Station 19 Review: I Know This Bar (Season 3 Episode 1)
Our favorite West Coast firefighters are ba — WHERE DID THAT CAR COME FROM?
Station 19 Season 3 Episode 1, “I Know This Bar” is a jam-packed hour that kicks off the new season with a bang — err — crash.
There is one bone to pick with ABC, though. The network straight up lied by calling this as a “two-hour crossover event.” Jackson and the residents on the Station 19 portion count as a crossover, but sticking Ben inside Grey Sloan Memorial and calling it a day is just half-assed.
That’s like the middle-school science test asking “what is photosynthesis?” and responding that it’s when photos are synthesized. You’re the longest-running medical show in history, Grey’s Anatomy, try harder.
The interrupting car knocks season two’s loose ends to the back burner. That’s fine since the only lingering question is Travis’ fate after his arrest (he “charmed” his way out of it?), but it leaves viewers to piece things together ourselves. It’s hard to complete a puzzle with all of the chaos happening inside Joe’s.
What we piece together is that Andy is a mess, and Sullivan and Pruitt suck.
The only thing loose about Andy is how casually she says she “fell in love.” There is no shortage of adjectives to describe the moment Pruitt slut-shames his daughter. It’s ridiculous, disgusting, shocking and disrespectful. Nevermind that he has absolutely no right to do so.
How did he find out, anyways?
Let’s not forget that Sullivan completely abuses his power when he threatens Andy with insubordination. To emotionally invest and then run behind the badge is cowardly, but to use his authority to shut her up is even worse.
Elsewhere, I love a good crossover romance, but Vic and Jackson are lacking. Nothing against Jackson, but Vic’s prior relationship just set the bar too high.
Plus, the way Vic talks about her “lover” in the aid car begs the question: does she really love him, or is she just afraid to be alone? We’re nobody to judge if her concern is the latter. Ripley was her Denny, and will forever be a fictional death we’ll never get over.
Inside the car that is inside the bar, the Shondaland dialogue is in full effect. Driver Joan calling a life without her husband “crap on the floor” is the signature levity that keeps the hour from being too intense.
Though, Joan’s death-by-scissor is the type of cruel fate Shondaland also prides itself on.
Speaking of a cruel fate, Jack and Maya come to as abrupt of an end as the crossover does start. Their breakup, however, pales in comparison to Bailey and Ben’s silent heartache. We learn a few more details on Grey’s Anatomy Season 16 Episode , “Help Me Through the Night,” but if Bailey doesn’t want to talk about it, we won’t, either.
Did anybody notice the lack of a certain Seattle police officer? We didn’t, either, and that is not good since things are expected to get worse before they get better. Buckle your seatbelts and keep all hands inside the car — Season 3 is going to be crazy.
What did you think of this episode of Station 19? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Station 19 airs Thursday at 8/7c on ABC.
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Gina Zippilli
Gina is the co-host of Meet Us At Molly’s, the first-ever Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D. podcast. Outside of One Chicago, she has never met an ensemble-driven cop show, post-apocalyptic drama or true crime whodunit she has not liked.