Maya and Carina from ‘Station 19’ Prove That True Love Exists, and I’m Here for It

Shondaland can be somewhat of a risky territory. Between the drama and the plot twists, no one is ever safe, so it’s often best not to get too attached to a character. And while I’m still not over McDreamy’s death, I may be able to forgive and forget if Grey’s Anatomy firefighting spinoff, Station 19, keeps fueling the relationship between Maya Bishop and Carina Deluca — or Marina, as we all call them. Having neither killed nor badly injured nor hopelessly mad at each other is a great way to do that. No, but seriously, they are currently one of the few lesbian couples on TV that have been surviving the “bury your gays” trope, and I’m eternally grateful for that.

The storyline Maya and Carina have has been so beautiful (still not enough screentime, but that’s another story), and their characters had the chance to actually grow into a healthy relationship, which is rare enough given the state of most lesbian relationships onscreen. Between their moments on the show and the incredible chemistry Danielle Savre and Stefania Spampinato have, Marina is currently one of the very few w/w ships keeping me alive, and I adamantly refuse to hear any criticism about it. And since the second installment of Station 19’s Season 5 just started and I’m not mentally ready for all the drama that’s to come, why not go back a few into Marina’s story and linger some more in this state of bliss?

OK, let’s be real. The biggest character development we’ve seen in this relationship is Maya Bishop’s. Maybe none other than Dr. Carina Deluca would have been able to get her to go from Miss “Monogamy Is for the Weak” to planning a baby nursery in the life span of three seasons. Their journey from meeting in a bar and going through some drama and misunderstanding culminated with one of the ceremonies that made it possible for 2021 to be packed with lesbian weddings on TV. And we’re all living for that.

Since these two started living together, the scenes of domestic Marina give me life. I’m not going to start an essay about LGBTQ+ representation on TV, but seeing it so normalized is incredible. Plus, with all the drama that’s going on, their little moments are so cute, intimate, and lighthearted. Like when they’re having fun in the kitchen while Carina is cooking, or when they were drinking from the same glass, or when Carina made a funny face when Maya tried making her real coffee. Also, I’m pretty sure some of the writers actually read fanfics, because most of the moments we’re getting could be straight from an AO3 multi-chapter.

While Maya hasn’t always been the greatest at communicating her feelings — mostly because of the way she grew up — being with Carina opened her up to the realization that real love was possible for her after all. Which led to her owning her actions after hurting Carina and ultimately having her hot Italian girlfriend’s support to stand up to her father, the one who convinced her that she didn’t deserve love and kindness in the first place. And then Maya was the perfect shoulder to cry on when Carina was grieving. We stan supportive girlfriends in this house.

That, right there, might be the best and most romantic thing I have ever heard on a show, and I had to go lay down for a minute after hearing it. Carina understanding Maya’s fears and Maya asking herself if she’s actually able to raise a child and wondering what kind of parent she will be. The two of them actually talking it out instead of arguing about it. Perfect execution, great teamwork. It could have turned into a full-on crisis, but it didn’t. Now, excuse me while I go cry thinking about all the scenes we’re going to get.

One of the best things about Maya and Carina is that they seem to be so connected that they’ve also learned to communicate without having to speak. The silent conversations, the gestures and looks that say it all, putting each other before anything else, repeating that they love each other even when they’re arguing. It’s what we all wish to have. I’ll say it again, but this particularly works because Danielle and Stefania have such chemistry, and the feelings they give are somehow unique. Sometimes the stars truly align to get the perfect cast combination.

And last but not least, let’s stray away from all the deep stuff just to note how lucky Maya actually is. It also goes the other way around, but Carina is my bias, and not just because I’m Italian too. While it’s true their profound moments together are beautiful, we are not complaining about their sexy scenes either, as short as they may be. Not to overlook everything else, but the concentration of hotness in this power couple is something to talk about for days. Side note: I live for the way Maya doesn’t understand Italian, unless it’s related to sex. Love where her priorities are. 😉