Station 19 Season 1 Episode 5: Shock to the System Review

If you would like to read my review of last’s week episode, click here.

Synopsis: Miranda Bailey visits Ben at work, meeting his new co-workers for the first time. While most of the team responds to a motor vehicle accident involving an electrical danger, Andy and Maya are paired up to go on their first stakeout. (TVGuide)

Writer: Anupam Nigam

Director: Milan Cheylov

Rating: TV-14

Running Time: 43 mins

Airs: Thursdays at 9pm on CTV (Canada)/ABC (United States)

“Shock to the System”starts off with a woman driving down the street passing by a city worker fixing an electrical box on a hydro pole. Ben and Miranda lay in bed discussing their jobs when she suggests they avoid talking about all the dangers of firefighting. Miller arrives at JJ’s place to get her new form and get a lay of the landscape so to speak. She can see right through it and asks Miller to come by tonight for Thai and wine.

Back to the big issue at the station, Andy and Gibson are waiting to hear from Pruitt after what he saw. He emerges and explains he would have never put them both up for the captaincy if he knew and that the team deserves to know the truth. Their reveal is interrupted when Andy is called to a stakeout with Maya and they do not seem pleased to work together. The two women discuss their grievances with one another, particularly Andy’s lack of real friendship towards Maya, while Ryan and his team execute a raid on a warehouse.

Andy opens up about what happened with Gibson and Ryan causing Maya to become frustrated with Andy’s decision making which prompts her to take a mental lap to cool down. Andy and Maya watch the feed for the raid, but it cuts out causing Andy to become concerned when she hears gunshots. She wants to head in, but Maya tells her they need to wait. They receive the call to move in because an officer is down and Andy is relieved it isn’t Ryan. When the girls are alone again, Maya opens up about how Ryan has been helping her with her brother and Andy feels like a terrible friend.

Meanwhile, Gibson, who is captain for this round, gives some orders to the team who know there is something up between Gibson and Pruitt. Pruitt brings over a pregnant walk-in who needs someone to set up three car seats for her and Pruitt suggests Gibson is perfect for the job. The team gossip about the two of them butting heads, saying perhaps Pruitt has picked Andy’s side for the captaincy, when Ben comes in with a surprise guest for lunch: Miranda.

As the team is called off, Miranda is left to hang out with Pruitt and she chastises him for coming to work as she reveals he is not as well as initially thought. They fight back and forth about his health when the pregnant walk-in reveals she is still there and Miranda goes into doctor mode. As the team returns, Miranda asks them about their significant others’ thoughts on their profession, they are called off again. Montgomery talks with Gibson about knowing what is happening and Gibson accidentally reveals his secret relationship which Montgomery plays along with. Uh oh.

As Ben thanks everyone for helping him give reassurance to Miranda on how dangerous the job is, they pull up to downed live hydro wires that have fallen onto a vehicle. While the team tries to pry the wires away, Ben talks to the driver to try to keep him calm, but they notice a gas leak. The team improvises and are able to get the driver out of the vehicle, but he slips trying to get to safety and electrocutes himself. Ben decides to take off his equipment and try to save the driver.

Thankfully the power has been cut and the team starts to work on him. They are able to bring him back, but he needs immediate surgery. As they go to intubate, the driver requests to call his wife and turns out it’s the pregnant walk-in. Because everything is connected. She’s able to tell him she loves him before he dies. Back at the station, Pruitt checks in on Ben after what happened and Montgomery lets the rest of the team know about Gibson and Andy’s relationship and they start to spiral about trust.

The episode ends with a tense and awkward conversation in the mesh hall where Andy and Gibson tell the team the truth. Each of them ask questions about the relationship and how that would affect the station until Andy reveals they broke up. That night, Miller arrives at JJ’s to take her out to dinner, but he’s consumed by the information from work and he just wants to talk to her. After rambling his feelings out she’s kisses him and brings him back into her apartment. Miranda arrives home and asks Ben about his day because she wants to be a part of his world, but he shuts down and doesn’t open up to her. Finally, Andy heads over to Ryan’s that evening and knocks on his door before running away, leaving him on his porch alone and confused.

Captain’s Log

• Who will end up becoming Captain of Station 19?
• Will Pruitt Herrera’s cancer take a turn for the worst?
• Will Montgomery and Grant become a thing?
• Will Maya and Ryan let sparks fly between them?
• How will Victoria beat her fear of fire?
• What will Victoria and Ben’s relationship be going forward? Seems like she may fall for him.
• Will Ben decide firefighting is not for him and change careers yet again? He did not seem good during this week’s call.
• Will the dynamic at Station 19 change with Gibson and Andy’s secret coming out?

Overall, this was a great episode. Each of the main storylines were strong as friendships were mended, romances were explored and characters are being forced to their limits. The team is obviously shaken by the news and this will probably cause a divide between them and their leadership for the remainder of the season. This episode gave a glimpse into the dynamic of the entire station and their individual friendships beyond their relationships with Andy or Gibson, which is instrumental in setting up a strong Shondaland ensemble. If one thing is clear, the news of this secret sent a shock that rippled through the station and will cause problems for a while. Perhaps that sets up for a third party’s hat to be thrown into the ring for captain of Station 19.

Score: 8.5/10

What did you think of “Shock to the System”?  Let me know in the comments below!

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Dylan Phillips