Igniting Hope: Why Netflix Should Rescue Station 19
The raging inferno that is a passionate and devoted fanbase with a mission can never be put out.
Not even the firefighters of Station 19 can douse the flames of the passionate fans’ relentless pursuit of rescuing this series they love.
It’s been an organized reckoning with fans making their voices heard since the second the Station 19 cancelation was announced.
Part of that fight includes passionate pleas for someone to pick up the series, and Netflix would be just the streamer to do it.
We were just discussing how the future is Bright for Netflix, the biggest streamer out there. If anyone could save this series and capitalize off the success that it could bring, it’s them.
Saving Station 19 Would Bring the Series Back Under Shondaland’s Helm
Station 19 is a Shondaland series, and given Shonda Rhimes’ lucrative deal with Netflix, it would only seem right to have one of her older babies joining her new ones.
Grey’s Anatomy already drops each season after it airs on broadcast.
For that reason alone, it would make sense for Netflix to carve out a space for Station 19 as well. As the direct spinoff to the flagship medical series, having the two together under the same, most popular streamer makes sense.
It also grants individuals who stream Grey’s Anatomy faithfully the opportunity to experience the series correlating to Grey’s Anatomy, something that can’t be passed up.
But it also grants Station 19 the opportunity to hold its own as a series and blossom without only being associated with its connection to Grey’s Anatomy.
Shifting it to Netflix would bring it back under the more immediate domain of Shonda Rhimes, and it could feel like a priority.
Netflix Would Acquire a Ratings Success and Promotion Could Lead to a Bigger Payoff
Ironically, Station 19 has always found massive success despite limited promotion compared to other series on the ABC network.
It’s no secret that the promotion behind the series has been underwhelming at best, and it was always generally puzzling.
At the same time, there was so little investment in circulating the series around and giving it its proper due compared to the flagship series or other shows on the network, from The Rookie to the newly acquired 9-1-1.
Yet, despite the little promotion Station 19 would receive, it was a ratings goldmine.
Station 19 Season 6 was ABC’s most-watched and highest-rated drama during the 2022-23 TV season in live+ same-day results.
The series tied The Rookie at number two in the demo for scripted dramas right after Grey’s Anatomy, and it averaged about 8.3 million viewers last season.
Station 19’s ratings were nothing to sniff at, and despite getting placed in the death slot that is 10 p.m. on Thursdays, capping off the night after 9-1-1 and mothership, Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19 is doing well when you consider that.
As ratings have taken a hit for many series since they’ve returned after the strikes, Station 19 is doing better than one could’ve imagined in the demo for its unfavorable late-night slot.
If Station 19 could pull off these successes and ratings on ABC with limited promotion, what could the series do on a larger streamer platform like Netflix, which will take the time to provide some coverage and promotion for the series?
It’s also no secret that the series has a diverse global fanbase, which only adds to the appeal and marketability when it can reach more of its International audience under the streamer.
It could become a top trending global hit on Netflix.
Station 19 Could Be Another Case of the Suits Effect
We’ve seen the Suits renaissance on Netflix and how the series, composed of nine seasons, became a mega-hit and found a whole new, broader audience on Netflix.
It’s unprecedented, and the streamer is interested in riding that wave with other works.
Station 19 is a great candidate for that, as the series has always done incredibly well but had a shocking level of reach. It means that it could be another sensation if only it were given a chance and the right platform.
Netflix is the best platform for Station 19.
Related: Station 19 Review: Celebrating 100 Episodes, Craving 100 More
It also means that they can swoop in on the canceled series, and there will be no turnaround to revive it and take it to the next level.
Netflix picking it up would place them ahead of the curve, where they don’t have to capitalize off of an older series but can invest in and reap the benefits of a current one by providing new seasons.
Acquiring Screwed Over Successful Series Has Already Served Netflix Well
Let’s be honest: Netflix isn’t new to this; they’re true to it.
Picking up a fan-favorite series after an insane campaign highlighting fan devotion isn’t new for Netflix.
And they’ve already seen how it pays off! Lucifer was a bonafide hit on Netflix before it came to a natural end, and they can find that exact type of success with Station 19.
The fandom and the months-long campaign to save it that hasn’t let up is showing as much! The ratings are backing them as well.
Netflix would give Station 19 the bigger platform it deserves, and the compelling characters, exciting storylines, action-packed firefighting, and a healthy dose of drama will do the rest.
They don’t have to start from scratch with this series, which has a built-in audience and the prospects for an even bigger one.
And they can elevate what’s already there. It’s prime for a Netflix touch.
There’s a Shortage of First Responder/Firefighter Dramas on the Streamer
There’s a clear market for a first responder drama on Netflix.
For the most part, the streamer tends to acquire dramas that have already wrapped up, like the medical dramas New Amsterdam and The Resident.
While there is no shortage of diverse genres to appease audiences, there is little to choose from regarding firefighting scripted fare.
Netflix has a few docuseries on the topic, like Firechasers, and middling foreign series with mixed reception, such as the Spanish series High Heat or Dutch drama Under Fire, but nothing of the caliber of Station 19 with the mass appeal.
It’s an untapped market that the streamer could take on and continue to develop, and Station 19 also heavily leans into the type of action and thrills that so many Netflix series already possess.
Station 19’s Diversity and Topical Storytelling Could Truly Thrive on Netflix
It’s not that ABC doesn’t do a damn good job already out of the letter networks when it comes to its diversity because it does.
It’s arguably one of the strongest of broadcast television in regards to not shying away from representation, multiculturalism, queer and disabled representation, female-led and focused series, and much more.
Station 19 has all of that, which is one of many reasons it resonates so well with such a broad audience and contributes significantly to the series’ appeal.
Related: Does Shondaland Target Vulnerable Communities For An Emotional Response?
But that’s why it would be even better on Netflix. This streamer leans pretty heavily into diversity in representation, spanning race, gender, sexual orientation, neurodivergence, and so much more.
Station 19’s storytelling and cast align well with the Netflix series and what so many of them have to offer.
It can build upon what’s already established and have more expansive storytelling and exploration, especially since Netflix can play around with the ratings.
Station 19 already brings the action and doesn’t shy away from some intense scenes, but can you imagine how much grittier it can be with a bigger budget and no limit on language?
Let’s be honest; there have been more than a few times when we know on any other show that Andy Herrera, Maya Bishop, and a few others would be cursing like sailors over some of the situations they were in or dealing with others.
The series would have the space to be its most authentic self with some of the freedom they’d get from being on a streamer, and it would only make the series better.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out how much sexier the series could also be.
Again, we saw how much fun Lucifer was on Netflix, and it allowed Mr. Morningstar to step into his own and be his true hedonistic, sexy, terrifying, potty-mouthed self.
There’s a reason (well, many) why Station 19 resonates so much with its audience and has elicited such outcry.
Related: Station 19 Fans Are Desperate to Save The Show … But Is It Ending At the Perfect Time?
There are very few series like it on the air that are conversation starters and bring to light so many topical issues via the exploration of everyday heroes.
And for Station 19, everyday heroes actually look and are like everyday people.
Seeing a series with so many women in leadership positions in male-dominated fields, such as firefighting, is inspiring.
It’s particularly a rarity to see women of color at the helm in such a way. Andy Herrera is an inspiration as the series lead for all of her strengths and flaws.
Unlike many we’ve seen before, we got to follow her journey as a Latina passionate about her job, which is more like a calling and purpose for her than anything else.
It’s not often stories about women, especially women of color, who are so career and goal-oriented, are shown without getting demonized for their passions.
It’s also the same for Natasha Ross. She’s an incredible character with so much depth, yet it’s rare to see a woman of her caliber in her position.
The series never shies away from depicting the glass ceilings that these incredible women, like Vic Hughes and Maya Bishop, have to overcome and break through to achieve what they have.
And that’s the thing: Station 19 gives us FIVE of these women at once with Andy, Maya, Natasha, Vic, and Carina.
Station 19’s Multifaceted Characters Are Irreplaceable and Necessary
The mere thought that we could permanently lose the Station 19 characters is too much to bear.
We touched on the diversity of the series, but it expands beyond what one typically thinks about when that term is used.
It’s not just about a series that features women, queer people, or people of color. While diverse, Station 19 doesn’t check boxes just for the sake of it.
Instead, it features individuals from all walks of life and paths and explores these characters authentically and organically.
Station 19 gets many accolades for its depiction of a complex but beautiful relationship between two queer women with Maya and Carina.
It has stumbled through some questionable plot points at times, but it holds fast in always wanting to honor the characters, what they represent, and the communities with which they identify most.
While we continue to make great strides in LGBTQ+ representation, a healthy, loving marriage between two career-oriented women starting a family is still such an underrepresented thing.
Meanwhile, Travis Montgomery‘s ongoing journey of volleying between his pride and shame as a queer man is just as impactful as how he struggles through relationships as a widow who still hasn’t fully grieved the loss of his husband in a job they love.
Andy’s journey as a Latina in a male-dominated field is compelling in its own right, but so is her experience as a woman who has lost many people in her life or someone who had to accept that her father, whom she placed on a pedestal was a flawed human just like the lot of us.
It was also fascinating to see her come to grips with reuniting with a mother who essentially abandoned her as a child and wrapping her head around understanding her mother as a woman first rather than a crappy mom.
Related: Grey Damon on Jack’s Resistance, Station 19’s Devoted Fandom, and More!
One of the series’ most compelling characters is Jack Gibson, whose experience as a former foster kid and unhoused youth impacts so much of who he is, continuing some of his greatest strengths and illuminating the “why” behind some of his flaws.
We’ve witnessed deeply complex characters like Sullivan and Beckett shedding light on a common battle among first responders: addiction.
And we’ve had Maya, Jack, Theo, and Vic show the good, bad, ugly, but most importantly, compelling mental health battles.
Station 19 is a series that is fearless in letting some of its most beloved characters hit rock bottom, get to their lowest point, or be downright unlikable, and that is the type of bold, risky moves we can’t afford to lose.
There Are Still Far Too Many Stories Left to Tell
Despite being seven seasons in, Station 19 hasn’t run out of steam.
In many ways, they still haven’t scratched the surface of what they can explore with these characters. There are still so many things to unpack with every one of them.
A series finale would feel like a semicolon rather than a period.
The series always has something to say while exploring the characters and delivering a nice dose of melodrama.
Because it’s so topical, the storytelling potential is limitless. As long as things are happening in the world and discourse exists, Station 19 has plot potential.
But even specifically regarding the characters, there’s still plenty of gas in the tank.
It’s impossible for the series to properly wrap up and sign off on these characters with a truncated final season.
Related: The Rookie: Does Chenford’s Breakup Romanticize Sacrificing Love for Growth?
Sadly, now, it’s evident that there’s a mad dash to wrap things up, and it’s obvious that storylines probably were left on the cutting room floor to accommodate the shocking cancelation.
Jack’s Encephalomalacia was initially an interesting albeit heartbreaking storyline for the series to introduce.
He’s a character who has essentially lived for being a firefighter, and with scarring on the brain, the opportunity to continue in the field no longer exists.
However, the season has yet to properly flesh out the storyline and explore something rarely shown when discussing firefighting’s wear and tear on those who practice it.
It’s thus far an incomplete storyline, which is unfortunate because of how filled it is with possibilities. It’s certainly something that the series can still explore in a future season, especially as they delve deeper into a character with so many layers we have yet to peel back.
Ben Warren is facing challenges as someone essentially aging out of his latest career, which is another arc worth exploring more deeply. With meaningful storylines surrounding Bailey and adopting Pru, there’s so much to look into.
Maya has interesting storylines on two fronts, reconciling her healing journey to be in a healthy relationship with Carina as they start their family while unpacking some possible changes with her past.
Family planning is such a plot rife with possibilities, not just for queer couples but any of them, and the reciprocal IVF arc is something you don’t see depicted on television.
Related: Does Grey’s Anatomy Rely Too Much on Formula?
Maya’s abusive childhood, coupled with her homophobic family members, is another angle that the series could continue to mine for multiple seasons to come.
And with a hefty cast, there are still characters, some of whom have been on the series for multiple years, who still need to be fully explored.
Their stories are worth telling, which is enough reason for Netflix to pick up the series.
It’s not done yet, not even close.
From pragmatic to creative, economical to emotional, Station 19 is a series worth reviving, and Netflix is the perfect home.
Over to you, Station 19 Fanatics. Should Netflix pick up this series? Why do you think they should?
You can currently catch the as of now, final season of Staton 19 Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC. You can stream the season on Hulu as well.
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You’ll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.
Read the original article here
