Station 19 Season 6 Episode 18 Review: Glamorous Life
Jasmine Blu
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Andy Hererra is captain!
It felt like the captain race would never end, and it's been a season in the making for this development, but no sooner than she got that nod from Ross on Station 19 Season 6 Episode 18, she was put to the test during that Firefighter's Ball.
It was a strong finale with relationships thriving, some falling apart completely, unexpectedly tragic deaths, betrayals, and that worrisome Jack cliffhanger.
We should've known that with the crew taking the evening off and glamming up for a fancy affair that honored one of their own, things would not go even remotely close to plan.
It was like an adult prom, a full-blown delicious hot mess with infighting, inappropriate makeout sessions, betrayals, and more.
It turned out to be the perfect setting to air out a bunch of personal drama, and all before shit got real when an electrical issue in the walls and the dance floor gave out.
Let's be real; it made zero sense that a roomful of firefighters would continue with a ceremony when Andy, Drew, and Jack had determined that the location didn't pass codes, there were electrical issues, smoke in the walls, and foundation problems.
Andy: You owe me. You seduced me, and then you lead me on.
Eli: No, I believe it was you who led me on, and your friend seduced me.
Not only was the fact that this place seemed like a death trap waiting to happen downplayed or had some form of disconnect between the two hot firefighters hacking away at a wall in their formal wear and the rest of the party, but everyone raucously carries on with all that stomping that called dancing was ridiculous!
Nevertheless, it is still made for entertainment.
It was surprising that Ross told Andy her decision in the middle of the party. It was an inadvisable move. Deep down, Natasha must love a good mess because the news would have spread around the party, and what a way to spoil someone's lovely evening!
In hindsight, she's trifling for that, but also, obviously, we were here for the mess.
It was never going to be me. You and her have a thing.
Theo
The irony of this situation was that Andy spent a while combatting the idea that she would only get places in her career because of nepotism due to her father.
She's had to constantly prove what she's capable of and that she's her own woman. And after all that, Ross names her captain, and Andy still has to deal with Theo and others potentially, claiming that she only got the position because of her special bond with Ross or because of politics or a social agenda.
It's essentially designed that she'll never be free of the accusations and speculation that she didn't earn the position fair and square, but isn't that always how it goes?
As much as one needed them to name a captain to move that particular storyline further, it also doesn't feel right that we got an answer coming on the heels of Ross acknowledging that none of the trio were ready for the position or had proved they were capable.
Sullivan was too divisive, instigating friction between the team rather than encouraging them to work together as a unit with his stunt with Andy and Theo.
Theo has been so cautious that he can't make the tough decisions, and he puts more people at risk, and he's killed morale.
Andy showed herself to be too reckless and incapable of following rules or authority, and her impulsivity isn't ideal either.
Nevertheless, this is a worthwhile celebration, and we've also seen, aside from her flawed moments, how much she has truly grown over the past couple of seasons and emerged as a strong leader.
Her ability to step up and take over the scene as things escalated at the ball shows how good she is. And her persistence in putting in a good word for Ross, trying to guarantee that they have the best and strongest person as Chief, someone the majority can rally behind.
Andy is nothing if not persistent, and her not letting up on the new mayor and getting Eli, of all people, to bend to her will and talk in his ear was hilarious.
From Theo's perspective, and goodness knows I don't want to be anywhere near that man's head right now, one could understand why he'd believe that he would never stand a chance because of some deep solidarity that Ross and Andy may have with each other.
If he sees how hard Andy goes for Ross, defending her and advocating for her, it's easy to understand why he'd be a bit put out. It's no wonder he snarked about quid quo pro.
But Theo also lacks self-awareness right now and can't seem to acknowledge his captaincy's effects on the squad.
And this is why it was too messy on Natasha's part to make this announcement to Andy and then later Sullivan in the middle of a damn party.
She practically invited folks to show out and get in their feelings. Andy had to show some decorum while trying to celebrate while Sullivan and Theo were around.
And Vic couldn't even be happy for her friend without it causing more issues with freaking Theo.
Listen, given the nature of the storylines they've explored this season, from Jack and Maya to Beckett, it's within the realm of possibility that there's something they're opting to explore with Theo.
I want to believe that Theo's sudden turn to becoming an asshole is intentional, and we can expect a more thorough exploration of what he's struggling with down the line next season.
Because if it is not, then we basically have a full-blown personality change for Theo, and he's on the cusp of becoming irredeemable.
What's alarming with the turn in this storyline is that we can't pinpoint when the switch got flipped for him or what specifically triggered it, but as it stands now, Theo is in the territory of an emotional and verbal abuser within his relationship with Vic, and it's disturbing.
Vic: What is this? Is this a breakup?
Theo: Do you want it to be a breakup?
Vic: I don't know, but what I do know is that I am so over this.
Theo: Fine.
Theo and Vic are currently in a textbook abusive, toxic relationship, and no one, including them, feels none the wiser, which is as scary as it is eerily realistic.
Theo has been disregarding Vic, cutting her down at every turn, not communicating with her, shutting her down, belittling her, gaslighting her, picking fights, projecting onto her, and being explosive and temperamental.
His constant cutting, biting comments, the way he always snaps at her whenever she opens her mouth, directs the blame to her for everything, all of it is so enraging, disturbing, and just subtle enough that no one notices it or acknowledges for what it is beyond a couple having a spat.
And Vic, in turn, has overcompensated in response to every remark or issue. She spent significant time trying to reassure and soothe him, only to learn that she was never supportive.
She's taken the onus on herself not to set him off or try to fix things when he does. She apologizes when she doesn't need to, prioritizes his feelings ahead of her own, subconsciously submits, and more.
Vic triggers Theo's insecurities and inadequacies for whatever reason, and he turns around, belittles, and cuts her down.
And what's been horrible is that none of their friends have seemed to notice because they've all been preoccupied with their own issues.
Vic finally having enough and calling Theo out on his behavior a bit was a welcome reprieve from what we saw before. But then it led to them bickering and Kate impeding their discussion and being an annoying nuisance.
They left things up in the air after their fight with their mutual inquiry about a breakup open-ended with a finite answer.
And then Theo went and became the Ross Gellar of Station 19 with some "we were on a break" makeout session with "Pick Me," Thirsty, plotting Kate in the coat room.
One of the many reasons it breaks my heart that Jack collapsed at the end of the hour was because it seemed like he'd be on the verge of kicking Theo's ass, and damn it, I need to see it.
Of course, Theo handled Vic and Jack's grief kiss better than most after Dean's death, but as of now, we have nothing to cling to for us to be able to stomach Theo's actions right now.
He didn't even stop what he was doing until Jack saw him!
Theo was there for Vic during her time of need, and if this is his, fine, but he won't let her support him in any way and keeps using her as his emotional punching bag.
As it stands, Vic deserves infinitely better right now. Theo's descent should be studied.
Can any of you imagine treating Vic so terribly when she looked like THAT all evening? She was serving vintage bombshell and was stunning! Imagine fumbling an evening with glamorous Vic.
One of the more interesting moments was Sullivan and Vic bonding a bit over rough relationships, and it's further proof that Vic has chemistry with everyone and makes characters better just by interacting with them. The girl is magic.
Speaking of unfortunate moments, a gorgeous, strong, self-assured Ross essentially begging Sullivan to love her back was incredibly grating and didn't serve her character well.
I understand that they work to show her being more vulnerable, and Sully gets that softer side of her that she tries to keep at bay in other aspects of her life, but it just felt as if Ross was better and above that.
It took the floor collapsing and Sullivan working overtime to find her, then rescuing her from the wreckage and massaging the breath back into her body for him to realize that he didn't want her out of his life.
Whether or not his feelings were valid wasn't the issue, but he seemed to recognize that holding onto his anger and pretending he didn't care about her wasn't serving him well. Life is too short.
They gave us Sullivan doing the traditional firefighters save, carrying her body out of the wreckage like a true hero. And he professed his love to her.
Perhaps, this means that their romance is back on and maybe even public after his display. But it's hard to know if we'll have to rehash some of the same issues since Andy has advocated for Ross to remain chief.
How are they supposed the navigate their relationship?
I am standing here telling you that I love you, and I am asking you to love me back.
Ross
The two couples who have no problem with being all the damn goals right now are Benley and Marina.
It was a great finale season for Bailey in the Grey's Anatomy universe. She and Ben both got the recognition they deserved, and their love for one another was so pronounced and present that it felt like it transcended time.
As she presented him with his Medal of Valor, Bailey's introduction of her husband was such an emotional ordeal that it was enough to bring tears to a person's eyes.
Benley is so precious. And if you weren't on the verge of sobbing when Ben got teary-eyed, choked up, and remarked about being unable to save everyone, were you even watching?
It is my honor to present this Medal of Valor to my light, my love, my all -- firefighter Benjamin Warren.
Bailey
It's also a mark of how far Bailey has come in accepting Ben's job that she didn't hesitate to turn the car around so they could help after the floor caved in.
As she said, they are family. You show up for family, and it's a beautiful thing that Bailey's family extends to Ben's colleagues as much as hers.
Meanwhile, Marina was in pure bliss.
You couldn't even be mad at them for being late to the event because they kept going a few rounds in bed with each other. And they still managed to show up looking absolutely fabulous, from Carina recycling her gown, to Maya's gorgeous black pantsuit I need in my lfie.
They have more than earned their cocoon of sexytimes and happiness. They've been closed off in the little sanctuary that is their home, getting reacquainted with each other, and it's so beautiful.
The season has tested the relationship to its limits, and there were times when it didn't feel as if they could ever find their way back to one another.
But not only have they managed to do that, but they're on track for planning their family again. Carina opened up about IVF, and Maya seemed ecstatic by the idea.
And the whole situation with the baby they delivered at the ball has now presented the possibility that they could consider adoption, maybe even that specific baby.
It would be a hell of a start to their family, and it wouldn't have to take Carina getting pregnant off of the table; it's certainly an avenue worth exploring since they've explored so many other things.
I'm just glad we've graduated from Jack as a sperm donor and conflicts over how ready the other is for this next stage.
Speaking of Jack, what do they intend to do with him? He's mostly fallen under the radar for most of the season, and his individual storylines relating to his birth family sat on the back burner.
It's disappointing that we never got to see more follow-up after he got reunited with his foster sister. It's like we have all these little tidbits and pieces they can delve into with him, but they rarely do.
I was wrong. I want to love you back. We can work everything else out, but you have to stay alive for us to do that.
Sullivan
Grey Damon is great, yet he's criminally underused and misused.
It seemed like they were teasing a potential romantic thing with Jack and Kate. He must like her, but I wonder if whatever attraction he may have harbored disappeared the second he saw her with Theo.
If so, they may have spared us from randomly pairing Jack with someone uninteresting.
But they know how to give us dramatic Jack cliffhangers!
We've seen some subtle, concerning moments with Jack a few times this season. He's having some issues, whether with concussions or neurologically.
He hasn't gotten himself adequately checked out and kept dismissing his health and waving people off, but something could seriously be wrong with him now.
Is it possible that Jack has developed some form of CTE? He's dealing with something, and it's worrisome.
It feels like we're too often on the cusp of losing Jack in some capacity, and the more frequently it happens, the more paranoid one gets that it'll stick permanently.
Jack's cliffhanger brought devastation, but so did the unexpected death of Dixon.
One thing I did not have on my Station 19 Bingo card was getting emotional over the death of Dixon. He's been such a thorn in the side of everyone on the wrong side of justice in so many ways.
But he was also a husband and a father, and despite his issues, he loved his son.
Travis is tirelessly working to save the man who has made his life hell often, and the father of his ex turned into such an emotional affair.
Of all the boys Emmett brought home, you were always my favorite. But then Emmett doesn't bring boys home anymore since he moved to Europe.
Dixon
The story he told Dixon about Emmett was enough to make a person ugly cry, even when Dixon's response reminded us that he couldn't help but be an ass.
And Dixon's words to Travis about how he was his favorite boyfriend Emmett brought him was such an unexpectedly sentimental admission.
With four people facing peril in this finale, Kate included in that Dixon's death is the easiest to accept. But it's still surprisingly hard.
Over to you, Station 19 Fanatics. Are you still reeling from that finale? Were you surprised at who died? Will Jack be okay? What are your thoughts on Theo? Hit the comments.
It was an incredible season, if you want to relive it until it returns, you can watch Station 19 online here via TV Fanatic.
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.
