Station 19 is back and promises Season 7 to be its hottest season yet! After a long 300+ day hiatus from seeing our favorite characters on screen, fans should be celebrating. And they are. However, the excitement of the Season 7 premiere titled "This Woman's Work" is tinged by the fact that currently, it's slated to be the last season premiere that the ABC show ever has.
We say currently because a loud portion of the fandom is making noise every week—both online and offline—hoping to #SaveStation19. And if we’ve learned anything about fandoms, it's to never count them out.
This episode kicks off 36 hours after the major floor collapse in the Season 6 finale, which saw injuries to some of our first responders, the demise of the show's notorious villain, and the unfortunate passing of Nanette, the pregnant waitress who left behind a baby boy at Grey-Sloan. These are high-stakes events to resolve, and the show once again does so well. And even with dire consequences of the previous season to address, “This Woman’s Work” keeps both feet facing the future as it looks 36 hours in its past, setting up big changes to come for the Station 19 family and getting the viewers ready for a jam-packed, intense, and beautiful 45 minutes of television that we've come to know from the Shondaland drama.
A Shift in Roles…
This season is all about new perspectives as the characters grow, reckon with new realities, and start anew. We’re sure this will be the case for all of 19 in the episodes to come, but within this one, the duo that this rings especially true for is Andy (Jaina Lee Ortiz) and Jack (Grey Damon), though both for different reasons.
After years of being “passed over” for the promotion at the station, Andy has finally earned the rank and position of Captain of Station 19! Things should be great, right? She's worked for years and seen other captains before her, including her ex-husband, her best friend, and her father, all in the same role at one point or another. She’s an excellent firefighter and has seen the wins and mistakes others have made in the position. She’s all set, right? Yes, but that doesn’t mean that she’s without internal struggle about her appointment (and Jack), and “This Woman’s Work” sees her reckoning with this along with her intense and pervasive feelings of guilt.
She shoulders so much weight while navigating her first full day as Captain. Though in true Andy fashion, she eventually and thankfully wins the battle against her self-doubt, thanks to an argument with Jack that ends in her confident affirmation that she genuinely deserves her position and her avowal to do everything she can to exceed her own expectations. This internal battle with confidence and worth is one that’s certain to continue for Andy throughout the season, and we’re excited to see it.
Another shift in perspective that comes in “This Woman’s Work” adds a layer of realism that’s rarely tackled in these heightened dramas: what happens when a dream career ends? This is the question Jack must wrestle with this season, as his story also picks up directly after the events of the Season 6 finale, which means he is in critical condition. We don’t get much active plot from his storyline this episode, as he remains unconscious until its final moments, but the writing on the wall for his character is already clear. Grey’s Anatomy’s Dr. Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) only enforces it when she states, "I don't see a world in which any doctor or the department will clear him to fight fires again."
It's absolutely heartbreaking.
Only time will tell if or how Jack remains involved at Station 19 and what the end of his dream means for him. What happens when a firefighter’s career is over? It’s sure to be emotional for all involved, whatever happens. Luckily, Jack and viewers alike can take comfort that regardless of whether he’s an active firefighter, he will always be a part of the family.
Explosive Chemicals and Non-Reactions…
In Shondaland, relationships that end abruptly often spell explosive drama - and in Station 19, those explosions aren’t always just limited to metaphor. However, and perhaps much to the relief of exes Vic (Barrett Doss) and Theo (Carlos Miranda), this week’s episode saw less figurative explosion and focused on the literal when a disgruntled and cheated chemical engineer threatened to blow up the lab tech company she works at after learning that the company’s brass had gone behind her back and stolen her work.
It’s a situation that could cause rage in anyone, making them less susceptible to being calmed down, even in the most intense situations. Yet, as she often does, Vic, leading with empathy, bravery, and capacity for understanding, connected with the woman in crisis and attempted to find a better resolution. Although the day ended in an actual explosion, it wasn't for lack of effort or the effectiveness that Vic continues to bring with her to Crisis One.
After the call ends and Vic and Theo return to the station, Theo takes it upon himself to confess his regrettable decision to hook up with “Chaos Kate” moments after his breakup with Vic. He gears himself up for the big reaction he’s expecting, clearly bracing for impact. Instead, he’s met with silence and a non-reaction.
The relationship is done, Theo’s confession now making sure of it by suffocating any last remaining embers, and Vic sees no reason to try and start a fire from ashes. Vic Hughes has so many other things to do in her life besides stoking the non-existent flames of what once was and bothering with a guy who doesn’t deserve her.
Eyes Only on Us…
Our favorite wives are much happier when we meet them this season. (Whew!) Gone are the days when Maya (Danielle Savre) maintained her “eyes forward” mentality and Carina (Stefania Spampinato) felt alone in Maya's apartment––that hurt to write, but we now know that's how Carina views it––awaiting even a simple text or call from her wife.
They've rebuilt their foundation and rediscovered their way back to each other. Back to home.
Speaking of homes, that's just one of the major decisions they make in this episode. Carina needs them to have a fresh start, and a new home is just the ticket. She wants a new safe space, unmarred by the traumas that Maya’s apartment keeps. She waxes poetic about a place where they can grow as a couple and as a family.
And while a safe space can be many things: a home, a partner, or a family, in Maya and Carina's case, it's all three, and the couple waste no time making all of them a reality. Carina’s eagerness to find a bigger, better space comes on the giddy heels of the couple’s decision to make their parenting dreams a reality.
And it's Maya who suggests it, while standing with Carina by the crib of Nanette’s orphaned baby boy at Grey Sloan. She says it with classic Maya Bishop confidence in a way that could convince anyone that being a mom was always her plan. But long-time viewers know it wasn’t. And they know how far Maya has come to get to the place where she’s allowed herself to want this. Her newfound peace and hope are in her eyes, in her whole body, when she looks down at the new life her wife delivered into this world and imagines her future with the both of them. “We can” be the family that baby Liam deserves, she tells Carina. Carina holds back a smile as she asks the question she asked Maya years ago when they first met: “Are you sure?” . It’s a question that holds weight, and has ever since that night at Joe’s bar. Are you sure? Then, Maya wasn’t. But now, Maya is.
Our hearts are so full knowing that we get to see a WLW couple as important as Maya and Carina realize their dream in this way. And on network TV, of all places! The adoption storyline might differ from what we’ve been wanting for them for the past (approximate) 84 years. But we’ve been waiting to see them as parents, and it’s happening! IVF is what Carina, Maya, and the viewers have been expecting from their parenting journey, but that process takes time. The reality is that sometimes adoption conversations begin as simply as what we see here: a thought put into immediate action. Yes, it’s a super convenient way to give them a baby as soon as possible in the final season, but that doesn't make it any less beautiful or meaningful.
Plus, the idea of them trying IVF isn’t off the table. Carina might still get the two (or three) Deluca-Bishop babies she's been wanting...
"Tomorrow's Tuesday…"
A sense of clarity about the future also fills the air for Ross (Merle Dandridge) and Sullivan (Boris Kodjoe), perhaps even hinting at wedding bells in their future.
Not so fast, though, because before any joy can unfold, Ross must grapple with the ever-present realities of ingrained and institutionalized sexism that Station 19 has never shied away from showing. Women in leadership roles are expected never to rest, and in Ross’ case, that means even after being buried in the rubble just 36 hours ago.
Plus, she faces the potential fallout from the "sex scandal" and the threat of losing her job when Mayor Osman visits her in the hospital. Though she's revealed to be a "good political bet...for now," it's evident that Osman's decision isn't driven by the goodness of his heart, hinting it's a move that he likely expects to be repaid when he needs it most. Would we expect anything less?
All in all, we get to see some soft moments with Ross and Sullivan, which we rarely saw last season. However, as we’ve seen before, when you nearly lose the love of your life, it changes things. And Sullivan is ready to change a big thing: marriage.
Finding Comfort in the Past…
Seeking comfort in familiar things and people isn't necessarily bad, especially during mourning and grief, unless it risks hurting someone else—like Travis' (Jay Hayden) new boyfriend, Eli (Rob Heaps). So it seemed inevitable that Travis and Emmett (Lachlan Buchanan) reconnected over Emmett's deceased father, Michael Dixon, who died in the floor collapse last season. Travis and Emmett shared moments of comfort throughout the episode, and it was genuinely great to see them care for each other despite their history.
Some may say it also seemed inevitable that their reconnection became a hookup and that three heartbreaks were on the horizon. We’ll have to wait and see whether Eli and Travis can move forward once Eli learns about the moment of passion or if Travis will attempt a third chance with Emmett, but we’re sure that whichever happens, there will be a fair amount of rocky moments to come for all involved.
Words: Mariana Weber (she/her)
Watch Season 7 of Station 19 on Thursdays at 10/9 central and the next day on Hulu or the ABC App.
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