Grey’s Anatomy Review: The Great Pretender (Season 11 Episode 12)

Grey’s Anatomy is getting a lot of things right these days.

“The Great Pretender” focuses more on Bailey’s world this week. When Ben’s brother, Kurt, takes a nasty fall and finds himself getting care at Seattle Grace, Bailey and Ben learn that Kurt has been hiding something — he’s transgender.

Okay, so not only am I glad we’re spending more time with Bailey and Ben, but for the show to take on a transgender character in such a personal way is fantastic. Yes, Grey’s has had transgendered characters on the show before, and we’ve seen their specific struggles, but we haven’t seen one of the doctors affected so directly.

Bailey is quick to be supportive of Kurt, encouraging Ben to be accepting. The thing is, that’s easier said than done for Ben. It’s not that Ben isn’t open-minded or even progressive, but it’s still a shock for him to learn that his brother has been hiding something this big from him for so long. What I really like about this is that it seems it’s just the beginning of a longer story line, where we’ll continue to see Ben’s struggle to accept and process what is happening as Kurt receives more standard hormone therapy (instead of the over-the-counter that had been hurting him) under Jackson’s care.

Another significant story in this episode is the question of where Meredith really went when she said she went to see Derek. I think a lot of us were thinking she had actually gone to see Christina, but it turns out she just chose not to get on the plane, and instead stayed alone in a hotel room.

The point of this is something I really appreciated. Meredith says how nice it was to just be herself, not a doctor or a wife or a mother, just for a few days.

What I don’t like is the relationship between Maggie and Meredith. I’m sorry, but it just rings false. I can’t put my finger on why, exactly, except that maybe it has moved a little too quickly.

My favorite part of “The Great Pretender”? OWEN AND AMELIA KISS! I’ve been hoping for these two to get together for a while now, and I think they had the perfect moment. I’m looking forward to seeing their relationship develop, and especially to see something positive for both of them. Oh, and I really can’t wait to see how Derek reacts.

What did you think of this episode? And what are you expectations for the rest of the season? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC.

Ashley Bissette Sumerel

Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.