This made me so nostalgic! Great episode even if the whole Izzy Stevens had your twin babies and never told you thing felt so wrong. Way to repay Jo for all the loyalty! It also cheapens what Jolex had. But seeing young Alex and young Mer was really nice and it's cool that they involved Izzy's character. I very much enjoyed this sentimental walk down memory lane. It's only too bad we couldn't get a cameo of Izzy and Karev. Modern-day Izzy showing up at Grey Sloane, now that would have been epic! Also, clearly Shonda didn't, for whatever reasons, want to go the tragic death route even though that would have been way more believable.
What the fuck were the writers thinking when they wrote this piece of crap?
He left his wife BY LETTER?!?
The others I'd understand, but leaving your life by letter and telling her you love her in it isn't just a dick move, its THE dick move!
The music is background music is the same one they play when they show sad but necessary stuff being done. This isn't necessary.
He could have talked to his wife trying to find a solution, but he just left and sent out letters...
After telling her time and time again that she doesn't need to be afraid, he wouldn't leave her.
But I guess when the media tells you constantly that all men are evil and only trying to supress women you start to believe that THIS is normal male behaviour...
The only reason to leave by letter is if you hate your partner and want to hurt him as bad as you can or if he/she is abusive (well then I wouldn't leave a letter to him/her, just maybe a relative to tell the police that I'm not missing...).
He was supposed to have matured, but I guess he is somehow a worse person than he was 15 years earlier...
This must be the worst episode of Grey's ever. I'm honestly shocked and angry that this is how they decided to write off Karev.
Bringing back Izzie and making their love bloom again, really??? Izzie left million years ago, who cares about her anymore, I know I don't and I'm sure there are a lot of those who feel the same way. And were those recaps of previous seasons with them together supposed to make me emotional and happy? Because all it did was piss me off. She left him without even saying a word, had his kids without having a decency to let him know for 5 years and only told him because he called her by accident. And that is the kind of woman he left his wife for? They made him a real bastard. Jo doesn't deserve this, not after everything she's been through. Plus leaving her by letter? What kind of person does that. I guess he never really loved her at all. If he did, he would have asked her to move with him, so he could be closer to his kids, there's no reason for him to be with Izzie whatsoever. Horrible, horrible conclusion.
Before seeing the episode I thought that maybe he left cause he has his mother's desease and he didn't want to be a burden for Jo. That would be a far better explanation.
I think this was a beautiful send off. The actor wanted to leave and I think they handled it well. Giving a character we love a happy ending.
For the first time in 16 seasons I'm going to recommend just skipping this episode. Poor narrative decisions were made and then executed in very bad directorial form. Don't bother putting yourself through it, it's like watching someone's bad fan edit on YouTube (for a ship no-one cares about) and will leave you fuming.
Very mixed feelings. They played right into the long-time fans nostalgia with all the flashbacks, but I find it very confusing that Alex would leave Jo in that way? If he had died in a horrific accident per Grey's tradition, I think a lot of fans would ALSO have been mad that it was a cop-out. Kind of weird to bring back the Izzie storyline after such a long time. I'm kind of mad, confused, but I guess on such short notice of Justin Chambers leaving, this is all they could come up with? I'm not sure.
Wow, they did Karev dirty. It's been a while since I've seen such a bad sendoff.
And even apart from that, the storytelling was just terrible; why did they have to reiterate his story four separate times?
What kind of shit was this?! After all these years the send off is old clips? You couldn't write about a past patient he lost who's family member comes back to kill him in a bar? I mean anything would have been better than this. This episode was total disrespect to the actor an character after all these years.
16 seasons of character development flushed down the toilet. I know they're mad he left and ruined their possible spinoff but that was wrong and they know it.
Well, I was right..."Are they really just going to turn Alex into an abandoning asshole?" Yep, they did. Just destroy his character in a re-cap episode, and to boot bring up Izzie. Whatever... The end of the episode Meridith says "The truth is there is not good way to say goodbye", there is definitely a wrong way, and this was it. What no car or plane crash? That's how everyone else goes.
We all knew Chambers wanted to leave the show, so his exit was expected. And with his notable absence this season, I was waiting for something dramatic... and this is what they give us... I just do not understand the choices that Grey's makes anymore. They've been given this opportunity time and time again now - huge characters leaving the show - and they wimp out every time.
Don't get me wrong. I would have been so sad to see Alex die, but I reiterate: we knew the actor wanted to leave - opportunity missed! What happened to hospital shootings and plane crashes?! Instead, they choose to do a freaking clip episode, pulling on our emotions from the past moments that they showed (manipulatively, I think) rather than the emotions of a truly great character's exit from the show.
Alex Karev deserved better.
this is the worst thing i've ever watched im gonna scream
"The truth is there's no good way to say goodbye" - well this certainly wasn't it. What a waste. They could have at least had Katherine Heigl come back for this send off since it was because of Izzy that Alex is staying away.
Goodbye, Alex Karev.
And goodbye, Meredith Grey. I'm sorry, but I can't do it anymore.
15 minutes into the show and I’m already ticked off. They write him and Jo together, put them through all those trials and tribulations and then Alex is just gone? Seriously??!
So... Now we know why Justin Chambers quit the show. Shonda was out of interesting storylines for him and decided to send him off through a clip show. Huge wasted opportunity here: if Justin wanted to go, he could have been fed up with the way he’s treated in Seattle, find an opportunity in a great hospital and take Jo with him. This would have been one less annoying character on the show.
Alex Karev’s journey should have ended years ago - just like the show. No wonder he wanted to leave. And Shonda treated him just like all the actors she’s tired of working with: an expedited send-off who might look sweet but is unfair to the character. Alex did deserve a happy ending. Just not this way.
Still wondering why I’m watching that show. It’s not even a guilty pleasure at this stage. Just a perfect way to learn how not to develop storylines and characters. Sure, it’s a “drama” but some of these doctors should have been fired many times. It’s amazing how Bailey still has a position when you know she’s having mental breakdowns at least twice a year. And everytime a hospital closes down or gets bought by Catherine Fox, a new competition suddenly appears in town. And let’s not talk about the discrimination doctors (and even patients) face every episode now.
The show I used to like to watch has been gone for long... probably since Denny’s last appearance. Or maybe that big shooting episode. Once again, no wonder Justin wanted to leave. He deserves better than this. I’m not not optimistic about seeing him somewhere else anytime soon. When you play the same character for fifteen years, having a real career afterwards is not easy. Especially when you played a character that had a lot of potential but has been poorly written and developed for years.
Next steps: making DeLuca despicable for no reason; giving Bailey a mental breakdown four of five times every season; making Catherine Fox buying all the hospitals in the West Coast so she’ll have a franchise even more developed than In-and-Out burgers, and then having a spin-off on Maggie (wait, that would actually be a good thing, especially if she quit the show with Jackson).
Shonda. Once again, thank you for showing us how not to develop characters for the TV. Truly appreciate it.
I'm actually fuming. I feel disrespected; truly.
One more detail that I’ve just learned. Years ago, when Heigl said she was sorry for her behavior and that she would open to the idea of coming back anytime, Shonda said “I’m done with that plot”. Looks like she completely lied and did her best to find the worst exit possible for Alex Karev. Between him, Arizona, April and of course Derek... When Shonda isn’t happy, she just sends off tte character without any concern for the fans. I hope Meredith leaves soon, so I can stop watching that horrible show without any regret.
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Lets see...
WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? WHAT?
Unfortunately due to multiple inconsiderate people commenting on previous episodes that the actor had left the show I knew this was coming.
As viewers we don't know the full reasons for the Justin's departure but regardless it seems the writers had to come up with a way to write out an established character in the space of an episode. I've been watching this show for around 14 years now and honestly I'm happy with it. I think they did him justice and gave him a good ending. The flashbacks really highlighted how far he's come as a person and if we have to lose the character this seems like the best way.
It was an emotional episode but I didn't get choked up... Right up until Mere started telling Zola. That got me!
I'm happy that Karev gets a happy ending with Izzy and their kids on a farm. Lovely :)
It would been better just kill him off, theres plenty of ways to kill a character and make a good and heartbreaking episode out of it. But this, oh poor Jo... Worst episode ever and now I hate Alex. And the writers.
Forced. Ridiculous episode. I'm so disappointed...
I LOVED Alex's letter to Meredith. I started off angry at him for leaving but the way he talked about his kids, made it all make sense. The rest of the letter was beautiful and made me cry.
That being said, not only was it crappy the way he left Jo with a letter, but the letter itself sucked. That is not the kind of closure she needed. Poor Jo.
I also hated his letter to Bailey. It was okay, kind and respectful but not nearly appreciative enough. She REALLY contributed to the growth of all of the interns that year, but especially Karev.
What a tragedy. I loved Alex but this episode makes him out to be such an ass. How am I supposed to like this guy after what he's doing to Jo? Knowing what she's been through, basically divorcing her by letter, getting back with Izzie for the kids? He outright said if it was just about Izzie or Jo he'd choose Jo. That's not right for Izzie either! What a dick!
They could have made him exit in literally any other way without tossing the legacy of his character into a dumpster fire.
A while ago in one of the narrations, Meredith says something like "sometimes the thing you feared the most happens and you find out it's the best thing that ever happened to you", something like that. I found it relatable to many situations in my life, and Alex leaving is one of them. I knew it was coming and were sad, cherished all sweet Jolex moments, but now we have a new way to develop her character
Link: "you're my hero".
Jo: "mine too" - I loved this moment.
Alex was one of my favorite characters, but I agree it ran its course. He'd probably be my reason for a rewatch sometime in the future.
And the talk between Bailey and Ben was moving too. The flashbacks were nice, but it didn't move me that much. Webber's reaction seemed the most forced to me.
I love the episode with the flashbacks.
I loved Izzie and Alex together
Then i loved Jo and Alex together
What i hate is how the show ended the Jo+Alex love story, it deserves better. Jo deserves better.
Mixed emotion with an happy ending I wanted but still don't
Alex Karev left and, at first, I felt very disappointed. But after a little time... I got that it's a very breathtaking and inspiring act. It's like a final view on incredible pupal-adult transformation.
Thank you for this!
Forced. Ridiculous episode. I'm so disappointed...
I feel... conflicted. Jo deserves a lot better though.
Shout by RxBVIP 6BlockedParentSpoilers2020-03-07T03:27:38Z
15 years of character down the drain in one episode.
It's a pity Justin Chamber's character did not get a better send-off. I mean I get that the actor was leaving the show, but surely they could have negotiated a last appearance to make a better end for him.At one point (i'd not been aware of his leaving previously jst of the long absence) I wondered "wait is the actor dead ?" Since they do clip episodes when usually that's the case
Anyway I'm sure I'm not the only one who has noticed that Alex Karev now “has been sent on a farm upstate, where he lives happily” (ok not upstate, but still).
What do the show runners take us for ? Six years old lamenting the loss of a pet ?