‘Grey’s Anatomy’: People Used to Like Catherine – What Changed?
Grey’s Anatomy has plenty of likable characters, but one character fans don’t seem to love anymore is Catherine Fox (formerly known as Catherine Avery). Once well-liked by fans of the show due to her strength, they don’t respond to her like they used to. Much of that is due to changes in the character that have left fans feeling somewhat frustrated.
So what is going on with Catherine? How has she changed, and what is it about her that fans can’t seem to stand anymore? Let’s take a deeper dive into exploring what makes her tick, and what explanation fans have for not liking her so much anymore.
Why don’t ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ fans like Catherine anymore?
Grey’s fans took to Reddit to discuss Catherine’s character development. The original poster claimed that the character the fans once knew was gone:
“I loved her at the beginning, she was a strong woman, but each time I see her, her hair gets worse and she makes worse and worse choices….Like trying to sue April because she thinks April won’t let her see her grandchild.”
Another person in the thread agreed, stating that Catherine’s “new” traits felt somewhat forced by the show’s writers:
“Characters I once loved start acting crazy and ridiculous and I hate them now. It’s like they are trying too hard to make character flaws but it’s just so unbalanced.”
It’s disheartening to see a once-beloved character get dragged through the mud. But after examining the character and her arc throughout the series, it’s hard to blame viewers for not liking her.
Catherine’s relationship with Richard
According to the show’s wiki, Catherine is married to Richard Webber. Their relationship starts off flirtatiously, with Richard not letting it advance due to his wife at the time being at home with Alzheimer’s. Their relationship and courtship eventually blossom, and the two end up getting married. After suffering some hardships together, including tests of Richard’s faithfulness and April and Jackson losing a child, they separate.
They nearly get back together when Richard gets sick, only for him to push her away once he recovers. Finally, when he comes back to work, she hires him as the hospital’s “Chief of Chiefs” and they do reconcile.
What frustrates fans about the character
Another one of the posters in the Reddit thread summed it up best why fans don’t like her:
“I liked her at first, but grew to dislike her. She is very manipulative, petty, and ‘my way or the highway.'”
None of those traits are typically present in fan-favorite characters. Fans are frustrated by the change in the character for sure. It’s hard for fans to grow to like a character only to see them radically altered after the fact.
Another major reason why fans don’t like her is likely her proximity to her son Jackson, played by Jesse Williams. Grey’s fans have grown to become big supporters of Williams’ Jackson and his love on the show, Sarah Drew’s Dr. April Kepner. Those two were part of one of the show’s most beloved relationships.
Catherine has acted less than favorably towards both of those characters at times. It’s no wonder why fans would disapprove of her actions. It’s common for fans of a show to pick sides and people to “root” for, and many of them cheer for Jackson and April despite their marriage troubles. Catherine treating them poorly doesn’t endear her to any of the viewers.
Now that Jackson and April are off the show, it will take a miracle (or a severe character shift) for fans to warm up to Catherine again.
