Oh my goodness.
Who writes this mess of a show?
Do they talk to each other when they write each episode?
Because every episode watches like they don’t pay any attention to what the other writers are doing! Take Vic in these first six episodes. One minute she’s ragging on Maya super hard, making up gossip about why Beckett is such a dick to her, and then in the next she’s on Maya’s side.
Okay, let me take a step back on my detest of – well – literally everything.
Actually, you know what?
Never mind.
Let’s dive headfirst.
As someone who has watched a ton and I mean a ton of TV, movies, and TV shows I am always way more interested in characters then the plot going on around them. It’s why I’ll forgive almost any continuity error. If the characters interest me, I’m in.
And I’ll be honest, on Station 19 I showed up for Maya Bishop and Carina DeLuca. I say them on Tumbler, thought they were cute, and checked out the show. Knowing it was Shondaland show at a time when I was going through grief and wanted everything as miserable as I was helped too because no one is ever happy on these shows.
But what I did not expect was such a lack of character growth. Especially this season.
Because, think about it, right now, for a long moment: Has anything changed or improved or grown from the beginning of this season to the mid-season finale?
Every single character hasn’t done anything.
I mean, congrats on Jack for getting a haircut and somehow losing the black eye even though it hasn’t been that long…?
He hasn’t come to grips with anything not really.
Beckett has learned nothing and, in this episode, demonstrates he doesn’t even understand what a good leader is because he didn’t seem to grasp that Andy had everything under control. Or that when Maya stepped in, she was also right because this dick measuring competition wasn’t helping.
Ben is – well – he’s Ben.
Andy is a good leader and does deserve to be captain but like her status since the pilot that hasn’t changed either. She is no closer now then she was six episodes ago or six years. Even though on a side note it is clearly what the writers are angling for because they are not subtle and have no idea how to be subtle. See all last season when they kept shoving Jack in our faces whenever Carina and Maya discussed having a baby.
Theo is oddly the voice of reason, but the poor guy is just shouting into a black hole or void because no one is listening.
Not Maya.
Not Beckett.
Not Ross.
Not even the other people around him like Travis who knows firsthand what a shitty captain can do.
And I say Theo is oddly the voice of reason because he just fills whatever role is needed. In season four he was conflict and a new reasonable love interest for Vic. Then in five he was Andy’s confidant and friend. Now he’s the only one seeing clearly in this crap storm called Station 19.
Jack refuses to get help or see reason. He’s falling apart and his team continues to rally around him while no one rallies to Maya’s side except Andy who hasn’t been seen with Maya since season 4. Honestly, last season it seemed like they couldn’t be in the same room with each other. And now?
Now, Andy is all Maya I’m here for you? Bullshit! Do we not remember season 3 when you rallied your team, your supposed family to shun Maya?
Do we not remember when you proposed to beast out with her? That you could handle it? Only to stab her in the back when she won.
Or are you only there when she’s suffering and you’re not?
Has anyone else noticed that since season 3 Maya’s relationships to the rest of them team fractured and never properly repaired?
I mean, Jack has screwed, kissed, or messed with everyone yet they rally behind him.
Maya is bullied beyond reason by their captain, their boss by all people, facilitated by the Chief who told him knowing what he would do. Knowing he would retaliate instead of, oh I don’t know, firing her?
If Chief Ross were all noble and role modelly as she claims to be wouldn’t the right thing to do after an employee tries to blackmail, you is fire them? Demote them? Something official and above board to prove you’re the better person.
Because my choice wouldn’t have been getting someone to make them miserable and potentially endanger lives.
Not that I want Maya fired but I think that would have been more interesting than having Beckett dump on her all the time.
Which leads me to Maya who makes very little sense to me this season.
Now, I know there are plenty of fans enjoying the angst this season. I know Danielle has enjoyed sinking her teeth into these scenes.
But I don’t. Let me tell you why. This is a Shondaland show.
No one is allowed to be happy. Couples never stay together. They are constantly breaking people up and sticking them back together. Years ago, when they first surfaced as couple I didn’t watch because I knew, I would be signing up for heartache and misery.
On these shows people have to die to be together forever or the actors need to leave the show. See April and Jackson or Arizona and Callie or Mark and Lexie.
Rooting for couples on this show is just asking for misery.
And welp, here I am.
I don’t like angst because on these shows the payoff is never good. It never resolves. It’s never satisfying.
Also, some people can disagree with me on this, but I don’t agree with where Maya is headspace wise. I do believe she would do anything she has to, to win. I do. We’ve seen that part of her, we know it’s there, and it drives her to do silly things like blackmail or throw her best friend under the bus.
What I don’t believe is the woman who begged for Carina’s forgiveness, who was so excited to get married she was singing in the kitchen, who proposed rather than be separated, who said she wanted to hold a little version of her wife and decided like it was nothing to leave the station during inspection to be there for Carina would ever allow her wife to drift so far away.
Maya has been head over heels for Carina. She’s acted out of the norm for this woman since they met.
She tried to push her away before realizing it was the last thing she wanted. She chose her over her job when push came to shove. Every step she’s pulled Carina closer despite what her instincts she was raised with told her.
I find it hard to believe that when Carina vocalizes her sadness, her distance, her fear, that Maya isn’t hearing her. I find it hard to believe Maya wouldn’t do anything like she has in the past for Carina.
And no, I’m not saying love or that Carina is the solution to all of Maya’s problems. I’m saying Carina always helped Maya see the best version of herself, choose it day in and day out.
Maya hated the thought that she might snap at Carina and she’ll stop loving her and leave. Actual fears mentioned in season 4.
So what? We’re to believe her job woes made her forget? We’re to believe this woman who has been so gone for Carina DeLuca and hated the thought of hurting her is totally fine with it now?
WHAT?
As for Carina, I agree with the actress, Carina is a saint.
For putting up with Maya and hoping she’ll see reason. She’s clearly stressed and hasn’t been coping with it, from work, home, and trying to get pregnant. It’s all so much and weighing so heavily on her. I keep waiting for her to snap. To say enough is enough. I don’t know what that will look like because I don’t want to believe she would ever want to or choose to leave Maya but something needs to shake the blonde firefighter out of it and maybe Carina saying she’s had enough and leaving would do it.
I don’t know. Honestly, if I were Carina I don’t know how long I could deal with being someone else’s punching bag.
Or never getting a proper story of my own.
Also, side note, damn did Carina look spectacular in 605. WHOA!
As for Vic I’m not even sure what 606 was about. We saw how much she loves being a firefighter all the damn time. Her flashbacks as to how she got here, scenes with not only Travis but with Ripley and a chainsaw.
This is exactly what I mean. What are the writers doing? It’s like they just throw darts at storylines then character names and are like, yep this is genius. Let’s do it!
No! I can deal with plot inconsistencies, not character inconsistencies. Jeez.
Also, there’s Travis. Oh, my freaking goodness. I don’t like the mayor plotline. I didn’t like it last year when it was suggested, and I don’t like it now. This was a show about firefighters and their relationships. I know these shows like doing realistic storylines based on the real world, but I do not want this!
One of the best parts of Travis’ character has been that he doesn’t want to be more than he is. Everyone workplace needs some people who don’t want to move up. The world couldn’t run if everyone was the boss.
He was a down to Earth guy who got what Theo has been yelling for what 2 or 3 episodes, that a captain needs to be a good leader. Someone with experience. Why is he not yelling harder at Beckett? A leader like him could kill someone.
Even has depending on how one views Miller’s death.
Why isn’t he shouting that Beckett sucks as captain? He was so passionate about this, and now? Nothing.
Now, I know there are other main characters.
Sullivan.
Ross.
Beckett.
But here’s the thing – I hate them.
Sullivan is an ass who always seems to come out smelling like a rose. He took drugs, I don’t believe he deserved to be promoted by Ross, he’s breaking the rules, and he’d toss anyone under the bus if he thought it would help him. Not to mention looks down on women, did it to Andy all the time. Does it to Maya now. Even when they pull the same shit he has.
Not to mention I’m not entirely sure his relationship to Ross isn’t his way or sleeping back to the top, because I firmly believe he’s not a good guy.
Ross is a hypocrite.
She wants to be a role model and a leader, but she breaks the rules for her own selfish purposes. But if someone else does it especially if it’s man they’re good. Someone online theorized that Ross also won’t demote or fire Beckett because he knows about her and Sullivan which does not make for a good leader because guess what? People could die!
Ross is no better than a male leader keeping women down. She holds her female firefighters to a different standard. I hate that.
Ah, Beckett. He’s useless and I don’t like him.
Also, I just want to say I think these were poor additions to the cast.
They suck up screen time for relationships, people, and angles I don’t care about.
Essentially, Station 19, I’m unimpressed with your first 6 episodes this season. I’m actually worse off than when I started this season because at least I wasn’t annoyed with having wasted my time watching them.
And yes, I know. I’m free to stop watching any time I choose. I understand.
I also understand that sometimes, I give a show a chance to redeem themselves before I cut them off completely.
For that, I need a glimmer. A little actual sliver of hope there’s a really good payoff to this bullshit you’ve put us through. And seeing as Maya and Carina are my favorite, I really want a good payoff for them without breaking them up, thank you very much.
As always, read on and spread the love.
Although, not much love was spread in this review. Oops.
Better luck next time!
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