Post — Aaron Ngo

Major Spoilers are included in this episode review. Please read with caution.

15 seasons in, and this show is still bringing out fresh storylines. Jo Karev, formerly known as Jo Wilson, formerly known as Brooke, she had a lot of names, gets a stand-alone episode. Introduced in season 9 following the plane crash incident, she quickly became a fan-favorite, and a character I invested in the second she was introduced. Her background, personality, romance with Alex Karev and their ability to disclose the hardships in their lives stood out and continue to get peeled back / addressed even now.

Jo Karev, after officially reclaiming her happiness by marrying Alex, decides to learn where she came from, and tracks down her birth mother. Her name is Vicki, but Jo was not prepared for what she found out next. Vicki has two kids, a loving husband, and a good job. However, there’s more to the story… Vicki reveals Jo’s birth was a result of rape, and loving her was nearly impossible without being reminded of her attacker.

Jo’s meeting with Vicki is the flashback component of the episode as the present-day storyline revolves around a patient who suffered sexual assault. This episode was written beautifully and was told purely from the victim’s perspective. Jo vowed never to leave her side and held her hand the entire time UNTIL THE END OF THE EPISODE.

The women lining the hallway walls was the best moment and probably now ranks as one of the best things to happen on this show. I cried seeing all the powerful women standing by her, making sure the patient didn’t have to see her attacker on the faces of strange men. The representation is needed, and watching Jo take charge was amazing because of what she recently went through.

Overall, this episode jumped to the top of my favorite list. This is an important episode for the world we’re living in, and how storytelling can inspire / educate us on this major issue for both men and women.

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