Station 19 Season 7 Episode 5 Review: My Way
Jasmine Blu
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Milestones have a way of delivering the best.
It's most likely because of the nostalgia. While Station 19 Season 7 Episode 5 didn't go out of its way to give us this distinctly huge installment that marked its 100th episode run, it still succeeded at delivering a full circle hour that celebrated many of the characters.
And by the end of the hour, you found yourself lamenting this cancellation again and longing for some success with the #SaveStation19 campaign.
If S.W.A.T. can continue to cheat death and have reverse cancellations, why can't one of our favorite "wee-woo" shows?
While there's no question that there have been some rocky moments throughout Station 19 Season 7 thus far (frankly, it accompanies many series struggling with Post-Strike returns), "My Way" was a reminder that the series still is capable of having exciting installments with many stories left to tell.
Andy Herrera is at the show's center, so it felt fitting that a milestone installment would celebrate a significant event for her.
The pinning ceremony was an emotional affair as she saw all of her hard work, the seven seasons worth of determination to get to this position, and her background on display.
Vic: They're cutting Crisis One?
Natasha: Unfortunately, yeah.
It's the highest point of achievement she could reach within the series' time frame, and thus, it was a great situation to prompt her to reflect on how far she's come.
She's always wanted to be a firefighter and follow in her father's footsteps. She's eaten, slept, and breathed firefighting for as long as we've known her.
And she's also both admired and struggled under the pressure of standing in her father's shadow for just as long.
It's a mark of reality and a profound relatability that Andy, despite everything she's endured, her confidence, and even arrogance on this long ride to her getting to this point, still combats these moments of Imposter Syndrome.
Related: Station 19 Is ending... But Is it the Perfect Time?
It not only feels frustratingly on brand for a woman in such a male-dominated field but for a woman of color as well.
Even on the day of her ceremony, she had these bouts of worry and concern that she shouldn't be there, which is one of many reasons her scene with Maya was so great at the top of the hour.
Those two have been to hell and back and have such a rich friendship that predates the series. Sometimes, sadly, it has felt as if the show lost sight of that dynamic, and it should've been on display more.
So it was touching to the core that Maya, especially this rendition of May we've faced now, someone who has inarguably had the strongest character journey as of late, could come face to face with her friend, support her, giving her all the words of encouragement that she needed, and do her the honor of pinning her.
Maya: Just because your last name is Herrera doesn't mean you have to rule in his shadow.
Andy: You always show up for me.
Given how things have played out over the years and who Andy has left, it only felt right that for such a significant achievement, she'd ask Maya or Jack Gibson to partake in this.
But, while it could be slightly awkward on the one hand with Maya because of the exhausting captain battle and everything that transpired there between the two, it was so deeply satisfying to set that aside and appreciate their bond.
For these two women, the day they hit some milestone in their career that they loved is what they aspired for growing up, like some girls dreamed of their wedding day.
Asking one's "person" to pin them was the equivalent of asking for them to be a maid of honor or the godparent to their child. It resonates with both women so much that there are so many layers and words unsaid with that request and gesture.
It's nice to remember how much they "get" each other, and blessedly, in this final season of the series, they've gone out of their way to deliver on the Andy/Maya friendship.
It takes us back to the beginning in a great way and makes you appreciate how far both women have come since we first met them in Station 19 Season 1, as individuals and as friends.
And the pinning ceremony, the second distraction-free one, was great. It was the perfect opportunity to incorporate that montage that flashed through some of Station 19's finest moments and flashes of some of the many characters we love, including those lost.
It felt right that Andy got that second shot at her ceremony after such a harrowing case where she was second-guessing herself again and eventually went in to save her people.
It was a huge call to respond to as it involved Seattle's most notable landmark, which the entire world watched.
After such a difficult shift during Station 19 Season 7 Episode 4, it was nice to have some light at the end of all of that.
It's not to say there weren't some rough moments for Andy. It's still frustrating to see her approach with Vic when it's evident that something is deeply wrong and that her subordinate and close friend is burnt out.
The news about Crisis One was the straw that broke the camel's back for Vic, which was sad. But it makes little sense that in Andy's quest to find her footing as a leader, she's possibly lost sight of being a friend, too.
Firefighters, we're family first. I am so proud to call you my family and even prouder to answer the call with you beside me.
Andy
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Vic is struggling with something, and it needs to be unpacked and resolved for her own good and that of the unit.
One can't rule with discipline when unpacking the problem, and Andy's solution thus far has been to punish Vic but not have a sitdown and actually address what's going on behind the surface.
It's puzzling that she hasn't considered doing that in the least, and I can't wrap my head around that and how contrived it all comes across.
It's also frustrating that it doesn't depict Andy in the best light, and frankly, I am tired of the woman getting sacrificed to the fandom and its criticism as much as she does.
But it's a headscratcher that Vic Hughes is visibly struggling, and there's little done about it.
As great as it was to get a glimpse of Jack, goodness knows they dropped our beloved guy like a bad habit and banished him offscreen like Cinderfella; it hurt that Vic wasn't at the ceremony.
It was hard to hear Andy speak about how they're all a family and have this emotional moment with her loved ones, and Vic was at home on the couch fuming and not answering Theo's phone call.
How is Vic supposed to feel about all of this? She's already struggling with the changes, what happened with Theo, and the fact that she lost Crisis One.
It's like every season: they pick a character to give personality shifts to and pick on a bit without the others having any form of awareness, and it gets a bit redundant and frustrating.
Vic handled the call well. She talked Riley through his panic attack and treated the epileptic woman. She adapted when her supplies went sailing off the Space Needle.
She had a moment of losing her cool, but it all came together in the end, and she showed how capable she was and applied many of the things she learned through Crisis One to the call.
But then she had that outburst in front of the cameras. Good on her for going off on the mayor like she did. She didn't say anything that wasn't true.
She probably shouldn't have done it like that because he's enough of a baby to want her fired or to face some repercussions.
Vic's rant was so satisfying, but we know she will pay a price for it, and I'm not looking forward to that.
She had already been sent home because of it. And with the station seemingly falling apart, it wouldn't be surprising if she faces termination.
But it seems like they remembered how great of a boyfriend Theo Ruiz used to be, and he's been super focused on ensuring that he's okay, but he has some concerns.
It's almost like a role reversal. And in their prime, Theo and Vic are endearing and great together.
The irritation is in how Theo's personality completely changed, and they didn't bother to address it, and now he's back to how he was before his jackass stage, and there's still no explanation.
He took the private EMT job based on his assisting Carina, and I wonder if he'll talk Vic into joining him.
Carina was a badass during that whole plot. She managed the scene well, given how random it was. However, the real highlight of that situation was that helping the injured siblings reminded her of Andrew, and she had to share with Liam how much she wished he could've met his uncle.
I wish you would have met your zio Andrea, you would've loved him.
Carina
The most intense moment of the hour was the hair-rising moments when we weren't sure if Sullivan, especially Ben, would make it out of that fire alive.
They turned up the intensity with all of that, and they especially hit us with the feels when Ben told Jack to look after Pru and let Miranda know she was the best thing that ever happened to him.
Fortunately, that entire situation prompted Ben Warren and Travis to make up with each other. One's heart went out to Travis when he was worried that he'd lost another loved one before he could apologize.
But after all that drama, just when it felt as if we could breathe again, they showed Ben using drugs to help him with his pain, presumably.
Ben is not out of the woods just yet. What was he taking? Is it prescribed? And what is his future looking like?
Sullivan finally got a yes to his proposal out of all of that. Ironically, Natasha did what she accused him of doing by initiating a proposal after a scary moment where they thought they'd lose the other.
Her reservations, with her fearing that he'd ever expect her to play small, felt off. But at least we don't have to deal with repeat proposals, and this one with the Space Needle, which he almost died saving, was fitting.
Maya's return to the station was amusing only because she'd become that parent obsessed with her child who shares pictures with everyone, and she could barely read the room and pick up on all the tension.
Maya: I never apologized for what I did, giving you the bottle of whiskey. there's no excuse. I will forever regret it and I'm genuinely sorry.
Beckett: Well, we, uh, water under the bridge, Bishop. We're all good.
But it was a fantastic hour that again highlighted her growth.
We saw how she handled supporting Andy and pinning her at the ceremony, which is something that wouldn't have come with ease many years ago.
Her first conversation with Beckett, in which she offered a sincere apology for the whiskey incident, was also wonderful. It was easily one of her worst moments of the series, and it was something she should've acknowledged and apologized for.
I also loved how firm she was with him when he thanked her for saving him and showed remorse for not trusting her to do so.
You wear the same uniform I do. You're on my team. And I will always have your back.
Maya
She's always been loyal and capable of putting the job, their safety, and all of that first. Maya didn't hesitate to remind him that she would always have his back because she respected their dangerous job and their desire to get home at night, and she was all about the team.
And Beckett is part of that time. She's accepted that, so seeing their interactions and his wariness was interesting.
I guess because of the whiskey incident, he'd have reason to be wary of Maya, but it's obvious she's in a great space. Also, she wouldn't jeopardize their safety out of retaliation or something.
Nevertheless, it was great to see those two put their issues behind them because it's great to see Maya Bishop so happy, well-rounded, and grounded.
It's also nice to see that Beckett found a family at 19, and he's redeemed himself along the way and evolved, too.
Maya is such a happy family woman, and it's such a massive shift from where she was when we first met her.
She even says as much during the hour. Her opening moments of checking on Carina DeLuca and Liam via Facetime were the absolute cutest, and the way she beams with joy over her family makes you happy and proud.
But her and Carina's best moment was at the end of the hour.
I didn't want to have a family until you showed me.
Maya
Sadly, Carina cannot bear children. It's a devastating revelation for her since she's been trying to do IVF for a long while, and they made all these plans.
And she couldn't help but think about how she's been the initiator of all of this, and yet, she's the one that can't deliver as she thought.
It's news that would leave anyone reeling, and it's also something that one has to process and maybe even grieve.
Fortunately, she had Maya's support through this, and Maya quickly offered a solution. They could use her eggs instead, and Carina can still participate in this experience she desires.
I can't get pregnant. The eggs I have left are no longer viable.
Carina
So much of this journey for them has felt out of whack and wonky. And with the final season especially, there's been an issue with them jumping into new experiences and reaching quick conclusions about life-altering things without properly talking things through.
But in this case, the scene between them felt right, and the quick solution to their latest hurdle made sense for these characters.
It made sense for where Maya is emotionally, physically, and mentally that she wouldn't hesitate to offer this up because she appreciates that she didn't even know what family was until Carina.
And she's as invested and committed to their family and expanding it as Carina is. It's been great to see how much all of this matters to Maya, how she's embracing the process of creating the family that she wishes she always had, and learning to trust that she can have it without screwing things up.
Related: The Rookie Review: Secrets and Lies
It was such a massive step for Maya and one that translated her growth as a character well.
For this milestone hour, Andy and Maya's evolution as characters over the course of the series felt most prominent and made you truly reflect.
And the hour generally made you appreciate this series, these characters, and all they offer.
Over to you, Station 19 Fanatics. Where does Vic go from here? Which made you feel most nostalgic? Sound off below.
You can sign the Save Station 19 Petition if you haven't already.
The series is off for three weeks, but you can relive the season or the series on Hulu while we await its return to ABC Thursdays.
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.
