#Station 19 Season 4 Episode 2 Review: Wild World

A wild world it is indeed.

Between a global pandemic, tons of relationship drama, and a tiger on the loose, things can definitely be classified as such.

While there was an overemphasis on the wilder aspects, Station 19 Season 4 Episode 2 was still a solid follow-up to the season opener and did a decent job in setting the tone for the season.

Elena may be a piece of work, but at least Andy still has some good relatives left in her corner.

This installment focused on Andy reconnecting with her estranged family, and to say it went 10 times better than her reunion with Elena would be an understatement.

Andy: Everything’s exactly like when we were kids.

Johnny: Why change a good thing, right?

Andy: I love it. Thank you so much, but really you didn’t have to go through all this trouble.

Michelle: She thinks we did this all for her.

Sandra: Honey, we do this every weekend, but now you’re going to have to join us.

Michelle: Now, they’re gonna make you even when you don’t want to.

Andy: Of course you all never stopped doing this. You just stopped inviting me.

Sandra: Elena, that was a strange situation.

Johnny: But we’re your family, and we love you, and that never changed.

Sandra: Andy, I know what that face means.

Andy: No, it’s fine. It’s whatever.

Sandra: No, it wasn’t fine, and it’s not whatever, but know we have you back.

While there was still some resentment over Sandra, Johnny, and Michelle abruptly leaving her life and not telling her the truth, this family reunion was exactly what Andy needed.

Unlike Elena, Sandra and co. apologized for their actions and left Andy know that while she may have forgotten her, they never forgot her.

The small revelations that Sandra, Johnny, and Michelle had secretly been keeping track of Andy and showing up to support her was a meaningful gesture to the lieutenant, who had assumed her family had abandoned her.

What was even more consequential was Michelle revealing she had tried to tell Andy the truth all those years ago, and it was for that reason that Pruitt decided to cut off contact with Elena’s family.

Both of those discoveries, and the ease with which the family fell back into old patterns, was a major turning point for Andy.

Ever since Pruitt died, Andy has been clinging to this notion that she’s been all alone.

It started when she lost Ryan and worsened when she learned her father would soon follow.

That fear was part of the reason she jumped at marrying Sullivan, so she wouldn’t have to be alone when her father eventually passed.

However, now that Andy has some semblance of family back in her life, it takes some of the pressure of her and Sullivan’s relationship.

Michelle: I missed you so much.

Andy: Well, you could have reached out. So many times you could have reached out. Why didn’t anyone tell me the truth?

Michelle: Andy, I tried to. That’s why we never saw you again.

Sullivan no longer has to be everything for Andy, and that’ll help their marriage in the long run.

After the 90 days are up, the pair can try to get back to just being husband and wife, not the end all be all for the other, which isn’t healthy for either of them.

On a slightly different note, it was just nice to see Andy happy and carefree for a change.

She’s had the weight of the world on her shoulders for so long.

So it was great for her to finally get the chance to relax and just enjoy herself.

Yes, her problems won’t just magically disappear now that she’s reconnected with her family, but it was nice they took a backseat for a day.

As for Sullivan, he spent the episode begrudgingly working the steps.

It’s understandable that he’s having second thoughts about his separation, wondering if it’s really necessary.

Sullivan: I miss my wife. Do you really think this separation thing is necessary?

Amelia: I’m not sure of anything, but I know if the relationship is strong, it can survive a temporary separation in service of your sobriety. And I know that if you’re staying sober for your wife, the first time you have a fight, you’ll have an excuse to use drugs, so the point of the separation is to learn to stay sober for yourself.

However, thankfully, Amelia was there to remind him what was what.

She’s not an expert by any means, but as a woman who has relapsed a few times and had her fair share of relationship woes, she’s definitely an authority figure and someone who Sullivan should listen to.

As previously discussed, Sullivan and Andy taking some time apart is the best thing for both of them right now.

Sullivan needs to focus on his sobriety, and Amelia was right in that Andy can’t be the reason Sullivan stays sober.

He has to work the program himself and put in the effort if he wants to remain clean.

No one said this was going to be an easy task but prioritizing his sobriety above all else is a good first step.

He also now has another person in his corner in the former of Richard Webber, his new sponsor.

Like Sullivan, I’d assumed that Amelia was his sponsor, but her reasoning for why she wasn’t and couldn’t be make sense, and for a No. 2 choice there is no one better than Richard.

Maya: So, what’s going on there?

Jack: We’re hanging out. OK, why is everyone in this fire station obsessed with who I spend time with?

Maya: Because who you spend time with usually has catastrophic results for the rest of us.

Jack: Like with you?

Maya: Exactly. Spending time with her how?

Jack: I bring her groceries, and Marcus talks my face off about his video games. Not exactly the tour de affair you’re imagining.

Maya: But knowing you, it’s only a matter of time.

Jack: No, she feels more like a sister.

Maya: But she’s not a sister. She’s a young hot straight woman, and you need not to pretend that she isn’t.

Jack: Why?

Maya: Because otherwise you might accidentally slip and fall and land in her bed.

Jack: I’m pretty sure my captain’s not supposed to be talking to me like that.

Maya: It’s safety advice. That’s all.

Richard’s been battling his alcoholism for decades and was the one who helped Amelia when she relapsed on Grey’s Anatomy.

He’s a great pick, and him opening up first shows he’s an even better sponsor.

Now, it wouldn’t be Station 19 without relationship drama, and this episode there was plenty.

Starting with Maya and Carina, after getting off to a rocky start on Station 19 Season 3, the pair are stronger than ever.

They were desparately missing each other, and that separation took more of a toll on Carina, who has had to deal with losing mothers and their babies during their pandemic.

Carina has always been more of an upbeat character, so watching her reach her breaking point was sad.

Her pain was palpable, and it was a good reminder that the pandemic effects the lives of doctors in ways we don’t think.

She and Maya had been trying to do the responsible thing and keep apart, but it was clear neither was happy.

While it was noble they were trying to emulate Bailey and Ben, Ben was right in that his and Bailey’s situation was different than theirs.

Carina: Both, I’m guessing.

Maya: What?

Carina: I missed you, and I brought you something.

Maya: I’m walking away from you before I start breaking all the rules.

Carina: Good.

Maya: Move in with me.

Carina: What?

Maya: Quarantining is basically just moving in together, but I don’t want to just basically do anything with you. I want to do everything for real. I know we have barely spent three days together since I broke your trust, but I’m hoping that me asking you to move in with me is a sign that I’m all the way in.

Carina: Actually, um, I came here to ask you the exact same thing.

For Bailey and Ben, it made more sense for them to keep their distance, but that may not be necessarily true for Maya and Carina.

Quarantining Moving in together is a big step, and there’ll definitely be some growing pains, but this decision will inject some much needed happiness into their, and at a time like this, who can fault them.

As for Dean and Vic, the non-couple started the episode off on pretty bad terms, but all of that was magically solved when Dean saved her from being a tiger’s lunch.

I guess that’s all it takes in this day and age to be let off the hook; you just have to prevent an escaped exotic animal from killing your bestie that you’re secretly in love with.

While it’s nice that they made up, it just felt forced.

Vic had reason to be mad at Dean, especially after she learned he and Sasha broke up.

And even though him saving her life does put things into perspective, she shouldn’t have left hom off that easily.

She deserved an actual explanation from Dean about his wishy-washy decision-making as of late, but she’s not going to get an answer until Dean is ready to admit his love to her.

Telling Vic the truth will complicate their friendship, but after everything Vic did to help him and Prue out, she more than deserves it.

Dean: I just couldn’t keep living with her. There was no way.

Jack: So, you’re not gonna…

Dean: And I can’t tell her why I asked her to leave, or why I broke up with Sasha, so she just thinks I’m an ass, which is like, I guess I’m just supposed to live with that.

Jack: What’s the alternative?

Dean: The alternative is tell her the truth, I guess.

He may not be ready to do so, but at some point, he’ll have to.

There’s no way Vic doesn’t find out somehow someway this season that Dean’s in love with her, and it’ll be better coming from him.

With Vic now officially unencumbered, she and Dean do have a shot at happiness, if only he has the courage to make the first move.

Lastly, Jack and Nora’s non-relationship didn’t get much clarification this episode, but we did learn that Jack does care for her.

Maya was right in that he needs to realize how Nora may see things and decide what he wants before someone gets hurt.

Nora isn’t like some of Jack’s other flings: She has a child and an abusive ex.

Getting involved with Jack is a little more complicated than a simple romp in the sack, so it was considerate that Jack realized that and wanted to do things differently.

Of all the characters, Jack is one of the ones who’s grown the most of the course of the series and is a better man for it.

Some stray thoughts:

• Only in the Grey’s Anatomy universe would a tiger be on the lose. That plot point was so incredulous and inane, and yet still highly entertaining.

  Maybe it’s because the world is utter chaos right now that an escaped exotic animal actually makes for some distracting fodder, no matter how implausible that it ended up at Station 19.

• The guys giving Ben a hard time about being the dad of the group is pretty funny. I’m not sure if these jokes have always been around or just recently ramped up, but it’s all in good fun and very entertaining.

• Travis is still dealing with the fallout from learning his father is gay, and this episode it affected him while on shift. Being a firefighter can be dangerous, and Travis needs to sort out his feelings before it gets him killed.

  Hopefully, he’ll confront his father sooner because Travis deserves answers and the chance to vent and call his father out for the hypocrasy.

• Remember when we were promised a lighter tone this season? Not really seeing how a pandemic qualifies as lighter.

So what did you think, Station 19 Fanatics?

How do you feel about Andy reconnecting with her family?

Will Sullivan stay sober?

What are your thoughts on all the relationship drama?

Don’t forget to hit the comments below to let me know your thoughts. If you happened to miss the latest episode, remember you can watch Station 19 online at TV Fanatic.

Jessica Lerner is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.