This ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Two-Parter Changed One Character Forever

A medical drama that doesn’t shy away from unexpected plot twists, romantic combinations, and complex procedures, Grey’s Anatomy is a roller-coaster watch. Twenty seasons in, there are plenty of storylines that fans love and hate coming in and out of the ER at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital (previously known as Seattle Grace Mercy West). Yet, Episodes 9 and 10 of Season 14 are by far the most impactful in the series for one character. It managed to offer support to domestic violence victims through Dr. Jo Wilson’s (Camilla Luddington) arc.

Prior to arriving in Seattle as an intern, the character faced several hardships growing up, even living in her car during high school. Wilson’s real name was Brooke Stadler, but she changed it to avoid being found by her abusive estranged husband. In Season 14, she faces her abuser (Paul Stadler, played by Glee alum Matthew Morrison) at the hospital in one of the most emotional plotlines of the medical drama, allowing her to close the door to her traumatic past and move on with her life as a doctor.

Grey’s Anatomy

A drama centered on the personal and professional lives of five surgical interns and their supervisors.

Release Date

March 27, 2005

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

20

Jo Wilson Had a Tumultuous First Marriage Before Becoming a Doctor

There is only so much information that people know about incoming interns, so no one could’ve guessed that Jo was from humble beginnings when she arrived in Season 9. Even Dr. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers), who later became the character’s second husband, would pick on her during those early days because he thought she had never had to deal with anything hard in her life. Yet, that was far from the truth, as fans of the show came to understand in Season 9, Episode 8. After a parent attempts to leave her baby behind, Jo doesn’t take the situation lightly, because she knows well how it feels like to be an abandoned child.

After all, she was left by her mother at a fire station and grew up in foster homes before eventually living in her car throughout high school. Despite the character getting into an Ivy League university to study medicine, her life turns miserable again when she marries one of her professors. Paul could be nice to her at certain moments, but he was very abusive during their relationship, ultimately driving her away from him. She changes her name from Brooke to Jo and moves to Seattle in the hopes of never crossing paths with him again. Everything seemed to be under control until her husband showed up in Season 14, Episode 9, entitled “1-800-799-7233” (named after the National Domestic Violence Hotline).

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Episodes 9 and 10 of Season 14 Helped Jo Face Her Abuser After Experiencing Domestic Violence

Seasons after the character was first introduced, she unexpectedly finds Paul at her workplace and her reaction speaks louder than words. In utter shock, Jo just looks at him and doesn’t respond to any of his remarks about how happy he is to see that she is looking good (clearly wanting to belittle her by saying that she had a drinking problem). Dr. Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) and Dr. Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) are also startled to meet Paul, because of his stellar reputation in the medical field, not catching onto the fear in Jo’s eyes. It is only when Alex and Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) find out about his visit and they immediately feel protective of their friend.

Despite Paul’s efforts to discredit Jo in front of her colleagues, he notices that there is no way to get Alex and Meredith on his side. The moment in which Jo breaks down in front of Meredith and the latter comforts her friend, assuring her she is trusted, is a highlight in the episode, considering that domestic violence victims need other people’s support to help them leave an abusive situation. With Alex and Meredith’s support, Jo manages to face Paul a second time to sign the divorce papers, finally feeling a weight off her shoulders. She even approaches Paul’s soon-to-be-bride Jenny (played by One Tree Hill‘s Bethany Joy Lenz) to warn her about the abuse she endured and encourages the fiancée to leave the relationship as soon as she can.

Paul then (miraculously) dies from a concussion. There is a powerful scene between Jo and Jenny in Episode 10 that takes place minutes before the character’s death. As he lies in a hospital bed ready to be discharged, Jo and Jenny finally stand up against him and tell him that they are determined to take legal action for all the harm they endured as domestic violence victims. This scene alone shows how having people to depend on is so important in a matter like this, and how the two characters were able to find the courage to confront their abuser without feeling powerless in his presence.

This ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Two-Parter Helped Real-Life Victims Feel Seen Onscreen

If it weren’t for Episodes 9 and 10 in Season 14, Jo would never be able to let go of her traumatic past and would likely remain in constant fear of Paul. Although the doctor still faces many life-altering events after this (including her broken-off marriage to Alex), this two-parter narrative was not only important in terms of character development but also makes for important TV. At the height of the MeToo movement, Grey’s Anatomyshowrunner Krista Vernoff spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about how Jo’s domestic violence arc was made to inspire women watching the show to no longer stay silent and to feel empowered to tell their truth.

Luddington also told Entertainment Weekly that a lot of research was put into preparing for these episodes, featuring a complex issue that would allow audiences to see themselves onscreen through Jo’s journey:

“There have been so many conversations with domestic abuse organizations. We ended up feeling like even just the words and the dialogue that we wanted to use in several scenes, we were just particular with it, because at the end of the day, we wanted to tell this story right, and also educate people that have misconceptions about domestic abuse, who it happens to, and what it looks like.”

Grey’s Anatomy is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.

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