Station 19 Season 7 Episode 1 Review: This Woman’s Work

Station 19 Season 7 Episode 1, “This Woman’s Work,” is an adventure.

The episode follows Andy Herrera as she begins her first day as Captain of 19 — 24 hours after the collapse at the Firefighter’s Ball at the end of Season 6.

In true Shondaland fashion, the final season of Station 19 is the start of a proper goodbye. Already, we have the best line of the series when Andy, talking to a vision of Jack — acting as her self-doubt — says, “I’m gonna be the best damn Captain this station has ever seen.” You can’t get more badass than that!

This episode tackles the overall message of what women can do, so it is fitting that it airs during Women’s History Month.

Specifically, in Theo and Vic’s latest call, where they meet a disgruntled employee who is frustrated with her boss for taking her creation and closing the patent so only the company she works for can manufacture the technology.

This situation serves as a way for Vic to grow and shine as an incredible leader of Crisis One. It also helps to illustrate her place in the history books as a badass woman firefighter.

Even though her de-escalation attempts do not work, they humanize the subject of the call. This proves that Vic has what it takes to make a difference in the community. 

After collapsing after the ball, we see Ross, with Sullivan doting on her. Her leg is broken, and she is still facing the prospect of being fired due to her affair with Sullivan.

She is given a chance to keep her job, and Mayor-Elect Osman has made a statement to the press that outdated rules about relationships with superiors should be abolished instead of punishing the person who had an affair.

This is a win for women in the FD, who are few and far between, and Ross keeping her job means only good things for SFD.

Travis faces a massive blunder during the episode. Not only does he begin his day with a new boyfriend, Eli, his former campaign manager. He then goes to Kitty Dixon’s house after the death of Michael, whose death she blames Travis for.

To make matters worse, when he arrives, Travis and former flame Emmett are reunited intimately.

This is round three for Tremmett, who started their thing back in Season 2 and had an on-again-off-again romance until Emmett left for an art program in Season 5. Fans of the ship are most likely in tears from the excitement, but I wonder why Travis is so self-sabotaging.

He had a great relationship with Eli after the drama of Season 6, and now he wants to throw it all away. It is lazy writing. Why can’t Tremmett just be done once and for all? Travis has already broken Emmett’s heart twice, and having to witness it a third time seems pointless.

“This Woman’s Work” has those impactful moments that are enough to make our queer hearts sing.

Season 6 almost ruined Marina for good. With Maya’s breakdown and Carina’s trauma around dealing with mentally ill family members, Marina nearly didn’t make it through last season.

Everyone’s favorite sapphic married couple makes two big life-altering decisions during this episode, proving how much their relationship has repaired itself.

Carina decides to ask Maya to buy a house with her because the apartment they share has too many traumatic memories for her. This moment is filled with all of the queer joy we can barely handle!

Maya’s growth is incredible, and it’s good to finally see Carina in a good place with a partner who respects her boundaries.

After collapsing at the ball due to a head injury in last season’s finale, Amelia Shepherd breaks the news to Andy that due to the head trauma that Jack has sustained the previous six seasons, his brain has deteriorated to the point that he likely won’t be cleared for duty again. 

Jack is one of those good CIS male characters whose growth we are invested in, and this blow can be catastrophic for him.

It speaks to how we value the mental well-being of men who say they are fine but are not fine at all. It makes you think, “How can we be different in helping to improve the mental and physical health of our first responders?” 

This episode is an excellent start to the beginning of the end as our favorite firefighters begin tying up loose ends in each of their stories.

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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 10/9c on ABC.

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