S10.E20: Go it Alone

[Lisin]

 

Cristina enlists Meredith to help her prepare an acceptance speech for her possible Harper Avery win and while Owen offers to attend the ceremony with her, she insists on going alone. Meanwhile, Derek feels overwhelmed between his responsibilities at home and at the hospital. April and Jackson come to a disagreement on children and religion, and Callie and Arizona try to reconnect in their marriage.

 

[vickieviolet]

It will be very sad if Christina Yang does not win the award. My dream is she wins, congrats and acknowledgement from Burke, then leaves to work with Teddie wherever she is! or to a war torn area that Owen is banned from! Now that I have said that im thinking that Chritina is now at a place where she is equal to Burke so jut maybe.................................

[photo fox]

I thought Owen and Meredith were a figment of Cristina's imagination for a minute.

So I'm thinking not winning will be Cristina's impetus to make some changes and focus more on her career?

[CleoCaesar]

Over the past season or so, Kepner had started to seem a little more tolerable to me and I even preferred her to the annoying new interns. But tonight she reverted back to the hyper-religious, shrill, histrionic whiner she is at her very core. And I hate her again. Kepner may "pity" Jackson for being an atheist, but I pity her hypothetical deaf children far more. Go to hell, April Kepner.

Of course Cristina didn’t win the Harper Avery. Well, at least Shonda didn’t throw her under a literal bus, mangle her, and kill her. So at least there’s that.

[upperco]

I thought the tone of the episode and the construction of the dialogue was strong. The episode started off looking like a winner, but slowly devolved. Hated a lot of the stories tonight: April/Jackson, resident scenes (particularly Jo), Mer/Der "conflict", and that annoying family of patients with their drama. However, Cristina's not winning the award truly surprised me, and I thought that the build-up was suspenseful and well-handled. Still, on the whole, this was a mediocre installment. 

Edited April 18, 2014 by upperco

[whyjen8]

Screw you show, SCREW YOU!  Why was it too much to have Christina win a Harper Avery?  I wanted her to leave on a high note.

The interns were especially annoying tonight.  Jo is off the rails on the crazy train now, too much glee over getting the scissors out of the guys skull.

[Erratic]

Cristina is a fellow who got lucky with her trial that fell into her lap thru sheer luck. I am relieved that she didn't win the award yet. It gives her impetus for moving on in a realistic way.

I'm also glad that April's religion was brought up as an obsticle to her relationship with Avery. It totally makes sense to me that her relationship with God is something that is essential for her to share with her children, and it is important that Avery respects that, or at least respects her desire to express that. To deny her faith is to disrespect a huge part of what makes her who she is.

Oh boy, Arizona's (lack of) enthusiasm about having more babies made her miss Mark? Stay tuned folks, this could be a new fun ride.

[vickieviolet]

I am on Aprils side. I too, pity Jackson.  April isnt a Jesus freak, she just freaking loves Jesus! and I bet one day Jackson will admit he just doesnt know how to "know"  what he can not see. 

[CleoCaesar]

I too, pity Jackson.  April isnt a Jesus freak, she just freaking loves Jesus!

Atheists don't need believers' pity.

Shonda seems determined to screw up another relationship on the show, but the underlying cause of this rift actually makes some sense. To April, Jackson lives a miserable life of not believing in the Bible and is someone to be pitied for his lack of religion. To Jackson, April is a doctor who would deny a child a cochlear implant because Jesus, and who wants to force their kids into Christianity, church-going, and Bible study. It'd be an interesting statement if the writers imply that differences like these are just as insurmountable (or can be) as the question of having children. I doubt they'll go there, but it would interest me at least.

[Lillybee]

Knowing how Christian April is, this is a conversation that they should have had before they impulsively got married. I am sure that Avery wouldn't want his children to have the sexual hang-ups that April has.

[Muffyn]

Dr. Muffyn has won several awards.  The hospital would have had many representatives at the banquet, regardless of Christina's desire. 

I hate histrionic April.  I hate the way people fight on this show.  And the silliness of Jackson and April getting married when they never discussed any of the critical issues that married people need to address.  Makes me stabby.  

I am kind of hoping the heart failure family all die.  I am over them.  

In retrospect, maybe I'm just too cranky to watch this episode.  I am hoping Christina's not winning the Harper Avery award will lead to her leaving to work at a hospital that is more cutting edge.  There are key cardiac centers where she could work with people at her level and beyond.  It's hard to learn when no one around you is even near your level.  

[Lnmop]

In retrospect, maybe I'm just too cranky to watch this episode. I am hoping Christina's not winning the Harper Avery award will lead to her leaving to work at a hospital that is more cutting edge. There are key cardiac centers where she could work with people at her level and beyond. It's hard to learn when no one around you is even near your level.

I was hoping she would win for pretty much the same reason - she would realize that she was head and shoulders above anything Grey Sloan could give her and they would benefit from her presence. Christina deserves to be somewhere that's cutting edge in more than Shonda's mind.

[Frankie5Angels]

 

I am on Aprils side. I too, pity Jackson.  April isnt a Jesus freak, she just freaking loves Jesus! and I bet one day Jackson will admit he just doesnt know how to "know"  what he can not see.

 

We atheists don't need or want the pity of theists or deists. It's a bit patronizing and condescending. I'm certain that unless some massive new and peer reviewed evidence comes along to demonstrate the existence of a supernatural intelligence who intervenes in such human affairs as petty tribal squabbling or football games, I won't believe in him, them, or her. But, I know that there are some people who think such an entity exists and it is important to those people. Both sides have a Constitutionally protected rights to hold those views. Anyway, I don't need pity and I don't think Jackson does either.

I am on Jackson's side and I think it was really stupid of both of them to get married without having this discussion. But, on the up side, they haven't had kids yet to they can break up. They might even have grounds for an annulment! I know I couldn't and wouldn't allow my child to be raised in a religion because those values are so contrary to mine. That is why I didn't marry a theist or a deist. Too bad these brilliant doctors couldn't have figured this simple life lesson. Then again, neither Jackson nor April has been showing the best judgment for a while. Let's just put this on their "Bad Ideas" tab. 

I try to let Shonda cook, but she won't let me let her cook. I can't believe she mangled "Holiday" for this lunatic project of ruining 80s songs. Stop it right now!

[whyjen8]

Like I said I really wanted her to win the award since she is leaving.  That being said, Cristina even being nominated seems like a huge conflict of interest for the Avery family.  The Avery's hold the majority share of the hospital that Cristina works and part owns.  If Cristina had of won it would of been a huge boost to the hospital.  Seems like any employee would not be eligible for a Harper Avery award, kinda like how McDonald's employee can't compete in the Monopoly game.

[choclatechip45]

Question: Did Catherine Avery say in the episode with April's post-nuptial agreement that the Avery's own mutiple hostpitals? If so, maybe that is why it was not a conflcit interest.

Edited April 18, 2014 by choclatechip45

[Frankie5Angels]

 

Have these people ever been published? I've heard no mention of the Lancet, JAMA, New England Journal of Medicine, or he journals of their respetive fields. I know Derek got published in a journal and it was a big deal. They should be published a lot before they would be at a point in their career to win awards simply because Cristina's program really isn't out of the experimental phase which isn't very award worthy. Still, it sucked to see her lose.

[Muffyn]

I could understand April being sad that Jackson doesn't feel the love of god that helps her get through her days.  I could understand her being concerned for his soul.  These are things I've been told by Christians who, while I do not agree with their beliefs, I feel had my best interest at heart.  Her whole crap about feeling sorry for him because he does not believe things he cannot prove is silly.  So if he chose to believe in yetis or jackalopes would she be okay then?  What if he decided his liver is haunted and needs to be replaced?  Would that work for her?  

[TVAddict]

I am sad that Cristina didn't win the HA award.  It was funny when heart-sick boy called her speech "braggy".  

I really want to know what's eating these three kids' hearts.  Seems like they just keep trying to treat the symptoms and there's not much discussion about why all three are so suddenly circling the cardiac drain.  Alex's toy car mounted camera helped to rescue Bubble Boy Braden's friend Frankie.  Yay!  Glad the parents made up in the end, at least.

April and Jackson are bad fighters and seem ill-prepared to achieve long-term marital success.  

Mer and Der just need to bite the bullet and get a nanny already.  

[ZenLizzy]

That Jackson and April didn't talk about all this before they got married is the whole point of this story. They acted impulsively, which by very definition means they didn't think before they did it. I for one am enjoying watching this, I think it's a new and interesting source of conflict for this show that doesn't involve freaking adultery, I'll take it.

Cristina losing wasn't a surprise, I kind of hoped she'd win, but I expected she wouldn't and that would be why she ultimately leaves Groan Memorial.

I thought Callie and Arizona's baby stuff was handled well last night. At first I thought they were going to send them down their usual path of Callie assuming and pushing, with Arizona clamming up and not speaking up. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how Callie didn't let it stew, she pushed Arizona to talk and they had a productive conversation. The coin flip was silly, but I believe it was Arizona trying not to have to make the decision herself. I don't think it means at all that she doesn't want a child, she's just still afraid of loss. So, so happy they didn't make it into a fight over who gets to carry the baby, I honestly believed Callie when she said she's happy if Arizona is happy.   

And MerDer? Get a nanny. I swear it's not the end of the world. Just check yourself and how often you spend extra time at the hospital, but having someone available and on the ready when things happen is invaluable.

Edited April 19, 2014 by ZenLizzy

[maya1959]

After watching this episode and seeing the cardiac kid's condition decline after the parent's fight , I think Christina will have an epiphany and diagnose Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and then be poached by Burke to a well known cardiac hospital.

This may be why that story line with the family is drawn out over several eps to give Christina an "out"

Edited April 19, 2014 by maya1959

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Loved the Meredith/Alex/Cristina conversation in the OR. Their interactions provide such a stark contrast to the lame and boring newbies.

I'm not surprised that Cristina lost. When you're nominated for a really prestigious award, the other candidates will be just as qualified. I actually thought for a second that she would win and that one of the people who talked to her before the ceremony would lure her away to their institution with more money after her fellowship was up. Sandra Oh's delivery when she said, "Why aren't we drunk?" was perfect.

I also loved Cristina trying out her acceptance speech on the heart kids and playing Jenga with them. Not only was it fun to watch but it once again showed that Cristina does like kids but just doesn't want to have any of her own, which I like. I don't like when characters who choose not to have kids are portrayed as kid haters or totally inept around kids.

Edited April 19, 2014 by ElectricBoogaloo

[izabella]

That Jackson and April didn't talk about all this before they got married is the whole point of this story. They acted impulsively, which by very definition means they didn't think before they did it. I for one am enjoying watching this, I think it's a new and interesting source of conflict for this show that doesn't involve freaking adultery, I'll take it.

I agree completely.  There had to be conflict between them after running off together at her wedding.  I'll take this kind of conflict over adultery, and it really is one of those fundamental issues that couples need to resolve, one way or another. And since we have been told April is religious (even though the writers haven't told it well), it isn't surprising that this would come up now after a hasty marriage.

Ideally, there will be some growth in the characters as a result.  It's a tough one, though.  Jackson thinks religion is like believing in Santa Claus, April pities him for it, they each feel strongly, and both are convinced they are right. 

[Katiepenn]

 

Not only was it fun to watch but it once again showed that Cristina does like kids but just doesn't want to have any of her own, which I like. I don't like when characters who choose not to have kids are portrayed as kid haters or totally inept around kids.

Agreed! I like that they're trying to go in at least slightly new directions. I think April and Jackson's disagreements are ones that would certainly come up for a couple like them, with very different core beliefs, who basically discussed nothing before deciding to get married. I do hope it doesn't get drawn out for too long though -- Grey's is very good at that.

[marcee]

I was ready to come in here and point out how ridiculous it is that a well-educated, highly intelligent doctor like April Kepner would behave so irrationally about her religious beliefs (and a cochlear implant) - but then I actually did some research. It was surprising to me that doctors are actually a pretty religious group considering many people believe the more educated (and scientifically minded) you are, the less likely you are to believe in organized religion. But apparently, doctors are a bit of a different breed. So while it seems that Kepner's beliefs are probably common-ish among doctors, I still feel like her reaction was a complete regression for her. Why does she have to be so screechy and hyper and insane and unlikeable?

As far as the pity is concerned, my guess is there's a bit of that going on for both of them. He pities her "stupidity" when it comes to religion (and the implant) and she pities his "emptiness" without something so important for him to believe in.

Personally, I don't see things working out for them. It does seem insurmountable to me.

Edited April 21, 2014 by marcee

[Chas411]

In regards to April/Jackson I see where she's coming from. She's overly defensive about her faith to Jackson because he thinks it's stupid. He wasn't outright saying it but I thought his feelings were obvious before he admitted them. I think he thought that they could overlook it once they were married a while.

Also, I get the impression that he expects her to meet his way of thinking when it comes to raising their children. In the meeting with Catherine where they discussed the postnup agreement he casually mentioned boarding school like it was no big deal despite her obvious surprise. I don't think he means to be inconsiderate but I have gotten the impression from tonight and previous episodes that her faith wouldn't be getting a look in if he had his way. His children would be raised in the Avery way and that would be it.

He outright told her that he thinks her beliefs are ridiculous so I can see why she's so pissed off at him as if she were ever to try and teach their children about faith it would hardly stick with him scoffing at it in the background. Being Christian is a fundamental part of who she is. It's ignorant of Jackson to think that they can get by without discussing it which is what he's trying to do. Jackson's reasoning appears to be not to discuss it because their hypothetical child isn't relevant but I've a feeling he wouldn't be willing to discuss it if the child was a reality. I don't expect him to jump through hoops for April but I think the main problem is that he's not even willing to meet her halfway. Her belief is important to her and his attitude to it patronizing because he doesn't share it.

Now why they got married with these issues lurking in the background is another kettle of fish. I buy that they were caught up in the heat of the moment and I do think that at the core of everything they do love each other very much. I just see this issue still being huge because it's what broke them up in the first place and they've never discussed it since they got back together. Also, neither is willing to compromise or meet the other half way.

[DrLar]

Cristina not winning was a good slap in the face, and she needed one, realize she's not the best doctor in the world and has to try a little harder, although this may push her to depression and maybe that's the way she leaves the show? But I'm hoping she doesn't go suicidal and make Xtina fans angry as hell.

I think April may have married the wrong guy, she went on impulse marrying the guy that took her virginity and not the love of her life.

[cycworker]

I actually really like the April/Jackson story. I'm a Christian, and in this case, I was really annoyed at April. She really crossed the line with the pity comment. I do think they can work it out though. I know couples in my own church where one believes and the other doesn't. They have figured out compromises. Dad doesn't come to church, but the kids do. They waited until they were in kindergarten, though. They really investigated what the Sunday school program teaches.... as in, got copies of the curriculum, talked to teachers, talked to parents, etc,. etc. And they both agree that the kids aren't going to be forbidden from doing other activities even if that means missing church some weeks. Right now one of the kids plays football and they have games on Sunday some weeks. He doesn't have to skip football for church. And mom is very quick to let it be known that she isn't open to people's commentary on that (there are a couple people I know look askance on their choice to put sports ahead of church). So I don't think it's fair to say that April/Jackson's situation is just as irreconcilable as Cristina/Owen. There are ways they can work things out if they both calm down & listen to each other. 

I loved Callie & Arizona this week. They have to recast baby Bailey though... it's getting too obvious that it's a girl playing him. And the babies look far too different. 

I knew Cristina was going to lose. I loved that Meredith was there for her, though I hated that Owen came with her. Stay away from Owen, Cristina!

I'm really intrigued by the two ongoing patient cases. 

Shocked by how much I enjoyed Meredith & Derek. 

[April Bloodgate]

@cycworker, thank you for your insightful comments. I'm not religious, but I think it would be nice to see Jackson and April work through this and Grey's show a mixed faith couple living harmoniously. (I don't particularly like Jackson and April as a couple, but I still like the idea of what the show could present through them.) I know a married couple in which one is Methodist and the other is Wiccan. It's a pretty big difference, but they've worked through it just fine. The show could do something really interesting if they get them through this. I really wish they hadn't tied the cochlear implant issue to April's religion though. It makes it seem as though getting an implant makes one a bad Christian or is rejecting God in some way, which I know many Christians don't believe. Now the issue of cochlear implants being problematic to deaf culture is another issue entirely, but I don't like the way they tied it to Christianity.

[cycworker]

@Denay - Thanks. Also one other compromise I think they've made is the kids will not take part in communion until they are older.... at least 16, I think she said. 

 

 

I don't think they were specifically tying cochlear implants to Christianity. April was simply saying that there's no right answer & it's not up to Jackson to judge the parents for not wanting them. 

[izabella]

I don't know how Jackson and April can really find a compromise here.  Jackson is of the opinion that God is a fairy tale, and it's ridiculous to believe in fairy tales.  A person like that is not going to want his kids "brainwashed" from a young age into believing ridiculous fairy tales are real especially as such "brainwashing" is hard to shake as an adult.  April loves Jesus and can't imagine not raising her kids to love Jesus - she would pity their poor souls for not believing, just as she pities Jackson. 

 

They're pretty far on each end of the spectrum to compromise.  It's not like she's Lutheran and he's Catholic, or even Wiccan - in that situation, they'd both at least believe in something, making compromise a lot easier.   He's not even agnostic, where he's uncertain about it.  He was pretty clear during their argument that religion is a fairy tale and, while he said he respects her (anyway), he most certainly does not respect belief in god.

Edited April 24, 2014 by izabella

[Thundercatmary]

Compromise is always possible, my parents did it. My moms very Catholic and my dad doesn't believe in any religion. Growing up we went to church without dad, and once older we made up our own minds. Even with all that "brainwashing" I'm with my dad re religion but my sister is with my mom believing in god etc.

It just takes some calm conversations and respect for other opinions.