#TGIT’s newest edition to its popular lineup was Station 19, a Grey’s Anatomy spinoff starring Jana Lee Ortiz and Grey’s favorite Jason George. The show follows Andy Herrera (Ortiz), a Seattle Firefighter as she navigates the job, life, and relationships (both inside and out of the firehouse). This is Shondaland, right? So how does this new series fit into the Thursday night lineup we love? Find out below.
The newbie: Whether it was O’Malley on #Greys, Quinn on #Scandal, or Wes on #HTGAWM, there’s always a newbie to make fun of. On Station 19, that’s Ben Warren. Sure, Warren is an OG to longtime fans of TGIT, but to the firehouse a few blocks away, he’s the new kid on the block. Literally. Naturally, this means his co-workers forget his name, force him to do grunt-work, and let him know he doesn’t know as much as he thinks he does. Luckily for Warren, and for us, he’s ultimately given a few chances to prove himself, winning over his new team at the firehouse.
OMG moments: Okay, so there weren’t any people impaled together on a pole from a train, or #WhoShotFitz trending moments, or crazy flash forwards/flashbacks, BUT Station 19 did find ways to keep things interesting. They delivered a baby (that was still in the amniotic sac) to a girl in a MIDDLE SCHOOL bathroom. They figured out how to save two of their own amid some raging, blue, invisible fire (yes, that is a very technical term). TLDR: They didn’t have moments that made your jaw drop, but they did find some fresh takes on some of the high-stakes scenarios we’ve seen so many times before. The Greys-esque voiceovers and Scandal-esque episodic snapshots, didn’t hurt either.
Family Drama: In a refreshing twist, this drama at least seems to be the good kind…for now. There’s no Meredith-Ellis level antics, or a father running Command, there’s just a father who is forced to step down as captain, and a daughter who is ready to step up into the role. Of course it’s not as simple as that. Again, this is Shondaland. It turns out, Andy isn’t the only one vying for this newly vacated position. Which leads us to…
Love Triangles: Because what’s a Shondaland show without one? The guy she’s going up against for captain also happens to be her co-worker. A co-worker she is having hot and steamy (but casual, no strings attached!) sex with. That is until she finds a ring in his pocket and freaks out. This freakout (because this is TGIT) is perfectly timed with her learning the news of her dad’s health which brings the final point to this love triangle into play: her childhood best friend who just happens to live next door. #Convienence. The two hook up, and naturally spend the first two episodes running into each other on the scene. Why? He’s another man in uniform, except this one blue.
Another TGIT heroine: One thing that the women of Grey’s, Scandal, and HTGAWM all have in common is they have badass women are the forefront. Station 19 is no different, all thanks to Herrera. Much like the other ladies running Thursday night, she is complicated, confident, and unafraid to take risks. She refuses to let her current situation define her, and challenges the status quo.