Grey's Anatomy Round Table: Throwback Thursday

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Welcome back to the Grey's Anatomy Round Table!

Grey's Anatomy Season 11 Episode 5 was a special Throwback Thursday installment, giving panelists Krystal Sondel, Stacy Glanzman, Maggie Fremont and Christina Tran plenty to discuss regarding Richard's and Meredith's memories, Ellis and Richard's past, and much more.

Ready to gather around and join in? Leave your takes in the comments!

What was your favorite quote or scene from Grey’s Anatomy Season 11 Episode 4?

Krystal: Just one?! I thought this episode was incredible in so many ways! The flashback scenes were one of my biggest hopes for this season and they did not disappoint. I’m picking one of each... Quote-wise: “Our lives are built on our mistakes as much as our successes.” Scene-wise: Maggie telling Derek she is Meredith’s half-sister. His reaction was perfect (I even cracked a smile in an otherwise dark and twisty episode) and showed just how different Meredith and Derek really are.

Stacy: Bailey: “Thank G-d, I thought you had sex with that girl.” That was some much needed comic relief in a pretty heavy episode.

Maggie: I flagged so many moments throughout this episode as a “favorite,” but if I have to pick just one, I’ll go with the entire “balloon catheter” surgery sequence. It was so well done and really moving to see Meredith performing at the level of Ellis. Since one of Mer’s major issues is living under the shadow of her mother’s surgical prowess, it was pretty meaningful for even just us, the audience, to see that Mer’s fear is unfounded, even if Meredith may not know that just yet.

Christina: I loved when Meredith said, “They say we can repress our memories. I wonder if we're just keeping them safe somewhere because no matter how painful they are, they are our most valuable possessions. They made us who we are.”

What was the most surprising thing you learned from the flashbacks?

Krystal: That Richard walked away from his relationship with Ellis because of jealousy and the thought that he would always be in her shadow. I did not see that coming. Wow!

Stacy: Probably that a five-year-old Meredith watched her mom attempt suicide and knew exactly what was happening. She didn’t cry or get hysterical at the blood; she wasn’t confused and knew that her mom had cut herself. She knew what happened and exactly what to do, which is not what I’d expect from a typical five-year-old but just shows us even more how messed up Meredith’s childhood really was.

Maggie: It was nice to be reminded that Ellis was a passionate woman. Usually, I just think of her as cold and robotic, but in the flashbacks we were able to see she was emotional - both about her surgical career and her great love for Richard.

Christina: My co-round tablers summed it all up nicely. As a longtime Grey’s Anatomy fan, I truly appreciated the flashbacks.

With a focus on Meredith and Richard’s memories, several of the doctors were MIA. Who did you miss most?

Krystal: Owen. After last week’s powerful confession to Callie about feeling like his dreams were over, I’m ready to see Owen work through his grief and come out stronger (and hopefully happier).

Stacy: I would never say no to more Jackson on my screen, but really Jackson and Owen because I was looking forward to seeing more of their new project with Callie (I know they were in the episode, but barely, so I assume they count).

Maggie: I might be in the minority here, but I really like April and I missed her this week! Her growth throughout the series is really interesting and relatable (to me, at least) and I want to know more about how this pregnancy is affecting her and her relationship with Jackson (remember when that was a huge storyline?).

Christina: Jo! More Jolex, please!

Did Meredith convince Maggie to stay? What happens next?

Krystal: I think it was a combination of Meredith AND Derek that convinced Maggie to stay. I don’t expect it to be smooth sailing for Meredith, Richard and Maggie, but last night was a great step forward. I think Meredith will convince Maggie that Richard is someone she should get to know. Maggie rocked her OR again, proving to be a great replacement for Cristina (although I’m sure I’ll get flack for saying that!)

Stacy: I don’t think Maggie is going anywhere yet. She came to get to know Meredith and now that Meredith is opening up, I think she’ll want to play this out and see where it goes. Personally, though, I still don’t love Maggie as a character. I feel like we’ve already been through this storyline when Lexie first showed up and while I admit that Lexie eventually grew on me (and Maggie still might), it still feels like we’ve been here before.

Maggie: Mags is here to stay. I think by the end of this episode, she’s realized she has this entire family here in Seattle and will want to explore that a bit more. I can see her bonding with Meredith before she and Richard mend fences.

Christina: Maybe? I think that a case will pull her back into the hospital and she’ll bring the thunder once again. Her story is left unfinished and maybe the holidays will bring them all a little closer.

Name one doctor whose story you are most interested in seeing play out this season.

Krystal: Amelia Shepherd. I love her character and look forward to seeing her interact more with Meredith, Maggie and Derek - plus maybe find a new love interest of her own?

Stacy: Probably Alex. He lost his private practice job and the seat on the board, so I’m curious where he goes from here. He deserves good things in his life and he works hard, so I really hope something big happens for him this season. I’m glad he’s back in peds with Arizona and I love their relationship, but I want more for him.

Maggie: Owen. For most of his time on the show, he’s been so closely tied to Cristina. I’m looking forward to him shedding that baggage and really moving on. Who is Owen Hunt without Cristina Yang? I’m excited to find out.

Christina: I have to agree with Stacy on this one. Alex needs an actual storyline pronto! He deserves it and as I’ve mentioned before, I want to see more Jolex. I also want to see him bring the thunder at the hospital!

Let's take a look ahead to Grey's Anatomy Season 11 Episode 5, shall we?

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Grey's Anatomy Season 11 Episode 4 Quotes

Webber: I think I'm too late.
Bailey: No such thing.

They say we can repress our memories. I wonder if we're just keeping them safe somewhere because no matter how painful they are, they are our most valuable possessions. They made us who we are.

Meredith