BWW Recap: GREY'S ANATOMY Attempts to 'Undo' the Drama in Season Premiere

GREY'S ANATOMY's 13th Season premiered Thursday night and it picked up right where it left off in the May finale. The episode is titled "Undo" and is directed by Debbie Allen (a Broadway alum and BWW fav!) and written by William Harper. Yes, Owen and Amelia got married-we didn't actually see the vows last season, so I was a tad concerned that it wouldn't actually happen! The episode picks up at their wedding reception, and director Debbie Allen, and Director of Photography, Herbert Davis deserve some major kudos for designing the scene and choreographing the dancing in a way that somehow manages to completely conceal the pregnancy of actress Caterina Scorsone (who portrays Amelia Shepherd). Shondaland shows have got to be the best at hiding baby bumps. It has basically become an art form at this point.

After the opening scene at the reception where we briefly see the happy couple dancing, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Riggs (Martin Henderson) flirting, and Maggie (Kelly McCreary) being completely oblivious to whatever is happening with Meredith and Riggs, we cut to the aftermath of Alex's (Justin Chambers) impulsive decision to repeatedly punch poor Andrew Deluca (Giacomo Gianniotti) in the face after misunderstanding a situation involving girlfriend, Jo (Camilla Luddington). Alex has now joined an unconscious Deluca in an ambulance ride to good old Grey-Sloan Memorial. He helps treat him in the ER and conveniently doesn't answer when asked what the heck happened to the guy.

With it being Owen's wedding night and with April (Sarah Drew) just out of surgery after the incredibly traumatic birth of her and Jackson's baby girl in the season finale, Bailey decides to make husband, Dr. Ben Warren (Jason George) the trauma surgeon on call. I guess this means his suspension is over. Considering he was the one who saved the day by delivering the aforementioned baby, I suppose Ben deserves to be fully out of the doghouse. Ben notices Alex's mangled hand, and clearly suspects that Alex had something to do with Deluca's injuries. He chooses to keep this to himself for now, however.

Meanwhile, Jo has called Meredith, who has told Maggie that something happened to Deluca. Meredith and Webber (James Pickens Jr.) go to see Jo--who is still very intoxicated and very upset. Jo is not able or willing to explain what happened, but Meredith uses her detective skills to piece the story together enough to know that she needs to talk to Alex, stat! Maggie goes to the hospital to support her ex-boyfriend, all the while emphasizing to Riggs that she just feels bad but that she and Andrew are never ever ever getting back together. Andrew is in rough shape and there is a chance that he will be blind in one eye, thereby ending his career as a surgeon. Luckily, Jackson (Jesse Williams) comes to the rescue and performs a surgery that technically should be performed by an Ophthalmologist and not a plastic surgeon...but Jackson is just that good. Mark Sloan would be proud.

Elsewhere in the hospital, April and Mama Avery (Debbie Allen) have a comedic (though not to them!) argument about the baby's first and last names. Introducing Harriet Kepner-Avery, everyone (Named after Tubman and "the spy"). I look forward to seeing her for the next few episodes, and then basically never seeing her ever again (like every other child on this show).

Jo eventually sobers up enough to remember exactly what happened--and the fact that she told Deluca her big secret about still being married to a terrifying and abusive man, and that her real name isn't even Jo Wilson. She goes to the hospital and tries to talk to Alex (it doesn't go well) and then has a nice tender moment with a recovering Deluca, only to ruin it when he realizes that she's just there to ask him to keep her secret. The moment goes from bad to worse when Alex walks in to apologize and ask Deluca not to say anything. These are pretty big requests for a guy who has already had a pretty rough day. Deluca will keep Jo's secret, but he is so viscerally terrified at the very sight of Alex that I suspect his request is not going to be honoured. Alex realizes this too, and finally recognizes that there is no way around this horrible mistake he has made and that he has to face the music.

Meredith also eventually decides that Alex has to face the music. She is fiercely loyal throughout the entire episode, and initially helps Alex try to cover it up, but as she learns more about what happened, she realizes that in this scenario, she and Alex are "the bad guys". It is nice to see Meredith be so loyal to Alex. After all, he is her "person" now. She comments to Ben: "When I first got here he was one of the worst people that I had ever met in my life..and now he is one of the best..and I know both people are still in there, and I just want to make sure the right one wins" Us too Meredith. Us too. As Meredith makes her decision to report Alex to Bailey, she shares another sweet moment with Riggs. I really like these two!

As it turns out, Alex does choose to turn himself in. The shot of the police walking him out of the hospital in handcuffs is heartbreaking. This character has come so far, only to fall so quickly. That said, it is important that the show recognized that he might be a good guy, but from Deluca's perspective, he is not a good guy. He committed a brutal assault and he absolutely needs to face the legal ramifications of that. It will be interesting to see what happens next--to both Alex and Deluca.

We next find ourselves at the home of sisters Meredith and Maggie (and Meredith's alleged children who we rarely see). Maggie is deeply hurt that Meredith lied to her all day about the circumstances of Deluca's attack. Meredith seems to feel really badly about this and apologizes. Sidenote: Had Amelia ever received a sincere apology like that from Meredith at any point last season, there would have been at least 30% less drama. In this instance though, the drama is likely just heating up, because now Meredith feels like she can't be with Riggs in order to avoid hurting Maggie. Maggie asks Meredith to never lie to her again, and then Meredith proceeds to lie to her exactly 1 minute and 35 seconds later by telling her that no one important was at the door--when in fact it was Riggs. Meredith tells Riggs that she does not have feelings for him as a way to not hurt Maggie--even though all Maggie actually asked for was her to not lie to her. I suspect this storyline is only just beginning. So far, I like it. It is more nuanced that I thought it would be, and it looks like the show will not make the easy choice and just enter 'cat fight' territory. The dynamic between the sisters (Amelia included) was one of the strengths of season 12, so it will be interesting to see how it evolves this season.

The episode ends with Meredith visiting Alex at a jail holding cell. Although the mood is still tragic, these two manage to bring some dark and twisty humour to their conversation too. This friendship is so unique and the layers of all 12 seasons of it are right there in this scene.

All in all, this was a very strong premiere for lucky season 13. This show caught a bit of a second wind last season, and if this episode is any indication, it is still going strong!

Photo Credit: Mitch Haaseth/ABC

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