Grey’s Anatomy season 13 episode 16 review: A tale of Jackson, April, and a father
Here’s the main event here: Jackson finally saw his father, a former surgeon who abandoned almost everything, including his son, in order to go run a diner in Montana. He’s basically the picture definition of a deadbeat dad. He didn’t really put forth a whole lot of effort into Jackson’s life, and he barely put forth any here. When Jackson finally revealed himself to be his son, all he did was mostly talk about himself, his fancy coffee, and just how much he seems to be enjoying his life. He didn’t seem to hold any guilt at all over what he chose to do in regards to his son. It made sense for Jackson to storm out of there after his first meeting, and it also made sense for him to go back at the tail end and see more or less everything he genuinely needed to say before closing the door on this relationship once and for all.
Is it truly over now that he’s made it clear to Robert Avery that he’s not a grandfather, and that he holds no respect for him when it comes to giving up on his son? It doesn’t seem like it. It’s hard to say, since we could imagine the character coming back down the road. We hope that it doesn’t. People often don’t change at this point in their lives. Robert may feel bad for a time, but he’ll probably just go back to his normal life and not put a whole lot of stock into anything that happened here.
Meanwhile, this entire counter inspired Jackson to be as great of a father as possible. The sweet ending with his mother and his daughter was a perfect showcase of some of the gratitude that he feels.
How Jackson, April grew closer together
For the first part of the episode, she was incredibly frustrated with him over the lack of attention he was giving to a special case about a young woman with her life on the line. They needed a specialized solution to ensure that she could keep her voice and stay alive, and he wasn’t a whole lot of help in the process. It wasn’t until he started to resolve some issues with his father (with her encouragement) that he started to think clearly. She didn’t even know when they first arrived to Montana that he was there for his father! She thought it was all about the case.
The two parties were eventually able to resolve matters and help their patient in need. To go along with that, there was some significant romantic movement on their part as they slept together. It made sense after sharing so many deeply personal moments, but there is no guarantee that it means anything more.
Overall take
By far, one of the best character-based episodes of the entire season. It was odd to not see Meredith, Arizona, or really anyone else, but when you’ve got Williams and Sarah Drew in your cast, you can isolate people and create something that is truly special. Grade: A-.
What’s coming up on Grey’s Anatomy season 13 episode 17?
Be sure to head over here, given that this is where you score some other news when it comes to this installment.
What did you think about tonight’s episode, Williams’ performance, and the appearance of Jackson’s father? Share in the comments! (Photo: ABC.)