This season on Station 19, Thursday nights got real hot, and we felt the heat with our recaps each week. Before things cool off for the summer, here’s our rundown of the S19 series finale!
You knew Station 19 was coming for those L.A. wildfires. I mean, you don’t just mention wildfires and not show the wildfires. It’s like Chekhov’s…Wildfire. And although heading to Los Angeles to assist in containing the fires is a dangerous mission, the crew is grateful for a distraction from all things Ripley.
The only people who don’t seem to need a distraction are Maya and Jack — because they are each other’s distractions. They’re going hot and heavy, and it’s really giving Dean’s gag reflex a workout. That boathouse might be gorgeous, but its walls are thin, you know?
After much discussion and lots of freaking out, Jack and Maya decide it’s time to tell everyone about their relationship. Here’s the thing: No one cares. Andy and Dean already know, Ben’s too worried about his upcoming oral exam for Medic One, Vic is very dark these days and doesn’t have the bandwidth, and since Jack and Maya are of the same rank, it just isn’t an issue for Sullivan. Poor Jack, he worries if people’s lack of excitement means they don’t think this thing will last. He seems very all-in on Maya, and I swear if they break this dude’s heart…well, I’ll do nothing because this is a TV show, but I will be very sad about it.
Speaking of a broken heart, can we please talk about the Pruitt and Ryan stuff? There was always a subtle father-son dynamic between these two, but it comes out in full force during this finale. While most of Station 19 is headed down south, Travis is left behind because he’s still drying out in a cell at the police station after his bar brawl at the wake. That is until Pruitt finally comes to get him out. It’s Ryan who releases Trav. Wouldn’t ya know? Ryan is just about to leave work and drive down to San Diego for his tactical paramedic training. And wouldn’t ya also know? Los Angeles is kind of on the way to San Diego. Ryan’s not so happy about the forced carpool, but it does give Pruitt the chance to fully take in the idea that Ryan might be gone for awhile. It takes some translation help from Travis to explain that Pruitt’s grunt at the news really means that he’s going to miss Ryan and cares about him a lot. Aw, Pru!
Pruitt gets to show how much he cares later in the hour when he discovers that Ryan’s been traveling with a duffel bag full of money his father left him. Pruitt doesn’t want to see Ryan get entangled with the mess his father created and thinks he should get rid of the most definitely marked money immediately. Which Ryan almost does, but can’t go through with and heads to San Diego with a duffel bag full of problems. Pruitt can’t save everybody, I guess.
He certainly can’t do much to help the Station 19 crew, who he learns has been sent out to a particular neighborhood close to the fire line. The only thing predictable about wildfires is that they are unpredictable and the team is tasked with prepping this neighborhood — getting everyone to evacuate, clearing brush, shutting all the windows and doors, etc. — in case the winds should shift and the fire heads their way. They get everyone out with the exception of Terry and Maria, a couple who have seen fires like this before and will stay in their home, thank you very much. You guys, you know that thing where you didn’t realize how much you needed something until you have it? That’s how I feel about seeing guest star Patrick Duffy with a long, gray, crimped ponytail. What a treat!
Anyway, the team isn’t exactly thrilled that these two won’t follow orders, but they do seem to be knowledgeable about wildfire safety practices, plus they offer up their house as a home base when they learn that the fires have shifted and they are completely cut off from everyone else. There’s no need to panic, but also…maybe we should panic?
Things are mostly contained until Terry and his ponytail go out to use the brush-clearing machine and Terry gets his hand caught inside. There’s a lot of blood and not a lot of time and Ben decides that since they are cut off from any type of hospital, he needs to do something drastic: He needs to amputate Terry’s hand. Dean trusts Ben (“What would surgeon Ben do?” he asks and hopefully needlepoints into a pillow one day soon) and backs his decision. Vic doesn’t like it — then again Vic doesn’t like anything at this point — but eventually she sees there is no other way. It’s his hand or his life. So Ben cuts Terry’s hand off.
Neither Terry nor his wife takes the news very well and Ben is beside himself. Sullivan tries to calm him down by reminding him that Terry’s alive because of him. Vic tries to calm Terry down by telling him that she knows how it feels to even attempt to imagine life without something that was so much a part of you. (Hi, she’s talking about Ripley.) She knows there is light through the darkness, somewhere, eventually. So, it seems there is hope for Vic yet!
Suddenly a huge fire erupts outside of Terry’s window — the fire has jumped the line and Station 19 is trapped.
Andy and Sullivan, who went out patrolling the neighborhood, end up surrounded by fire. They run to a house to find cover, but Sullivan tries to break down the door and only ends up hurting his previously injured leg. Their only option is to jump into the pool in the backyard and wait. I’m sorry, I meant, jump into the pool and wait — and have Sullivan tenderly caress Andy’s face to keep her calm but not kiss even though they should, for like, breathing purposes. Finally, they come to the surface and see a narrow escape route. I know we are in a life-or-death situation here, but can we please get to some kissing?
Things look dire for, well, literally everyone, until Maya gets a call on her emergency comm. It’s Pruitt and Travis back at headquarters and they have a plan. You see, Travis has befriended a very attractive, very skilled paramedic named Dylan, who also happens to be deaf. He’s played by America’s Next Top Model winner Nyle DiMarco. And, well, we think you should just see him:
OK, back to the show. Dylan knows the area and is sure there’s an unmarked access road the firefighters can take to get out of there. Thanks to Ryan being a huge nerd and studying before his training program, he knows how to work the comm systems and they reach the team, tell them about the road, and they all make it out alive.
Everyone surviving is great, but the true gift is learning that Jack knows sign language and hooks it up for his friend Travis. Travis and Dylan end up making out furiously in the makeshift headquarters. Finally, some kissing!
But that’s not all! Back in Seattle, people are decompressing from the insane rescue mission in a bevy of ways. Dean invites Maya and Jack to join him and Nikki for brunch, which is exciting for Maya who has been waiting to meet Dean’s new girlfriend. Except, it turns out she already knows Nikki. Intimately. Apparently, Nikki and Maya used to date. I pray there are bottomless mimosas at this brunch and feel truly blessed to have this storyline.
If you think that’s bad, Ben’s having a Real Time. He goes in for his Medic One oral exam and they’ve heard all about his unsanctioned field amputation. Ben tries to explain that there were extenuating circumstances, but the Medic One panel doesn’t want to hear it. They’ve done some digging into his past and see that this type of rogue, cowboy surgery is a pattern and they aren’t happy about it. You just knew that fatal C-section in the hallway Ben performed as a surgical intern was going to haunt him forever!
Meanwhile, my Andy and Sullivan kissing dreams come true, only to be ripped away immediately. The two are left alone in the firehouse and finally put an end to all the longing stares and holding hands and fire pool parties by smashing faces. Like, real hard. Like, they are doing this in Sullivan’s office. Suddenly, Sullivan has a change of heart and tells Andy to leave. She is crushed! She is angry! She doesn’t see what we see: Sullivan has lost feeling in his bad leg!
But the thing I’ll be fretting about most until next season is Travis. Just as he helps Vic get into her bed again after avoiding it since Ripley, there’s a knock at the door. It’s the police and Travis is under arrest for assault and battery. The guy he beat up is still in the hospital and he’s pressing charges. Say it ain’t so, Trav!
Well, that’s it for this season of Station 19! Do you need a break from the heat? I sure could use a cool off. So, until next season, S19ers!
