaddict]

I'm not sure if I am following your timeline correctly saltycheese....but the therapist scenes were definitely filmed on/near Ellen Pompeo's birthday which was sometime in early November (there is a video floating on around on twitter with some of the crew signing happy birthday to her and she is definitely dressed for the therapy scenes).  Episodes 9,10,11 and 12 were all filmed in Nov-Dec.  

 

I did notice that Ellen's face looked puffy in episodes 12x09 (Sound of Silence) but I think it was done on purpose. with makeup to make it look like she was actually recovering from being beat up, plus they had that special effects mask thing.  It is possible she had some work done so I won't deny that.  Who in hollywood hasn't?

[Nobodysfan]

This all might make me sound very paranoid and conspiracy-theorist, and I'll preemptively extend my apologies if this post is going to waste anyone's time. I first began to feel this way after the Sound of Silence episode, and my feelings solidified after this episode. Here goes: Meredith's face looked like she had some work done over the winter recess (in real life), and I feel like getting beat up in the hospital bought the producers time to get her looking back to normal. She hasn't had any long scenes (post-recovery) with other people, and most of them are with the therapist (which could have easily been filmed later and inserted in). In the flashback scene where she was drinking with friends in her house, her mouth area looked especially like Jack Nicholson's Joker when he put on the tan foundation. I hate myself for even putting so much time into thinking about this. Also, I realize that they would have had to have booked Denzel way in advance (with a solid script) -- so I know that none of this can be right. Still, I wonder. . . 

 

Did anyone else notice this? 

I also think she had some plastic surgery or botox injections done but not necessarily around this time of shooting as you suggest. Or maybe yes? I think all actresses in Hollywood go there at some point in their lives. They do have the money to afford it. How old is Ellen? 46 or 47? I believe she doesn´t look her age - definitely 5 or 6 years younger so it is only natural she had some job done on her face.

 

Pompeo said she knew what they were planning for the character but only felt OK about it or accepted it when they told her Washington would direct it. 

I don´t think she had her job done at that time, maybe some summer hiatus would have been more appropriate.

 

But I have also elsewhere read some people commenting that Pompeo looks so old this season. I think it is indeed a matter of opinion.

Edited February 22, 2016 by Meredithfan

[Chewy101]

I was annoyed when Meredith told the therapist that she practically handed Alex to Jo on a silver platter and he is screwing it up. 

Since Christina left, she has been cock-blocking the two of them for her own selfishness (remember how she used to barge into the bathroom and demand he be her "person" now?), and Jo has been passed over repeatedly for Meredith. I don't know how she has put up with it for so long. I don't even care about Jo, but she seems pathetic sticking around with Alex as long as he keeps putting Meredith first.

By the time Meredith finally realized Alex needs to focus on his OWN life and let him off the hook, I fear it's too late to fix it.

 

Meredith's life is so full of misery it's unbearable. How is she not on a clock tower with a rifle somewhere? It makes her seem psychotic that she can function through all these things. Amelia might be an unstable wreck, but at least she has actual reactions to things. The fact that she doesn't have PTSD (when even robot Christina had it), makes me fear she is a sociopath.

 

I interpreted the look Meredith gave Alex and Joe in the end was just her dealing with the fact she isn't dead inside anymore and now she has to deal with the burden of being attached to people when she has always been somewhat detached from everything. I didn't feel like it had anything to do with Alex and Joe, but her just looking at her two best friends.

 

I want something happy to happen for April. I know she can be annoying at times, but she is the sweetest of all the characters in terms of wishing no harm to anyone and always being there for people when they need her. It was a bizarre character assassination that she ditched Jackson to enlist (however, losing a child would mess anyone up for awhile), and I am ready for her to have a life again.

 

 

 

I was actually really enjoying how Amelia, Meredith, Callie and Maggie were getting so close. They had some great scenes together. Tired of Amelia becoming an outcast again. Function, people!

 

I get that Arizona is probably with the kid when Callie goes out to play, but now that they get along so well, I wish AZ was in the fold with the other women. Aside from the Twisted Sisters, this show has always lacked good female friendships until this season.

 

I love how Meredith's attack was compared to Lucy and Carter from ER, and then Meredith's therapist was Lucy's (Becca Thatcher) dad on Life Goes On. 

Edited February 22, 2016 by Chewy101

[pennben]

So, I finally caught the episode.  I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is why Grey's is around all these many years later. I think it helped that I banned myself from spoilers/speculation/sneak peeks, etc., and watched the episode fresh.  I was disappointed in the last episode, as I feel like I had seen most of the episode before it aired and it felt so removed from where we left off last year. Anyway, this episode is what I think I wanted from the first episode back from the break that I didn't get. It felt like episodes from back in the olden days. Hell, I enjoyed it so much, even Amelia seemed somewhat sympathetic when talking to Owen!

 

As for Penny, I love the concept of her and the story to be told with her.  The "guess who's coming to dinner" episode is in my top ten for the series.  Between the preview at the end of the prior episode letting us know who was coming to dinner, throughout the entire dinner episode, I was all in on the story, and wow, that was a fantastic episode.  But, I don't know whether it is the actress or the story that has followed thereafter, but I'm just not buying it anymore.  The ball, it seems, was dropped somewhere along the way.

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post in the episode!

 

On Grey's Anatomy, Life Goes On
All Meredith wants is to reassure her therapist she's okay. All Owen wants is to make Nathan disappear. All a young cancer patient wants is Alex's miracle skills. And all everyone else wants is sex and apparently pizza.

[BaseOps]

Totally random thought just occurred to me - Arizona went to trivia night with Richard, Callie was hanging out at Meredith's... WHERE WAS SOFIA?!?

[Greysaddict]

Totally random thought just occurred to me - Arizona went to trivia night with Richard, Callie was hanging out at Meredith's... WHERE WAS SOFIA?!?

I can wave this away and pretend that Sofia was playing or sleeping with Zola in her bedroom.  

[kingshearte]

I actually had kind of mixed feelings about the therapy parts. At the beginning, it sounded a lot like a recap of the series, in case a whole bunch of new people just happened to tune in here? It did eventually settle out of that, though, so ultimately, I was OK with it. And I totally agree with someone upthread who pointed out that, really, a lot of these people should be in therapy a lot more often, and probably on a regular and permanent basis for some of them — most definitely including Meredith.

 

I feel like I had a bunch more specific things to say, but I no longer remember what they were. Amelia: still annoying. Owen & Amelia: still pretty much blech. Owen & Riggs: awesome surgical ballet, and I'm sort of glad it took more than just that to heal their rift — except that, from the sounds of things, the reason for their rift is stupid. I can understand lashing out initially because of the misplaced, irrational anger that is so often part of the grieving process. But at a certain point, you have to acknowledge that it's unreasonable and move the fuck on. Even if you never go back to being as close as you were, you should still be able to behave like a civilized human being.

 

And I agree with everyone that Callie & Penny's stairwell kiss was so not sexy.

 

Oh, and was I the only one a bit bothered by Jo's declaring that she wanted to pummel Alex, given her actual history of actually beating the crap out of a boyfriend? From pretty much any other character, I'd have accepted it as just the kind of expression of frustration we've all given voice to occasionally. But having her say it? Makes you wonder if the writers even remember that incident.

 

I guess I remembered a few specifics.

[Shellie]

As for Penny, I love the concept of her and the story to be told with her.  The "guess who's coming to dinner" episode is in my top ten for the series.  Between the preview at the end of the prior episode letting us know who was coming to dinner, throughout the entire dinner episode, I was all in on the story, and wow, that was a fantastic episode.  But, I don't know whether it is the actress or the story that has followed thereafter, but I'm just not buying it anymore.  The ball, it seems, was dropped somewhere along the way.

 

I really liked that episode also.  I was very impressed.  But I never liked it that Penny applied for a position at Grey-Sloan and was hired and is in the show all the time now.  I couldn't buy it that she would apply there or not know that Callie was friends with Derek and Meredith.  And she and Callie have zero chemistry.  I have no idea why Callie likes her so much.  And I also don't know if it's the actress or what, but the character seems so bland and dour.  

[kingshearte]

I just also remembered that I particularly liked Meredith's realization that she can be alone and doesn't need to have people around her, but it's nice that they're there, and she does actually kind of want them there. I thought it was a nice call-back to when she said that she could live without Derek, but she didn't want to. I hope it's a sign that she's ready to really and truly move on with living her life.