Grey’s Anatomy - Don't Let's Start - Review: "I Just Needed you to be Honest"

I am filling in for Maxine this week. Due to personal reasons she is unable to write for this weeks installment.

Grey's Anatomy - Can We Start Again, Please?

We finally had an episode that diverted away from the couple centric ones we have seen so far. I don't mind them episodes, but I felt this was a much needed episode. The hour gave us a dose of just about everything / everyone we have been missing, except for a few characters who didn't even appear at all. From the promo I initially thought the episode would be based solely around April and Jackson, while I am glad it wasn't it would have been nice to see a bit more of them given that they have been absent from a few episodes already this season. The cast for me seems way to big now, the are trying to juggle the ensemble so each one has a decent amount of screen time, but for me it isn't working as well as it good be. There is too many quick scenes between characters that cut some more interesting scenes short, for example the Bailey running scene. I don't think it was needed, and to be frank I didn't really care at all much for it. There just seems to many things going on around the hospital between characters for me to really get into a storyline.

Arizona/Dr Hermen
This episode we learned a few things about each of them. Arizona is living in a oncall room, as she decided to leave home even though Callie never asked her too. I have mention that I haven't always been a fan of Arizona, especially in season 9 after she got her robotic leg, her constant moaning was really starting to bug me. This season I have been enjoying what I have seen of her, her scenes with Callie have been great, especially the last episode when they were trying to work through the rough patches of their relationship. This episode we see Arizona run ragged again for Dr Herman who was supposed to help Arizona go over a complicated procedure, but had to bail for personal reasons. Little did we know, that Herman is dying. This was a huge shock at the end of the episode.

The expression Arizona had on her face, was the same on mine. I now finally understand why Herman was being so harsh on her, she hasn't got enough time to teach at a slow pace. Essentially she wants Arizona to take over from her, but I'm hoping that inoperable tumor becomes operable, as I would love for Geena Davis to stick around, plus everything is operable in Greys. I was really glad actually that we saw a lot more of Davis's character, and things took more of an interesting turn, as all we have seen from her recently is forgettable one liners. I was starting to wonder why they even bothered casting an actor of her caliber; now I understand why. Arizona now has a dilemma on her hands, she can tell the board everything and have Herman forced to stop working or continue on with the work. If she does decide to tell the board, it will mean that her splitting up with Callie was for nothing. She chose the fellowship over her marriage so I think she wont do anything. She wont like it, but will learn to except that she really doesn't have another option.

Owen/Callie/Jo
This week Callie, Jo and Owen deal with the "case" of the week. A woman who served in the army as a computer specialist who lost everything she owned when she was carjacked, is brought into the hospital where Owen takes a particular interest. Throughout tonight's episode we saw her kept repeating "where's my car". At first I didn't know what to make out from it,I was initially wondering why she was so concerned over a car, when her life hangs in the balance. It is only until she reveals that she has been staying in her car since she left the army that we fully understand her situation. Owen pleads with her to let him help, and to enlist her in a program to get veterans back on their feet.

She doesn't want it, and feels there is more people out there who are more deserving. I completely agree with Owen on this one, that no matter what she did in the army she still contributed to the cause. I really like this season how Owen wants to help as many people in the Army as possible, because in a way he was a mess when he left the Army himself. He needed help to get by, which he got. It is also a nice distraction from his loss of Christina, which I did think he would dwell on the fact she left for more than a few episodes so its nice to see he hasn't. I have a real problem with Jo's character though, I think she worked best on ortho with Callie. When she was there we got to learn a lot about her, and some of her past. Currently I don't think her working with whoever is nearby is working.The idea of being a resident was to have one initial specialty to focus on, not multiple ones.


Meredith/Derek/Richard/Maggie
Derek wants to gather Meredith's dysfunctional family around the table, as he puts it as Zola needs more black people in the family. Derek suggests Meredith invite Maggie to dinner as she is family. I am surprised by myself that I like Maggie; I didn't think Meredith having another sister was a good thing when I first heard about it. I absolutely loved Lexi, which is why I didn't want a replacement. Although Maggie is a lovely addition to the cast, no matter how likeable she gets she will never be or match up to Lexi. It took Meredith forever to warm up to Lexi, so it is understandable that she is taking things slow, and at her own pace with Maggie. I have been wondering if one day Lexi will get a mention in a conversation between Maggie and Mer.

Elsewhere, Derek after seeing an awkward moment between Richard and Maggie, pushes things a little too much by inviting Richard to dinner.When Maggie and Richard arrive for dinner, no one answers. This is because Mereidth and Derek were having some sexy shower sex. I have really loved this season that they are expressing their opinions, and feelings to one another through an argument instead of like previous seasons break up or not talk to one another for a while. I was also very glad when there were some loving moments between them this episode, as they were very much needed after all their constant problems. Here's hoping he can go back to being her McDreamy. As Maggie and Richard wait outside, he apologies. She says she didn't want him as a father, just for him to be honest. I was devastated for Richard, as I really believe he wants to get to know Maggie, and play a father role in her life now that she is there. As the season continues I am sure they will get closer, and eventually she will grow attached to him, and treat him like her father. It would be nice for Richard, Maggie and Meredith to all get along and act like a family, as Richard mainly needs something more in his life than the hospital. He needs a purpose, and more importantly a a family.


Everything else
We finally saw April and Jackson re- surface this episode. I have been waiting to see some scenes with them for a while, although this episode was not the answer to my wishes. April's mother unexpectedly touches down in Seattle to give some motherly love, and to lend a hand. Whilst April didn't feel like she needed help, Jackson did. This season they haven't really focused any attention on the couple even though she is pregnant. They focused a lot on Meredith's, Callie's and even Bailey's pregnancy, I feel the writers have forgotten she is pregnant as it should play a bigger role in the show than it currently does. Whilst we didn't see many scenes with April, and her mother they had a lovely scene outside the hospital where they made up after having a fight about April not needing her. April and Jackson are two more prime example of regulars not doing much; or anything interesting.

It is a real shame, as they are two characters a lot of people including myself enjoy seeing. Also in the episode we got treated to some scenes between Bailey and Ben, who seemed to appear for the first time in ages. They get a really boring side story about Bailey wanting to become healthier. I really didn't care at all for this scene, it was beyond uninteresting. I really want to see the real Bailey back, the one who used to stroll around the hospital liked she owned the place insulting whoever she disagrees with. I also liked how everyone was living in fear of her, not so much know. She was one of my favorite characters, and was one of the characters I would turn on my TV, and love seeing. Now she isn't at all the character that I loved. This is a problem with Grey's, and having way to many characters on the roster. Characters start to lose the qualities they are known for. Rant over.


What I want to see

- To see more of Jerrika Hinton. Why is she a series regular if she says about 2 words per episode. They have yet, in the year she has been on the show given her an interesting storyline; if one at all.

- For Geena Davis to be upped to regular. I know her character has an "In-operable" brain tumor, but that hasn't stopped them in the past finding someway to get rid of it. I would love to see more of Geena Davis, I am slowly starting to warm up to the character, plus seeing Davis on screen each week is a real treat. I loved her in Commander in Chief.

- More of Amelia, I really like her character so far, so would love to see more of her. She is the comic relief in the episodes she is in, which is a great distraction from all the martial problems everyone is having. This episode she was MIA.

- To see less of the important scenes cut short, for unnecessary short scenes (Like Bailey running). I don't want interesting scenes to be less than featured just to get some regulars a few lines in.

- Some more hands on episodes instead of just life problems. I prefer episodes when everyone is contributing to the ER, and the cases, since you know it's a hospital.

A few favorite quotes

"Feels strange, doesn't it? To touch a baby before it's even born. You know what it feels like? Privilege. Great privilege." Dr Herman

"I have to have dinner with the sister I don't know, and the bio dad she hates, because you gave up your chance to work for Obama. You going to play that card, of course you are, because you be playing that card to the end of frickin time" Meredith

"You've got the wrong idea, I'm not angry with you for being a bad father;you're not my dad. You are just a man who slept with a woman who made it possible for me to be born. My dad is my present; you are my past, you are my genetic history. I didn't need you to be a good father, I just needed you to be honest" Maggie

Summary
It was a really good episode, with loads of interesting things happening to capture your attention. I do worry though that the huge cast will create problems for future episodes. I want to see Grey's Anatomy at its best, but I have yet to see it this season. Once they figure out how to use each cast member appropriately; giving everyone an interesting story to contribute to, I can see if getting much better, and more structured.


As always , thank you for reading! Let me know in the comments what you thought of the episode!

About the Author - Robert Fruin

Robert is a sixth form student from the United Kingdom, who is currently studying IT, Media and Business Studies. Robert is a huge fan of the ended ABC series LOST, he has seen it many times over and has even visited some of the filming locations for it. Robert mainly watches drama series such as Game Of Thrones and Person of Interest, but has a soft spot for the comedy The Middle. Some other shows he watches are The Walking Dead, Arrow and The 100. Some other interests include cycling, photography and kayaking. Robert will be reviewing Z Nation,The Librarians, Sons Of Anarchy, Intruders, The Fosters and Aquarius. Feel free to connect with him on any of these social media sites.

Recent Reviews (All Reviews)