Grey’s Anatomy Review: Risk (Season 11 Episode 8)

Here’s a bold statement: Derek, please leave Meredith. You guys need a break, for crying out loud!

I wouldn’t say that if Grey’s Anatomy had ended before now, but as this show drags on, and on, and on, the writers have to break these two up. From the very beginning, Meredith and Derek’s love story has been the driving force of the show. So for them to live happily ever after with their children (who we rarely see) simply wouldn’t make for good television. But more importantly, Meredith has to continue to grow, and the show has to continue to let her. This point is made pretty clearly through a montage of moments between Meredith and Derek as Derek walks away, just as Richard walked away from Meredith’s mother so long ago.

The addition of Amelia to the cast is genius, and it will be interesting to see what sort of relationship she forms with Meredith. But was I the only one that wondered this week, just for a moment, if there was a spark between Amelia and Owen? Amelia’s past has come back to haunt her, which serves as a nice reminder of the crossover between Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice. If there’s anyone who can relate to Amelia, it’s Owen. Not because he had an addiction to pills, but because he understands trauma.

Alex is becoming my favorite character. With just him and Meredith left from the original group of interns, it’s important that he grows and changes. And that is exactly what he’s doing. Alex is happier, more loveable, and as this particular episode shows, more welcoming. When Jo complains that Meredith is always in their bed, and that now even Arizona is staying with them, Alex tells her that the house has always been open. Even when he and Meredith were fighting, he was always welcome there, and so was everyone else. Dance parties and all. So he insists he still has to keep the house open as a place where people can go when they need a friend or a couch to crash on.

It’s a little ridiculous Arizona was so brazen as to order Herman’s brain scans, and it’s even more ridiculous that Amelia thinks she can remove Herman’s brain tumor. This is just a tired, overdone story in Grey’s Anatomy — the inoperable tumor that is a death sentence for someone can now suddenly be removed by a Shepherd. Though, don’t get me wrong, I like the addition of Geena Davis to the cast, and even more, I like that she offers the opportunity for us to see a main character learning from someone again. So I wouldn’t mind it if she sticks around for a while, especially if she can find a way to save April and Jackson’s baby.

But, unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until January to find out it that happens.

What did you think of the winter of finale? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 8/9c on ABC.