Grey’s Anatomy Review: Undo (Season 13 Episode 1)
As Meredith says, “there’s no undo button.”
For Alex Karev, that’s bad news.
Grey’s Anatomy Season 13 Episode 1, “Undo” has me thinking Grey’s Anatomy is staying on track. We’ve been told that Season 13 would focus on “the originals,” and it’s clear that at least to start with, that means Meredith and Alex.
And a bonus? The music is already better. No more distracting cover songs happening here.
Of every character on Grey’s Anatomy, Alex is the one who has changed the most. He’s the one who’s grown. Sure, the same can be said for Meredith, but the change we’ve seen in Alex has been dramatic. There was a time when the only side we saw of him was the side that was an abrasive jerk.
Then, over time, two things happened. We learned more about his backstory and why he had such a harsh exterior, and we watched him soften as he became an amazing surgeon and as he fell in love. We watched him grow up. We watched him become a good man.
So did Meredith.
Meredith: When I first got here, he was one of the worst people I had ever met in my life. And now, he’s one of the best.
That’s why it’s so conflicting to see Alex trying to cover up what he did to DeLuca. He’s a good person, but there’s a part of him that still struggles.
It’s obvious that Alex is the one in the wrong here, and that we should be rooting for DeLuca instead, but if you’ve been watching this show from the start, chances are, you know exactly where Meredith is coming from when she helps him hide the truth.
Because if the truth comes out, it’s likely that Alex will end up in jail, and it’s even more likely that his career will be over. We also understand why he did what he did. He was already vulnerable — already hurting — when he came home to see DeLuca on top of Jo. Part of him even assumed DeLuca was taking advantage of her.
Poor DeLuca, of course, was just trying to be a gentleman, and is now a victim of incredibly bad timing.
Meredith is quick to choose Alex’s side, even though she’s clearly upset about it. The fact is that she’s loyal to him. He’s her person these days, and that means something. Of course she’s going to stick by him.
The friendship between these two has become one of my favorite things about these later seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, especially if you look back at where everything started.
When Meredith does finally do the right thing and tells Bailey, it feels like a betrayal.
But, this is a moment that shows how much Meredith has grown over the years, too. I don’t think this is something a younger Meredith would have done — or at least it might have taken longer for her to realize her responsibility.
Fortunately, Alex shows his growth again too. He mans up and takes responsibility for the horrible thing he did, and he’s taking out of the hospital in handcuffs.
You didn’t think Grey’s Anatomy would hold back on the emotions this season, did you?
Once Alex is taken to jail, everyone gives Meredith a hard time about the fact that she knew and didn’t say anything. This seems unreasonable to me. Meredith is conflicted for the entire episode between her loyalties to her friend — her family member — and doing the right thing.
It isn’t easy for her when she finally chooses the latter.
So when it comes to Maggie, she sabotages her own happiness — because she’s still Meredith Grey, after all — and chooses to be loyal by pushing away Riggs.
Seriously, Meredith?
That seems noble on the surface, but why not tell Maggie you’ve already been seeing him? For Maggie, it’s just a simple crush at this point, while Meredith had already started what could be a good relationship. One that she deserves.
Believe it or not, it’s April and Jackson — and Catherine — who have a more light-hearted storyline on this episode. The baby is healthy, and everything is fine. April is recovering, and Catherine is overstepping, but she generally means well.
Still, she April clash when it comes to the baby’s name. Catherine is clearly disappointed when she realizes they didn’t name the baby after her, but she accepts the name “Harriet” for a strong baby girl.
The real issue, though, is in the last name. Of course, Catherine assumes Harriet’s last name is Avery, a name that wil “open doors.” But April defends her own last name, saying it means something too.
She’s also kind of enjoying giving Catherine a hard time, because the fact is, they’re hyphenating the name. Welcome to the world, Harriet Kepner-Avery!
Other Thoughts:
- Webber will always be the chief in my eyes, and he proves it as it gives good advice to Jo, no matter how much she doesn’t want to hear it.
- I’m a little disappointed we don’t see more of the wedding reception, but it is nice to start the episode with a celebration, no matter how brief.
- Ben is back at work! Bailey finally cuts him some slack and puts him in charge of trauma. Thank goodness.
What did you think of this episode of Grey’s Anatomy? 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.