#but the way they had ross tell carina happily

[metabolizemotions]

705 had the best action sequence in recent seasons. I love callbacks to the skyscraper fire and storage facility fire. Rewatching those scenes also reminded me of how different the show has become. It had more variety, and humor - even in tragedy. It was more character-driven, and had a better focus on team camaraderie and friendships - Dean/Jack, Maya/Andy and Vic/Travis ...

After Dean's passing, they really don't know what to do with Jack. Vic and Travis haven't had many substantial scenes. Maya and Andy were sort of besties in name only. There was a shift to focus more on captaincy race, SFD politics and darker issues w/o the necessary levity for balance. Let alone any breathing space for them to just hang out together. The inter-personal dynamics became more isolated and the characters became more one-dimensional to shoehorn the stories to serve the overall plots.

705 showed 5 women as impactful and effective first responders. Ross commanding the scene as chief; Andy directing the rescue efforts; Maya leading and supporting from her position; Vic taking control of a claustrophobic rescue situation giving first aid n emotional guidance; Carina providing improvised professional medical care for accident victims on site.

I wish there was more follow-thru on the complexities of the characters sprinkled thru out the seasons... that the show had been more about friendships, esp female friendships and not rivalry... that they didn't make it a zero-sum game but allowed both Maya and Andy to thrive cos they are both leaders in their own way.

I wish Maya, Vic and Andy still hung out, even when their friendship evolved and Carina had joined them in their shenanigans before all she thought about was babies... that Carina hadn't just thought about and talked about babies.

I wish they hadn't structured the narrative to have a female chief put down a fellow female firefighter cos of a man.

Rewatching also reminded me of how good, just n meticulous Ripley was as a chief. I can't get behind the way they are framing Ross as the best chief of Seattle, almost like just cos she's a woman. As a woman, she could have been more empathetic towards the sexism women faced n even if she didn't lift them up, at least don't push them down. She toed the line n was part of the system until it didn't serve her. Only then she called out sexism when she was caught red-handed at breaking the rules she claimed was of the upmost importance to uphold no matter what, as a good soldier.

The way Maya broke the rules to save a dying kid, accepted demotion to keep 19 together, but got buried for supporting BLM, was not giving a proper hearing, even when she was a good captain. She got no support from the team and was basically told to suck it up. The way Ross broke the rules to have a sexual relationship with an ex she promoted, but the whole team was in full support of her, cos "love is love", and one had to do what it took to be whole human beings...?

After being biased against Maya, and giving Beckett the benefit of the doubt despite the rumors of his almost-demotions. Ross respected him, give him many chances despite his poor attitude n performance n complaints against him...

In a way, Ross and Sullivan giving Beckett empathy w/o holding him accountable enabled his addiction and spiral. Also, both holding Maya accountable w/o empathy led to her mental and physical breakdown. They should have facilitated Beckett's therapy, not Maya's abuse.

Addiction can be substance-based or behavioral. Beckett was never sober b4 704. Maya's bottle was not the sole reason for his drinking. Drinking was his coping mechanism (n apparently bullying too). Maya coped with physical assertion, like how she pushed herself to her limits under Lane's abuse.

Ultimately what they did or didn't do reflect on who they were as people. They all made mistakes. Only Maya truly owned up and made amends. The way Ross didn't trust Maya when she handed her the photo mirrored Beckett's distrust. I interpreted it as from Ross's perspective, she would have an angle using the photo for her adv if she were Maya, so she questioned if Maya did. Beckett did not trust Maya cos he knew the team did not trust him as captain having not gained respect or trust. In part also maybe due to their guilty conscience of what they did to Maya and ashamed of their own abuse of power? Possibly as subtle subtext?

When Ross wanted both her job and her relationship and was afraid that Sullivan would make her play small cos in her careers men had made her feel small n saw her as a chess piece. Yet, she, together with the men, saw Maya as a chess piece n made her feel so small...

#i know it's about maya's unhealthy obsessive nature #n her priorities shifting #but the way they had ross tell carina happily #that maya was not applying to be captain... #when she took part in breaking her spirit n ambition #instead of having ross have a convo with maya #showed some decency or remorse... #maya was wrong but she wasnt right either #i don't know if it's to be implied #but if only maya's apologies r on screen #i'll assume those r the only apologies going around #not angry rant #but got too long again... #station 19 comments #station 19