Grey’s Anatomy Review: Who is He (And What Is He To You?) (Season 13 Episode 16)

Thank goodness for some happy news and a break from the hospital drama.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 13 Episode 16, “Who is He (And What Is He To You?)” — also known as Japril: The Sequel — sends Jackson and April to Montana for a special case and puts Jackson face to face with his estranged father.

That trip becomes an opportunity for Jesse Williams to shine as his character deals with some incredibly complex emotions pertaining to his father. Jackson’s dad seems like a nice guy, and that’s one of the hardest things for Jackson to handle.

Even worse is that he has no recognition of his son. It’s heartbreaking to watch Jackson realize his father doesn’t recognize him, and then later, for him to go on about how happy he is to the son he left.

I can’t help but wonder if anything Jackson’s father said is going to spark a change in Jackson’s career at some point.

It’s nice to dig in and explore Jackson’s character further, and to do so in such a powerful way. Grey’s Anatomy is such a crowded show that those opportunities seem to be few and far between.

More importantly, though, this is a chance for Jackson and April to finally, finally reconcile. April and Jackson not only work well together on coming up with an inventive solution for their surgery, but April is also able to be there to support Jackson in seeing his father.

Working together and going through something so emotional brings back a spark between them, and you can see it pretty clearly in Jackson’s eyes just before they kiss.

A resolution between those two is something I’ve been dying to see for a long time — and I’d have been happy either way it would have gone. But something about their love story seems so special that I’m glad to them back together.

Now, as much as I appreciate the chance to explore these characters further and get away from the current hospital drama, I’m also a little tired of the way the show keeps breaking form.

This one episode as a standalone would have been fine, and welcome even, but overall it seems like Grey’s Anatomy is starting to rely on doing so too much. And has there ever been a season that features Meredith Grey so little?

Speaking of Meredith, considering the way she feels about April filling in for her as Chief of General Surgery while she was suspended, it seems like a missed opportunity to not show Meredith’s reaction to April taking her spot on this trip — even if that reaction would have been one of complete understanding to let her be there to support Jackson.

That aside, though, I’d call Japril: The Sequel a success.

Other Thoughts:

• Guys, I didn’t need to see the throat surgery. Good grief, that’s a disgusting scene.
• I’m also getting exhausted by dying and sick children. It’s not fun to watch at all.
• Jackson and April do have quite the track record in hotel rooms, don’t they?
• You can find our review of Japril: The Movie here, along with 22 Essential Japril Moments.

What did you think of this episode of Grey’s Anatomy? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Reviewer Rating:

User Rating:

 

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

Follow us on Twitter @telltaleTV_

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!