Jo Wilson is a polarizing character in the Grey’s Anatomy universe, but what does Reddit think about the good doctor in season 19.
With Grey's Anatomy being a character-driven series, there are often changes to the roles of each character or how important they are in the show. Coming into season 19, Ellen Pompeo's character Meredith took a step back from the storyl so the new cast of interns could take center stage.
Jo Wilson was one of Meredith's interns who quickly learned that working under Meredith was no joke and would test her limits as a surgeon. Like many other characters on the show, Jo splits the fan base on whether she is a good character.
Because many characters follow their on-screen love interests out the door on Grey's Anatomy, Jo's staying wasn't something fans wanted after Alex left. Still, Redditor diabolicalafternoon said, "Hesitant to cosign because why should someone lose their job because their on-screen partner left."
While fans agree that Jo could still be part of the show, it feels like too much of a departure from the show’s usual pattern of characters involved in romantic relationships leaving together, regardless of if they stay together or not. Jo staying could be a hint to a new formula for the show that has yet to be tested with fans before.
Even though she isn't considered one of half of one of the worst couples on Grey's Anatomy, the Grey's Anatomy subreddit doesn't have a lot of love for Jo apart from a few fans. Redditor uglygxrl said, "Jo, on the other hand, gets so much hate, and I don't really know why. She definitely has her moments, but she has gone through so much and deserved so much better…"
Even though Jo was supposed to be a sympathetic character, her storyline includes so many instances of trauma that fans who haven’t experienced the same things have found her hard to connect with and as someone looking for pity. This overwhelming amount of horrible things happening to her made fans dislike her because they felt she was making her issues other people's problems, even when she was simply working through them.
Jo living in her car is something fans are tired of hearing about on the show, except for Redditor smolcats19, who said, "she mentions that she lived in her car is justified given how terrible it is to live in a car as a teenager alone…"
No matter how well a character is written on Grey’s Anatomy, they will always be compared to Meredith Grey, who has experienced more trauma on the show than any other character but doesn’t mention her experiences as often as Jo. With Meredith being the blueprint for the other female doctors on the show, Jo being someone who heals by talking about her trauma, is likely to receive flack. This choice is why some Redditors are completely done with the TV show.
Many characters on television dramas who were given up for adoption seek out their birth parents at some point, and Jo was no exception. While many felt this was a good storyline and gave some closure to Jo's past, Redditor Chogbortstopstudent said, "I wasn't a fan of her seeking out her birth mother and thinking she was owed like an explanation or relationship. There was a reason her mom gave her up …and I think their conversation ended up kind of traumatizing both of them."
Instead of having a happy ending to her finding her birth mother, like most shows do, Jo having to heal from meeting her mother in therapy showed a new story that some people face in real life when meeting their birth parents. The way this story played out was a fresh take on a story that could be considered cliché.
With Meredith having a limited role on season 19 of Grey's, Jo may get more screen time, which could mean a new relationship, something that most fans do not want to see as they like Jo being single and figuring herself out. This hasn't stopped Redditor realityneil from sharing," I just feel like Jo and Link together works so well for me. It's so natural. Idk if it's just because they know each other already so well…"
The Jo and Link story got a satisfying ending and reopening the possibility of them getting back together would put the couple in the same category as Teddy and Owen, who fans coined as one of the worst couples on the show. With Redditors commenting that they want to see Jo single a non-plutonic relationship between the two would go against what fans want and doom the character to more hate.
As one of the best medical dramas streaming right now, Grey's Anatomy often divides its fans on how storylines play out, one of them being Alex going to jail. One Redditor said, "Then Alex went to jail for her, and she didn't really try to clear anything."
Even though it was debated in the comments, Alex did not go to jail for Jo, he went as a consequence of attacking another person. Alex’s violent past was something that became a big part of his character and this showed that no matter how much he changed, there were still issues he had to work out, regardless of Jo’s influence.
Jo is a character that has gone through different relationships and situations in the hospital that have moved her story along; even if viewers haven't been her biggest fan, most agree her life on the show is interesting. But Redditor mearbearcate doesn't feel that way, saying, "Her storyline always stayed in the same place, and all they did was have her be the “sad girl” all the time having us reminded of her past constantly…"
This was unpopular because Jo’s story has been anything but stagnant. From being left by Alex to adopting Luna, Jo is constantly evolving, even though she often revisits her past. However, Jo isn’t the only one who focuses on her past influence on her future, with other characters having their past come back to bite them frequently.
Those on the Grey's Anatomy subreddit constantly call out Camilla Luddington for not playing the character of Jo to her full potential. Except for Redditor Adagia-Lumpy saying, "Camilla is so underrated as well! The message that JO has to give is (portrayed) wonderfully by Camilla!"
Jo does have moments where she delivers inspiring messages that created moments on the show that fans won’t forget. However, there are times like when she is in bed speaking to Meredith that she doesn’t seem fully invested at the moment. Just like with any actor's performance, it doesn’t always land with audiences, and it seems Luddington has fallen victim to the court of public opinion.
Fans of the show have noted how Jo reminding people of everything she has been through as one of the reasons they don't like her character. Redditor moo4mtn came to her defense, saying, "She had issues, she made mistakes, she went to therapy and worked through her issues…If you want a show with characters who always do the right thing, that doesn't exist…"
The show has created an environment where characters move on from situations faster than they would in real life, which has made Jo disliked since she is shown reliving her traumas in therapy and how she heals. Jo being one of the few characters who actively works on their problems is something that not all fans aren’t interested in, due to the departure from the script they’re used to.
Something that has become more common on medical shows is that rather than taking a patient at face value when they become emotional, they receive a full psych evaluation, and yet most fans take this as a writing choice rather than a flaw with Jo as a doctor.
Redditor Sssassyhobo received two upvotes for saying, "Idk it bugged me that she wanted to call psych on so many patients. It might just be a me thing." Jo going to the psych department may be a nod to her work in therapy and the importance she places on her own mental health, which has become a large part of her development.
Senior Writer for Screen Rant and On-Field Emcee for MiLB. Cailyn Szelinki graduated from The New School in 2020 and has been writing ever since. Cailyn resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, dog, and two cats. Cailyn started working with Screen Rant in 2022. When she isn’t writing Cailyn is cosplaying, watching RuPaul’s Drag Race, and Marvel movies.
Grey's Anatomy: 10 Unpopular Opinions About Jo (According To Reddit) – Screen Rant
