Pride can't be contained; it's more than a single celebration or day. It's about freedom of expression and the beautiful resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community, and those things exist always and everywhere. Station 19 knows this and imbues its scripts with it; its queer characters live full lives through the lens of their queer identities, but aren’t relegated to existing purely within and for stories that center their “otherness”. While Pride is usually a simmering undercurrent throughout the show, in the third episode of Season 7, "True Colors," Station 19 places Pride front and center, showcasing the many forms and meanings it can hold.
"True Colors" reflects the different realities of Pride for everyone: Travis, Maya, Eli, Ben’s sister Rosalind, and many more. The episode also reveals the painful truths of living in a world where simply existing as ourselves can provoke hatred and bigotry. Continuing these stories is more important than ever in our current climate, and within 45 minutes, Station 19 attempts to cover them all. While many were successful, some arcs deserved more time, but it reminds us just how much we love these characters. We’re always left wanting more.
The Most Repressed Man…
The episode starts with a question: "How many Prides do we need?" It’s a question we hear often from people who oppose the LGBTQIA+ community, but this time, it's coming from Travis. This question sets the stage for Travis's storyline in "True Colors'' and a look into his conflict within himself.
Travis is an out gay man who has loved and lost the love of his life, navigated secret affairs, and faced confrontations with his family, both before and after his father's coming out. While Travis' sexuality is nothing new, it’s something he hasn’t often explored beyond relationships, at least from a viewer’s perspective.
Travis carries with him a burden of shame and hurt. He has often helped others navigate it, but has yet to confront it himself. While we’re disappointed by Travis’ actions so far throughout the season, it's clear that he's been hurting for a while. His monologue in Season 4, "Don't Look Back in Anger," stands out, where he expressed his frustration with the thinking his father at the time was buying into: "I get to go to hell for who and how I love." Travis has been struggling with this shame for years.
At Pride, Travis briefly steps away from his duties to meet his father, Paul, and Paul's boyfriend, Kyle—the man with whom Paul had an affair in earlier seasons, heightening emotions. Eli joins the meetup to attempt to buffer any awkwardness. However, tensions escalate as Travis makes snide remarks and rebuffs any conversation attempts with anyone. Eli calls him out for being rude, but this ends up being the last straw for Travis, and he reveals that he cheated on Eli. Like most of us, when we feel cornered, we lash out. It's a natural reaction, but Travis' delivery of the news borders on a new level of cruelty.
As Travis tries to explain, Eli remarks, "This couldn't be more you," suggesting that he knew Travis sabotaging their relationship was inevitable. Eli further comments on Travis' apparent discomfort with his own sexuality and delivers a gut-wrenching blow: "Like father, like son." This shatters Travis' illusion that he's nothing like his father.
Being compared to our parents can bring mixed emotions, and for Travis, it's like a betrayal because his father has caused years of hurt, shame, and anger in Travis' life as a gay man. Even though his father is now out and proud, it still feels surreal to Travis. This is the man who asked Travis not to be himself for years, who shamed him for who and how he loved. And now, that same man gets to celebrate freely without the lingering shame Travis has dealt with his entire life?
It Takes a Village…
While Travis deals with internal conflicts, Maya and Carina wrestle with the many new changes in their lives by leaning on the "Mom and Dad" figures of the Grey's Anatomy and Station 19 universe, Miranda and Ben.
Carina arrives at the Bailey-Warren household, visibly frazzled and overwhelmed, with a crying Liam in her arms. The scene is chaotic yet familiar to any new mother. Disheveled, Carina rushes inside, saying, "There's no time for breathing with everything happening so quickly... a new baby, a new house, and a lawsuit." She’s going through a lot. And though Liam is everything she has ever wanted, she feels unprepared; Being an OB-GYN prepares you to deliver babies, not to do everything that comes after. But Miranda, being a calming presence, guides Carina back to Earth and reminds her that she and Ben have got them covered - and that Carina is doing her best and needs to allow herself to take care of herself, too.
Carina isn't the only one receiving wisdom; at Pride, Maya feels guilty for being at work instead of with her family. It’s clear in her body language, and Ben notices it and reassures her that Carina has Bailey to lean on. Maya confides in him about a big fear as a new parent: the challenges and risks of their job. Knowing how career-driven Maya’s been over the years, it’s refreshing to see her take a step back and realize that she has more things in her life now besides firefighting. She loves her job and wants to be the best she can be, but her eyes are now on her family.
Back at the Bailey-Warren household, Miranda realizes that Carina can't settle down without knowing all the facts of her malpractice case. So, they work together to examine the case and confirm that Carina did nothing wrong. She was proactive, effective, and attentive at every step. Despite feeling angry at the situation, Miranda gently reminds Carina that people in situations like Wendy's (the woman suing Carina) often see litigation as the only way to find relief for a life they never expected for their children.
We need more of these two families together; their scenes were major highlights for us during this episode, and it's all down to their chemistry. Bailey and Carina are a fantastic duo. Both are brilliant doctors, married to firefighters, and working mothers. Similarly, Maya and Ben share their careers and fears of potentially not returning to their loved ones. It takes a village to raise a family, and this episode is a sweet reminder that the Station 19 families have a stellar support system to look up to.
Reality of Pride…
FABruary is here and it's queer as we witness our favorite firefighters rallying to celebrate it in style at the winter Pride parade. It's a beautiful celebration that brings almost everyone together, from firefighters and families to allies and the community, all ready to commemorate the legalization of gay marriage in Washington.
It starts on a high note, but chaos soon ensues; this is Station 19, after all. However, before things escalate, we witness some great moments of the fire fam at the celebration. Theo, Vic, and Sullivan spring into action to assist a group of parade-goers at the aid tent, including a psychic offering insights into each person's ongoing story arcs: Vic and her darkness, Theo and regret, and Sullivan and chasing things (or someone). Meanwhile, at the parade itself, Maya, Andy, Ben, Rosalind, and Pru dance to their delight and are joined by an appearance from Mary Mint (AKA Merriment, played by RuPaul's Drag Race's Season 13 winner Symone).
The joy is short-lived, and the atmosphere shifts dramatically as the crew turns a corner of the parade and encounters a group of extremists protesting the event, spewing obscenities at parade-goers. One chilling moment is when the protesters target Rosalind, a Black transgender woman, calling her a pedophile and pervert. She pushes on, though, telling Ben, "I'm fine. This ain't nothing new," showing the necessary resilience of queer people in the face of everyday violence and discrimination.
After hearing the calls directed at her team’s families, Andy reacts explosively toward the protesters, and it even gets to the point where Ben has to force her back. And while Andy's defense is admirable, it highlights her privilege as a cisgender heterosexual woman. Unlike Rosalind and Maya, who face the threat of violence for any misstep with the protesters, Andy can confront them without fearing for her or her family’s safety as much. They won't touch her; they won't kill her for simply existing. But Rosalind and Maya have faced this level of hatred throughout their lives - especially Rosalind, existing as a Black trans woman - and they know that engaging with protesters won't solve anything.
On top of this, Maya is confronted with an unsettling reality. As she passes by the group of protesters, she locks eyes with one of the men. She recognizes those eyes. In fact, she shares those eyes. They belong to her brother. The scene has no dialogue or outlandish reaction, but it doesn’t need to. Maya’s emotions flicker just under the surface, the potency of her betrayal, shock, anger, and sadness filling any gaps left by the absence of an explosive response. It’s her brother, and he’s protesting her very existence and her family. We’ve not seen him for years, and for this to be the family reunion? It's painful. But it's also relatable for many of us with family members who reject or refuse to accept our existence.
The chaos multiplies when a car backfires, leading everyone at the parade to fear the worst: gunshots. Unfortunately, in the U.S., we can't go anywhere without that fear; it's our reality. As parade-goers scatter in all directions, it becomes an emergent situation, with people trampling over each other and heightened emotions, and it's up to 19 to try to contain it.
A Woman’s Work Isn’t Over…
Chief Ross is set to join the parade and celebrate alongside Seattle's new Mayor, Mayor Osman. However, what begins as a festive occasion quickly turns into an uncomfortable experience. She finds herself trapped in a car with a man who controls her career and wastes no time leveraging it for his own gain.
At first, Osman seems accommodating, promising to expedite Ross' “love contract” for the Seattle Fire Department. But that’s the only favor he will grant her. Immediately after he approves her request, he tells Ross that she will need to cut down the SFD's budget by 10%, contradicting his earlier commitment to potentially increase the department's budget. You're telling us that politicians, even as well-intended as they may have started, don't keep their promises? Shocker!
Ross attempts to negotiate, suggesting that she could try to find 5% of cuts. However, with personnel making up 93% of the department's budget, anything more would result in layoffs. Osman appears neither surprised nor concerned, bluntly telling her that if she's not willing to do it, he's got others lined up for the job that will.
Osman has put Ross in an impossible situation, and time will tell how far she's willing to bend to this man's will before she's had enough. Knowing Ross as the formidable woman she is, it likely won't be too long of a wait.
Things Are Happening Too Quickly…
The creatives behind Station 19 face an incredible challenge: managing numerous storylines and characters within a shortened season. We commend them for bringing such an important episode to millions of households, some of whom might even fear this story. It's brave. It's bold. And it comes at a cost, where even some so-called “fans” are spreading hate on any social posts about the episode, reminiscent of the protesting groups at the parade.
Now more than ever, it's crucial to see our queer characters front and center. Station 19 delivers a thoughtful episode showcasing various aspects of queer joy, expressions, and experiences. However, some experiences felt overlooked in moments that could have been acknowledged with simple changes.
This Pride episode is set around the anniversary of the legalization of gay marriage in Washington. And Station 19 has its very own queer married couple: Maya and Carina. So where were they?
Maya and Carina have crucial storylines in this episode with other characters, and we're grateful because they were so needed and further developed both story arcs. But we barely saw the only married queer couple together in this episode celebrating married queer couples. Yes, Carina didn't need to be at the parade with Maya to celebrate being prideful. Yet, we didn't get any indication of her feelings about being a queer woman, her new family representing many LGBTQIA+ families, or how it impacts her at all in this episode.
We frequently discuss Maya and Carina's ability to express so much through subtle touches and glances. It's their own language. And while that's undoubtedly true, and the moments mean so much to viewers, we are concerned it's become the new normal for them. Yes, we're only three episodes in, and there will likely be many more moments between the couple. But we're also in what could be Station 19's final season. Until further notice, time is limited.
So we can't help but feel a bit disheartened that the only queer married couple, the main couple of the show, received just 33 seconds of screen time together in an episode celebrating the legality of marriages like theirs. Moreover, almost all of Maya and Carina's storylines as a couple this season have been squished into quick, 30-second to 1-minute scenes. Sometimes without any words. And it happened again in this episode, through another montage of a major moment of their lives: seeing the family of three together in their new house.
Don't get us wrong. Those 33 seconds were beautiful and impactful. Seeing Maya run to her family and not away from home is a gorgeous sight that captures a perspective of a queer experience: coming home safely to a house full of love and acceptance. However, it could've been more impactful even with just a minute conversation between the wives, as they debriefed from the day and found relief in their new normal, family, and home.
Maya and Carina's family represents everything they've fought for over the years; it represents what many have fought for over the years. It represents what they’ve fought for for decades, and they will protect it with their lives, away from anyone who dares to say it's not beautiful. We hope to see their stories explored more in the next few episodes because those stories are universal and deserve dedicated time.
We Can’t Let Them Win…
As the day winds down at Station 19, the dejected firefighters gather around the beanery table. Each lost in their own thoughts. Maya breaks the silence by revealing her struggle: her brother was among the protesters. She notes that maybe she shouldn't be surprised, noting the household they grew up in had little time for love or acceptance. It's a painful moment for her. Andy orders Maya to go home, "Go be with your wife and your baby." It's a simple order, but it's everything that Maya needs.
It's a moment that many of us have likely faced as well: what do we do when our own family protests our existence and safety? We find comfort in those who accept us and love us. Our found families.
The rest of the team is still searching for answers when Andy states, "We can't give them this much power." This sparks a conversation with the entire team about the protesters' intimidation tactics, examples of similar happenings everywhere, and what they can do to prevent the protestors from taking their joy. It's a scene better suited for allies seeking the same answers. And while we wish it didn't have to be spelled out for viewers to understand, it's a crucial scene.
Travis has the answer: "We've got to be louder." So he calls in a favor from his dad, Paul, and Paul's boyfriend, the part-time DJ, so they can throw an impromptu Pride dance party in the barn and end the day with some queer joy for the community. It's fun and powerful, showing that we can acknowledge that bad things happen, but we can't let them break us.
Travis' reunion with his father marks a hopeful resolution to his arc. Standing together on the barn walkway overlooking the Pride celebration, Paul acknowledges his past mistakes, apologizing for projecting his fears onto Travis. He admits that his reaction to Travis coming out stemmed from his own struggles and regrets passing that on to his son. Paul encourages Travis to shed the shame that's not his and starts a healing moment between father and son. In the episode's final shot, Travis dances freely, appearing more at peace than he has in a long time, showing that he may finally be letting go.
"True Colors" was written by Staci Okunola and directed by Peter Paige.
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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