Ready for ‘Station 19’ season 3? Read this recap first

The world of Shonda Rhimes on ABC is something interesting. Starting in Grey’s Anatomy back in 2005, Shondaland has produced 9 shows for ABC over the years with a variety of crossover between the two. Grey’s got a spin-off in Private Practice, and in Scandal’s final season, powerhouses Kerry Washington and Viola Davis worked together in a How to Get Away With Murder crossover. 

So it came as no surprise when Grey’s got another spin-off in the form of Station 19. Similar to the connection between Chicago Med and Chicago Fire on NBC, Station 19 follows a group of firefighters in Seattle as they deal with a variety of cases and personal drama among themselves. 

Grey’s Anatomy’s 16th midseason finale ended with a cliffhanger and promise of a Station 19 crossover, launching season 3 of Station 19. But in case you’re more familiar with Grey-Sloan’s doctors than Station 19’s firefighters, we got you covered. Before you tune in to the crossover event tonight, catch up on the first two seasons of Station 19 right here. 

How we met Andy Herrera (Jania Lee Ortiz)

While Andy is not a captain when we first meet her, future Station 19 co-captain Andy Herrera is introduced in season 14, episode 13 of Grey’s Anatomy in the backdoor pilot for Station 19. She’s literally holding together a young boy’s abdominal aorta she saved in a house fire when we first meet her. Because of her actions, Andy gets a first-hand look at the OR action when they go to work on the boy.

As part of the episode, we also listen to Ben Warren (Jason George) continue to discuss his desire to no longer be a doctor and become a fire-fighter, allowing him to join Station 19 and be ready for the spin-off’s premiere. If you want more backstory on Ben’s life before Station 19, we already recapped all of Grey’s for your reading pleasure. Most of Ben’s time in Station 19 is recapped in Grey’s anyway, so if you’re caught up on Grey’s, you’re caught up on Ben. 

Andy becomes a (co)captain

Herrera has a lot to live up to, and we learn that early on in Station 19 season one. She is the daughter of Station 19 captain Pruitt Herrera (Miguel Sandoval), who is injured in the series premiere. While he survives, he realizes he is no longer fit to be captain, and steps down. Herrera ends up stepping up with fellow lieutenant Jack Gibson (Grey Damon). 

The two have very different leadership styles and clash multiple times as co-captains. Quickly it becomes clear that the rest of the team has more respect for Jack than Andy, because Jack got his title through his hard work, while Andy got it thanks to her dad’s legacy. Of course, if you know anything about Shonda Rhimes’ work, this is the perfect opportunity for a sexual relationship between Jack and Andy. 

Station 19 is steaming up

Since the two are co-captains, they try their hardest to keep their relationship secret. Bad news: they’re not as sneaky as they think they are. While on a stakeout with Maya, Maya Bishop (Danielle Savre) calls out Andy for her relationship and the unprofessionalism of it. On the other end, Pruitt starts putting Jack under more pressure as a result of the relationship. 

Their relationship becomes a point of scrutiny as both try to compete to be Station 19’s full-time captain. Fire Chief Lucas Ripley (Brett Tucker) doesn’t take kindly to Andy, especially when battalion chief Frankel (Leslie Hope) is constantly making excuses for her when she breaks protocol. When it comes time for the peer review for the captain position, Ripley calls into question Andy and Jack’s problem-solving skills.

Both Andy and Jack each get one vote from their co-workers, while Pruitt recommends neither one gets the position. Adding to the drama, Ripley says Maya should throw her hat into the ring for the captain. While Ripley is finishing up his interviews, a skyscraper fire in Seattle pulls every station in. Andy puts her team above policy, and sends an elevator to get Jack and Dean out, and goes back in to save Jack. Both lose out on the position to Captain Robert Sullivan (Boris Kodjoe). 

Life with the new captain

Andy tries her hardest to get on the captain’s good side by showing her usefulness. At first, her father’s illness was holding her back, but she moves out with Maya to help separate her from him. But a risky maneuver that sabotages Maya’s plan to save a young boy leads Andy to be reprimanded by the captain. 

But Andy and Sullivan end up working together on a hit-and-run accident around Thanksgiving, especially when the accident occurs where Sullivan’s wife died. Andy proves her skills taking care of both Sullivan and the victim, even after their car crashes into a ravine. She even gets a Medal of Valor for her actions. The two continue to grow closer together, even developing feelings for each other until Sullivan is injured again. 

Retirement for Pruitt is. . . interesting

Considering Pruitt retired from his job as captain due to cancer, retirement wasn’t everything it was cracked up to be. After he was released from the hospital, Pruitt didn’t want to sit at home and went behind his daughter’s back to get hired for a desk job at Station 19. He continues to work with his former co-workers, giving Dean advice on JJ and criticizing Jack and Andy for their relationship.

However, Pruitt stops responding to treatment and begins getting sicker at work. Eventually, he collapses and Andy takes him back to the hospital. He gets a new medicine added to his treatment to help treat his mesothelioma. While in the hospital, he gives his opinion on who should be the new captain. 

When the team gets stuck in a garage though, Vic turns to Pruitt for advice. Pruitt uses his experiences with a similar case to help guide Andy to blow up the garage door and get them out. But during the big skyscraper fire, Pruitt ends up not breathing and falling unconscious due to the treatment, sending him back to the hospital. But they figure out even though the chemo caused a blood clot in his lungs, it’s still working. 

The new dog learning old tricks

As Sullivan transitions into his role as captain, Pruitt gets brushed off to the side at first. But after Pruitt’s role as receptionist helps Ben save a boy trapped in the storm drains in Seattle, Sullivan realizes how he can help him fit in better. Sullivan asks Pruitt to help the team warm up to him, and Pruitt tells him to find the heart of the station and appeal to that. 

After Sullivan and Andy leave to go help with the hit and run, Pruitt stays behind with Jack and helps stage an intervention as his mood swings and insomnia are affecting everyone else too. While Jack is resistant at first, Pruitt finally gets through and convinces Jack to get help. When Sullivan goes out on leave after his injuries, Pruitt steps in as interim captain. 

Pruitt ends up moving on from his first wife with Reggie (JoBeth Williams), his real estate agent, and moves out of his house into a smaller condo. While Andy is caught off guard at first, she comes to terms with it for the sake of her father’s happiness. 

Speaking of moving on. . .

Andy and Jack obviously can’t stay together as their relationship causes too many issues. Good news, Maya still has feelings for Jack and Jack’s open to a new relationship. Maya and Andy’s relationship had taken a hit after the season 2 premiere and Andy ignoring her much better plan to save a young boy, so that didn’t play into it at all. 

Keep in mind, Maya is also dealing with her drug-addicted brother who she tries to keep an eye on, but ends up in jail more times than he should. Regardless, Maya continues to reach out to her brother Mason and give him supplies, both necessities and things to help his passion for art. So a secret relationship is definitely the last thing she needs. 

But nevertheless, Jack and Maya flirt during a police training day, which gets Maya sent home early for not taking it seriously. The two end up helping out with what looks like a subway accident but turns out to be an infectious disease case, bonding further to the point where they get hot and heavy in the shower after the case. As they go about their relationship in secret, a variety of incidents show their true colors to the other one, making them fall more in love. 

Andy ends up finally finding out about Maya and Jack, which shocks her. She ends up getting over herself, thankfully, and supports the two when she realizes what the two mean to each other. She even makes up with Maya after Ripley’s death (more on that later), bringing the two to a happy end for now. Maya and Jack go public in the season two finale, and as of season three, are still together. 

Female #3 is a lot less interesting

Maybe it’s just because she’s younger, but Victoria “Vic” Hughes (Barrett Doss) definitely leaves a lesser impact versus Andy and Maya. Her biggest plot line is her fear of fire. This is just a thought but maybe don’t be a firefighter then? Regardless, Maya and Travis team up to help Vic do simulations to beat her fear. While the simulations didn’t help, staring at the flames during a call helped her defeat her fear.

Vic definitely has a temper, as when Ripley asks her who she thinks should be captain, she flips saying one of them deserves it, as other stations have structural flaws that she doesn’t want to come to Station 19. While she apologizes for her outburst, it still leaves an impression on Ripley’s decision. Vic is also the one to call on Pruitt for advice when everyone’s stuck in the garage. 

Vic ends up feeling pity for Ripley when he confesses his trauma after the skyscraper fire, and the two begin flirting. In the 4 month time jump after Andy and Sullivan’s accident, Ripley and Vic have entered a relationship. Of course, when Ripley died after poisoning, Vic was heartbroken and wanted nothing to do with the funeral. After some convincing that he would’ve spent his life with her, Vic steps up to help and Dean helps her out of her dark spot. 

Womanizer Dean Miller (Okieriete Onaodowan)

Even if Dean is a big flirt, he’s got just as big of a heart. After a woman loses her home, her new living space doesn’t allow dogs, so Dean takes in her dog Charlie. Thanks to Charlie destroying his alarm clock, Dean gets placed on desk duty when JJ (Brenda Song) comes to the station looking for help with her smoke alarm. The two would’ve never met thanks to that dog. 

Later on, Dean is on a call responding to where JJ fell off a ladder thanks to smoke inhalation. He realizes there’s a fire above, so he orders an evacuation and carries JJ out of the building. However, JJ loses a loved one in the fire, and comes to the station seeking comfort from Dean. Dean wants to ask JJ out and gets advice from Pruitt, but JJ ends up asking out Dean first. 

The two date for a while throughout season one, but being out all night with JJ starts to get to Dean. On one call for a house fire, the crew were trapped in a garage. Dean’s job was to punch in the override code, but because of how exhausted he was, he typed in the code wrong too many times, locking everyone in the garage. The two eventually broke up because of the relationship’s effect on Dean’s work. 

New season, new Dean

Since JJ is out of the picture, Dean starts flirting with Dr. Maggie Pierce (Kelly McCreary) at Grey-Sloan, but gets shot down because of her on-again/off-again relationship with a co-worker. The police training session happens on Dean’s birthday, which he tries to keep a secret. But once the beans are spilled, Jack plans a surprise party for him that he actually enjoys. 

Because of their bond, Dean and Jack plan a friendsgiving at Dean’s house, but a series of calls in a severe windstorm end the party early. After they return from their call, Pruitt asks Dean about Jack’s behavior changes, where Dean confesses his concerns. This leads to the intervention where Jack lashes out. 

To spite him, Jack calls Dean’s family to schedule dinner, but then cancel the first time. Eventually, Jack and Dean attend dinner and listen to his family berate Dean for his career choice, convincing him to do something better with his life. But when his sister expresses her desire to move out, he lets his mother set him up on a bunch of awful dates if they’ll support his sister. 

Maya ends up suggesting Dean uses her as a fake girlfriend, so his family will leave him and his love life alone. Jack sees this and falls more in love with Maya for her kindness. Dean ends up finding love in Nikki, who turns out to be an ex of Maya’s. During this time, Dean grows closer with Vic as he helps her out of her darkness caused by Ripley’s death. 

Police officers have to have fun too

While a Grey’s Anatomy spin-off for the Seattle PD hasn’t been officially announced yet, we wouldn’t be surprised based on Ryan Tanner (Alberto Frezza). An officer and close friend of Andy’s, Ryan quite often finds himself teaming up with Station 19 on calls. He also is a frequent hookup of Andy’s, like in the series premiere after Pruitt’s collapse. 

Ryan is like a son to Pruitt, as he’s the one to take Pruitt home from the hospital the first time while Andy’s on a call. Of course, he makes Ryan drop him off at the station for a moment, then Ryan can take him home. But the Herrera family isn’t the only one he helps out. 

When Maya’s brother gets arrested, Ryan is the one to call Maya and let her see him. He agrees to keep an eye on him while he does his patrols. He’s also one of the cops during the stakeout that Maya and Andy are on-call for. Ryan finds himself working with the fire crew at times, like when he and Jack worked to save a mother and her baby during the strip mall fire. He was also one of the first responders trapped in the garage during that fire. 

Watching over Pruitt and Jack

During the skyscraper fire, Ryan is on the scene for assistance until Ripley sent him away. He goes to Station 19 when Pruitt calls him saying he’s having trouble breathing. Turns out Miranda Bailey also got the same call, and the two find Pruitt unconscious and not breathing. After CPR and a quick ride to the hospital, they get Pruitt stable and find out about the blood clot in his lungs. 

Once Sullivan takes over as captain, he wants Station 19 to build a stronger relationship with the Seattle PD. He orders Jack to join Ryan in a ride-along, where Ryan orders Jack to not leave the car for any reason. While in the car, Jack is able to help get a burn victim to the hospital, and assist in an Amber Alert case, where the mother calls Jack the hero, not Ryan who actually was one. 

More daddy issues

It’s no surprise that Ryan finds a close bond with Pruitt, because his own father is a deadbeat gambler. On a bust, Ryan finds his father Greg (Dermot Mulroney) hiding and ready to give any information to keep him out of jail. Since they weren’t after him, Ryan tells him all he has to do is give a statement, which pleases Greg. Greg tries to get a ride back with Ryan so they can talk, and although he resists, he brings Greg to his next call.

While in the back, Greg tries to bond with Ryan and apologize for being absent from his life. Ryan leaves to interview a guy who claims to have been robbed, and Greg says the guy wasn’t robbed and explains how he knows. Ryan said he knew the entire time, because Greg makes him think like a criminal like he likes it or not. Greg stays silent until the end, where he says he wants a relationship with Ryan, Ryan says he doesn’t want one. 

Greg’s not so innocent

During the police training, Ryan got paired up with Andy and Vic. Andy showed Ryan how to properly do chest compressions for CPR, but Ryan couldn’t bring the dummy back to life. Later on, Ryan asks Andy to come with him to a meeting with Greg, but Greg ends up blowing them off. 

Greg shows up to Station 19 injured, saying he was helping a young boy who got into a fight, but Ryan doesn’t believe him. Ryan ended up getting an invite to Station 19’s friendsgiving. While in attendance, he finds out the FBI has a warrant out on Greg. When he goes to Pruitt with this information, he tells Ryan that he won’t say anything if he wants to spend one last day with Greg.

When everyone else goes on call, Greg brings friendsgiving to the station so Ryan and everyone else behind can participate. Ryan ends up bringing up the warrant to Greg, saying he has two options. Either Ryan turns him in and arrests him, or Greg leaves, but can never see Ryan again. Greg agrees turning him in is the best option, and tells Ryan to do it once the wind advisory goes down. However, Ryan puts off arresting him. 

Andy and Ryan, sitting in a tree for five seconds

In the four-month flash-forward, Andy and Ryan end up having sex again after her Medal of Valor ceremony. Greg reappears after Ryan told him to disappear, with a key to a storage locker full of clean money that Ryan can use to pay his dad’s mortgage. 

Pruitt continues to abuse his relationship with Ryan, having him vet buyers of his house. But in the end, it comes down to Pruitt feeling too comfortable in the house and needing a change of scenery, so he backs down. Maybe it’s a good thing, because Ryan ends up dumping Andy for fellow cop Jenna. Andy does become close to Jenna as she doesn’t want to lose her friendship with Ryan. 

Breaking Andy’s heart though, Ryan says he’s moving to San Diego with Jenna to join a paramedical program. By the end of season two, Ryan is out of the picture (and definitely not opening the door to another spin-off for Grey’s Anatomy fans). 

The heart that beats loudest

Travis Montgomery (Jay Hayden) is the one firefighter that will make you cry, because his dead husband was a firefighter too. He’s called the heart because he’s literally the most pure person on the team. He’s the other one besides Maya to help Vic get over her fear of fire, and is acting captain in place of Andy and Jack when they’re doing the captaincy drill test. 

Travis bonded closely with Edith (Marla Gibbs), an older woman he helps on a call when she dislocated her shoulder. He checks up on her to make sure her foot issues he noticed on the call get taken care of by a doctor. Edith ends up trying to set Travis up with her grandson Grant (Sterling Sulieman). Travis is reluctant at first, as he’s still reeling from his husband’s death, but Grant gets him to open up and go on a date. 

Unfortunately, in the skyscraper fire, Travis is critically injured, and Ben has to save him or another victim. It’s implied that Ben saved the other victim, and Vic ends up getting Travis out and sent to Grey-Sloan, blaming Travis for leaving him behind. Watching Travis nearly die leaves Vic devastated and leads to tension between the two of them when he returns to work. 

While recovering, Travis was taken care of by Grant. The two continue to date and Grant ends up coming to friendsgiving because the restaurant he worked at closed during the storm. When everyone else goes on call, Grant helps move it to the station, and helps prepare dinner. As everyone sits around playing cards, Grant says he has to leave when the storm lets up. But before he leaves, Grant and Travis get into a fight and break up. 

Breakups hit everyone differently

After his breakup with Grant, Travis decided to pick up a hobby to help take up his time. Of course, that didn’t go as well as he thought, while he tried a revolving door of hobbies that could fit him. Vic was worried but supported him through all of it. Maybe because of his breakup, but Vic also confided in Travis about her relationship with Ripley, and Travis was shocked because of the power dynamic of her hooking up with the chief. 

Since he was still recovering, all the guys of Station 19 went to Travis’ house to help him repaint, including Sullivan last minute. While there’s definitely an awkward energy at first, Sullivan started dancing to his favorite song, and got them to all dance around Travis’ house. During another emergency, Ripley finds out Travis knows about him and Vic, which leads to an argument between the two. 

Travis was the main person to know about Vic and Ripley’s relationship, so when Ripley passes, Travis tries to comfort Vic. But she pushes him away and ends up arguing with him, trying to grieve alone. At an event following the funeral, Travis punches another firefighter, getting himself arrested when the firefighter presses charges. So we’ll have to wait and see if Travis can get himself out of jail. 

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With so many plotlines, it’s understandable you’re probably still confused by what’s going on in Station 19. Not to mention some of this stuff happened during Grey’s Anatomy in the several other crossovers they’ve done. But you’re definitely better prepared than you were for the season 3 premiere of Station 19. 

Tune in to ABC at 8pm for the season premiere, and stay locked on at 9pm for the Grey’s Anatomy winter premiere that concludes the crossover.