S12.E11: Unbreak My Heart

[sking24450]

I agree with you on every point.  This episode made me understand April's POV more, and made me think that Jackson should have been more vocal in his pain over Samuel.  I get that he was trying to be strong for her, but it clearly wasn't what April needed.  I don't blame April for leaving.  I don't blame Jackson for being upset and not understanding. What I don't get is April's inability to see Jackson's side and Jackson's inability to see April's side.  Neither are budging.  And that's where the conflict lies, clearly.

 

I also think that April shouldn't have told Jackson at the divorce papers signing.  Get a real confirmation of the pregnancy, and then tell him. Yes, I know that home pregnancy tests are almost always correct. But why tell him when you are signing papers if you aren't absolutely sure? And besides, it's going to seem like a last ditch effort to get him back.  I thought it showed some damn dignity for her not to tell him and for her not to beg or cry or be crazy. Sign and leave.  Tell him when you get a blood test. I'm tired of her chasing him and fighting for the relationship at this point.  

That's the thing I do think Jackson understands why she had to leave.  After all he was the one to suggest she go back to Jordan at the end of last year.  Despite what April says I don't think he's trying to punish her, I think he just realizes that he needs a partner who he can actually trust to be there when things get bad.  It just seems like her side is do what she needs to survive her trauma and expect the other person to just deal.

[Apocalypse Cow]

That's the thing I do think Jackson understands why she had to leave.  After all he was the one to suggest she go back to Jordan at the end of last year.  Despite what April says I don't think he's trying to punish her, I think he just realizes that he needs a partner who he can actually trust to be there when things get bad.  It just seems like her side is do what she needs to survive her trauma and expect the other person to just deal.

 

I don't think he does. I think that when he told her to go, it was a test.  To see if she would leave him again.  And she did, which solidified his thoughts that they shouldn't be together.  

 

The only thing worse would be a Penny-centric episode with Amelia as her new best friend. 

 

From your mouth to Shonda's ears.  Lol. Don't even think it or it may happen. 

 

So it's frustrating, but not ultimately surprising, that she minimized Jackson's grief, his need for her support, and how he tried so hard to be supportive for her. To me, that whole scenario of him trying to explain his feelings and rationale and her behaving as if hers was the only grief that mattered, is probably an indication that they shouldn't be together. And it's a bummer that Shonda and co. had to give them a storyline like this and destroy them as a couple. When, as others have said, there was so much rich material that could have been explored in the religious dynamic between them and the family conflicts as he's a board member and she's not, etc.

 

I think that when you lose a child, you get a pass on behavior.  April has a history of being selfish and oblivious to others. Losing Samuel magnified that.  And I think she's okay now, but losing Jackson has not helped with her narcissism, and has instead, magnified her behavior in an attempt to force Jackson to come back to her, which is the worst thing she could do in order to win Jackson back.  I'm hoping this divorce will be a wake-up for April.  I think she can learn and grow from this.  And on the flip side, I've always found Jackson to be obnoxious and closed off sometimes. He has mommy issues for days. Both need therapy. That therapist from last week should just do weekly episodes with all the cast.  

[Evie]

I certainly didn't expect her to be knocked up (those GSM men have some super duper sperm.)

They do. Either Alex learned from the syphilis incident or there's something wrong because he's had more sex than most and hasn't knocked anyone up.

[Deanie87]

I think that as a stand alone episode, this was good, although the rewind and sharp cut flashbacks were annoying.  Some of the individual scenes were great, very moving and wonderfully acted.  But the writers are just losing me these days.  When I view the episode as a part of a whole, whether that means the whole of a season(s) or the whole of a relationship arc, its just too confusing and too little, too late for me.  They lost their baby over a year ago in real time and over 2 years ago in show time, why is this all just coming out now? This episode was needed last year.  I kind of understand why it didn't happen (kind of, but not really), but whatever the reason, the impact is gone.  So much has been ignored, pushed aside, or not delved into that this episode comes across as more of a Japril refresher course than an actual piece in an ongoing, organic and dynamic storyline.  

 

And in the end, like many of you, it convinced me that maybe April and Jackson aren't good for one another.  They have never been on the same page, and while part of me likes the realism of the fact that a romantic elopement does not a relationship make, that elopement was YEARS ago now, both in show and real time.  None of this really matters to me anymore.  I find myself thinking, "okay, thats out of the way, lets get this story started" when the "story" has been going on for years now (and this doesn't only apply to Jackson and April).  And of course she's pregnant, I called that when they slept together earlier in the season.  

[AriAu]

That therapist from last week should just do weekly episodes with all the cast

 

That might be the only thing more boring and useless than this episode. I fast forwarded through most of the last half an hour, especially the long scene between them since they are both so self centered that it is painful to watch-gosh I wonder how that marriage did not work.

[TVForever]

Shhhhhh! Don't let the overlords hear you! I don't think I could handle an entire episode of just Owen and Amelia.

 

       

         I can barely stand those two in the snippets we currently get. An entire episode would be the end of me!

Edited February 26, 2016 by TVForever

[Joana]

OK, there weren't any retcon shockers, which is always good. On the other hand, we didn't really find out anything new. They're incompatible, she couldn't handle the grief over losing her child and that's why she left while not really considering his feelings etc. We knew all that. And while it did shed some light on their story, it would have all been so much better if it had been showed as it happened. Not now. 

I didn't hate the episode. Those two performed really well, the acting was very good. But an episode like this would work better as a change of pace in a really dynamic season with a lot going on, which is basically the opposite of what GA is doing right now.

 

Oh, and literally the last thing this show needs is another baby. 

[SoapDoc]

 

Despite what April says I don't think he's trying to punish her, I think he just realizes that he needs a partner who he can actually trust to be there when things get bad.

 

This!!!  I agree that Jackson has realized that he doesn't trust her. He may love her, he may understand why she had to leave, and he may even forgive her. But he will never trust her to have his back if something terrible happened (at this hospital, that much is a given!).

 

The worst thing that could happen to a couple happened to them and he ended up alone. If another crisis hits, it will always be in the back of his mind that April won't be able to deal with it with him and he would be alone again to struggle through. Her refusal to even accept that while her leaving may have been necessary for her, it was bad for him and for their relationship only heightens his lack of trust in her.

 

Has she even asked him how he coped while she was away? Let him just vent about his feelings without inserting herself in? Or does the conversation get rerouted to how she had to cope with it? She is really missing the point.

[Joana]

And I must say I didn't really appreciate the way we found out about the baby. I don't think Arizona (a peds surgeon, no less) would ever make pregnancy jokes with a close friend who had experienced the horrendous trauma of losing a child like April did. It was in poor taste and I think Jessica Capshaw felt uncomfortable delivering it. 

Edited February 26, 2016 by Joana

[TVForever]

Even after all that April put Jackson through, I think he would still have taken her back if she had just acknowledged that:

 

1. She wasn't the only one who lost a child; Jackson was not just her husband, he was also Samuel's father and was grieving too.

2. She had the luxury of falling apart completely because Jackson "sucked it up" and carried on through his grief in order to hold everything together for the both of them.

 

April never seemed to appreciate any of that. Why would anyone want to be in a relationship with someone like that?

[CED9]

And I must say I didn't really appreciate the way we found out about the baby. I don't think Arizona (a peds surgeon, no less) would ever make pregnancy jokes with a close friend who had experienced the horrenodus trama of losing a child like April did. It was in poor taste and I think Jessica Capshaw felt uncomfortable delivering it.

They don't remember that Arizona had a miscarriage either.

But, really, it was so Arizona would be holding the booze to cover Jessica's baby bump. There's only so much you can do after you've covered a baby bump with a plane.

[Apocalypse Cow]

Maybe it's because i've been through a loss that resulted in a relationship break up, but I totally empathize with April. And I'm not an April fan. But that scene of her in the nursery hit me hard.  I get why she left. I get it. I don't get her inability to understand why Jackson is upset, but I get her grief, her survival mode, her irrational behavior. I think for the most part, April is a self-centered brat. I think that she has really treated Jackson like crap, but I don't think Jackson is blameless in all this. He was closed off, and he has not tried to work on himself or the marriage. I think this divorce is good for them, but I do think they are end game. And I'm fine with that because I think they love each other, and dammit, that should be enough.  In real life, I know it's not, but this is a tv show, so true love needs to conquer all. I'm interested in the baby story. It has the possibility to be a reset for them, but will probably be a trainwreck, but we'll see.

[Artymouse]

I'm sorry for your loss, Apocalypse Cow. I've heard that it's extremely difficult for a marriage to survive the loss of a child, so breaking them up is probably one of the more realistic scenarios this show has done. But if that's the aim, then it could have been done much better than it was. And while I do like Jackson and April as a couple, it would make sense to keep them apart and allow them to move on to other partners. But then again, this is Shondaland, a place where "sense" and "realism" are almost as rare as unicorns.

[Primetimer]

A sometimes tedious, yet always emotional, twelve-year journey through April and Jackson's relationship.

Read the story

[Dr Epi]

I liked this episode but I always like Japril.  I thought it was well done to show how their relationship started and what happened.

 

I thought it was classy that April did not pull the pregnancy card at the divorce meeting. She did not want to guilt Jackson into staying- she finally gave him what he wanted.  And she realizes that she has to rely on herself.

[izabella]

I hope April and Jackson just co-parent without getting back together.  I don't want them together anymore, and haven't since April left the second time.  I want Jackson to be free of her, and to end up in a relationship with someone who values his feelings instead of minimizing and dismissing them all the time. 

 

Sadly, I'm sure that this baby is the plot device that will get them back together, so I'm even more mad that I didn't get more than 30 seconds of relief that they finally divorced.

Edited February 26, 2016 by izabella

[tua20782]

The problem with Grey's us that they want to show how horrible these couples are but also want to keep them together. They did it with crowe, then calzona and now japril. If the end result is to keep japril together don't show then as completely incompatible and unwilling to change (especially on April's part) and if you want to break them up skip the clichéd pregnancy storyline. How is this enjoyabe to watch.

I liked japril but the relationship they showed in this ep has always been doomed. Let it end.

[tua20782]

Sorry. Double post

Edited February 26, 2016 by tua20782

[TVAddict]

So I guess we needed the plastics/reconstruction patient to ensure that Grey's remains a medical drama, but it felt a little cheap to me.  If the point was to get my total sympathy squarely placed on Jackson and increase my irritation with April, the writers were successful.  I can only wonder why Jackson didn't pull the plug way earlier since April is clearly only invested in the "me" part of "we".  And the fake out about the patient's wedding felt cheap too.   Now if they poop all over Alex next week, I'm really gonna get mad.

[WhosThatGirl]

I am still firmly on team Jackson. This episode did not change that. It also didn't show us anything new and April didn't come out of her memories with any new reflections; she isn't going to see a different perspective or anything.

The only thing I found semi interesting was that Jackson had planned to go to Jorden, I feel like we didn't know that before and that jus proves my point, he was willing to bend for a choice April had a!ready made for herself.

[RedheadZombie]

I really liked the episode, but then I really like April/Jackson.  I had taken a year or two off when Mercy West merged and the shooting happened.  My first episode back was the boards episode where April and Jackson hooked up.  So I've always rooted for them.  They helped lure me back in.

 

I'm confused by a couple of things.  First, I thought April and Jackson were best friends back then, so I didn't understand how he cringed and acted uncomfortable when she was upset remembering the shootings.  And it didn't make sense that he didn't know her allergy since they were friends for years.  Although I don't think it's twelve years as the recap stated.

 

I loved April's hair in the flashback of the pregnancy celebration.  I guess it was a wig, but it was gorgeous.  The whole dancing scene was great and I actually teared up a little.  April and Jackson were so happy (which seems a retcon), and Meredith was cute dancing with April.  And then I remembered this was before Derek died.

 

Loved it, but probably because I think Sarah and Jesse's acting chemistry and character chemistry is so watchable. They're just such opposites that it makes them work on-screen. And yeah, April is dorky and annoying, but in a way that I actually appreciate in a sea of snarky, too cool characters.

I've been pretty #TeamJackson throughout this ordeal, but I appreciated April's POV more tonight. Oh and I think she was right not to tell him. She understands him well enough to know he would've stayed with her if he knew. And she knew he wanted out. It's the most unselfish she's been in months.

 

I love April's dorky side.  And maybe it's because I'm from the Midwest, but I've met a lot more April's in my life than the rest of these folks.

 

I agree with you on every point.  This episode made me understand April's POV more, and made me think that Jackson should have been more vocal in his pain over Samuel.  I get that he was trying to be strong for her, but it clearly wasn't what April needed.  I don't blame April for leaving.  I don't blame Jackson for being upset and not understanding. What I don't get is April's inability to see Jackson's side and Jackson's inability to see April's side.  Neither are budging.  And that's where the conflict lies, clearly.

 

I also think that April shouldn't have told Jackson at the divorce papers signing.  Get a real confirmation of the pregnancy, and then tell him. Yes, I know that home pregnancy tests are almost always correct. But why tell him when you are signing papers if you aren't absolutely sure? And besides, it's going to seem like a last ditch effort to get him back.  I thought it showed some damn dignity for her not to tell him and for her not to beg or cry or be crazy. Sign and leave.  Tell him when you get a blood test. I'm tired of her chasing him and fighting for the relationship at this point.  

 

I do hate that April hasn't acknowledged Jackson's suffering while she was gone, but it seems like she didn't realize.  When he threw that at her she was shocked.  Now while it may seem she should have known, Jackson can't expect her to be a mind reader.  I'm very tired of April constantly being called selfish.  I think she has compromised as much of her religion as she can stand.  She no longer pushes religion on Jackson, she signed the post-nup, she seems willing to compromise how an Avery child should be raised to handle their empire (have to be pro-choice according to Catherine).

 

And I think the most selfish thing in their relationship was when Jackson stood up at April's wedding and declared his love.  I remember thinking last night that April would probably be happily married to whitebread Mathew right now.  April has never seemed overly impressed with Jackson's wealth or familial influence, other than her great admiration of Catherine's skills.  She loved Jackson for himself.

 

Maybe it's because i've been through a loss that resulted in a relationship break up, but I totally empathize with April. And I'm not an April fan. But that scene of her in the nursery hit me hard.  I get why she left. I get it. I don't get her inability to understand why Jackson is upset, but I get her grief, her survival mode, her irrational behavior. I think for the most part, April is a self-centered brat. I think that she has really treated Jackson like crap, but I don't think Jackson is blameless in all this. He was closed off, and he has not tried to work on himself or the marriage. I think this divorce is good for them, but I do think they are end game. And I'm fine with that because I think they love each other, and dammit, that should be enough.  In real life, I know it's not, but this is a tv show, so true love needs to conquer all. I'm interested in the baby story. It has the possibility to be a reset for them, but will probably be a trainwreck, but we'll see.

 

The nursery scene was a killer, and it's the best I've ever seen Jesse.  I know everyone keeps calling April selfish, but grief and depression is very isolating.  And while everyone keeps pointing out that Jackson is going through the exact same thing, I really have to disagree.  Sure, they've both lost a child.  But Jackson has not gone through what April has physically.  The hormonal imbalance can be very difficult even for women who bring home healthy newborns.  And she really seemed like she may have had PPD on top of everything, and that's simply much more devastating when combined with the grief, and a much greater load to bear than Jackson.

 

They were ineffectual in how they treated each other after the loss.  The stupid Jordan thing was to accommodate SD's pregnancy, so it irritates me that they chose to cover her absence by damaging her character.  But April was almost paralyzed with grief, and if she feels going to Jordan saved her life, I choose to believe her.  We have no idea how she coped being away from Jackson.  We saw her frustration when she couldn't reach him for an anniversary(?).  And while he was good to encourage her to do what she felt she needed, if he wasn't telling her how he was impacted, that's his mistake.  So he encouraged her to go twice, actually impulsively decided to join her, impulsively changed his mind again, apparently reassured her all was well when they talked, then agreed to counseling, in which he gave the therapist four visits.  I have to admit I was a little frustrated with him, although I understood.  He is closed off, and that's on him.  I don't see their differences as impossible to bridge.  Jackson has finally and loudly made his feelings known.  I think the fact that they were best friends before becoming romantically involved gives a stronger basis to the relationship, and I don't think they're going to thrive apart.

[Joana]

 

I'm confused by a couple of things.  First, I thought April and Jackson were best friends back then, so I didn't understand how he cringed and acted uncomfortable when she was upset remembering the shootings.  And it didn't make sense that he didn't know her allergy since they were friends for years.  Although I don't think it's twelve years as the recap stated.

 

April had definitely referred to him as her best friend before (around her wedding with Matthew) and I hoped the episode would focus more on their friendship and what drew them closer in the first place. Instead, we got a couple of flashbacks going from Jackson being all "Jeez, what a weirdo" regarding April straight to "I will always love you". 

I've felt that the sense of closeness and companionship that seemed to be there when they first started hooking up is missing for a while and this episode just confirmed it for me. Back then I did think that, despite all their differences, they still "got" each other at the end of the day. Now it seems that all they have is great sexual chemistry and that alone does not make a relationship work. 

[fellini1]

I'm also confused regarding Jackson and Jordan.

So he encouraged her to go twice, actually impulsively decided to join her, impulsively changed his mind again [...]

First he's desperatedly trying to get on that airplane but then instead of just taking the next flight to Jordan he goes back to the hospital saying he "decided not to go". What's up with that?

 

Doesn't that change EVERYTHING? To me this means it wasn't just about her abandoning him; because apparently he was ready to go too.

[izabella]

First he's desperatedly trying to get on that airplane but then instead of just taking the next flight to Jordan he goes back to the hospital saying he "decided not to go". What's up with that?

 

I had a hard time piecing the story together because of how it was edited, but I wondered if he was disappointed that she left without him.  She could have waited to catch the next flight with him, right?  Otherwise, it's not clear what changed his mind about going.  Maybe he thought missing the flight was a sign he shouldn't go, since it was really only April that wanted to go.

[tvmom]

I liked japril but the relationship they showed in this ep has always been doomed. Let it end.

Since their beginning, Jackson and April seemed to be an unlikely couple, but there was just enough weirdness in both of them to make you think it could work. But this episode showed a relationship that apparently has never worked, other than sexually. I felt very sorry for Jackson and completely fed up with April. I used to like both of them equally, but I don't see them having a future together, baby or no.

[Greysaddict]

I'm also confused regarding Jackson and Jordan.

First he's desperatedly trying to get on that airplane but then instead of just taking the next flight to Jordan he goes back to the hospital saying he "decided not to go". What's up with that?

 

Doesn't that change EVERYTHING? To me this means it wasn't just about her abandoning him; because apparently he was ready to go too.

 

 

I had a hard time piecing the story together because of how it was edited, but I wondered if he was disappointed that she left without him.  She could have waited to catch the next flight with him, right?  Otherwise, it's not clear what changed his mind about going.  Maybe he thought missing the flight was a sign he shouldn't go, since it was really only April that wanted to go.

 

 I also had a hard time keeping track of the flashbacks, i think it was a mistake to do them in reverse but I guess they were going for creativity.   Anyway, my take on the Jordan thing was that Jackson said no, he wasn't going with her, so April gets on the plane alone.  But, last minute he changes his mind, rushes to the airport but misses the flight.  Then just decides not to go at all.  I don't think April ever knew he planned to come with her.

[Jacks-Son]

I agree with you on every point.  This episode made me understand April's POV more, and made me think that Jackson should have been more vocal in his pain over Samuel.  I get that he was trying to be strong for her, but it clearly wasn't what April needed.  I don't blame April for leaving.  I don't blame Jackson for being upset and not understanding. What I don't get is April's inability to see Jackson's side and Jackson's inability to see April's side.  Neither are budging.  And that's where the conflict lies, clearly.

 

I also think that April shouldn't have told Jackson at the divorce papers signing.  Get a real confirmation of the pregnancy, and then tell him. Yes, I know that home pregnancy tests are almost always correct. But why tell him when you are signing papers if you aren't absolutely sure? And besides, it's going to seem like a last ditch effort to get him back.  I thought it showed some damn dignity for her not to tell him and for her not to beg or cry or be crazy. Sign and leave.  Tell him when you get a blood test. I'm tired of her chasing him and fighting for the relationship at this point.

Thank you!!!! There are two sides to every story. Sometimes you don't see the other person's side, but sometimes you do. The death of a child takes a huge toll on the parents. Most couples can persevere, but with a newborn it is especially hard. I've known couples that could not cope when their newborn did not survive. Heck, my best friends lost their twin newborns and it really wrecked them. They both suffered and I'm sure both April and Jackson suffered as well. I'm not going to say that April suffered more, because she was carrying Samuel, but maybe she did.

I know that very few of the posters here like Kepner but I actually like her character. That may be because I like Sarah Drew as an actress. She was a one-off quirky "single White female" in an episode of "Wonderfalls", and of course she played a similar character, Hannah, as the one she's playing now, in "Everwood". I've only seen Jesse Williams in that horror movie, so I don't know his body of work. It was a difficult episode to watch, especially after the fascinating episode, "The Sound of Silence", but their story needed to be told, and seriously, did anyone REALLY want to see a story about Amelia and Owen? Besides, it was great seeing the "Dance Off" again and the quick snippet of Michelle Oh.

[Madding crowd]

She had the luxury of falling apart completely because Jackson "sucked it up" and carried on through his grief in order to hold everything together for the both of them.She had the luxury of falling apart completely because Jackson "sucked it up" and carried on through his grief in order to hold everything together for the both of them.

 

 

What luxury did she have? They both worked full time as surgeons and people respond to grief in different ways. You cannot tell someone how they are supposed to act when they lose their child. The problem here is that Jackson needed to be closer to April to work through his grief, and April needed to away from the empty nursery, people she knew asking if she were alright, everything, there is no right and wrong way. They should have talked through things more, but in reality many couples break up after the death of a child. It becomes too painful to be around each other, in the same house, many things.

 

This mirrors my experience with every "christian" I have ever known.  They all think "I am more important than you because I am a believer.  You and your opinions do not matter.  I can do whatever I want because I go to church.  I will never apologize when I have done something wrong."

 

 

 

Denigrating an entire group of people because of religious belief is incredibly offensive and bigoted. No, we don't all think we are more important than you. I could easily say that every atheist I have every met thinks they are morally and intellectually superior to every religious person, but that would be wrong too. 

[izabella]

What luxury did she have? They both worked full time as surgeons and people respond to grief in different ways. You cannot tell someone how they are supposed to act when they lose their child. The problem here is that Jackson needed to be closer to April to work through his grief, and April needed to away from the empty nursery, people she knew asking if she were alright, everything, there is no right and wrong way. They should have talked through things more, but in reality many couples break up after the death of a child. It becomes too painful to be around each other, in the same house, many things.

 

I think what April is failing to understand is that Jackson isn't required to stay with her just because she's back.  That sometimes couples do break up after the death of their child because they just can't be together anymore.  That sometimes they break up because of how things are between them in the aftermath, how grief changes them. 

 

Also, Jackson might totally understand why she had to leave and that she believed it was the only way to survive, but that doesn't mean he doesn't get to have feelings about her leaving him. She has yet to acknowledge that he has a legitimate right to his feelings.

[tvmom]

Denigrating an entire group of people because of religious belief is incredibly offensive and bigoted. No, we don't all think we are more important than you. I could easily say that every atheist I have every met thinks they are morally and intellectually superior to every religious person, but that would be wrong too.

Agreed

[meatball77]

They do. Either Alex learned from the syphilis incident or there's something wrong because he's had more sex than most and hasn't knocked anyone up.

 

These doctors are possibly the stupidest group of people on the face of the earth when it comes to being able to use birth control.  Christina who never wanted kids ever getting pregnant twice, yeah right. . . . Have these women who work in a hospital not heard of the IUD?

 

However, out of all the accidental pregnancies of the bunch this is the only one of them that's believable.  April is crazy fundamentalist, always wanted kids and probably wasn't a big fan of birth control because it got in the way of god or something.  Or that she wasn't supposed to be having sex because they were apart (but did occasionally) so didn't stay on or keep birth control around because that would be admitting that she wanted it.

[gator12]

April is not a fundamentalist though

Edited February 27, 2016 by gator12

[moonorchid]

April is not a fundamentalist though

Thank you!

[marceline]

I've always thought Jackson and April were a horrible couple. They were birthed out of selfish impulse and that was a continuing theme all through their relationship. All they've ever done is bulldoze their way over innocent people. April has always been an malignant narcissist. To this day, I've never understood why they brought her back and now this thoughtless hysterical shrew has an unborn child that she can use to manipulate Jackson's weak, sorry ass. 

 

Kudos to the makeup team for their work on Tatiana. Her face was unrealistically perfect but you could see the damage on her neck.

 

Even though I loathe Kepner, I really liked the dancing scene when everyone found out she was pregnant. I have a friend who is basically like a sister to me now and we met as coworkers 20+ years ago. I still remember how thrilled I was to learn that each of my "nieces" were on the way.

[gator12]

All these character are narcissist and self-centered, no one more than Meredith and Callie.  

[PrincessTT]

I hadn't been certain about watching this episode as earlier this week was the anniversary of when I lost my daughter, but I finally got round to watching it today. The scene in the nursery particularly rang true for me as trying for another baby was one of the first things my now-ex suggested after our daughter died and I was horrified when he suggested it.

 

Other than that scene where I really understood April, I found her to be selfish and insufferable in her dealings with Jackson after they lost Samuel. 

 

Also, how far along is April? I'd guess at least 2 months based on the 6 weeks of Mer's recovery, plus a couple weeks before when we were shown them in bed at the end of an episode.

 

In the flashback where they were both trying to open the car after leaving counselling, Jackson said that the counselor said they should stop having sex; and we saw them head to an on-call room for sex during Mer's recovery. 

Edited February 27, 2016 by PrincessTT

[RachelKM]

Denigrating an entire group of people because of religious belief is incredibly offensive and bigoted. No, we don't all think we are more important than you. I could easily say that every atheist I have every met thinks they are morally and intellectually superior to every religious person, but that would be wrong too. 

I agree that the post was both an overstatement and over-inclusive.  What I have experienced as an atheist, and what I think the poster might have been getting at, is  that a certain portion of very religious people have a tendency to discount atheism.  Even when I'm not being told that I cannot have morals because I do not believe in God, there is a tendency for some religious people to frame atheism as an absence of religion and/or a lack of religion.  

 

And I get it.  To them, religion is a huge part of their life and reality and without it they would feel incomplete.  So they, from that perspective, view a person who is not religious as having a void, as having nothing.  And in turn, having something is always better than having a nothing.  This perspective tends to come out most often when engaging in situations wherein people want to express their religiosity publicly and/or in a group and discussing child rearing.  The view is that that it doesn't hurt us with our nothing to be around them with their something and likewise failing to provide religion in a child's upbringing is a deprivation whereas offering it is a gift. What this perspective fails to see is that atheism is its own method of thought and understanding, not a lack.  

 

This is a perspective that I have seen from April throughout her relationship with Jackson.  I felt it was more pronounced with her because I think she is more self-involved generally as a person. (I have known many people who adhered to the above and yet displayed ample empathy and understanding in other contexts.)  To the extent her religiosity blinds her to an understanding of atheism as a perspective that is more than just lacking religion, her self-involvement blinds her even more to other peoples perspectives generally.  I suppose it could be a chicken-egg thing, but in April's case it seems to be too deeply ingrained to separate anyway and origin probably doesn't matter (particularly in light of the fact that she is fictional). 

 

I think what April is failing to understand is that Jackson isn't required to stay with her just because she's back.  That sometimes couples do break up after the death of their child because they just can't be together anymore.  That sometimes they break up because of how things are between them in the aftermath, how grief changes them. 

 

Also, Jackson might totally understand why she had to leave and that she believed it was the only way to survive, but that doesn't mean he doesn't get to have feelings about her leaving him. She has yet to acknowledge that he has a legitimate right to his feelings.

This. I don't fault April for needing to leave. I get survival mode and sometimes it's all you can do just to claw out of grief or depression.  And in the end, I don't think Jackson really blamed her anymore.  I think when it was happening, he was angry and felt abandoned; but he came to understand why she did it and that she needed it.  Understanding that didn't change the fact that she did abandon him.  However necessary it was to her, she wasn't operating in a vacuum and Jackson was left to deal without her and that fundamentally changed their relationship. 

 

I agree with the poster above who said that part of the reason Jackson needed out was because he didn't trust her to be there when he needed her.  The way April deals with tragedy and what she needed to do is totally valid for her.  But it doesn't work for Jackson and he isn't obligated to live with it just because April wants it.

 

I don't want to get into a game of who felt Samuel's death more. I imagine there is a different experience for a mother when the life never makes it beyond her womb especially.  There was a connection there that the father never got to have.  But grief is not a competition and April's utter inability to understand that, whether or not it was the same as the grief she felt, Jackson also grieved for his son and that her actions, necessary to her healing or no, affected him is baffling to me. 

[mojito]

An incredibly boring look at a couple that I had already forgotten about.

 

At least there was a dance party. Sans music, at that. 

[Biggie B]

Yuck. Did not care for this episode at all. I do like both characters, separately, but April has really turned too shrewish for my taste. And now she's pregnant...oy vey! I know this show is nothing more than a work-place soap opera but this is pushing it. I'm surprised that when April admitted to Arizona that she's pregnant, we viewers didn't hear "Dum dum DUMMMMM" as a sound effect.

 

I'm glad they're divorced. Their relationship was just going round and round and round in circles with no forward movement. Too much damage and no way to resolve it other than to walk away. The attorney in me can absolutely see and understand both points of view, but the viewer in me has no patience for the two of them going at each other about the same issues over and over. April will have the baby - barring another cheap soap opera trick of her miscarrying - and then we'll be stuck with watching the two of them trying to awkwardly co-parent and probably ending up having more sex and then getting back together.

[somebody2006]

Had to make an account just to say all this because I can't get over it.

 

The thing I do not understand about April is her complete inability to empathize with Jackson. She was in a rough place when her son died and I can see why she left like she did, but I do not understand her now. She is healed, according to her, so why can't she see that while it was the right choice for her, it hurt Jackson. He never got a chance to grieve the way he wanted, even when he accepted her leaving in the beginning. Why doesn't she reach out, apologize that her grief, while absolutely necessary, made her a bad wife, and move on? Why must she insist that his needs, even in the present time, are inferior to her past feeling? I feel like if at any point in their arguments she would have just said she was sorry, Jackson would have relented on wanting a divorce. 

 

Another thing I find weird is that they've mentioned his dad walking out on him as a child but April doesn't really get that. She's left him twice (once to stay with Arizona and Callie and then all those times to Jordan) and hasn't felt remorse or considered what it is like for him to constantly be left behind. How has it not crossed her mind at all that leaving a man who has been left will hurt? And how has she not considered and asked about his feelings about losing a son and missing out on a chance to be a father when he has no relationship with his father. That is something you think about when you love someone. You consider them, you know their vulnerabilities, and you think about them even when they don't tell you. 

[WhosThatGirl]

The thing is, April left and hardly spoke to Jackson. Then she comes back and hardly addressed the issues Jackson had with her leaving and being gone. Then she wants to leave again and has pretty much made the decision to do so and expects Jackson to be cool with it. That is what makes me side with Jackson. April refused to acknowledge her choices and continues to not acknowledge them now.

[gator12]

Actually in season 11x22 (or was it 23) they showed them speaking multiple time while she was in Jordan. 

[BabyBBQKendall]

Once she empathizes with Jackson, the story will be over. Her cluelessness is what keeps them apart, so.

[Tragic Kingdon]

Most confusing episode ever of Grey's for me. It was so hard to follow. I had to keep pausing it and rewinding it. I was shocked at the end.

[beautifulGA]

The flashback added nothing new so I didn't saw the point. Its as shonda tweeted, she just pressed the rewind button and saw how it play out in slow-mo (funny!).

When will these characters understand that you can't ask a woman who lost a child to carry again ASAP? Like I get annoyed when that happens.

Jackson and April feeling really cute and all for their nuptials, forgoing the thought that they just publicly humiliated Matthew and Stephanie was unsettling for me.

I liked that they emphasized on how different these two are. That's the only good part (besides the no penny)

Fourth break up for Japril, how many more to go?

I liked the everybody dancing scene, nice bone thrown by Shonda to restore Calzona's mfeo status with the rings and necklaces! (Meh! What's the purpose if you are done with them? And Sarah released that clip earlier, nice promotion stint there)

Jesse and Sarah were amazing. Especially Sarah. Her enthusiasm is great. Wished Greys hadn't hit season low last night.

Funny how Sarah is really trying on twitter to act like the episode was hit when it flat.

Forgot to add, this was just an crappy copy of Calzona centric. In fact 80% of their storyline is a copy of Calzona but it's not like any story line on that show is original. Maluca are at Japril season 9 right now. They are trying to read create crowen with omelia. Jolex.... wait they are a couple? Sorry I forgot.

[beautifulGA]

One more thing, a couple who lost their kid to a GENETIC disorder should have been careful with sex and a potential second knock up but you know condoms break....

[gator12]

It was the number rated drama on Thursday (and it was facing the GOP Debate) so yes it was a success, especially compare to the crap rating of Scandal and HTGAWM. Ratings for 11x09 was 2.4, 11x10 was 2.2 and 11x11 was 2.1. Also Grey's hit season low last year with a 1.9 ratings and has hit 2.1 many time in season 11. I don't think ABC is worried b/c it one of their most stabilize show. http://calzona-ga.tumblr.com/post/115422909305/thursday-final-ratings-greys-anatomy-11x18

[Anela]

Long time lurker here... Finally got the nerve to post.

 

Dare I say that I liked this episode?  Sarah and Jesse were amazing (and lord, I wish I had Sarah Drew's hair!)

 

Any hoo, did we actually see Jackson sign the divorce papers? I only saw April's signature. I was thinking that maybe he decided to NOT sign the papers after April left the office. He didn't actually say "no" when April asked him if this was what he really wanted, did he?

 

 

I agree with you on every point.  This episode made me understand April's POV more, and made me think that Jackson should have been more vocal in his pain over Samuel.  I get that he was trying to be strong for her, but it clearly wasn't what April needed.  I don't blame April for leaving.  I don't blame Jackson for being upset and not understanding. What I don't get is April's inability to see Jackson's side and Jackson's inability to see April's side.  Neither are budging.  And that's where the conflict lies, clearly.

 

I also think that April shouldn't have told Jackson at the divorce papers signing.  Get a real confirmation of the pregnancy, and then tell him. Yes, I know that home pregnancy tests are almost always correct. But why tell him when you are signing papers if you aren't absolutely sure? And besides, it's going to seem like a last ditch effort to get him back.  I thought it showed some damn dignity for her not to tell him and for her not to beg or cry or be crazy. Sign and leave.  Tell him when you get a blood test. I'm tired of her chasing him and fighting for the relationship at this point.  

 

I liked it, too. I see both sides. I see why she had to run and do something away from there, and why he is upset with her for doing that. 

 

Someone mentioned his patient only being there to bring some medicine to the episode. I think it was to show that he was doing important work there, as well. 

 

One more thing, a couple who lost their kid to a GENETIC disorder should have been careful with sex and a potential second knock up but you know condoms break....

I follow a blogger who I think lost a child to the same disorder, a few years ago. She already had one healthy child, and has since had another.

I couldn't watch that episode of Grey's, last year, and I can't even imagine dealing with it in reality. Going through that. 

[Artymouse]

One thing that felt a little retconned to me was Jackson's behavior with Tatiana when she first came to the ER. Supposedly, she arrived while Sloan was on the doomed plane to Idaho, and Jackson had to treat her.

He made all these heartfelt promises of how he would take care of her, see her through everything etc. But if memory serves, wasn't Jackson all set to do his fellowship at Tulane? And he only decided to stay when he felt an obligation to Mark after the plane crash survivors were brought back to Seattle?

So (unless I'm remembering wrong), it's either retcon, or Jackson was planning to just lie to the woman after promising he would see her through her entire recovery.

[gator12]

Jackson wasn't so set on that after he sleep with April, he was waiting to see where she was going at the end of season 8.