Grey’s Anatomy season 16: 5 best moments from Leave a Light On

Grey’s Anatomy does a huge disservice to a fan-favorite character, Alex Karev, in the latest episode.

Grey’s Anatomy shattered millions of hearts with this week’s episode, centered on Alex Karev’s farewell. The funny thing about it is that my brother guessed this very thing would happen weeks ago. I didn’t want to believe him, but it wasn’t until I heard Karev’s voiceover say, “I am with Izzie,” and that my brother’s prediction came to be a reality.

I have so many thoughts about how Karev’s story came to an end and it all results in one epic disappointment for Grey’s Anatomy fans. It was a disservice to the people who have been by the show’s side for 16 seasons, and it’s not the way this character should have been written out. There were so many ways to go about this, and this was one the one they should have gone with.

In any case, the worst has happened, and unfortunately, we said goodbye to a character that we’ve come to love and adore over the last 16 seasons. Even though his ending was a disaster, we will always remember him as the man who overcame so many obstacles and found a way to redeem himself–until he didn’t.

Clearly, I have many feelings about this episode, so let’s get into some of the best, er worst? moments of “Leave A Light On”.

Alex’s letters

Instead of showing up and confronting everyone, Grey’s Anatomy writers chose to have Alex send letters instead to Bailey, Meredith, Jo, and Richard. I know Justin Chambers’ exit was rather abrupt, but if he could do a voiceover, could he not have been in one last episode?

It felt like a huge cop-out and a very lazy way to write Alex Karev out of the series. Plus, the information within the letters was so heavy, and it’s not something you break over a letter. He should have been there to tell everyone what he was doing.

Alex is with Izzie?

About a decade ago, this would have been the perfect arc for Alex Karev. We would have loved to see these two characters come together for their happily ever after. But this is not the way any of us wanted it.

Four characters receive their letter from Karev at the start of the episode, but we start with Meredith’s in which Karev’s voiceover begins. Before one of the commercial breaks, we learn Karev is with Izzie now. Um, okay?

There is no world where this storyline makes even a little bit of sense because it came out of nowhere. And it was a horrible way to tell your wife that you’ve left her for another woman. Everything about this was a cop-out and while I love the idea of Alex, Izzie, and their two kids living together on a farm, this is not what I wanted AT ALL.

Alex has two kids

This was probably the second biggest shocker of this Grey’s Anatomy episode. Way back when, Izzie decided to store away embryos after cancer treatment pretty much took away her chance of having kids the natural way.

In Alex’s notes, he reveals that he learned Izzie’s twins are actually his kids too, that Izzie had them after she left him back in the day. Side note: Did Alex forget that what he just did to Jo, is exactly what Izzie do to him back then? Ugh.

In all of this hot mess of a farewell episode, I was happy that Izzie had kids and they were Alex’s. But again, it’s not the way the story should have gone. All of this could still be a part of it, but it should not have involved Alex just disappearing and starting over somewhere else.

Poor Jo

I think the hardest letter to get through was Jo’s. There was so much nonsense and cowardice in what Alex was saying to her that it was infuriating. He basically told her he was with Izzie, happy with their kids, and sent divorce papers that he had already arranged. Not to mention, he said Jo could have his Grey-Sloan shares and everything that is his.

Okay, cool, Alex. That totally makes up for you ditching your wife without telling her. That ought to solve everything. Goodness, gracious, did the writers not read over the script one more time before deciding to film it? Just horrible, horrible, horrible.

Life will go on

In the wake of Alex’s letters, the only positive thing is that everyone has to move on. Richard is heartbroken, Bailey figures out why she needs to help Joey, Meredith is just happy for her BFF, and then there’s Jo. She has to pick up the pieces Alex has broken her into, and move forward.

It seems like the show is pushing her towards Link, but it just all feels so wrong after this horrendous episode. Also, how is Izzie allowing this all to happen?! Didn’t she tell Alex to think twice before he did this?

Ugh, I could rant against this episode for days, but I think it is going to go down in history as one of the worst Grey’s Anatomy episodes ever.