Only Mama Knows (Grey's Anatomy)
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"Only Mama Knows" is the fourth episode of the eleventh season of the American television
medical drama A medical drama is a television show or film in which events center upon a hospital, an ambulance staff, or any medical environment. Most recent medical drama (film and television), dramatic programming go beyond the events pertaining to the chara ...
'' Grey's Anatomy'', and is the 224th episode overall. Written by Mark Driscoll, and directed by Jesse Bochco, the episode originally aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on October 16, 2014. The episode delves into Meredith Grey's ( Ellen Pompeo) troubled childhood and strained relationship with her mother, the world-renowned surgeon Ellis Grey ( Kate Burton) and
Richard Webber Richard Webber, M.D., F.A.C.S is a fictional character from the ABC medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy''. The character was created by Shonda Rhimes and is portrayed by actor James Pickens Jr. since the start of the show in 2005. ...
(
James Pickens Jr. James Pickens Jr. (born October 26, 1954) is an American actor. He is best known for his starring role as Dr. Richard Webber on the ABC medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', and for his supporting role as Deputy Director Alvin Kers ...
), while Meredith also navigates difficulties in her marriage with Derek Shepherd ( Patrick Dempsey). The episode reveals secrets from Ellis Grey's past as Meredith uncovers old videos and reads her mother's journals, providing new insights into her complicated life. Meanwhile,
Maggie Pierce Margaret Pierce, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character from the American television medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was created by series producer Sho ...
(
Kelly McCreary Kelly J. McCreary (born September 29, 1981) is an American actress, best known for her role on the ABC drama series ''Grey's Anatomy'' as Dr. Maggie Pierce, the half-sister of series protagonist Meredith Grey. She joined the series as a guest at ...
) shocks the hospital with a surprising announcement.
Alex Karev Alexander Michael Karev, (né Evans), M.D., F.A.C.S is a fictional character on the ABC television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', portrayed by actor Justin Chambers. Introduced as a surgical intern at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital, Karev eve ...
(
Justin Chambers Justin Willman Chambers (born July 11, 1970) is an American actor and former model. He is best known for his role as Dr. Alex Karev in the ABC television drama ''Grey's Anatomy'' from 2005 to 2020. Born in Ohio, he went to Southeastern High S ...
) finds Arizona Robbins ( Jessica Capshaw), who asks him to check on one of her patients as she struggles to keep up with the workload assigned by Nicole Herman ( Geena Davis).
Callie Torres Calliope Iphegenia Torres, M.D. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the ABC in the United States. The character was created by series' producer Shonda Rhimes, and is portrayed by ...
(
Sara Ramirez Sara Elena Ramírez (; born August 31, 1975) is a Mexican-American actor and singer. Born in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Ramírez moved to the United States at eight years old, eventually graduating with a fine arts degree from the Juilliard School. R ...
) focuses on the Veterans' project, while
Owen Hunt Major (Ret.) Owen Hunt, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was created by series' produc ...
( Kevin McKidd) and Miranda Bailey ( Chandra Wilson) confront
Jackson Avery Jackson Avery, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character in the ABC prime time medical drama, ''Grey's Anatomy'', portrayed by actor Jesse Williams. The character was created by series creator and executive producer, Shonda Rhimes. He was introd ...
( Jesse Williams) after reading an email from Maggie about her resignation. On its initial airing, the episode was watched by 8.43 million viewers and received universal acclaim from critics, with many considering it one of the best episodes of the entire series.


Plot

The episode opens with a voice-over narration from Meredith Grey ( Ellen Pompeo) and Ellis Grey ( Kate Burton) about the imperfection of memory and how both our mistakes and successes shape who we become. In a series of flashbacks, Meredith Grey ( Ellen Pompeo) and
Richard Webber Richard Webber, M.D., F.A.C.S is a fictional character from the ABC medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy''. The character was created by Shonda Rhimes and is portrayed by actor James Pickens Jr. since the start of the show in 2005. ...
(
James Pickens Jr. James Pickens Jr. (born October 26, 1954) is an American actor. He is best known for his starring role as Dr. Richard Webber on the ABC medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', and for his supporting role as Deputy Director Alvin Kers ...
) come to terms with their past relationships with Ellis Grey ( Kate Burton). In her search for understanding the revelation of having a half-sister, Meredith delves into her mother’s diaries and video footage. Meanwhile,
Alex Karev Alexander Michael Karev, (né Evans), M.D., F.A.C.S is a fictional character on the ABC television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', portrayed by actor Justin Chambers. Introduced as a surgical intern at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital, Karev eve ...
(
Justin Chambers Justin Willman Chambers (born July 11, 1970) is an American actor and former model. He is best known for his role as Dr. Alex Karev in the ABC television drama ''Grey's Anatomy'' from 2005 to 2020. Born in Ohio, he went to Southeastern High S ...
) learns that the board’s vote to replace Cristina Yang ( Sandra Oh) was not as close as Arizona Robbins ( Jessica Capshaw) had led him to believe—it was actually unanimous in favor of Miranda Bailey ( Chandra Wilson). Alex confronts Arizona about the lie, and she confides in him that she didn’t vote for him because she wanted to hire him as the new
pediatrics Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until th ...
attending In the United States and Canada, an attending physician (also known as a staff physician or supervising physician) is a physician (usually an Doctor of Medicine, M.D. or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, D.O.) who has completed Residency (medicin ...
. Her goal was to step back and focus on her fetal surgery fellowship and to help save her marriage. Bailey also finds out from Richard about
Maggie Pierce Margaret Pierce, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character from the American television medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was created by series producer Sho ...
's (
Kelly McCreary Kelly J. McCreary (born September 29, 1981) is an American actress, best known for her role on the ABC drama series ''Grey's Anatomy'' as Dr. Maggie Pierce, the half-sister of series protagonist Meredith Grey. She joined the series as a guest at ...
) true identity when she tries to reverse Maggie’s decision to leave Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. Richard reveals to Meredith that the day at the
carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (List of sovereign states, international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in South Australia, SA) is a type of amusement ...
was when he left Ellis for good. He remained with Adele ( Loretta Devine) because of his jealousy and hatred towards Ellis’ first Harper Avery award nomination for the Grey Method. Before Richard could tell Adele the truth, he realized he would spend his entire life in Ellis' shadow. This realization led him to leave Ellis, which resulted in Ellis attempting
suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
after returning home. Derek Shepherd ( Patrick Dempsey) reconnects with Meredith and puts a halt to their fighting. Though Meredith initially resists, Derek insists on a truce because she has a sister now, and he needs to ensure she’s okay. Meredith then recalls a suppressed memory of her mother being pregnant. She remembers Ellis' water breaking on the kitchen floor and the fear it caused, as it reminded her of Ellis' previous suicide attempt. She also recalls how Ellis moved them across town after giving birth and began her fellowship while Meredith started first grade. Before Maggie can leave the hospital, Meredith approaches her and shows her something significant. She pulls out Ellis' journal from 1983 and shares what she can with Maggie. While Ellis wasn’t warm, the journal reveals something important: wine stains that marked Ellis' nightly reflections stop around the time she discovered her pregnancy. These stains are replaced with meticulous lists of everything she ate, showing her commitment to having a healthy baby. Though it's not much, it demonstrates that Ellis tried to care for her child. This revelation leads to a profound change in Meredith's heart regarding Maggie. As she reflects, memories are “our most valuable possessions. They made us who we are.” With this new perspective, Meredith begins to accept Maggie as her sister.


Production

During an interview, Shonda Rhimes revealed that "
Season 11 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
is really a Meredith-centric season", as the character faces significant changes in her life. Rhimes explained, "She lost her ‘person’, her half-sister has shown up, her husband is chafing to go someplace else..." She shared that she had been wanting to explore the "familial grenade" storyline for a long time and felt that the end of
Season 10 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
was the right moment to introduce it. In another discussion of this storyline, Rhimes mentioned that she and the writers were considering using flashbacks to explore the younger days of Ellis Grey and
Richard Webber Richard Webber, M.D., F.A.C.S is a fictional character from the ABC medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy''. The character was created by Shonda Rhimes and is portrayed by actor James Pickens Jr. since the start of the show in 2005. ...
. Initially, it was unclear who would portray the younger version of Ellis Grey. Both Kate Burton and Sarah Paulson had played the character in earlier seasons, albeit during different time periods. However, on August 6, 2014, it was confirmed that Burton would reprise her role in flashbacks for the Season 11 premiere. Despite this confirmation, on September 25, 2014, it was announced that while Burton had filmed scenes for the Season 11 premiere, they were ultimately cut from the episode. Nevertheless, Burton was still set to appear in flashbacks later in the season. Sally Pressman ( ''Army Wives'') was later cast to play the younger Ellis Grey for these scenes. Paulson, who previously played young Ellis in
Season 6 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and po ...
, was unable to reprise her role due to scheduling conflicts with her work on ''American Horror Story: Freak Show''.
J. August Richards Jaime Augusto Richards III (born August 28, 1973), commonly known as J. August Richards, is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Charles Gunn on The WB television series ''Angel'' and Mike Peterson on '' Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D ...
was confirmed to reprise his role as a young Richard Webber.


Reception


Broadcast

"Only Mama Knows" aired on October 16, 2014, on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. Upon its initial release, the episode was watched by 8.43 million viewers and garnered a 2.4/8 Nielsen rating, ranking #22 in 18-49 key demographic and as the 8th most-watched drama of the night.


Reviews

"Only Mama Knows" received universal acclaim, with numerous critics calling it "one of the best of ''Grey's Anatomy''". ''TV Fanatic'' praised the episode, stating, "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 this installment was incredible. I found it fascinating and really thought it fit well for a
Throwback Thursday Throwback Thursday or #TBT is an internet trend used among social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. On a Thursday, users will post nostalgia-inducing pictures – from a different era of their life, accompanied by the has ...
kind of night." '' Examiner'' gave the episode rave reviews, highlighting the episode's premise, "''Grey’s Anatomy'' aired the beautifully written and played all-new episode 'Only Mama Knows' on Oct. 16. Through exceptional use of flashbacks, Meredith finally remembers that her mother was pregnant following her attempt to commit suicide. These repressed memories that resurface are very sad. Meredith Grey endured two terribly traumatic experiences at a very young age. No wonder she is a complicated, dark and twisty adult. The editing on this episode is extraordinary. Using old clips of Ellis to tell a new story was simply brilliant and totally upped the emotional stakes for Meredith ( Ellen Pompeo),
Richard Webber Richard Webber, M.D., F.A.C.S is a fictional character from the ABC medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy''. The character was created by Shonda Rhimes and is portrayed by actor James Pickens Jr. since the start of the show in 2005. ...
(
James Pickens Jr. James Pickens Jr. (born October 26, 1954) is an American actor. He is best known for his starring role as Dr. Richard Webber on the ABC medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', and for his supporting role as Deputy Director Alvin Kers ...
), and
Maggie Pierce Margaret Pierce, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character from the American television medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was created by series producer Sho ...
(
Kelly McCreary Kelly J. McCreary (born September 29, 1981) is an American actress, best known for her role on the ABC drama series ''Grey's Anatomy'' as Dr. Maggie Pierce, the half-sister of series protagonist Meredith Grey. She joined the series as a guest at ...
) moving forward." ''Entertainment Weekly'' called it "great drama", adding, "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." The review concluded by stating, "If this is what we can expect from a 'Season of Meredith Grey,' then count me in. Seriously." ''ScreenSpy'' said the episode ranked among ''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 the season, this installment gave us glimpses of Meredith’s mixed up, complicated past with her mixed up, complicated mom, Ellis." '' BuddyTV'' noted the show was "on a roll", praising the narrative structure, "In a superbly crafted episode, 'Only Mama Knows' explores the idea of memory, which is both notoriously unreliable and incredibly subjective." The review noted that Meredith gains a fuller understanding of the past and how it continues to affect her life, particularly with regard to Ellis and Richard's choices. ''TVEquals'' also praised Pompeo and the overall pacing of the storyline, stating, "Last night’s episode of ''Grey’s Anatomy'' was entertaining and served as a useful reminder of how well-adjusted Meredith is, despite the challenges of her childhood." The site added, "The pacing of this storyline continues to be exceptional, and the actors have done a great job with the material." They also highlighted the strong performances of guest actors Kate Burton and Sally Pressman, noting Burton’s emotional impact as Ellis Grey in flashbacks. '' HuffPost'' lauded Patrick Dempsey and Pompeo, particularly in their Derek-Meredith showdowns, writing, "Those Derek and Meredith showdowns! She tells him where to go, and finally stands up for herself, taking Cristina's 'be the sun' advice." The review also praised the construction of the episode, particularly its use of flashbacks and returning Burton to the storyline. ''Fempop'' called the episode one of ''Grey's Anatomy'''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." They noted how the show minimized (
Owen Hunt Major (Ret.) Owen Hunt, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was created by series' produc ...
,
Jackson Avery Jackson Avery, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character in the ABC prime time medical drama, ''Grey's Anatomy'', portrayed by actor Jesse Williams. The character was created by series creator and executive producer, Shonda Rhimes. He was introd ...
) or cut out unnecessary characters (
Callie Torres Calliope Iphegenia Torres, M.D. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the ABC in the United States. The character was created by series' producer Shonda Rhimes, and is portrayed by ...
, April Kepner) to focus on the central storyline involving Meredith, Richard and Maggie's complicated relationships.


References

{{Grey's Anatomy episodes, 11 Grey's Anatomy season 11 episodes 2014 American television episodes