Station 19 Review: Crash and Burn (Season 2 Episode 8)

Station 19 Season 2 Episode 8, “Crash and Burn,” shows the aftermath of that harrowing Thanksgiving cliffhanger, while also setting us up for the remainder of the season.

Four months have passed since Andi and Sullivan’s aid car fell into that embankment — so resuming the story in November feels weird seeing as most holiday decorations returned to the garage months ago.

While it is odd to see the team sit down to a Thanksgiving feast, it is necessary because to do otherwise would reduce the cliffhanger’s impact to mere shock value.

The real shock value of the midseason debut comes in waves. The first is Sullivan’s revelation that he can’t feel his legs, while the second is Maya, Dean and the rest of the squad treating the windstorm like a snow day. Andi is missing, and Jack is in way more than just a bad mood. You’re telling me nobody’s spidey senses are tingling that something is amiss?

Pruitt is right to rally the troops the way he does, but his concern for Jack highlights a critical flaw in his relationship with his daughter. Andi is an alpha who takes care of herself, so nobody — not even her own father — worries about her.

Inside the aid car, Andi is a one-woman show who is singlehandedly responsible for rescuing all three souls. She gives her all in every moment she is onscreen, right down to the moment Shannon dies.

Poor Shannon. As if the initial accident before the aid car blows away isn’t bad enough, she is awake for every minute of the fall over the cliff and then has to think of her grandmother’s forthcoming life without her. Shannon rattling off her worries – including the details of her grandmother’s necklace — is all too relatable, and makes her death hurt even more.

What hurts most about this accident is that despite surviving the fall, extinguishing a fire and climbing a hill with a concussion, it might have broken Andi. The Andi after the time jump is solemn and reserved. Sure, she smiles and laughs with everyone, but it feels forced. In typical Andi fashion, she wants everybody to think that she is fine. This could explain why she throws herself at Ryan, but if not, we’ve got to talk.

It’s time to have a serious talk about Ryan. First, Ryan’s last hoorah with his Dad is a little weird; he’s awfully at peace with it. It’s like he’s glad to get rid of him. However, where Ryan is concerned, Station 19 has a bigger issue beyond his absentee father.

Beyond his role in the show’s resident love triangle, Ryan flounders. When a show focuses on firefighters in a firehouse, highlighting a policeman who does not live there becomes a daunting task.

With Jack sidelined, the love triangle is hanging on the back-burner. There is currently nothing better for Ryan to do than make out with Andi. This circle between childhood friends was entertaining in Season 1, but it’s quickly becoming reminiscent of an overplayed song on the radio.

There may be a glimmer of hope for Ryan in that oddly tense moment between he and Sullivan but seeing as it looks dangerously like another love triangle, I’m not holding my breath.

Elsewhere, Station 19 does shout out their colleagues at Grey Sloan Memorial via a text from Karev to Ben, but the show needs to up its crossover game overall. Without the occasional Miranda Bailey sighting, it’s easy to forget that this show exists in the same universe as the longest running medical show in television history.

Travis and Grant’s breakup straight up sucks, but also makes sense (as much as I hate to admit it). Gravis are both a shipper’s dream and nightmare: while critically underrated with an adorable courtship, they are also two individuals in different orbits.

Travis is a package deal in that loving him means loving what he does, and therein lies their downfall. It’s hard to even blame Grant in this situation given Travis’ near-death experience in the season two premiere.

The Jack situation is one I’m intrigued to see develop. Four months later, and our tough, dreamy Lieutenant still hasn’t returned to work. Not only that, but Maya is the one picking him up from therapy. Where is Andi? Are she and Jack even speaking? Could something develop between he and Maya down the line?

We’re not even done discussing the time jump! Admittedly, I’ve never paid close attention to Vic and Ripley, but them moving in together changes that. Ben also thinks Miranda is going to force him into quitting firefighting. Dr. Miranda Bailey is a strong, brilliant woman who is seldom wrong, but I’m going to have to call her bluff, here.

Very, very respectfully, of course.

What did you think of this episode of Station 19? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Station 19 airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

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