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What's Next For Alex Karev?

The new TV Guide feature on Grey's Anatomy - with its dual covers of Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey - lacks much of anything on Dr. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers). He came into his own last year, and fans want to know what's next.

A reader wrote in to TV Guide about this and here is how Matt Roush replied ...

Q: I just read the Grey's Anatomy article in the new issue of TV Guide. I was extremely disappointed that there was no mention of Alex's character. Do you know if there will be any major storyline for the character in Season 5? Alex fans (well, me at least) have been waiting season after season for a major arc for him. He's the only original intern that has not had a major arc focused on him. It's about time, don't you think?

Piece of Her Mind

A: All I know is what we printed, and I consulted the editor of the piece, who says nothing about Alex was left on the cutting-room floor. So the answer is: I don't know (and if I was sitting on a Grey's Anatomy spoiler, I probably wouldn't share), but it's hard to imagine him not being involved in at least some of the major storylines, and I'm thinking whatever they have in store for Izzie would probably have some impact on Alex. I agree he's a terrific character, one of my favorites, and I enjoy the way Justin Chambers plays him, but that's possibly because he hasn't been overused. His most prominent storyline was the Jane Doe/Ava/Rebecca relationship, which seems to me a pretty major arc (although one that probably went on too long). The most common gripes I hear about Grey's Anatomy come from fans of any character who isn't Meredith or Derek. Face it. They're the stars, and the others are satellites who shine bright at key points of the season, but they're not the engine and they'll probably never be.

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  1. alex 4ever 6575 Says:

    alex is great u just 2 dum,blined and a jeark and a moran because he is caring and honset and seewt u just don't see it how can u say that he wasn't there for izzi when denny died frist he helped her get the heart for eaven though he heated him for her reamber when mer said"alex do this for izzi" so he did the best he can and then when izzi cut the wier he didn't tell the chif and denny died he was the onley one knew what 2 say 2 her and he carried he not because he wanted 2 show off but because he he cars about her u can see it in his eyes and when izzi just stood out of the hospiel all day he gave her his cout and took her home and if u noticed in season 2 that"jo"the bar tender liked him also in season 3-4 the chif told him that he likes him imean didn't u see how seewt he was with ava"crazy-pragent" she also had a messd up face but alex didn't care about that, reamber in season 2 when izzi told him that if she had 2 cut out her brast he told her that he liked them but he doesn't care because he really wants her so this shows that he does not caree about aprense so when he carried izzi from denny's bed is because he caris not becaus he wanted 2 show of in front of his friends and if u can't see the good in him then 2 bad because mer,izzi,calie,addison,merinda and the chif can.
    ofcoruse he made mistakes but at least he is trying 2 make up 4 them in the way he knows.

  2. Allie Says:

    Good point Grace. Ha ha.

    Gizzie is way more interesting than Alex could ever be. Alex is just a bore and the most under-developed character on TV. And I am sorry but he is FUGLY!

  3. Grace Says:

    LOL, Alex had an affair with married Ava and he didn't tell anyone or had any problems screwing her very nice husband over.

    George didn't lie, he told Callie the truth the moment he knew he was in love with Izzie.

    Yes Alex carried Izzie out because it made him look good in front of everyone but he didn't stick around after when Izzie went back home and she was a mess. George was the one who lied down on the floor with her holding her hand, worrying about her, making her call her mom when she needed it, blowing a big date with Callie to hold her hand when Izzie called him because she couldn't take the message alone.

    Alex was not there. He was there once, George was there all the time.

    When Alex put up those Bethany photos of Izzie, George is the one who stepped up in front of her to protect her. George is the one who noticed she was upset when Hannah came and held her hand while she watched her daughetr and while she had painful surgery. Alex didn't even notice anything was wrong.

    Also when Izzie was about to be busted for the LVAD wire, everyone BUT Alex was willing to stick their neck out for her, including George.

    The Alex fans keep beinging out that carring out moment because that is the only nice thing Alex ever did and he did it only AFTER Denny died and was no longer a threat to him. We george fans can't count on one hand all the great things he did for Izzie and for mer and for everyone around him.

    And beiong honest is not always great. Like when that woman came and she was tired of having babies all the time but she didn't want to lose her husband and he judged her for it and nearly cost that woman her marriage and Addison ehr career. Lying would have been better then.

    Alex is a judgemental prick who is cruel (he took much pleasure in humiliating George for being an intern when george helped him study when he Alex had failed gis exam), forgets who he slept with (Lexie), smirks when someone is screaming in pain and made fun of a dying woman who was obese. That was telling the truth too and it hurt her.

    Honest is not always good. George would have lied to spare that women's feeing because he has empathy for other human beings.

    So Izzie rejected the man who cheated on her and abused Denny and George the two men she love over Denny and George two kind amazing men, wow, shocker! It just shows she has a brain and is not fooled by Alex looking good in a wife beater like so many of his very shallow fans.

  4. Cat Says:

    Now you can defend Izzie and say that Alex didn't take care of her. But she blew him off to be with Denny. But when Denny died, who carried her out? And Alex is extremely honest, which is why people don't like him. And yes he has confidence issues, but George is worse, and he's a liar! George had an affair with Izzie while he was married! He has more confidence issues than Alex at times. And if you hadn't fast forwarded through the Alex scenes you'd see that there is more than meets the eye.

    However, I am against Alex and Izzie as a couple, they worked out in season 2 before Denny, but I think that bridge is burned now. Especially when she blew him off a second time to be with George. Izzie's no good for him either.

  5. Gizzieforever Says:

    So if someone has a lot of love and hate, it means they are interesting, huh? What was the last thing in the show that got BOTH massive love and hate? Hmm yes it would be the Gizzie love story, so that would mean they were an interesting couple right according to you to get such opposite and strong reactions. Thank you. Us Gizzie fans always said it was better to be massively loved and hated than not cared about at all, but thanks for proving what we were saying.

    The only difference is Gizzie interests me a lot, Alex not at all. He could vanish and I wouldn't even notice.

  6. Linda Says:

    No I don't think Alex is interesting at all. I think he is a stereotypical caricature and I ff all his scenes and never watch them at all.

  7. McTwisted Dreams Says:

    Well I guess you have to have a heartless, unapologetic doctor and character in the show. It balances the characters out and with Alex comes humanity and material viewers are probably able to relate to.

    Secondly, the whole show evolves around "Grey's" so they'd focus more on the interactions with Meredith... (and then there's Derek! YAY!) and although Alex was one of the 5 original interns, he doesn't intertwine as much with the rest, just like how he's emotionally secluded.

    I think they need to maintain the diversity of characters, and hopefully Alex will divulge over time (lol therapy!) ... let's just wait for the surprises shonda has in store!

  8. Soliloquist Says:

    Wow, lots of people who hate Alex and lots of people who like Alex. This must mean Alex is a really interesting character.

    You people should not hate him just because of what he did. He's flawed and imperfect. Imagine yourself in his situation, having a bad past really had messed him. I hope we'll know more of Alex in the next season and something good'll happen to him.

    I want to say anything more, but I think Cat here said it all :

    "Alex is in fact one of the least self-centered people on the show. It appears that he gave up his childhood to take care of his parents, and has taken care of Izzie, just to get his heart trampled on. People don't like him because he's honest and closed off (and can you blame him?). He has his faults and he deals with them the best way he can. Alex is great, because in those few moments when he opens up you can see a great amount of pain bottled up. I truly believe Justin Chambers is hands down the most talented male on the show and the fact that he has never been nominated is an insult. I really hope they give him something. I don't appreciate this whole "you like him due to underexposure" crap. I want more Alex. Yang and Sloan too."

  9. Joe Says:

    I know, my sister was abused by a guy just like Alex. Alex is an abomination and he should die a slow lonely painful death.

  10. Sabrina Says:

    I love Justin but Alex, I couldn't care less about.

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