Can we collectively hug Jack Gibson? As a result of that poor soul deserves all of the love.
You’ll be able to inform the season is hurtling in direction of an finish as a result of they jammed loads into Station 19 Season 5 Episode 17. We received updates on Andy’s manslaughter trial, Travis contemplating the mayoral run, and Carina’s inexperienced card state of affairs coming to a head.
And so they completely gutted us with some much-needed and delayed particular person storytelling for Jack.
Do you see what occurs after they give Gray Damon one thing worthy to chew on right here? He is fabulous.
The one draw back to this Jack-heavy hour and storyline is that it took this rattling lengthy to get it. We may’ve had this arc the entire time!
Gibson’s ongoing points as a person who grew up on the system and the way that has impacted each facet of who he’s now — has all the time been one thing that we all know exists, however the collection by no means took the time to delve into and discover.
Truthfully, it is by no means made sense why they reserve him from one-off installments that remind us of his upbringing as an alternative of giving the person a full-blown multi-episode arc on the subject material.
We’re in season 5, so it has been due for a while. In that sense, it sucks that they opted to cram this heartrending storyline by which Damon produced a few of his greatest work on the tail finish of the season as an alternative of permitting this to construct all through.
After Dean died, it might’ve been a major time for Jack to look into his roots and finally uncover Joshua. He misplaced a brother and would’ve discovered one.
He did not need to endure. He did not need to get handed from predator to predator. They did not need me. My dad and mom did not need me.
Jack
However, the condescending nature of this story arc did not detract from the heightened feelings and the journey each Jack and the viewers took as he discovered the reality.
We may guess that there was loads unknown about Josh and what to anticipate, but nothing ready for all these hits that saved coming and left poor Gibson shocked into silence, frozen at that second, paralyzed by his harm, anger, and ache.
Of all of the issues Jack may’ve anticipated, Josh surpassed that. He is a cheerful, wholesome, well-adjusted, rich household man who seemingly has an ideal life.
It was already sufficient to place you on edge when Josh insisted on taking Jack and Andy round again fairly than permitting them to enter his house or meet his household.
And the discomfort unfurled from that, easing into downright anger as we discovered that Josh did not develop up within the system or with adoptive dad and mom however fairly their organic ones.
You’ll be able to perceive how a young person gave her little one up for adoption. But it surely’s a lot tougher to reconcile that Jack’s dad and mom went on to marry one another, begin a cheerful life with good jobs collectively, and bear FOUR different kids.
They gave Josh the downpayment for that mini-mansion he is dwelling in, and the entire household appears shut. They by no means instructed their children that they’d one other little one on the market.
It by no means even crossed their thoughts to seek out Jack after they discovered stability and introduced him again into the fold. Jack by no means received adopted; he bounced round from place to position till he aged out of the system, which suggests had they solely seemed for them, they may’ve discovered him.
Jack missed out on this unbelievable, secure, comfy life with sports activities video games, a yard, and oldsters who fortunately mortgage cash for fancy homes.
We’ve got gotten bits and items of Jack’s experiences within the system rising up, sufficient to know that it was as horrible because it will get, together with bodily and sexual abuse. He is been ripped away from the closest he ever needed to siblings and by no means received to see them once more.
He is lived on the streets and gotten into bother, too. And to assume that every one may’ve been prevented was the last word slap within the face.
Damon’s bodily efficiency, facial expressions — the look in his eyes and all as he processed every little thing Josh instructed him have been unbelievable. The close-up digicam work heightened the feelings, and you may nearly really feel what he was feeling.
Jack was speechless, rattling close to catatonic, and it was such a reduction when Andy, holding his hand so tightly, acknowledged that it was sufficient and pulled him away.
His eventual breakdown on the aspect of the street was completely gutwrenching. He recounted his experiences going from one predator to the following, acknowledging out loud but once more how he is a sexual assault survivor.
And he sounded so damaged when his voice cracked, stating that his dad and mom simply did not need HIM. When it suited them, they received their good little household, and he wasn’t a part of that.
In Josh’s protection, he could not presumably know the way issues have been for Jack or how painful these revelations have been for him, and he tried to be as mild and optimistic as attainable, however there’s simply no processing that with out feeling as if the rug was ripped from beneath your toes.
Jack: It looks like you bought adopted by a pleasant household, so.
Josh: Jack, I wasn’t adopted.
Jack: What do you imply?
Josh: I grew up with our dad and mom.
Jack’s total life and world are shattered due to this information, however what he can maintain on to too tightly is that he managed to discover a household with the Station 19 crew.
It is uncertain that that is the final of this storyline. If it is not coated anymore within the finale, it is probably one thing that may crop up subsequent season.
On the very least, we’re in all probability attributable to a second the place Jack can face his dad and mom when he is in a greater place. However once more, with a storyline like this, we may’ve frolicked on this as an alternative of utilizing him as a catalyst to check Vic and Theo’s relationship, ignoring him grieving Dean altogether, or inserting him into the Marina child arc.
Damon is simply too good and succesful to get wasted or shafted narratively as usually as he’s, and that is probably the most compelling arc he is had in a while, if in any respect.
He could not have had a greater individual with him than Andy. It was fascinating to listen to her talk about what it was like for her to see Elena for the primary time in so lengthy. She admitted that the entire anger and harm she harbored melted away when she noticed her as a result of she simply needed her mother.
It was the one data we received about Elena’s return, and we do not know in the event that they’re nonetheless rebuilding a relationship or anything. Equally, the replace on her trial is that her buddies can testify on her behalf.
The dynamic between Andy and Jack in the course of the again half of the season, particularly, has been probably the greatest. They’ve leaned into that extra, and it serves each characters effectively.
It wasn’t a shock when Jack confessed to serving as Carina and Maya’s sperm donor after she noticed the “sperm snacks.” Jac cannot maintain water or lie effectively more often than not, and Andy is his weak spot.
And Andy’s response was not solely priceless however satisfying. A minimum of somebody may acknowledge the state of affairs’s absurdity and the way loopy it’s.
I am right here for Andy’s judgment and her stating that Jack broke their pact by participating in a messy, difficult relationship, even when it is not a sexual one, with Carina and Maya.
And Jack was there to remind her that what occurred with Jeremy wasn’t her breaking the pact. Realizing Jack’s experiences, his agency insistence that Andy knew she did nothing improper hit all of the tougher.
He may additionally level out that abusers do not cease at only one individual and that there are in all probability extra of Jeremy’s victims. It might come in useful if these folks got here out of the woodwork for her case.
The difficulty is discovering them. They’ve established that Andy is excessive profile now due to this case, so it is not like these survivors do not know what is going on on. In the event that they have not stepped ahead by now, how can Andy and Jack observe them down and persuade them?
The theme of advanced households and in search of help carried over into that disaster one name Theo and Vic responded to with Matt.
The difficulty is necessary, make no mistake, and my coronary heart ached for Matt. Nonetheless, it was additionally an occasion the place they received heavy-handed with their social justice.
Typically it is bordering on trauma porn, and it is an excessive amount of directly. Matt’s mom was horrible, and it is infuriating that there are teenagers subjected to this.
He deserved his father’s loving, supportive surroundings and the gender-affirming care he wanted, not some stereotypical transphobe who tried to kidnap him regardless of the custody settlement.
And why did the cops let him stroll close to his mom to speak to his father, who was about to get launched from the cop automotive anyway? The entire kidnapping portion felt too dramatic and contrived.
Though Vic practically hurtling her complete physique on the truck was badass.
And Theo is the most effective man. He is been a spotlight of the season. We study a lot about his character and how much man he’s when he shares tales about his background with Vic. And you may see her fall in love with him additional each time he does.
Jack, I’m so fortunate you are my brother.
Andy
I get pleasure from Theo sufficient to miss how he all the time appears to have a private story that matches a state of affairs, whether or not it was a mother who had an abortion as Vic did, individuals who took him in after his father died like Ben did Pru, or a greatest good friend, Angel, who reminded him of Matt.
Did Ross have anybody else fooled? The way in which she had been giving Sullivan the chilly shoulder, it appeared like she was affected by one thing Andy stated and needed to again away from him.
She in all probability was, however solely as a result of she did not need folks to evaluate her by her affiliation with Sullivan. It hasn’t labored, although. It doesn’t matter what they do, folks use their relationship to evaluate them or make assumptions.
Through the season, it appeared as if they might both revisit Andy and Sullivan or Andy and Jack, however now it looks like Sullivan is firmly with Ross, and Andy sees Jack as her brother.
Sullivan: Lots of people are questioning concerning the nature of our relationship.
Ross: What did you inform them?
Sullivan: That you are the one who received away.
Ross: Liar.
Sullivan: Do not name me that.
Whereas the Sullivan and Ross relationship hasn’t been probably the most thrilling portion of the season, their sexual chemistry is out of this world, and that intimate scene with them was scorching as hell. And there aren’t any doubts how Robert feels about her; she’s the one who received away, and he does not appear set on her doing that once more.
As a lot as Sullivan has executed some shady issues, it genuinely sucks that everybody assumes the worst of him concerning the Beckett state of affairs.
Ben, particularly, did one thing comparable when he reported Sullivan, so why would not he belief that the previous addict was critical about Beckett’s ingesting?
And Maya primarily admitted that she is aware of one thing is up with Beckett, however as a result of neither she nor Carina has cause to care about or like Sullivan, it does not matter.
Carina’s cattiness in direction of Sullivan was amusing as a result of we hardly ever get that aspect of her. She’s protecting as hell over Maya, and you may recognize her going to bat for her how she did.
I’d not wish to get on her dangerous aspect, particularly when she’s defending Maya. She desires her joyful household and life along with her spouse, and she or he does not need something to get in that method of that, and it is candy how fiercely protecting she is over that.
It took ages, however they harkened again to the inexperienced card state of affairs. Sadly, it places you on excessive alert, assuming one thing horrible is on the horizon.
Carina has her interview, and the method is hellish and arduous. Why does it really feel like issues are going too effectively for Carina and Maya proper now, so life is about to come back at them quick?
If it wasn’t obvious sufficient already, ending their portion of the hour with a candy, well-shot, and attractive scene as Maya woke Carina within the morning for a loving romp, effectively, that is sufficient to have you ever fearing the opposite shoe is about to drop.
Travis’ arc can also be a blended bag. Like Jack’s, or how they reintroduced Carina’s inexperienced card state of affairs or casually tossed in Ben getting Pru for good regardless of nonetheless working on the station, it feels rushed in late.
After coping with a person whose toes fell off as a result of caring for his diabetes financially tapped him out, he was again on his anti-Dixon practice.
However this time, he has the remainder of the crew backing him up and supporting his attainable mayor-run. By now, he ought to cease speaking about it and simply do it.
It stays an uncommon storyline to discover, particularly introducing it late into the season, however it’s all a matter of how Station 19 pursues this.
Over to you, Station 19 Fanatics. Are you frightened about Carina’s immigration standing? How heartbroken have been you for Jack? Pontificate under!
You’ll be able to watch Station 19 on-line right here through TV Fanatic.
Jasmine Blu is a senior employees author for TV Fanatic. Observe her on Twitter.
