AMELIA SHEPHERD: 11 MUST-WATCH ‘PRIVATE PRACTICE’ EPISODES TO KNOW HER BETTER IN ‘GREY’S ANATOMY’

Within the GREY’S ANATOMY universe that Shonda Rhimes created, there are years and years of backstory for many of the characters. But besides the previous 12 seasons of GREY’S, there’s also PRIVATE PRACTICE. After several crossover episodes between the two shows, Amelia Shepherd made her way to GREY’S and became a series regular in season 11.

SPOILER ALERT: Don't read further if you haven't seen GREY'S ANATOMY season 13, episode 5 yet

With Shonda and her team dipping into the enormously rich pool of backstory for other characters, it was only a matter of time before Amelia’s past would be brought up and explored through present circumstances. Even if you didn’t watch PRIVATE PRACTICE, it’s already clear that Amelia has a history of substance abuse and addiction, which we’ve seen her battle with even on GREY’S. However, with this week’s episode, Amelia’s backstory is brought up again, when she suspects that she might be pregnant. It comes up when Meredith tells her and Maggie that she didn’t have to tell Derek when she found out she was pregnant the second time, because he was already dead by then. Later Amelia recalls how even she was in a similar situation when she found out that she was having her late fiancé, Ryan’s baby.

By the end of the episode she finds out that she’s not pregnant, and while Owen tells her that they can try again, she’s speechless. Something about her silence told me that she was more relieved than disappointed, and understandably so. Anyone who saw how her last pregnancy went down would understand how scary the thought of carrying another child would be for her.

In case you didn’t see her story on PRIVATE PRACTICE, but would like to get the essence of what she’s been through and how it informs the person she is today, you can still just see these few episodes of PRIVATE PRACTICE, and know Amelia Shepherd a little better:

PRIVATE PRACTICE

Season 5, episode 6 – "If I Hadn't Forgotten..."

Season 5, episode 7 – "Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough"

Season 5, episode 8 – "Who We Are"

Season 5, episode 9 – "The Breaking Point"

Season 5, episode 16 – “Andromeda"

Season 5, episode 17 – "The Letting Go"

Season 5, episode 18 – "It Was Inevitable"

Season 5, episode 19 – "And Then There Was One"

Season 5, episode 20 – "True Colors"

Season 5, episode 21 – "Drifting Back"

Season 5, episode 22 – "Gone, Baby, Gone"

Of course there are many other episodes that you can watch to know Amelia better (the complete seasons 3 to 6 of PRIVATE PRACTICE). However, the list above are the episodes relevant to Amelia’s suspected pregnancy in this week’s GREY’S, as well as any future pregnancy for her. We know that Caterina Scorsone is pregnant in real life, so I think it’s safe to assume that Amelia will have a real pregnancy storyline in GREY’S ANATOMY at some point this season.