#don’t have to worry about conveying his inner monologue. he has none

[secretmellowblog]

On one hand, I hate adaptations that make Javert the sole villain responsible for every single solitary bad thing that happens in France— to the point of eliminating the novel’s criticism of police entirely, having Javert’s motivation be that he’s “obsessed with Valjean” for poorly defined reasons unlike the other Good Cops who are not obsessed with him, and etc etc etc etc.

But on the other hand….so much fanon takes the complete opposite route. “Javert was not a villain,” “Javert did nothing wrong,” “javert was a noble heroic etc etc etc”

And I don’t like that either. Javert iS a villain! Maybe not *the* villain of the story, but certainly a villain! I mean, Javert literally canonically hates kindness. He also hates thinking! and reading!

I could definitely see a whimsical Saturday morning children’s cartoon where a plucky young Gavroche leads a troupe of kids to defeat Javert’s dastardly plans every week, using the powers of Thought & family & friendship

[i-may-have-a-point]

Review of 13x20 “In the Air Tonight” and the music of season 13

This review strays a bit from looking at the specific events in the episode.  My frustration with the writing and continuity this season was coming out in my review, so I decided to focus my energy on something I love about Grey’s Anatomy: the music.

Before I even watched the episode, something in the second sneak peek caught my attention.  In the scene in the bathroom on the plane, Mer and Riggs are doing this banter back and forth that is supposed to be cute and sexy, the turbulence is throwing them around, and this catchy song is playing in the background.  There is a moment where the tone shifts, they stop talking, and the music comes into focus. The singer is saying over and over, “It’s what we deserve, it’s what we deserve.”  Now, as devoted fans, we know that music on Grey’s Anatomy is important. There are songs that we will always associate with Grey’s because the music was interwoven with the story so well that we can’t hear the song without flashing back to those scenes in our mind.  The music often helps set the tone and even tell the stories on Grey’s Anatomy. This example is no different.  The singer is sharing Mer and Riggs inner monologue at this scene.  “We deserve this.  We deserve to be happy.  We’ve been through so much.  We deserve this.” I think this is a bit for the fans as well.  Especially the fans who are having a hard time accepting that Mer could be with anyone besides Derek.  She deserves this, right?  She deserves to be happy.  Or at least that is the message the show is sending us.

So, I decided to look at the rest of the music from just season 13, specifically the music in pivotal scenes for the main couples.  Because we are not getting conversations between characters that should be happening and none of the storylines are moving, maybe the music can tell us something. Maybe the music can at least give us an idea of what the show is thinking in terms of each story since we aren’t getting the answers any other way.

Jolex

I’m going to start with Jolex, mainly because, if I’m being honest, their storyline has been the biggest disappointment this season.  

In 13x01 when Jolex first see each other at the hospital after Deluca is brought in, we have that scene where Alex basically calls her trash. That scene has instrumental music playing in the background.  As I was going through scenes for this season, I noticed that instrumental music, or no music at all, is often used when characters actually say what they need to, an issue is addressed or a long overdue conversation happens.  The music is instrumental in these moments because no words are needed to help tell the story.  This is one of those moments.

In 13x09 Jo tells Alex she is married in the elevator.  When I went to find this scene I expected to hear a heartbreaking song in the background. Instead, there was silence.  This scene has no music, no singer interjecting important lyrics, nothing.  For Grey’s to have such a pivotal scene happen in silence is significant.  I think the music, instrumental or not, would have taken away from the honesty of the scene.  Jo was bearing her soul at that point, and her words held enough weight. The scene didn’t need anything else but Jo and Alex being honest in that moment.  I think the silence was actually the perfect choice.

In 13x12 Jo finds out Alex isn’t in jail and we get that beautiful hug outside of Meredith’s house. This may be my favorite Jolex scene of the season, and the music in this scene is the most telling for their relationship.  Alex and Jo literally say nothing in this scene.  Nothing.  All of their emotions are spoken in their faces and through the song playing over the scene.

“Where have you’ve been, where have you been hiding

Till now you’re beside me, right by me you are standing

These are all the pieces of you that I love All the little pieces of you that I love”

The show has given us very little to go on in terms of what we should expect from Jolex’s story, but if my theory that the music is telling part of the story is correct, then at least we know they do still love each other.

Omelia 

The first Omelia scene I went back to was 13x04 when Omelia talked about her fiancé overdosing and Owen choking Cristina. This scene was also done in complete silence.  This was an honest moment between the two of them, similar to Jo saying she was married. Again, I think that the weight of the dialogue was already so heavy that music would have been distracting.  With no music, we are completely listening to the characters, just as the characters are, for once, completely listening to each other.

In 13x07, when Amelia tells Owen she doesn’t want a baby, we also have silence in the background.  Another honest moment.

But then in 13x09, Amelia leaves.  We have a brief scene with Amelia writing Owen the letter and him finding it. They are no longer speaking, no longer being honest, so the music takes over.  

“I feel like You wouldn't like me If you met me

Don't you worry, there's still time Don't you worry, there's still time”

And these lyrics are very true.  Amelia is worried that Owen won’t like her if he knows the truth about her, her past, or her baby.  But don’t worry, there’s still time.  (I mean, only four episodes at this point, but sure.)

At the end of 13x12, Owen goes to Amelia’s door – or Stephanie’s door really. Owen is pleading with her to come home, but Amelia says nothing.  We know she hears him.  We see the shadow of her beneath the door.  So, the lyrics speak for her:

“Since the first night that I Danced with you through the night

You’ve been my lover, my cornerstone,

You’re the best friend that I’ve ever known,

This wind keeps me sailing home, My Love

You’ve been my lover, my cornerstone,

You’re the best friend that I’ve ever known,”

I think that Omelia will work things out, and I think it will happen by the end of the season. Owen will prove to Amelia that he will love her no matter what.  Or at least that is what the eternal optimist in me thinks.

Japril 

Japril is actually the first couple that I noticed the music speaking for the story in past seasons.  This is not to say it hasn’t been happening with the other couples for many seasons as well, but I watch Japril’s scenes more, so I caught it with them first.  Out of all the couples this season, I think Japril was the couple who avoided saying what they were thinking/feeling the most, so it is no surprise that their scenes were full of music with significant lyrics.

In 13x02, after Jackson takes Harriet home, he calls to check on April only to find that she is devastated to be separated from her baby.  Even though they are divorced, this bothers him.  “So, I’m just supposed to let you cry then?” Not knowing what else to do, he tries to comfort her as best he can over the phone. The lyrics of this song represent what Jackson is not saying.

“You’re not alone, cuz I’m just one call away So don’t forget when life brings you down It won’t last forever It’s just for now Everything will turn back around So you don’t have to stay on the ground I’ll pick you up I’ll pick you up”

Later in 13x02, April sings Harriet to sleep, be we all know she is lowkey singing to Jackson.  I find it interesting here that the show chose to have the character sing the song that normally would have been playing in the background.  I guess it was a way to have April say what she is feeling but not directly to Jackson.

“Well I guess it would be nice If I could touch your body I know not everybody Has got a body like you

But I've got to think twice Before I give my heart away And I know all the games you play Because I play them too

Oh but I Need some time off from that emotion Time to pick my heart up off the floor Oh when that love comes down Without devotion Well it takes a strong man, baby But I'm showing you the door

'Cause I gotta have faith I gotta faith Because I gotta to have faith I gotta to have faith, faith, faith”

I think the lyrics speak for themselves there.

Finally, at the end of 13x02, we get the “You and Harriet should come live with me” scene. This is the only significant Japril scene of the season that was done in silence.  And this was also one of the few scenes where one of them was completely honest and said exactly what they wanted, so of course, no music was needed.

13x04 brought us the “I don’t want you to move out” scene.  This scene had beautiful instrumental music playing underneath it. The scene couldn’t be done in silence because they weren’t fully putting their feelings out there.  They both said they didn’t want April to move out, but neither was brave enough to say why.  So, the instrumental music was used to convey what they weren’t saying, and like I said, it is a beautiful song.  

In 13x07 April goes on her date.  I remember fans being upset about this, but I absolutely loved this episode for Japril. April’s entire dating storyline revolved around Jackson’s reaction to it.  It wasn’t about her dating.  It was about him opening his eyes to the possibility of her moving on.  The scene where April walks into the living room and Jackson fully realizes she is going on a date was so well done by Jesse and Sarah.  Sarah was able to convey that April was both insecure and trying to be confident.  Jesse was able to convey that Jackson was both jealous and trying to be supportive.  And the song was able to convey what neither of them were willing to say.

“One million songs and counting A million miles I've come Oh one million eyes have called to me Still I remember home Oh one thousand words stuck in my head And a thousand towns I've gone Oh one thousand ways for me to say That I remember home”

If you haven’t listened to “Remember Home” by Sebastian Kole and Alessia Cara, go do it now.  It’s beautiful, and I think it represents Japril’s entire journey this season. They have both been trying to find their way back to the person who is their home.  And even though it is taking way longer than necessary, I do think they will get there.  

And the song that plays in 13x16 during the surgery and Japril kissing in the hotel hallway makes me even more confident they have found their way back to each other.

“I made it to the end I nearly paid the cost I lost a lot of friends I sacrificed a lot I’d do it all again Cause I made it to the top I can’t keep doubting myself anymore”

They are done doubting their feelings for each other.  They nearly lost each other over everything they have been through, but in the end, they know that they are supposed to be together.  

So, what does all of this have to do with 13x20?  Well, here’s the thing.  If season 13 had gone differently, this review would probably be about how great this episode is.  Instead, I’m just frustrated.  We are 20 episodes in to season 13, and the stories are all basically where they were in 13x01.  Because of that, it is difficult to appreciate a Griggs centric right now. It has been eleven episodes since Jo told Alex she is married and eleven episodes since Amelia moved out of her house with Owen.  Eleven episodes where those stories did not move at all.  And yes, Japril got their centric, but before that their story hadn’t moved in eight episodes.  Personally, I think this centric should have went to Jolex or Omelia.  So, I wanted to keep my review as positive as possible because I think we need that in the fandom right now.  I have plenty I could rant about, and I may get to that point in a later review if things don’t improve.  But for now, go rewatch some of your favorite scenes, turn on your Grey’s Anatomy music playlist, and try to hang in there.