Amac Productions

Hey there!

I binged the first three season of this show on Hulu!

And if you’re a fan of Station 19 but need to escape the drama for a little while but still enjoy a weewoo show, this is the one!

I cannot recommend it enough!

Sure, yes. It has it’s faults, but the benefits of this show make it all worth it.

Let’s dive in and talk about what makes this show so good and why I think it works so well!

First of all, I love the diversity they’ve showcased.

I even loved Owen in the pilot asking why they aren’t picking someone more diverse if that’s what they want to bring to Austin. It was a self-aware moment and I loved it. Even if Owen is not always the most self-aware person.

Every character brings something to the table.

And I’m thinking it’ll be easier to go character by character.

Owen Strand!

This man is so freaking weird and I love that. I love that he has a signature look, that he believes in taking care of himself, that he has such a thing for decor, and so on.

The thing I love most is that he has a good heart.

I loved the moment when he reveals to Paul that it was his ex-wife who didn’t want a dog but he never told TK that. I loved that he didn’t bad mouth TK’s mom or put her down or blame her.

It showcased a somewhat healthy relationship between these exes.

And when we meet her, we get to see it.

They know their romance failed, but they were still parents. They put their son first and foremost by being his parents and not fighting constantly.

Owen’s relationship with his son is wonderful.

He clearly knows about his son’s issues, but he doesn’t accuse him or reprimand him or get angry. He brings his son somewhere to talk in the pilot. To ask what the heck happened, because he was sober, and then he overdosed.

Yes, I think the snap decision to move the two of them wasn’t exactly the best move.

However, he was a concerned father.

He wanted to protect his son and he did the best he could.

I didn’t like the lying to his son thing about his health. Not telling TK wasn’t going to help either of them and it made moments between them seem fraught.

As the seasons progressed, I loved that Owen and TK became more open and honest. They were more of equals as men, rather than father and son. Owen learned he had to trust his son to handle big things and problems.

Treating him like a kid or hiding things wouldn’t help his recovery or overall self-esteem.

TK Strand!

TK was one of the quickest characters to gain my interest.

He’s one of those hopeless romantics. He wants so badly to love and be loved. And we see it on display in the pilot but we also see how quickly it shatters him when things don’t work out like the fairytale he has in his head.

I honestly expected more ups and downs from TK over the show, but I was so happy when that wasn’t the case!

TK works really hard to keep clean and seeing him forcibly relapsed by the crazy stalker in season three was tough. Having all that hard work ripped away from you, has to be tough.

Especially, since he was doing it without his mom this time.

TK kind of fascinates me.

He wants to love and be loved, but some part of him thinks it can never last, and he blows it up. Like running from Carlos when he bought the apartment for them. It stems from his parents’ marriage ending and never making a long-lasting relationship work.

He wants it, but he’s also afraid of it.

It’s fun to watch! Especially, without a relapse of his own choosing. We see him struggle with the choices he’s made every day. We see him try to do the right thing.

And we see him step into his own by finally no longer working for his Dad.

Deciding to become a paramedic was a really grown up choice because his father can’t protect him anymore. The conversation with Judd hit home and he choose to stand on his own two feet.

If he had taken something from the safe when his mom died, Tommy would have held him accountable. For his own good.

Love it.

Michelle Blake

Ugh.

Is wrong to dislike this character when I like the actress?

I wasn’t at all interested in the search for her sister. She seemed downright crazy over and over and there was far too much focus on her freezing.

They called her a rockstar, but she seemed confused or like she needed to stop and think about each call.

Not to mention, I was solidly rooting against any romantic vibes I got between her and Owen.

I was like, no, no, no!

There is enough in house drama on Station 19 with romances everywhere and Jack making out with every female he works with.

No.

I liked this show for the lack of in station romance.

I was so happy to see her leave. Sorry to the actress, but her story did nothing for me, and I thought the guy she harassed for years was right in hating her.

I do – however – hope we get to find out if her sister got help. I hope she’s okay. Discovering she had bipolar was the only reason going into season two I cared about Michelle.

Tommy Vega!

Not only do I love this actress since her days on Angel, I love this character!

Her arrival, coming with both a husband, two kids, a connection to Jud and Grace was amazing. I even liked her hesitation when she was helping the Derby girl at the rink.

Because it made sense!

She’s been out of the game since her daughters were born! Being a little rusty or hesitant is normal!

Why did Michelle take a freaking moment every day? Isn’t she used to it by now?

I loved that Owen noticed and said nothing. He even brushed it off later because he knew she just needed to get back into the swing of things.

And did she!

She had no qualms about climbing heights or being as crazy as Owen.

One of the things, that these two have in common is that they would never ask one of their team to do something, they themselves wouldn’t do. They’ll always be the first to step into the crazy.

I loved how she took in the paramedic’s cat after she was killed.

She felt so bad about not properly getting to know her team, it was so perfect how she pulled Nancy, and later TK closer.

It never failed to amuse either that neither she nor Owen want anyone around who doesn’t like cowboy crazy. The guy who had a 100% survival rate wasn’t wrong for not wanting to be part of it, but I loved that the second time both she and Owen were like, yeah, you’re right. We’re not a good fit.

The first time, they were offended.

The second time, they owned it.

Tommy is an excellent captain and person.

Her relationship to Jud and Grace as her only family is utterly precious. They would all do anything for each other and it’s wonderful how they found each other.

I also loved the way she loves her kids.

How much she wants to be there while also work. Her love for her husband. I was so sad when he died. I cried. I was sad for Tommy, their kids, and the audience who had come to love this man.

Gah!

Why?

Also, her reaction to his death was flooring and played so well. There was so much going on and for a moment she lost herself, but Owen. Her friend and newly found family reminded her who she was.

Jud Ryder!

I thought, I was going to hate this guy.

His first appearance in the pilot set a tone and I thought, this guy is going to be a typical jock and a jerk.

And he surprised me by the most caring and wonderful freaking human being!

Like what?

His absolute love for his wife, honestly won me over more than anything. Seeing him sit in the therapist’s office with his wife while he struggled with his PTSD from losing his brothers was everything I wanted for Maya and Carina.

But Jud and Grace are precious and wonderful all on their own.

Without Grace, Jud wouldn’t have had the strength to get up after losing everyone.

Her support, going to the therapist, encouraging him to give Owen a second chance, and being ‘Amazing Grace’ was everything he needed.

The scene of them in the backyard – while Jud recalled what happened that night while she counted and held him through it was heart wrenching. The way he clutched her after. How he admitted to feeling a tiny bit better.

You could see the bond between them and I was hooked.

I loved that Grace thanked Owen for making her husband get help.

Their meet on the phone and how transfixed he was when he saw her in person was so good. Their love story was beautiful and enthralling. Kudos to the actor and actress and the writers!

I thought Jud would be a big jock.

Instead, he’s a big teddy bear.

I loved how he and Owen connected and became friends. Jud is a good man who went through something awful and came out on the other side. He survived and it hurt. But he loves his city, his job, and most importantly his wife.

He realized Owen wasn’t being a jerk to be a jerk.

He knew what it was like to survive when no one else did. He wanted to help him before it was too late.

Jud is a loyal man. A good man. With a heart of gold.

I didn’t expect to love him so much.

Grace Ryder!

She is without a doubt, my favorite character on the show!

This woman saves lives with a phone!

She almost heard her husband die over the phone on that fateful night! She has dedicated her life to helping those in crisis and she does it with such ‘grace.’

Her love for her wife is palpable. But so is her love for the people of Austin.

Watching her work is always a highlight.

The way she took in Wyatt, loves her husband, came back from her injury, and just gets up every damn day. This woman is my hero.

All these others save people with muscles and equipment and meds and speed.

Grace has to assess with just a phone call and frantic human being on the other end. The scorpions, the safe, and so many more! Her saves are always the highlight for me.

The moment when she saved the woman from her abusive ex by thinking quickly and getting her to safety while coordinating those on sight! Oh my goodness! She is the truest of heroes!

And she does it all with such calm.

And I love the way this show handles her religion. At no point for Grace or Jud or Tommy come off as religious nuts or try to press it on other people. They pray for Owen’s health, but they don’t insist he come to church with them.

It’s perfect.

Paul Strickland!

A trans man!

Honestly, this was a perfect addition I didn’t know I needed more of on TV. They displayed the difficulties of dating in this situation and how it makes things more complicated than dating already is.

Not to mention, he relocated from a city where he was more likely to be accepted to Austin, Texas where he’s two strikes already as far as some natives are concerned.

When Paul wanted to walk away from the interview, I didn’t blame him.

It took some real guts to move there.

To go to place where you’ll be even more hated for who you are. Where things aren’t safe.

However, Owen’s argument was also amazing. What if there’s a kid like him? What if that kid needs to see someone like him succeed? And not just succeed in some far-off place, but right here in his backyard?

I would like to see more of his story though! I want to see more dates. More trying. I know it’s hard but it’s an important thing that should be on TV.

However – on the other hand – I’m so psyched he gets normal storylines and it’s not about what is or isn’t in his pants!

His storyline about needing a pacemaker and how it was going to affect his work was perfect. His meeting with his mom and sister was important and good.

But I loved that he got something to do with just being a person. A firefighter and wanting to keep his job.

And I loved how the team rallied around him to ensure he kept his job. Then when he threw them out of his way because they were cutting into his time was hilarious. I also enjoyed how much the team didn’t let him fall off the face of the planet.

They noticed him.

They saw he wasn’t doing well and stepped up to be there.

Marjan Marwani! ‘

She is my second favorite character!

I love the balance between being a millennial and her religion and being a firefighter. She tries so hard to juggle all these pieces of herself.

And without a doubt one of my favorite things in her religion is a non-issue for her family.

Jud, Grace, Tommy, and Carlos don’t look at or treat her differently because they worship differently. I love that she and Paul bonded together. I loved that we got to see her worship and how seriously she takes it, while not caring if someone outside doesn’t get it.

Like when we find out she’s engaged.

She’s so comfortable in her own skin.

But the moments we see her rattled, like when her hijab fell off.

There was nothing better than watching her team rally and cover her as quickly as possible.

Yes, I wanted to smack Mateo. Especially, when someone recorded it and posted it. I wanted to slap them for not respecting her space, her beliefs!

My neighbors wear hijabs.

One day I was outside in my backyard, from which I can see their backyard. As one of the women was walking into the house, her hijab got caught and it slipped off.

I averted my whole freaking body at once and shouted at my dad when he started to exit the shop not to come out here. He stopped and asked what happened and I explained. He didn’t move. Neither of us did, until she yelled into our backyard that her hijab was back in place, and a thank you.

I don’t practice it. But it’s not hard to be a decent human being and avert your eyes!

Seeing her on screen is wonder for me.

I love that she loves her job, that she cares about people. And how badass she is.

But my favorite part is that she doesn’t take shit from anyone. No matter what. She calls everyone out on their shit, if they do something stupid.

It’s her love language.

I love it.

I can’t wait to see the rest of her story unfold.

Mateo Chavez!

He’s a flippin’ goof!

The moment I saw him cleaning the car with such detail, I knew Owen was going to hire him.

I adored Owen going out of his way to make sure Mateo could take the test fairly. Even more so, I loved that the entire team was there for him. They found out he wouldn’t be able to be a firefighter if he failed this time, so they went above and beyond.

Then Mateo utilized it!

They gave him the voice recordings and he listened. He learned. They quizzed him and it was the first time, I truly felt like the 126 was coming together as a team.

But Mateo impressed him when the sandstorm hit and the 126 was separated in different houses. He took the bullshit from his current captain. Then he set up the injured so when help arrived, they were ready to go. He did everything he could to help, he took everything he learned, and proved to everyone this is what he was meant to do.

He proved all the nay-sayers wrong.

And he didn’t even care that they were eating crow. He was like, nope. I did my job, because it’s my job. Not to prove anyone right or wrong.

But because he’s a firefighter.

And then he earns the asshole captain’s respect by proving himself over and over and even saving his life. Truly amazing.

So much so, the captain asks him to be his lieutenant.

His acceptance made me laugh so hard.

And Owen’s irritation.

Only to discover Mateo was doing the best he could in the worst situation. His return to the 126 with Owen offering his place back because he’s a good guy and his condition to do the right thing.

However, I enjoyed his bond to the other captain who honored him by giving him his special strap.

Wonderful.

Carlos Reyes!

Ah, Carlos.

At first, I was super confused.

Why is there a cop on my firefighter show?

Then he was a wonderful person and in love with TK and I didn’t mind.

TK and Carlos are the first male/male ship I’ve truly enjoyed! So congrats to the writers, but especially the actors who don’t make the intimacy feel forced and awkward. Usually, I can tell that these two guys want nothing to do with this moment.

With Carlos and TK, I look forward to their moments. I was so damn sad when they broke up.

And I cannot wait to see if Carlos becomes a detective! He is an amazing cop and he is one of the people I want to move up. He does the right thing and cares about his job.

Love it!

Okay! Now that I’ve babbled for a while, I know there are more characters but these are the main ones I care about!

So, now I’m off to watch season four and catch up to do episode by episode reviews!

Please, like, subscribe, check out other works and reviews, comment, and even drop a tip!

Spread the love and read on!