Grey’s Anatomy: All Eyes on Alex & Babies

Last week, we witnessed Owen’s big episode and flashbacks to his time in Iraq. This week the focus is on Alex and his past, when his brother, Aaron, unexpectedly shows up. Plus, babies were on the minds of two couples.

Derek shocks Meredith by proposing that it might be time to have a baby. Meredith’s response—to go into the bathroom where Alex is showering and tells him “I need you to be a girl for me” so she can vent. Alex also confides in Meredith that Izzie sent official divorce papers. Their chat is interrupted by Derek who announces that Alex’s brother, Aaron, who Alex hasn’t seen in seven years, is downstairs. It turns out that Aaron has a hernia and needs surgery but doesn’t have insurance to cover it. Alex asks Bailey to do the surgery pro bono, which she agrees to.

Aaron begins to shed some insight on Alex’s past—17 different foster homes in five years, was in juvie at age eleven or twelve for stealing food because their Mom forgot to buy some. As Bailey later puts it and I agree, “Junkie Dad, Crackpot Mom. Somehow Karev still became a doctor, I’m impressed.” Unfortunately, Arizona and then Lexie spill the beans about Izzie. A furious Aaron confronts Alex telling him he is just like their father, which erupts into a brawl. Despite their fight, Alex sits by Aaron’s side until he wakes up from surgery. The Karevs make up and Aaron confesses that Alex was a “better parent than Mom and Dad were together.” We also learn that Alex sends money and his mom’s medicine each month. Later on after Aaron has left, Meredith tells Alex, “you’re nothing like your father” and Alex responds, “You’re nothing like your mother. You’re good, you’d be a good mom.”

Owen is still in “his dark place,” as Cristina called it, and is barely speaking to her and not going to see Dr. Wyatt. During a surgery on a cop who had been shot multiple times with “devastator” bullets, Cristina, by accident, sets one off causing more damage and Owen to harshly freak out at her. After the surgery, Teddy advises Cristina not to tell Owen what to do, in regards to therapy, and to just tell him how she feels. Back at the apartment, Owen becomes furious when he burns part of their dinner. He realizes that he frightened Cristina and it is time to go back to therapy.

Mark and Teddy both begin the episode by bragging about how fantastic the sex was that they had. However, Teddy tells Arizona that Owen is going through something that Cristina doesn’t understand and she is frustrated she can’t be there for him. Later on, while in bed with Mark, Teddy tries to be honest with him about something, (I can only assume her lingering feelings for Owen), but he asserts that she doesn’t have to say anything. Mark’s doorbell starts to incessantly ring and he answers it to find (much to my surprise) Little Sloan there yelling “the baby’s coming!”

Callie and Arizona have been avoiding the topic of “kids” and instead talking about random things like pound cake. After talking to Bailey about the perfect time to have kids (Bailey’s answer: “You wait until the perfect time to have kids, you’re never going to have kids.”), Callie tells Arizona they must stop avoiding the baby issue and talk, which Arizona agrees to.

Throughout the episode, Richard, April, and Lexie deal with a tear-jerking case with a patient who had a stroke post-surgery and must be taken off her ventilator in accordance with her wishes, despite her husband’s protests. However, what we notice is that April has a HUGE crush on Derek. Lexie confronts her about it but a humiliated April says to forget about it. My guess is it won’t end there…leave Meredith and Derek alone!!

What a fantastic episode! It only took six seasons but we finally have learned about Alex’s past! I always enjoy when we discover background information and see more character depth! Alex had a very crappy childhood and this definitely sheds some light onto his tough exterior.

More Alex and Meredith BFF scenes please—who knew they would be so cute together! Plus, I vote for Mer & Der to have a baby ASAP—it would add more dimension to their relationship.

Ok, totally didn’t see Little Sloan’s return coming…I thought it was going to be Lexie at Mark’s door. Now, I’m wondering if she’s changed her mind and will give the baby to Mark and Callie. No new episode next week—so we have to be patient for some answers.

For another opinion on this episode, read Am I My Brother’s Keeper? by Tanya Lane.

Season 6, Episodes 19: Sympathy for the Parents (originally aired April 1, 2010)

For more Grey’s Anatomy, click here.

Thursdays 9/8c on ABC

Photographs courtesy of ABC and Ron Tom.