Because Now I Have to Start All Over Again

It was such an incredibly heavy hour with a field of study they handled beautifully.

Jaina Lee Ortiz deserves nothing merely praise for her incredible performance throughout Station nineteen Flavour v Episode 15.

Her powerful performance coincided with an every bit powerful hour of Station 19 and 1 of the series' all-time.

Sexual assault is an issue that'south difficult to capture on goggle box in a manner that feels authentic and raw but not exploitative, and fortunately, the hour captured the right tone.

From the opening moments to the shocking and dramatic ending, we were correct there with Andy as she endured another traumatic consequence that shouldn't hit so close to home simply ever does.

Why? Because as the statistics go, ane in every 6 women has been the victim of sexual assault.

Truthfully, it's similar a ill, twisted rite of passage of womanhood considering if one is fortunate plenty to have never been a victim of information technology, you tin can typically bet that they know someone who has.

It was a topical subject to explore, and the timing couldn't be any meliorate as April is Sexual Attack Awareness Calendar month. And Station 19 pieced together a well-written hour that realistically and gracefully covered the topic.

I of the strongest aspects was how they interweaved what Andy experienced in the nowadays with flashbacks to her past.

The events of both timelines unfurled and then intersected. We learned a lot about Helena in those flashbacks, and information technology was interesting to encounter her in a flattering light which contrasted with Pruitt.

Memories are a hell of a thing, and sometimes it requires the fog of childhood to life before we tin run into things clearer. Andy's perception of her mother has always been warped, and she'south oft idea the earth of Pruitt.

The flashbacks added more than context to things, and information technology worked seamlessly with the rest of the hour. You didn't doubtfulness for a second how much Helena loved Andy.

Her reaction to a young Andy scuffed upwards was so visceral that you knew information technology came from a darker identify where she experienced her own things.

Life isn't off-white, mija. Yous should know that past at present. You lot'll figure that out eventually.

Helena

I loved when she shut downward the notion that the boy that pushed and injure Andy did it considering "he liked her." Information technology's such a pervasive and disturbing notion that's so deeply embedded into the fabric of social club that no one bats an eye at it.

Why exercise we teach young girls that a male child expresses his love through violence and violation? And in the same breath, judge women when they've internalized this warped view of love?

It'south so misogynistic and the epitome of upholding toxic masculinity and stripping men of accountability, restraint, and self-command.

Helena wasn't having any of it, and she put Andy in self-defense force courses and then fast that her head spun. Pruitt didn't seem to understand, and his reaction to information technology was alarming. It was axiomatic that Helena experienced some course of violence, and she wanted her girl to be able to fight dorsum, probable because once upon a fourth dimension, she could non.

And that stuck with Andy, muscle retentivity in a time of need, longer than her mom did. The flashbacks added texture and gravitas to the residue of the hour beautifully.

But it was such a difficult watch. The episode didn't hold back on capturing how the system can fail victims from top to bottom.

It'southward no question that Andy did everything right, but the 2d those outside of her friends got involved, it was similar she was placed on trial.

The initial cops who responded to her were abysmal. They could have institute two more than insensitive men to interview Andy. Information technology was evident that they were not trained to speak with survivors of sexual set on.

They lacked sympathy and compassion and, in many ways, respect. Information technology was another subtle way of exploring what the series has continued to bear on: lack of grooming across the lath in commencement responder fields.

If Ben weren't there to advocate for Andy when she was still in a state of shock, things could've worsened, and they probably wouldn't accept taken a sexual assault kit or whatever evidence.

All you could think about in those scenes were how so many existent-life people suffer this and become this awful handling -- they go violated and invalidated all again. They fall through the cracks.

Retrieve of how many other sexual attack cases never went anywhere considering those two officers never told a confused, troubled victim what was available to them and what the process was?

She did what I couldn't practise. She did what many of united states of america can't practise.

Carina

It'southward already bad enough those rape kits will sit in evidence rooms collecting dust too many times to count, but considering untrained cops can say they aren't prepared for this similar hospitals are, any shot of justice or command gets done downward the drain when a victim isn't walked through all the steps.

Like so many aspects of this hour, each scene was more than powerful than the side by side. The delineation of Andy taking the sexual assault kit was enough to requite you chills.

I appreciated how Carina and Helm walked Andy through the process and informed her that they would ask her consent for each part of information technology. Information technology's an important function of that process, only Carina brilliantly explained why when she informed Andy that this is their way of giving it back after control was taken from her.

It was one of the well-nigh poignant lines of the installment.

Consent is an ongoing negotiation, it'south not a contract that you lot're locked into.

Carina

In those moments, all the intendance, tenderness, and attention were directed toward Andy and making sure that she felt safe and equally comfortable as possible.

And since we know the state Carina was in before that moment, it was more touching that she pushed through her own trauma and triggers to be the professional and friend that Andy needed.

Unfortunately, while sexual assault isn't something that exclusively affects women, it's an ever-present part of womanhood that, if you oasis't experienced it, you're aware and agape that you could.

Carina didn't go into all the details, but it was heartbreaking to learn that she, too, is a sexual assault survivor. And worse yet, she withal carries the complicated myriad of emotions that came with her not fighting back.

In a few seconds and a couple of lines, the shame she felt because of that was palpable, and you wanted to achieve through the screen and hold her, remind her that she did nothing wrong.

And while she could've confided in other people during that brief moment, it worked out that it was Jack. Not simply has their unique friendship become an highly-seasoned aspect of the season, just Jack has become a bit of a safe infinite.

It was likewise essential to hear that he, too, was a survivor. Male victims of sexual assault are rarely acknowledged. They managed to address that, which gave us more insight into Jack's background every bit a street kid without detracting from Andy.

Merely because of Jack's general compassion and empathy, it felt natural that he was one of the people who could provide Andy the nigh comfort after the ordeal.

Andy, command was taken from you tonight. Nosotros're giving it back to you lot.

Carina

He gave her infinite when she needed it, merely he knew her well enough to provide physical comfort and a feeling of safety, lying in that bed with her when she needed that, also. And all without saying a discussion.

It's moments like that when y'all're reminded of how close and in tune the two of them are with one another. And much like when the squad rallied around Vic, lying there in silence with her, they did the same with Andy in the most beautiful scene of the hr.

The visual shot of them crowded in that room, holding space and radiating condolement, was plenty to move you to tears.

At its core, Station 19 is most this family unit, and you lot can always count on them coming together when times are tough.

And they have some seriously tough times ahead of them. They should've called another unit to the scene when they learned about Jeremy, but information technology'south understandable why they poured all their free energy into keeping him alive.

How sad is it that despite the circumstances and the show that this man attacked Andy, everyone instinctively knew that the organization isn't designed to protect victims immediately?

Andy fought for her life, reacted, resorted to fight, and so flight, and there's still a chance that she'll catch hell for killing this human.

It's one of the reasons why I appreciated that the serial depicted her assault the mode they did. His attempted rape was notwithstanding sexual attack.

Too oft, people diminish what sexual attack entails and assume that if it doesn't play out in a specific way, it doesn't count.

Not only did the hour showcase that what Andy endured constitutes sexual assault and is valid, and had all of our protagonists treat information technology as such. But it sadly will also atomic number 82 to the realistic depiction of what survivors similar Andy have to endure when the organisation attempts to paint it as "murky."

Y'all could already hear the way the regime wanted to speak virtually it. The cops mentioned that "she thought" she was almost to get assaulted instead of acknowledging that she was. They had already questioned her about her drinking.

In one of the most disturbing moments, they asked her why she didn't phone call an ambulance for her assaulter or run away from him if he was "already down." In their minds, her job every bit a paramedic and firefighter should've superseded her reaction equally an assault victim.

Sullivan: If you could practice information technology over once again, would yous do information technology differently?
Andy: No.
Sullivan: Practiced. Because he'southward the bad guy.

Andy will barely have time to process her trauma because at present she has to fear that she could become to jail because Jeremy died.

Sullivan, Vic, and Maya defying Beckett and continuing with their treatment of Jeremy will have consequences. The homicide detectives were already on their cases and painting them negatively because of that.

It was infuriating that the homicide detectives reacted and jumped into this responding to Jermey'due south death quicker than Andy'due south assail. The whole thing is a potential mess for the station.

But my heart is shattered for Andy correct at present. The sexual assault arc was dark enough, merely the element of her potentially facing a manslaughter trial -- seeing her survive something and so barbarous merely to go read her rights by the stop of the hr -- it's too much to carry.

Additional Notes:

• That Sullivan and Andy scene with him reminding her that she didn't exercise anything incorrect and why she wouldn't change annihilation was fantastic. No affair what happens between those two, that love will always be in that location, and information technology'due south touching.

• Sullivan laying his threats down to Beckett was hot.

• Speaking of Beckett, when will we be done with him? He's like the dispassionate bodyguard with issues and no depth.

• In news that is surprising to no one, Jack agreed to be the sperm donor, and now we take some weird triad infant. Information technology didn't feel right to delve into this during this installment, only they've missed the marker with this storyline.

Carina: Is, is that a yes?
Jack: I think so, yes.
Carina: Are yous sure?

• I adore Jack with my whole heart, and he's smart enough to know that he would want to be involved with his child. Merely he deserves more than than getting pulled into a married couple's family.

• It's incredibly frustrating that Pru is right there to be the station child, but a same-sex couple can't simply have a baby of their ain without unwittingly sending the message that they can't exist a family without the addition of a human being. I'thousand at a loss with the direction of this.

• And it's non comparable to Greyness's Beefcake's Callie, Arizona, and Marker situation because Arizona came into information technology as a stepparent. If Jack knocked upward i of them, fine, but in that location's literally no reason for this.

• Sense of humour is important to break up the tension, but Travis and Theo'due south drunken antics were a scrap cringeworthy and downplayed the seriousness rather than breaking up some of it.

• 'The actress who played young Andy was fantastic.

Over to you, Station 19 Fanatics.

Was this a powerful installment? Are you lot shocked by that ending? What do you make of this Carina/Maya/Jack baby situation? Sound off below!

All-new episodes render on May 5. if you demand to take hold of up before then, y'all tin spotter Station 19 online here via TV Fanatic.

The RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline is 800.656.HOPE (4673), or you can get to online.rainn.org.

Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for Television Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.

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Source: https://www.tvfanatic.com/2022/04/station-19-season-5-episode-15-review-when-the-partys-over/

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