Station 19 Season 6 Episode 9 Review: Come As You Are
It was a much lighter installment, and in some ways, it felt a bit more hopeful.
There were many moments during Station 19 Season 6 Episode 9 that felt like a well earned reprieve from some of the heaviness during much of the season.
It definitely was a much lighter installment after the raw developments from Station 19 Season 4 Episode 8.
Keeping with the lighter note, the most action we saw in the field was Eli shadowing Andy and Travis on a call that involved bickering teenagers, a stabbed mascot, and Eli taking some more beatings.
It was what they wanted it to be as far as a call goes, with moments intended to amuse and some lighthearted fun with low stakes.
More than anything, the call inevitably set up Andy and Eli's date offer they've been building up to for some time.
We know that's where the show wants to go, and Andy and Eli's scenes where they seem to banter back and forth serve as their version of foreplay. And to that? Meh.
There's nothing wrong with the series exploring Andy's love life again, even if it's casual. And Eli is relatively drama and angst-free as far as we know.
But he's also boring. He feels like a gnat that keeps flying about into scenes you don't expect him in, and you often forget he's even a thing until they show him again.
Andy deserves a nice guy who is interested in her, and in that sense, it's great that she could potentially find that in Eli. But it sucks that he's so dull and uninteresting, and most of their scenes don't pop.
His awkward attempt at asking her out on a "pity date" suited him. If not for the predictable setup that implied this would be a thing, I'd wonder why Andy agreed to it because Eli appears more interested in her than Andy is in him.
At least he can better appreciate what Travis does, what the job of an emergency responder entails, and how risky it can be. It doesn't sound like he gave the job the respect it deserved before his experience with the ride-a-long.
Vic and Theo spent their time in Theo's old stomping ground, bonding with the community he was part of for so long and butting heads.
Theo is a compelling character, especially whenever he gets more screen time to explore personal arcs.
He's obsessive about his old neighborhood and trying to address all the issues there. And he's definitely onto something.
Theo: Damn, you're worse than Diane.
Vic: Wow, I think that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me.
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Tomas was probably right about someone burning the community out of their homes so they could take over and develop the land.
Shady things happen constantly, and companies, contractors, and developers will resort to all types of shadiness to get their way.
It's a storyline that will likely continue to grow legs and evolve into something much bigger, and it could be interesting as the pieces fall into place.
Right now, Beckett treated the situation as if it was Theo trying to get out of desk duty and grasping at straws. Vic is supportive enough of Theo, but she's easily distracted by other things, so while helpful, I'm unsure if she thinks anything significant will come from Theo's research and focus.
But it'll likely take routine calls that will have the station responding to the area frequently before this picks up some speed and evolves further.
Until now, it's an opportunity to see Theo in a new light and a different environment. And there's nothing like seeing a guy in his old barbershop.
Barbershops, particularly ones in more urban or poorer communities, have a very specific vibe that they capture well. Even the worst moments, like Tomas and the others reminding Theo to "put his girl in her place" when things got a bit heated, felt authentic to the barbershop experience.
One could get why Vic felt she had to step up and play the heavy during the situation when she saw all those code violations that were hazardous to the shop and would cause the problems they were there to prevent.
Theo seemed too wrapped up in reconnecting with everyone and trying to do them favors, likely to make up for the absence he read as dismissive about something dire.
He didn't think he needed to level with everyone in a certain way to get his way. It seemed like he wanted to ignore things as a favor.
It resulted in a dispute, but it was nothing that Theo and Vic couldn't work out on their own. They're good when it comes to that.
Vic's observation about Theo's code-switching around his old crew was astute. And as defensive, as Theo got at the suggestion at first, it wasn't like Vic didn't understand exactly what he was doing or his experience.
It's not like she doesn't have to code-switch regularly, but it raised a good question of why he feels compelled to leave those aspects of himself away from her.
He's my uncle, alright?
Beckett
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Beckett also had a more personal case, and it took halfway through the installment before we learned that the patient Ben and the others were treating was his uncle.
His extended stomach was a sight to behold, and it was evident the man was drinking himself to death. Through him, we learn that the Beckett men all have drinking problems.
Beckett's uncle saw right through him and recognized that he was hiding his drinking issues too. And you can tell that Beckett sees himself in his uncle, which terrifies him but not enough to get him to stop.
It feels like we've been watching Beckett unravel at the seams for 23 years. It's such a slow-moving arc waiting on him to get desperately needed help. It doesn't seem like he's reached his highest of high or lowest of low with it; he's just been coasting along in this same space.
Once again, Sullivan approached him to let him know he knew what was happening to him. He mentioned how Lifers in the military turned to alcohol around the 20-year mark of being on the job, and Beckett is at that point too.
If Beckett's journey with alcoholism is comparable to Maya's route with mental health, then we know the series can deliver something utterly powerful when they get to that point. The waiting period until we get there is an arduous, taxing process that tests a person's patience.
Maya's progress continues, though the hour mostly focused on Carina this time.
Jack's obsession with keeping his family intact suits him as he always clings to the notion of their family because of his lack of one outside of the station.
Of course, this often can have him too intermingled with Carina and Maya, which can be hit or miss.
For some reason, the series loves to have Jack's storyline interwoven with this specific couple all of the time, making them this platonic triad. While it can have some endearing moments at times, and it's sweet that Jack has a kinship, it's also such a slippery slope of appropriateness.
Jack's investment in Maya and Carina's marriage is sweet on the one hand but too much on the other. I genuinely wish he had something else to do during this installment other than eyeballing and stalking Carina and Pat from afar like some kid trying to make sure his parents aren't on the verge of divorce.
In moments like these, Jack continuously gets the short end of the stick, and they don't know what to do with him or how to write for him. And it's odd because there are so many potential storylines to explore for the character, but he always gets tacked onto somebody else's in unusual ways.
Nevertheless, he served his purpose as the in-house, fan-insert Marina cheerleader and shipper.
He wasn't totally off, as Pat found Carina attractive and politely hit on her the whole time Carina ran examinations on her.
Pat represented something, this other option that Carina didn't want to consider but needed to know was possible.
Carina can pursue motherhood on her own if it's what she desires most, and Pat is an inspiration in that regard.
I don't know if having an OB you're attracted to is the smartest thing to do.
Pat
If things don't go well with Maya, we're trusting that they will, but still, Carina needs to realize that she has these options. Her dreams don't have to stop if her relationship ends.
Coming to grips with that realization is important. While it's doubtful that she and Maya won't be together anymore, one can appreciate that they're taking a realistic approach of having Carina explore her options and what's available to her.
Pat was amusing, and her interest in Carina was endearing. Carina wouldn't cross any lines because it's not within her character, but there's nothing like some flattery and even befriending someone.
Pat made Carina feel good when she wasn't doing so great, and there's value in that. It doesn't have to be anything more than that.
We needed that time to focus on Carina and how she's feeling in the aftermath of everything, and one can appreciate the balance of the storyline in that regard.
She listened to Maya's voicemail and had that on her mind for the entirety of the day. Frankly, it's probably what really prompted her to return home in the first place.
She used a need to acquire some items as a cover for laying eyes on Maya and seeing if what Maya said about Diane and doing better really was true.
It was that final Marina scene where you could visibly note the care and intention taken with the direction and eye. Visually, it was the standout scene of the hour, with its lighting choices and blocking.
The framing, lighting, and placement filled in the spaces between the dialogue. It captured where this couple is in their relationship, eliciting strong emotions.
That moment was for Carina, as it should've been.
It's painful for the Marina fans, no doubt. It would've been unrealistic and a disservice to Carina and her feelings if she dropped everything and forgave Maya instantly, forgetting everything that transpired and setting aside how she's choosing to process all of it.
Carina has put up with a lot, and she deserves the space to sort through all of that and where she wants to come out of it on the other side.
So often, with storylines like this, the focus is exclusively on the person battling something and hurting, which comes at the expense of their loved ones and caretakers.
It's like there is never any space for the feelings of those affected, and I appreciate that they're not doing that here. Carina is getting her time and space to handle things at the pace she needs.
Maya is on the path toward healing, and it's working wonders for her. But now, Carina gets to embark on a path of healing, self-love, and prioritizing herself too.
Carina is getting the space to be angry, emotionally spent, and cautious with her heart and feelings.
She also wants to ensure that she and their marriage is a priority for Maya, the biggest one, and not just Maya's job.
In some way, deep down, it must leave Carina conflicted if she believes, from her standpoint, that the only reason that Maya has finally gotten the help she needs is that it impacted her ability to return to the station.
Sadly, she can't trust it or Maya right now, which is valid and fair. And now, the onus is on Maya to make amends, continue with her healing and work, and show, rather than tell, Carina that their marriage, their love, Carina is a priority, the primary one in Maya's life. Carina doesn't want to play second fiddle to Maya's ambition.
Maya: You can always come home. I miss you. I left you a voicemail.
Carina: Yes, I got it.
Maya: Did you listen to it?
Carina: Yeah.
Maya: I know I made mistakes. I know I scared you. I'm sorry. I love you. I'll be better.
Carina: You said that.
Maya: I mean it.
Carina: I need more time.
While some storylines need to kick into gear and make more considerable strides, I'm happy with where this one is for this couple.
It's realistic to what they've endured. It's not pulling any punches or disregarding either character and what they've gone through, and it feels right.
Over to you, Station 19 Fanatics. How do you feel about the state of Marina? Will Beckett reach a turning point? Sound off below.
You can watch Station 19 online here via TV Fanatic.