If Jo (Camilla Luddington) and Alex’s (Justin Chambers) abrupt reconciliation during the season 16 premiere of Grey’s Anatomy left you feeling a little confused, you’re not alone.
Last season ended with Jo checking into Grey Sloan’s psychiatric unit to treat her depression following the revelation that she was the product of rape. The new season picked right back up where the finale left off, but because of a time jump viewers didn’t really get to see how Jo worked through the emotional trauma before tidying up her storyline with a neat little bow and another proposal from Alex. Turns out they were never legally married, but that’s a story for a different day.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Fortunately, the writers behind the series know that things were a little too simple for her recovery and say that all the gaps in Jo’s storyline will be filled in soon.
"We had her in inpatient treatment for 30 days in the premiere; we didn't spend a ton of time there," Grey’s Anatomy showrunner Krista Vernoff told TV Guide. “So, we do have an episode coming up in the first quarter of the season where we flash back and tell a little bit more of the story of her time there, which I think will be really cool and interesting for the fans to see.”
Vernoff continued on to say that talking about mental health is “really significant and important” in today’s world, in addition to talking about the ways in which we treat a mental health crisis.
Given how thoughtful and powerful Grey’s Anatomy episodes that tackle tough topics like sexual assault and immigration have been in the past, one can likely expect for Jo’s treatment episode to also be handled with care.