Station 19 Review: The Road You Didn’t Take (Season 5 Episode 17)

Station 19 Season 5 Episode 17, “The Road You Didn’t Take,” is an emotionally taxing penultimate episode to an overwhelmingly heavy season.

Yet, it still finds essential beats of joy to carry it through the darkest moments.

When Station 19 is at its best, it is great at striking that balance and walking that line, and “The Road You Didn’t Take” showcases that at times.

This episode is all about screaming it out and recognizing the family we have, found or otherwise, who love us for who we are in the face of everything.

Andy and Jack are at the forefront of the episode as they travel to meet Jack’s biological brother Josh, and it doesn’t go as smoothly as anyone wants.

No optimism and lists can prepare Jack for the bombshell Josh drops on him — his biological family gave Jack up but kept Josh and his two sisters. 

Jack lived a life in a cycle of abuse and toxicity in the profoundly corrupt foster care system, while Josh and his sisters lived a life of presumed luxury and familial bliss.

To say that information is challenging to process is a vast understatement.

The direction perfectly captures that with the close zooms on Jack’s face as Josh’s voice fades in the background.

Additionally, those shots of Jack tightening his grip on Andy’s hand (and vice versa) are an excellent way to build the pressure in the scene.

Those hidden interactions between Andy and Jack are ways for Jack to steady himself while his world spends on its axis. It’s beautiful and devastating all at once.

It showcases Andy and Jack’s connection because she anticipates Jack’s reaction and gives him her hand.

Through it all, Andy (mostly) keeps her eyes on Jack, constantly gauging how much more he can take.

Unfortunately, at many points during this season of Station 19, that seems to be a question worth asking: How much more can these characters take?

“The Road You Didn’t Take” doesn’t stop with that twist for Jack because he eventually discloses to Andy that he is a survivor of abuse within the foster care system.

Jack alluded to his experiences to Carina on Station 19 Season 5 Episode 15, “When the Party’s Over,” but this is the most he’s discussed this trauma.

Grey Damon’s performance suggests it’s almost healing for Jack to vehemently assure Andy that what Jeremy did to her is not her fault.

Everything that happened to Jack isn’t his fault, either, and saying that matters. Shifting that blame back to the person who deserves it matters.

Jack’s expression that no one took his experiences seriously when he told the people who should have done everything to protect him is devastating and infuriating.

The systems meant to protect people like Jack, Andy, and Matt, are enormously flawed and lean toward a select, privileged few.

Hopefully, Station 19 will continue to shine a light on those grave injustices with more action when Travis runs for mayor against Dixon.

It is concerning that the bulk of that narrative could happen off-camera during hiatus between seasons.

Ideally, Station 19 will chronicle that race as a way for the team to rally together and find some (more) joy in challenging the status quo together.

Crisis One and the Dean Miller Memorial Clinic are significant steps forward.

However, the latter half of this season hasn’t featured them as much as it could have when the team is in the field, mainly because the initiatives work wonders for Station 19‘s critique of broken systems.

Plus, they create perfect opportunities for the characters to interact more than they usually would, like Carina and Robert or Ben and Travis.

This chance for interaction is most noticeable with Carina, who uses these scenes to catch up with Maya’s co-workers. Technically, they should be Carina’s co-workers because of her clinic role. 

The season is nearly over, and Carina still feels a bit removed from the firehouse family, beyond Maya and now Jack.

Station 19 doesn’t struggle with that professional disconnect with Theo, who appears to be nicely acclimating to the workflow at a new station.

Alternatively, the show does struggle with not showing enough about Theo.

This decision is strange considering Carlos Miranda is a series regular this season, giving the show more time and space to explore Theo’s character.

Instead, so much of what we know about Theo comes in support of other characters’ arcs. This trend is bound to happen with larger ensembles, and it’s somewhat understandable with Theo.

Theo Ruiz is a supportive man at his core, so it’s not out of character for him to want to lift up his friends, family, and strangers however he can.

However, plenty of the other characters get more deep dives into their past or personal lives, while Theo always tells Vic about his life rather than Station 19 showing it to us.

This problem is a good one (in some sense) because Station 19 is filled with dynamic characters who we want to see more of — always.

Regardless of that desire for more introspection, Theo takes a commendable role in the Crisis One call during “The Road You Didn’t Take” to help Matt stand up for himself against his transphobic mother. 

We should note that Vic stands in front of a moving truck to help Matt. Theo and Vic are a power couple, but Matt is the real superhero.

His bravery is outstanding, and his speech to his mother is powerful.

Matt reclaims the power of the situation by knowing his worth and shifting the shame back to his mother, who should carry the weight of her decisions.

“The Road You Didn’t Take” sees many Station 19 characters grapple with their pasts and how families did or didn’t show up for them (or their loved ones) when they needed them most.

It’s heartbreaking to know everything the characters we love have gone through, but there’s something inherently hopeful in knowing they all found each other. They’re all each other’s family now — for better or worse.

Like Matt and his father, the people who love you unconditionally will be there for you in the end.

That’s why it works for Station 19 to round out this episode with a beautifully domestic Marina scene and the start of a new chapter for Robert and Natasha.

Though, it could have been beneficial to let the build-up for Robert and Natasha last a little longer. Who doesn’t love a slow burn? 

As for Maya and Carina, they need those quiet scenes just to themselves to unwind and talk about the things that matter to them. It feels like those scenes have gotten lost in work schedules lately.

No matter, this end of this episode overwhelmingly proves there can be joy after all the darkness. Hopefully, Station 19 lets its characters definitively know that in the season finale, too. 

Stray Thoughts

• Ben and Miranda are officially signing Pru’s papers! 
• Vic wanting to throw a party for Carina warms my heart.
• Andy telling Jack, “I’m here. I’m right here,” broke me and then put me back together.
• A man’s toes would fall off in front of Travis.

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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