Station 19 Review: Alone in the Dark (Season 5 Episode 14)

Station 19 Season 5 Episode 14, “Alone in the Dark,” is an emotional rollercoaster with too many twists and turns. 

This episode juggles a lot as it tries to make up for lost ground within the season, but it drops too many balls in the process. 

For example, “Alone in the Dark” finally delivers a definitive resolution for Tremmett, but it’s a shame that it results from the involvement of Dixon.

It’s reasonable to believe Dixon’s presence would stir up feelings and elevate tensions. That’s what he’s the best at — for better or worse, usually worse.

Still, his involvement in this episode begs whether Station 19 would ever let Travis and Emmett come to this conclusion without Dixon.

This season keeps falling into the trap of not giving its core couples space to discuss important topics on-screen.

Instead, those conversations either happen off-screen or don’t happen at all. The latter is true in Travis and Emmett’s case. 

So, it is a relief when they finally mutually decide to end things because Travis and especially Emmett deserve to move forward.

It’s only a letdown that it’s taken Station 19 this long to let Emmett get this moment — his moment.

Unfortunately, Emmett’s exit also leaves a bit of a sour taste. While it’s exciting to see Emmett live out his artistic dreams in Florence, it seems like Station 19 is keen to keep Dixon around during his mayoral race.

It may be presumptuous to theorize, but it almost feels like the show is teasing Travis may run against Dixon.

That’s clearly a story for another day, but Station 19 is barrelling full-steam ahead towards its Season 5 finale.

So, maybe that ball will be another the show will juggle sooner rather than later.

If so, please let that mean we’ll get to see more of Tricia O’Kelley as Kitty Dixon. She is utterly fantastic.

Marina is another couple that Station 19 should give more independent screentime to in order to help them resolve outstanding issues.

Their conversations about their fertility journey are so rushed, and they only take place during brief pauses at their places of work.

“Alone in the Dark” suggests Maya has a sudden change of heart about Jack becoming their sperm donor, but Station 19 doesn’t give any reason to believe that payoff.

Then again, the same is partially true for Carina’s new perception of Jack.

Carina and Jack’s friendship has been a wonderful development this season. It would be nice for Station 19 to let their friendship breathe as just that before adding “potential sperm donor” to their dynamic.

This trio has a tumultuous past, and it feels as though Station 19 isn’t giving them enough space to unpack that before jumping into this new chapter.

It’s also odd how so many of Maya and Carina’s conversations about their future turn back to Jack and his merits. Their desired role for him in their baby’s life — if he is the sperm donor — is foggier than it could be if their discussions were more expansive.

Of course, Marina still has time left to have those critical conversations, and hopefully, they’ll last longer than a few seconds.

Additionally, there’s still a chance they will ask Jack to be the donor and he changes his mind, despite his initial offer.

Despite the general confusion embedded in that arc, “Alone in the Dark” does something great by allowing Maya to sit in her anger.

Maya has every right to be angry about how Chief Ross resolved her demotion and investigation, and it’s still so rare that women are given the space to be angry on TV.

Danielle Savre is excellent in every scene as she walks the line of Maya’s emotions because she knows she needs to rein them in to maintain proper decorum in her workplace.

Maya channels her frustration into her work to let it be constructive and therapeutic; it’s great.

Also, those scenes have an undercurrent that comments on how women must present themselves in the workplace that persists across many fields — not just firefighting. 

Alternatively, it’s absurd that Beckett can push his team to their breaking points out of pure spite against Sullivan.

It’s also ridiculous that Sullivan lets it go as far as it does before revealing his involvement in Beckett’s on-site drug test.

Regardless, it’s strange for 19 to assume Robert is in the wrong with this situation because Beckett came back clean this time.

Robert has a strained history with 19, but it’s unfortunate they (namely, Ben) jump to the conclusion that this scheme is another ruthless step up the ladder for Robert. 

Would it be so hard to look at the other end of the spectrum to see that Robert’s concerns could be valid considering Beckett’s horrendous track record in the field?

Then, “Alone in the Dark” turns its inherent darkness all the way up in its final minutes. Andy is assaulted and fights Jeremy in self-defense when he attempts to rape her in Joe’s Bar’s parking lot.

That sequence is hard to watch, and even that doesn’t fully encapsulate the visceral reaction I and probably so many others had and will have to it. 

It’s important to note there is a content warning at the start of the episode, which is crucial and should always exist when discussing such triggering themes. 

Jaina Lee Ortiz is phenomenal, as always, in this episode, and she will surely deliver an undeniably nuanced performance in the upcoming episodes as Andy grapples with this trauma.

Station 19 has already put Andy through the traumatic wringer so many times that it’s exhausting to imagine her going through this and whatever may follow because of it. It feels like Andy can’t catch a break. When will she catch a break?

Stray Thoughts

• Vic celebrating Ben’s win with Pru warms my heart.
• Ben telling the entire 19 family that he and Bailey won Pru warms it even more.
• What does Natasha do in her free time?

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 8/7c on ABC.

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