Grey’s Anatomy season 14 spotlight: What should be next for Alex Karev?
Moving into season 14, the question is simple: What can the show do for him in order to continue to give him some of the best material possible? In this edition of our character spotlight series, we’ve got a few suggestions.
1. Explore more of his dynamic with Meredith – We’ve seen Meredith explore already possible feelings that she could have for him, but we’d still like to see more of it from his point of view. We know that the Meredith / Alex pairing is super-controversial (people either love the idea or hate it), but through this story you could show something that is thoughtful and realistic. He doesn’t have to get together with her, but we would like to see it discussed further.
2. More with Jo’s husband – It’s already been reported by Matthew Morrison himself that he is returning as Paul, so why not play into this more. If Alex does end up back with Jo, it’s a huge blow to her to learn that he tracked this guy down without her knowledge at the medical conference, even if he didn’t end up actually speaking to him. The thought of it alone may be unsettling for her.
3. More time with some patients – We’d like Alex to meet someone in the hospital who impacts him on an emotional level and many helps him harken back to his past. He was out of his element so much this past season we’d like to see him doing more of what he does best.
4. Explore dynamics with male characters – Given that Alex is such a strong male character, why not explore some of the bonds with the other men? We had that prison storyline with Bailey, Arizona, and Jo, so why not explore something revolving around Alex, Jackson, Owen, and Ben? Throw these guys with their egos into a tough case separated from the hospital and then see what happens.
5. Establishing an endgame – Where does Alex ultimately want to end up in life? He’s been a wayward soul in times on the show, and figuring out more of this could be really fascinating to watch. We love Chambers’ work, so in the end, great material for him is at the top of our priority list.
What do you want to see when it comes to Alex Karev on Grey’s Anatomy season 14? Be sure to share below!
Meanwhile, head over to the link here if you want to get some further news when it comes to the show, including some other character spotlights. (Photo: ABC.)
Nana
August 15, 2017 @ 1:21 am
More of him and Jo please. I miss them. They used to have so many scenes and now that there is an important storyline to tell about domestic violence, something Alex can relate to more than anybody, the writers ignore them and give me irrelevant friendship scenes for Alex I don’t even enjoy. Neither like his dynamic with Meredith much anymore nor with Maggie. And those are the two he is forced to interact with all the time. If only he had more guy friends. Or if the writers cared to remember that he and Arizona are close too. And that there is a story to tell between him and Jo.
sully64
August 15, 2017 @ 12:28 am
Why do we need more of him with Meredith? It’s literally all we’ve been getting since Cristina left, and it’s when most Alex fans became frustrated with how little material he gets anymore because all he does is listen to Meredith’s problems. Most friendships on the show get forgotten at some point but never theirs. Every episode they interact, sometimes such small irrelevant scenes that nobody needs. I’m tired of it because I don’t exactly like Meredith much anymore and I think she’s kind of her worst self around Alex because he coddles her so much, something Cristina didn’t do. Alex used to be able to set her straight, now not anymore. I want less of their friendship, a lot less. Or Alex will never be allowed to live his own life anymore. I want him to settle down and become a father and that’s not gonna happen if all he does is have friendship scenes with Meredith.
dreamcatcher48
August 15, 2017 @ 12:13 am
I think what people do hate about the whole Meredith/Alex thing is that there is nothing there but people, especially the media can’t leave it alone. Is it so hard to believe that a man and a woman can be friends for a decade and not be involved romantically? I mean when we ask the question in daily life, “can men and women just be friends?” everyone says yes because we believe we are progressive enough for that. Then we are given a prime example of that on TV where usually everyone hooks up with everyone, and we can’t just accept it for what it is? And it’s funny that this only became an issue because Derek died. Sure, Alex and Meredith COULD have happened in season 1 or 2 or 3. But somewhere down the road too many things happened. He dated her sister, married one of her closest friends, she met the love of her life and married him and had children with him. Alex and Meredith are past any possible romance and have been long before Derek died. I would say around season 6 when Alex dated Lexie again and George died and Izzie left. It was just Meredith with Alex and Cristina. One of whom she sees like a sister and one like a brother. Grey’s has always made that clear, that friends are the family you choose. We’re tired of seeing people romanticize the Alex/Meredith friendship and I’m sure the actors even more. Justin Chambers sounds on autopilot whenever someone asks him the same question for the 100th time by now. “No, they’re like siblings, it would be weird. He’s in love with Jo.” Please just accept it already, it’s been said over and over again.
K
August 14, 2017 @ 11:15 pm
I want to see more of him with Jo and less of his friendships. He finally has a love interest who isn’t leaving and we get nothing about their relationship but instead 10 carpool scenes and Alex eating lasagna with the sisters or listening to their problems all the time while he never talks about his own feelings. Do people reall enjoy it when he is being reduced to being a supportive friend instead of getting to live his own life and own relationship?
anon
August 14, 2017 @ 11:11 pm
I know people seem to have the wrong idea these days because of how little Alex and Jo were allowed to interact lately but his love story is still with her. Yes, she may feel betrayed he went behind her back but he did that out of love for her too. And he would do anything to protect her if her husband finds her. Jo has already called him the love of her life and despite him sometimes not acting like it, I know Alex feels the same way too. You wouldn’t do anything you can to protect a woman you’ve dated for four years if she wasn’t worth it. Besides, the actors keep calling them soulmates and I still like to believe they are. They have similiar childhoods which gives them an understanding for each other nobody else has for either of them. Alex can even relate to the absuive husband thing because his own father was one and he had to grow up in that household. As for Meredith, they are just friends. I think addressing nonexisting feelings just might give people the wrong idea like back in 12×10 when her therapist asked Meredith if she has feelings for Alex because she kept talking about Alex instead of her own issues. And she laughed and said no. I took it for what it was because I think I know Meredith that well to tell that she doesn’t see Alex that way, others had to read more into it. And they will keep doing it for as long as it keeps being brought up. Right now there is no reason for anyone to believe that Meredith could have feelings for Alex or vice versa, so I can’t see anyone asking about it. Maybe Riggs, if he asks Meredith about her close friendship with Alex and if there is really nothing between them. I could see him wondering that since the two really are close. But that doesn’t mean there is anything.
md18
August 14, 2017 @ 11:02 pm
There are no feelings that need to be addressed which is why the writers aren’t addressing anything. What people do is, they can’t grasp that the writers are trying to recreate the person dynamic Meredith and Cristina had with her and Alex now. That’s it. Shonda Rhimes said that for her the real love story of the show was the friendship between Meredith and Cristina. And now with Cristina being gone and Derek being dead the most important relationship is the one between the last two original interns. But over the seasons that relationship has turned into something like a siblinghood, which was addressed in 11×03. Edwards said to Bailey that Meredith will most likely vote for Alex because he’s the closest thing she has to a brother. The writers apparently felt the need to point that out back then because they know the audience would try to read things into Meredith suddenly crawling in bed with Alex or disturbing him while showering and even seeing him naked. By the end of the season Derek was killed off, but do two characters, whose relationship has been described as brotherly/sisterly really go from “closest thing to siblings” to “potential love interests”? I feel liie that’s not really possible since they have passed that stage where they would feel attraction towards each other. I agree with everything else but I think long term Grey’s Anatomy viewers who have a certain understanding for the characters know that Alex and Meredith just have reached a very very close friendship. They are family now. But family in a siblingy way, not in a potential spouses type of way. I think you must have misunderstood something if you think Meredith has ever showed romantic interest in Alex. If she had, then I am sure she would get the guy in the end because this is her story. But she hasn’t, because she really does not feel that way about Alex.
Lauren
August 14, 2017 @ 10:48 pm
Please stop romanticizing his relationship with Meredith. There is nothing romantic there. Read some interviews, Justin Chambers always makes it clear how Alex feels about Meredith. He really does see her like a sister and she sees him like a brother.