Grey's Anatomy Season 13: Best Relationship, Worst Episode & More!
Jasmine Blu
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For better and for worst, Grey's Anatomy Season 13 has been one of the most talked about seasons of the series.
After 13 seasons, that's quite the accomplishment. There were some ups, many unfortunate downs, and so much fighting.
There were some great guest -stars, some interesting love triangles, and many character-centric episodes that slowed things down and honed in on a select few.
Season 13 also saw the directorial debut of Ellen Pompeo, herself, as well as Kevin McKidd, Debbie Allen, and Chandra Wilson.
One thing is for sure, a lot of feelings were invoked throughout this season. Now, whether they were good, bad, or downright ugly is an entirely different observation to make. You can sound off about that below, but first, check out our TV Fanatic Report Card of Grey's Anatomy's thirteenth season.
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1. Most Improved - Meredith
Meredith has had her fair share of questionable moments (that entire situation with Maggie, threatening DeLuca etc.,), but for the most part, she's greatly improved this season. She's been a competent, capable doctor. She has stood by her beliefs, challenged Bailey, and been a supportive friend to both Alex and Nathan. We also saw her grow as a woman and a sister. It's been amazing watching the 180 she's done when it comes to supporting and protecting her family, and accepting family she never would have accepted years ago. It was also nice to see her be willing to move on from Derek without feeling guilty about it. Meredith has matured as a character, and she's all the better for it.
2. Most Polarizing Character - Eliza Minnick
Eliza Minnick will go down in the books as one of the most polarizing characters in Grey's Anatomy history. You either loved her or loathed her, with very few who fell in between. Eliza and her infamous Minnick Method clashed with nearly everyone. The only one who seemed to truly enjoy her was Arizona. Her days at Grey Sloan were tumultuous at best, but she finally pushed people too far when she didn't alert authorities about an endangered resident, and since the residents were her job, well, she ended up losing hers. So long, Minnick.
3. Character Who NEEDS Better Screentime - Alex
Honestly, how many times has Alex been put into a slot like this? We've lost count. Season 13 was SUPPOSED to be the season of Originals. While that failed on multiple levels, the worst of it was how underutilized Alex was. It's true that he dealt with the trial at the beginning of the season, but he virtually disappeared for the rest of it. The show went multiple episodes without even seeing or mentioning him. The back half of the season he abruptly tracked down Jo's husband in the most erroneous storyline in a season chocked full of them, but nothing came from it. He barely had a line in the season finale. Hopefully, he will not find himself in this category again next season.
4. Character Who Has Grown On Us - Nathan
Nathan has gone from the arrogant outcast to a great doctor, yes, but a supportive friend. His persistent pursuit of Meredith was offputting at times, but he made up for it in his softer, serious moments. He was supportive of Meredith processing her grief, but also, he has proven to be a great, supportive friend to Maggie despite the love triangle issue, and he's been on better terms with Owen as well. We got to peel back the layers of Nathan Riggs, and now that Megan has returned, we expect to see even more. Looking forward to it!
5. Most Out of Character - Arizona
The Arizona we're most familiar with checked out earlier in the season, sometime after comforting DeLuca upon his return to the hospital. We haven't seen much of the woman that we love since. She was inconsistent and flaky all season. Not to mention the majority of her relationship with Eliza had her inexplicably coming across like a total horn-dog. She was amazing in season 12. What happened to the Arizona who stuck by her set of morals and was protective of her friends? We're not used to Arizona appearing so one-dimensional.
6. MVP of the Season - Ben
Through the good, bad, and annoying, there was one character that consistently shined every single time. That character was Ben Warren. He became a bit of an audience surrogate saying exactly what we were probably yelling at the screen and reacting the same way we were reacting. Whether it was being brutally honest with his colleagues, calling his wife out on her mistakes, rocking his surgeries with virtually no help, or running into a burning building to save his friend, Ben Warren was a rockstar all season long. Somebody had to be the mature one around there.
7. Character We'll Miss - Stephanie
Didn't think it would be Minnick, did you? Stephanie Edwards was a shining star in her class. She was always the cream of the crop and went out at the top of her game. She also went out on a hopeful and happier note. On a show that kills off people like it's their job, that's a heck of an accomplishment. She was witty, funny, competitive, confident, and badass. GSM won't be the same with her gone.
8. Character Who Deserves Better - DeLuca
Andrew DeLuca started off as a competent doctor ahead of his peers. Season 13 he was a walking, talking plot device to further other people's storylines. He started off the season a bloody mess after Alex severely beat him. He spent the early days of the season ostracized and rejected. Then, he developed some crush on Jo out of the blue (to which he was rejected) and disappeared most of the season. We know virtually nothing about him. He could use more development, an arc of his own, and frankly, to be treated better. Of all the characters this season, Andrew was screwed over the most.
9. Pointless Addition - Leah Murphy
Leah Murphy's return was supposed to bring some drama, particularly for Arizona, but anything remotely close to drama just fizzled out. On a show that already has too many characters and not enough time to showcase them, Leah was just a pointless addition. She disappeared into the background soon after she popped back up.
10. Worst Episode - Civil War
"Civil War" was one of the worst episodes of the season. It should have just been called "The One Where Everyone Fights." Note the irony of using the F.R.I.E.N.D.S method of titling an episode, when there was nothing that resembled friendship in this episode. The infighting and bickering were at an all time high. No one escaped the episode in a positive light. No. One.
11. Best Meredith Episode - In the Air Tonight
Season 13 gave us so many bottle episodes, too many depending on who you ask, but they also happened to be some of the best episodes of the season. "In the Air Tonight" was a great Meredith-centric episode that was full of angst, hope, and flashbacks. We got to see how far Meredith evolved as a character. It paid homage to Lexie and Derek. It brought her closer to Nathan. We also got to see those amazing Neuro skills of hers. It was all around a fantastic episode.
12. Most Emotional Episode - Be Still My Soul
"Be Still My Soul" was one of the best episodes of the season. It was also one of the most emotional. Diane Pierce was a welcome addition to the show, for however brief her time was. It was an episode that endeared Maggie to some fans who otherwise find her annoying, and a lot of the pointless drama that had been consuming the season fell to the background. Win/win. It was visually amazing, and it should be noted that it was Ellen Pompeo's directorial debut. Hopefully, it won't be her last time directing an episode because it was spectacular.
13. Best Reunion - Japril
The state of Japril as we know it is still mostly unknown. Season 13 had the two living together and co-parenting but not much else. For a while, it appeared as if the pair couldn't even be in the same room together. Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Episode 16 had the pair reunite in Montana. Although we didn't see them interact much more after that, and April is pushing Maggie into Jackson's direction, their brief reunion was a nice nod to Japril fans.
14. Best Friendship - Merlex
Season 13 was wrought with infighting and people clashing for various reasons. Many of the friendships took a backseat. Alex and Meredith, however, did not. The deep bond that the two share continued throughout the season when Meredith stood by and defended Alex during his trial and Alex saw Meredith through her relationship with her sisters and with Nathan. No friendship currently on the show is as strong and deep as Meredith and Alex. They're not just friends; they're family.
15. Best Setting - Mer's Bed
Hey! We don't mean it in a dirty way. Meredith must have the biggest, comfiest bed on television. Everyone ends up in at some point. Some of the best conversations of the season have happened in that bed (remember Waffle Sundays?). Some of the best scenes have happened in her bed. Remember when she searched for Alex all day and found him asleep in her bed? How about when she Maggie, and Alex ate lasagna and popcorn in her bed when Meredith was put on suspension? Or when Maggie and Meredith discussed Derek, Nathan, and grieving while Amelia slept in the corner. Since Joe's disappeared, it's the best locale of the show.
16. Best Revelation - Megan's Alive
We all saw Megan being alive coming, and it was frustrating that we had to wait the entire season to get to it, but it still was a great revelation. In part, because Kevin McKidd owned every moment of the reveal. It put the tension between Amelia and Owen on hold and may have opened it up for Owen to have an interesting story arc that utilizes him better. The possibilities are endless with this reveal, and it impacts so many characters. It left us anticipating the next season.
17. Best Relationship - Team Family
Meredith has been able to cultivate a relatively happy, seemingly normal, supportive familial unit with Maggie, Alex, and Amelia. The best scenes, usually involve any variation of the four, bickering about issues, fighting with one another, or simply supporting each other with Meredith at the helm. The bonds among Meredith, her sisters, and Alex have certainly been the most consistent of the season. We're looking at the only relationships that weren't completely ruined. Screw romantic 'ships, give us more of this! Here's hoping that we'll eventually see that Waffle Sunday Alex was talking about.
18. Most Redundant Storyline - Omelia Baby Drama
Owen and Amelia being at odds because Owen wants a baby and Amelia doesn't is an exact repeat of Cristina and Owen. The only difference is, Amelia, DID want babies initially. She freaked out after a pregnancy scare and failed to communicate all season. It was not only the most redundant storyline, but it was an incredibly irritating one as well. Amelia's drama often interferes with her character growth, and Owen has become the ginger Charlie Brown of Grey's Anatomy. This story arc sucked.
19. Poorly Executed Storyline - Alex's Court Arc
No one wanted nor expected to see Alex go to prison. So the assault trial already had strikes against it. Unfortunately, it was messy writing all around. It dragged unnecessarily and then had a crappy, predictable, irritating conclusion when Andrew (who had every reason NOT to drop charges) dropped the charges against Alex. The writers wrote themselves into a corner with the storyline and had no way of writing themselves out in a way that would be acceptable for all characters involved and remotely believable. Given that it was the only real storyline Alex had all season, it could have and should have been better.
20. Most Unexpected Relationship - Jackson and Maggie
This sort of came out of left field. Yeah, Jackson was Diane's doctor, and he and Maggie were on the same side while fighting on behalf of Richard, but no one saw this interesting new dynamic coming. They're forever bonded now that Diane has passed away, and of course, Richard is Maggie's biological father and Jackson's stepfather, technically. Their relationship is cute and interesting. It's also about as polarizing as Eliza Minnick. You either love Jaggie/Mackson, or you hate it. Whatever the state of their relationship is, it's going to be a heck of a ride.
21. Funniest Case
Many of the cases have been lackluster all season, but one funny case that stood out was the patient whose intestines were infested with worms. It was bad enough that the patient puked in April's hair, but to find out that worms were in there? Priceless. April was a hoot the entire episode, and the case was entertaining, to say the least. Gross too.
22. Favorite Patient - Holly
Most of the patients were unmemorable, but Holly was not only memorable, she was fun too. She was a charming, funny, blunt dying woman who wanted to enjoy the last days she had left living life to the fullest and sleeping with any man her heart (or hoo-ha) desired. She inspired Mer, Maggie, and April to do the same, and she may have inadvertently kick-started the Grey's girl squad. For that, we're most thankful.
23. Overall Grade: C+
It was NOT a strong season for Grey's Anatomy. Most of the twists were predictable. There was too much unnecessary fighting among the characters. It didn't feel like "the Season of Originals." Nearly every big story arc dragged on, and overall, not much has advanced from last season. Too many characters were neglected, and most of the best episodes were bottle episodes, which frankly, there were too many of those too.
Nevertheless, it showcased the devotion between Meredith and Alex beautifully (when Alex wasn't being underused). It developed characters like Maggie and Nathan. Arizona did get back into her groove as far as dating. We learned more about Jo's background and saw her husband, and Megan is alive. Also, is there anything stronger than Grey's sisterhood? Probably not. It's a beautiful sight.
