In the world of Modern Family , Helen is not a romantic interest, but has an extensive list of romantic storylines that track her growth from a repressed "genius" to a confident adult.
Her first real intellectual equal. Their relationship was built on academic rivalry, which eventually turned into a mutual respect and romance.
Often described as her "guilty pleasure," Ben was her mother’s assistant. Their relationship was one of Alex’s first forays into dating someone primarily because they liked her regardless of her intellect.
Helen's storyline revolves around her struggles with schizophrenia, which deeply affected Alex's childhood and adult behavior.
While "Helen" and "Alex" appear in various fictional universes, they rarely share a primary romantic storyline together. Instead, they typically represent separate iconic arcs or different types of relationships within their respective shows.
In Grey's Anatomy , the relationship between and Alex Karev is purely maternal.