Only Mama Knows (Grey's Anatomy)
| "Only Mama Knows" | |
|---|---|
| Grey's Anatomy episode | |
_Meredith_Grey.jpg) Richard tells Meredith the truth about her mother's past. | |
| Episode no. | Season 11 Episode 4 |
| Directed by | Nicole Rubio |
| Written by | Mark Driscoll |
| Original air date | October 16, 2014 |
| Running time | 43 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Only Mama Knows" is the fourth episode of the
Secrets from Ellis Grey's past come to light when Meredith watches old videos and reads through her mother's journals. Meanwhile, Maggie Pierce (Kelly McCreary) rocks the hospital with an unexpected announcement. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) finds Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw), who tells him to check up on one of her patients. She's swamped as Nicole Herman (Geena Davis) keeps her really busy. Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) focuses her attention on the Veterans' project. Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) and Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) just read an e-mail from Maggie about her resigning, and they confront Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) about it.
Plot
In a series of flashbacks, Meredith and Richard manage to come to terms with their past relationships with Ellis. In order to sort out the new revelation of having a half-sister, Meredith goes searching through her mother's diaries and video footage. Alex learns that the board's vote to replace Cristina was not as close as Arizona led him to believe. In fact, the vote was unanimously in favor of Bailey. He confronts Arizona about her lie, and she confides in him that she did not vote for him because she wanted to hire him as the new pediatrics attending so she could take a step back and focus on the fetal surgery fellowship, and to save her marriage. Bailey finds out from Richard who Maggie really is when she tries to reverse Maggie's decision to leave Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
Meredith learns from Richard that the day at the carousel was the day he left Ellis for good. He only stayed with Adele because of his hatred and jealousy of Ellis' first Harper Avery award nomination for the Grey Method. Before Richard could tell Adele the truth, he found himself thinking that he would spend his entire life feeling like this, being in Ellis’ shadow. And as a result, Ellis went home and attempted suicide.
Derek then finds his way back to Meredith, where he puts a halt on their fighting. Mer tries to fight even that, but he stands by his truce because she has a sister and he needs to know that she's okay. Meredith finally calms down enough to recall the memory of her mother being pregnant. She remembers how Ellis’ water broke on the kitchen floor and how it scared her because it reminded her of her mother's suicide attempt. She remembers Ellis moving them across town after giving birth and how, afterward, Ellis started her fellowship and Meredith started first grade.
So before Maggie can leave, Meredith asks to show her something. She pulls out Ellis’ journal from 1983 and shows Maggie what she can. Ellis wasn't a warm person, but the journal showed wine stains from when Ellis would write her thoughts every night. And around the time Ellis figured out she was pregnant, the wine stains stopped and were replaced with lists of everything Ellis ate that day. It's not much but it's enough to show she wanted the baby to be healthy. Ellis Grey tried. And that's a new memory Meredith can add to her list, because as she puts it, memories are “our most valuable possessions. They made us who we are.” leading Meredith to have a change of heart about Maggie.
Production
During an interview,
At first, it was uncertain who would play the younger Ellis, as there have been two different actresses who played Ellis within the relatively same period: Kate Burton and Sarah Paulson.[2] However, on August 6, 2014, it was confirmed that Kate Burton will portray the character in flashbacks in the season premiere.[3]
Despite this confirmation, on September 25, 2014, it was announced that Kate Burton, who played present day Ellis Grey in previous seasons of Grey's before her character died, was supposed to appear in the season 11 premiere in flashbacks, but her scenes have been cut from the episode. She is still slated to appear in flashbacks later in the season, and Sally Pressman (Army Wives) would play the role of Ellis. The role, previously played by American Horror Story's Sarah Paulson in flashbacks in season six. According to TVLine, Paulson's AHS: Freak Show shooting schedule conflicted with returning to Grey's, so she was unable to reprise her role. J. August Richards will reprise his role as a young Richard Webber.[4]
Reception
Broadcast
The episode aired on October 16, 2014 on
Reviews
The episode opened up to universal acclaim with numerous critics calling it "one of the best of Grey's". TV Fanatic also lauded the episode saying, "I don't think I've ever appreciated an episode like the way I did with Only Mama Knows, Well done, Shonda Rhimes and co. I loved every bit of it. I thought that this installment was incredible. I found it fascinating and really thought it fit well for a Throwback Thursday kind of night."[6]
Entertainment Weekly called it "great drama" stating, "It was also throwing us back to the type of episode we expected from this show in the early seasons, the type of episode that gave you chills and reminded you why this show is so good at drama." and added, "If this is what we can expect from a “Season of Meredith Grey,” then count me in. Seriously."[7]
Screenspy said that the episode ranks up there with all the other "Grey’s classics" adding, "Only Mama Knows was so good I kept checking my watch to see if this really was the eleventh year of the doc drama that keeps on ticking, Grey’s Anatomy. In one of the best episodes of the series, not just season, this installment gave us glimpses of Meredith’s mixed up, complicated past with mixed up, complicated mom,
TVEquals praised the episode and Pompeo saying, "Last night’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy was entertaining and served as a useful reminder of how well adjusted
Fempop too called the episode one of Grey's' best stating, "This episode doesn’t bluff. It’s holding at least three of a kind. Like some of the best episodes of the show “Only Mama Knows” is focused. Characters not necessary to the central story are minimized Owen Hunt, Jackson Avery or cut all together Callie Torres, April Kepner. The rest of the characters are engaged in a dance, circling the central issue of Maggie's impending departure and her parentage and Meredith's own struggle with the expectations of her husband and her long dead mother."[12]
References
- ^ Ausiello, Michael (July 15, 2014). "'Grey's Anatomy' Season 11: Shonda Rhimes Reveals Time Jump, Theme". TVLine.com. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
- ^ Claredon, Dan (July 19, 2014). "Spoiler! Grey's Anatomy Season 11 to Show Ellis Flashbacks — But With Sarah Paulson or Kate Burton?". Retrieved July 19, 2014.
- ^ Goldberg, Lesley (August 6, 2014). "'Grey's Anatomy' Bringing Kate Burton Back". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
- ^ Bucksbaum, Sydney (September 25, 2014). "Major Grey's Anatomy Role Recast! Find Out Who's In and Who's Out This Season". Retrieved September 25, 2014.
- ^ "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'Sunday Night Football' Tops Week 4 With Adults 18-49 & With Total Viewers - Ratings". TVbytheNumbers.Zap2it.com. Archived from the original on October 23, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
- ^ "Grey's Anatomy Season 11 Episode 4 Review: Only Mama Knows". TVfanatic.com. October 16, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
- ^ Highfill, Samantha (October 16, 2014). "Grey's Anatomy recap: 'Only Mama Knows'". EW.com. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
- ^ "TV REVIEW: Grey's Anatomy Looks to the Past in "Only Mama Knows"". Screenspy.com. October 17, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
- ^ "'Grey's Anatomy' Recap: Meredith Finally Gets Some Answers About Her Mother". October 16, 2014.
- ^ "Grey's Anatomy Season 11 Review "Only Mama Knows"". October 17, 2014.
- ^ "Grey's Anatomy Recap: The Audacity of Ellis Grey in 'Only Mama Knows' | Karen Fratti". Huffingtonpost.com. October 18, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
- ^ "Review: Grey's Anatomy - 'Only Mama Knows'". Fempop.com. Retrieved June 18, 2015.