Ep 13. If/Then

If/Then is the thirteenth episode in the eighth season of Grey’s Anatomy. Initiating “what if” scenarios, the episode explores an alternate reality while touching upon the occasional nature of life.

The episode takes place in a parallel universe, exploring a world in which Meredith’s mother never had Alzheimer's and, as a result, remained with Meredith’s father. The episode follows Meredith as she imagines an entirely different life path, one that she might have taken if not for her mother's illness.

The episode explores how the various currents of life affect people’s futures. It’s an episode all about looking back and re-examining the critical moments and decisions that led to the present’s circumstances. By fusing imagination, introspection, and drama, the episode turns out to be a memorable, gripping, and unique Grey’s Anatomy episode.

In this alternate reality, Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital still exists, but the characters have taken different paths. Here, Meredith is not a surgeon. Instead, she is a single person who has never married while living with her dog. However, one of her dog's illness forces her to take the dog to the vet, where she meets a nice vet named Finn (Chris O'Donnell).

In this reality, Ellis Grey had not had Alzheimer's and was able to continue her medical career. As a result, Meredith's family was together, and she had a better relationship with her mother. In this change of fate, Meredith's love life is continued with Finn, and Derek fails to secure a permanent spot in her life. Cristina Yang and Owen Hunt are still together, but not married, while Bailey is the Chief of Surgery.

As Meredith wonders if she should move to Boston with Finn, Bailey tries to convince her to stay and join the Seattle Grace Mercy West residency program. However, her decision is influenced by different aspects of her life in this alternate reality, and without spoiling the episode's plot, her decision evokes the essential question of “what if things had gone differently in our lives”?

The “what if” scenarios continue throughout the episode, fleshing out the doctors' alternate lives. For instance, Mark (Eric Dane) is married to someone else, and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) lost a limb. The episode masterfully sketches out a parallel universe without fancy special effects and seamlessly weaving the alternate reality with the Grey’s Anatomy universe.

The episode’s parallel reality includes a poignant re-examination of the Meredith-Derek love story, a central Grey’s Anatomy romantic plot thread. In this alternate universe, Derek and Meredith meet and date but end up not being together, and the audience is left wondering what might have been. However, the viewpoint shifts between the primary and secondary characters' stories, allowing viewers to glimpse how each Grey’s Anatomy character is defined by a specific set of possibilities, encounters, and choices in their lives.

There are scenes that evoke laughter, and some that are bittersweet. The soundtrack, which features well-known tunes from Snow Patrol and The Fray, coupled with the characters' heartfelt performances, enhances the emotion. The tighter focus on a smaller cast allows the show to focus on its core themes and elements, creating an episode that is genuinely outstanding.

In conclusion, Grey's Anatomy's If/Then episode is an exploration of the infinite possibilities that come from a single choice. It's an emotional episode that highlights moments from the past and allows viewers to ponder what could have been different in their lives if things happened differently. While the episode does not have a direct influence on the following episodes’ storylines, it still manages to be significant in the show’s overarching narrative.