S2 05: Do a Little Harm...

[SimoneS]

Quote

Capt. Sullivan continues his efforts to bring together the fire and police departments by hosting a training seminar; Ben and Miranda have an honest conversation about their marriage.

Edited November 2, 2018 by SimoneS

[SimoneS]

I really enjoyed that episode. I hate that Miranda and Ben are separating. I won't want them to break up, but I can't blame Miranda for not wanting to deal with the stress from his new job. He should just stop being a firefighter and go back to Grey's.

So we see Sullivan's demons. Of course, Andy had to be the one to yell at him. I hope that this is the beginning of Andy and Ryan getting back together. I really like them as a couple.

Dean's background is kind of bland, but better than him having a criminal past.  Jack and Bishop getting the cop's number was surprisingly funny. 

Grant and Travis are so cute together. I hope things work out for them.

Wow, Vic and Lucas moved fast, but they are pretty hot together. Hopefully, the show lets the relationship play out. Sometimes things move too fast on this show.

Edited November 2, 2018 by SimoneS

[anna0852]

Someone was right about Vic and the Captain hooking up. I don't like that power imbalance at all.

 

I hope this ends with Ben back at Grey-Sloan. This show is now launched and clearly connected to GA. Ben doesn't need to stay for that to continue. 

[mxc90]

(I don’t watch Grey's Anatomy) Is Ben’s wife psycho? There has to more to her blood pressure issue than Ben’s job being the source of her problem. I must be missing something.

I’m surprised Sullivan’s back story didn’t put him on the path to serial killer. When he arrived at the scene, Pruitt tells him two civilians with minor injuries. There were a lot of fire fighters/cops around the accident scene, so a civilian (who fell off a bike/ maybe knocked his head)) decides to not call them and perform CPR on the wife?  Isn’t there a lawsuit for Sullivan? I can almost see why he's angry.

I wonder why he was asked to come back after being away for many years?

The training scenes were a joke. I don’t blame Sullivan for yelling at them at all.

The chief and Vic moved fast.

Edited November 2, 2018 by mxc90

[UNOSEZ]

11 minutes ago, mxc90 said:

The training scenes were a joke. I don’t blame Sullivan for yelling at them at all.

I thought maybe I was being a Sullivan apologist.. Because I loved actually having a competent rules based leader on  tv show in a genre that loves to have ppl break rules because they care so much... But I thought the cap was right to scold them.. They were taking the task way to easy

[mxc90]

2 minutes ago, UNOSEZ said:

I thought maybe I was being a Sullivan apologist.. Because I loved actually having a competent rules based leader on  tv show in a genre that loves to have ppl break rules because they care so much... But I thought the cap was right to scold them.. They were taking the task way to easy

I gained a little more respect for Sullivan.

15 years ago he wasn't taking his job seriously (reckless driving/showing up late to the scene) and now he trying to make sure the clowns at 19 don't make the same mistakes. If he has to be tough on them .. so be it.

[readster]

33 minutes ago, mxc90 said:

I gained a little more respect for Sullivan.

15 years ago he wasn't taking his job seriously (reckless driving/showing up late to the scene) and now he trying to make sure the clowns at 19 don't make the same mistakes. If he has to be tough on them .. so be it.

The problem with Sullivan's past is that he now has gone the opposite direction and his problem is, he jumps at any little thing. Ripley's problem is, he follows protocol but doesn't use common sense. I mean, you know the patience is allergic to something, giving it to them isn't going to make things better. Just like with the burning building last season. His reason: "We assess the rest of the building and then move people out!" Um.. fire bad, building on fire bad, you don't wait until you find out there are explosive canisters being housed illegally and then decided to start getting everyone else out. Of course Ripley was below Captain Herra 15 years ago, and he didn't want to be as Sullivan put it: "Pushing pencils and paper work." Then he complains about how the the command structure is imbalanced. Because YOU who had years and experience on the job could have risen up in the ranks and instead you get Ripley who only reacts when he knows people are using personal problems to motivate or being bias to other officers. 

  I don't disagree, Sullivan had a point about people treating it like a joke, but at the same time this is a guy who not only left Seattle for years following his wife's death. Came back, became a LT and was Mr. Hardass on them and now Ripley realizes that Sullivan was still having "issues" some former best friend. 

[ybrik]

going to have join in with being on Sullivan's side for the most part. He did go a bit overboard with his criticism of Bishop but he wasn't wrong to criticize her and the whole unit for how they were handling the training. Good job with the backstory though have to wonder why he did return. Also wondering if Captain Herrera remembers what happened with Sullivan and his wife. It was 15 years ago. If he does have to wonder why he would think Sullivan would just be okay with him hanging around the station.

Also it is hard to be on Andy's side when the show continually shows just how self-absorbed she is. Sure there was the bathroom incident and her issues with Ryan but come on Vic is continually talking about Capt Ripley up to a point Andy should see something is going on at least on Vic's side instead she finds a way to make Ripley being there about her. 

Jack and Bishop are fun in an antagonist type way. Just please don't have something happen between them. 

[readster]

8 minutes ago, ybrik said:

going to have join in with being on Sullivan's side for the most part. He did go a bit overboard with his criticism of Bishop but he wasn't wrong to criticize her and the whole unit for how they were handling the training. Good job with the backstory though have to wonder why he did return. Also wondering if Captain Herrera remembers what happened with Sullivan and his wife. It was 15 years ago. If he does have to wonder why he would think Sullivan would just be okay with him hanging around the station.

That's exactly it! We get where Sullivan is coming from and hell he is right. However, we are really expecting that Ripley in the last 15 years hasn't learned that people don't just "get over". Plus, why did he come back? We know he came back, headed up the fire academy training as a hard ass as we learned from both Jack and Dean flashback in the premiere and even Sullivan saying he now "had to know there names". While you need someone to lay down the law, follow the rules, ect. However, no one from Ripley to the Section Chiefs didn't go: "Maybe he should see a counselor before we put him back on the job, not to mention promote him?" Plus, I can see Ripley and Sullivan getting into a fight before too long, the writing is on the wall. 

Edited November 2, 2018 by readster

[SimoneS]

1 hour ago, anna0852 said:

Someone was right about Vic and the Captain hooking up. I don't like that power imbalance at all.

A couple of us called it. I am okay with their relationship because he is not her direct supervisor and is not responsible for assessing or evaluating her work performance. For now, it does not seem like their relationship is violating any department policies. Hopefully, it stays that way.

Edited November 2, 2018 by SimoneS

[mxc90]

34 minutes ago, readster said:

Plus, I can see Ripley and Sullivan getting into a fight before too long, the writing is on the wall. 

They should have fought years ago.

Ripley ascension to chief should be questioned. So far, every time we've seen him in the field he's been making bad decisions. 

There's a lot of gaps in Sullivan's story. I hope we get our answers. To me, he is more interesting than the others.

[NJRadioGuy]

24 minutes ago, SimoneS said:

I am okay with their relationship because he is not her direct supervisor and is not responsible for assessing or evaluating her work performance. For now, it does not seem like their relationship is violating any department policies. Hopefully, it stays that way.

He's not a pencil pusher at HQ. He's the chief of the department, and even in this crazy show-world, he'd be the highest ranking officer on the fireground—which we saw at the high-rise job. He sure is in charge of evaluating her, etc. When (not if) that relationship goes pear-shaped he has absolute authority to give her the worst shifts and assignments, put her career on an unpleasant path, and ultimately it could be his job to fire her. Or worse still, on another big job, put her in a position where she could die in the line of duty. And of course, even if the relationship doesn't go bad, there are so very many Horrible Things that could result from the chief hooking up with a subordinate like that, especially one who's afraid of fire.

What happened to the writing on this steaming hot mess of a show between last season and this? Last year had its problems, but this is Fire Department High School ferheavensakes. There's exactly zero willing suspension of disbelief. I'm loathe to drop a show centered around the FD, but this may be the first. The last 3 episodes I zapped through in 20 minutes. 

[Dowel Jones]

As long as West Coast Gabby is on duty and berating superior officers, none of the firefighters at 19 have a thing to worry about. 

Sullivan did err in the way he lashed out at Bishop during the training, despite how elementary it was.  Praise in public, discipline in private.  A general word to everyone to stay on track and accomplish the task at hand should have been sufficient (assuming everyone in the room was actually professional).  As it was, he got publicly burned by Ripley.

[Chas411]

Quote

 is hard to be on Andy's side when the show continually shows just how self-absorbed she is. Sure there was the bathroom incident and her issues with Ryan but come on Vic is continually talking about Capt Ripley up to a point Andy should see something is going on at least on Vic's side instead she finds a way to make Ripley being there about her. 

It's standard Andy though. She is the worst. Of course she'd be the one to tell off Sullivan as well. Worst written lead on a show in a long time.

[readster]

6 hours ago, mxc90 said:

They should have fought years ago.

Ripley ascension to chief should be questioned. So far, every time we've seen him in the field he's been making bad decisions. 

There's a lot of gaps in Sullivan's story. I hope we get our answers. To me, he is more interesting than the others.

Yeah, I'm questioning Ripley becoming the chief too. The show is probably treating it more like a fast food manager job where it's: "The people who shouldn't rise to the top, do." Yeah, they are not showing us any reasons why Ripley would have made it to chief and appointed by the City Board (that's the final decision in getting that high of a job). I mean Papa Herra was Captain long before Ripley even got a Captain Position. Yet, we are to expected that Praitt didn't want a "desk job" and apparently soften after the death of his wife. There are too many holes in Ripley being in charge now or that Sullivan didn't take him apart after basically doing something that other people would have been: "You don't give something to someone that will most likely kill them." Same going back to Ripley at the end of last season not getting EVERYONE out of the building saying: "We access the rest of the building to see if we NEED to get everyone out." Oh no, find out that there are explosives improperly stored and then half the building explodes from the fire getting between floors when he KNEW it wasn't contained and spreading. Same with seeing Sullivan is emotionally disconnected from his Station not because he is trying to teach them a lesson, but because he doesn't see a point of that anymore after his wife died. Which was evident at the training academy and even Dean saying how much Sullivan seems to yell at you if you blink. You think they would have heard his record.

[SimoneS]

7 hours ago, NJRadioGuy said:

He's not a pencil pusher at HQ. He's the chief of the department, and even in this crazy show-world, he'd be the highest ranking officer on the fireground—which we saw at the high-rise job. He sure is in charge of evaluating her, etc. When (not if) that relationship goes pear-shaped he has absolute authority to give her the worst shifts and assignments, put her career on an unpleasant path, and ultimately it could be his job to fire her. Or worse still, on another big job, put her in a position where she could die in the line of duty. And of course, even if the relationship doesn't go bad, there are so very many Horrible Things that could result from the chief hooking up with a subordinate like that, especially one who's afraid of fire.

I totally missed that Lucas is the chief of the whole department. I thought he was just one of the people at HQ. He seems really young to be chief, but this is tv.  Oh well, I still like Lucas and Vic together. I am sure that the show will figure it out.

[Ohwell]

12 hours ago, SimoneS said:

I hate that Miranda and Ben are separating. I won't want them to break up, but I can't blame Miranda for not wanting to deal with the stress from his new job. He should just stop being a firefighter and go back to Grey's.

I can't blame Miranda either, even though spouses/partners of firefighters deal with this every day.  If Ben does quit firefighting, I think he should go to another hospital other than Grey's.  I still think that, while Ben wanted to be a firefighter, he also wanted to work independently of his wife and I can certainly understand that.   

[anna0852]

This is not what Miranda signed up for when she married Ben. I get "for better or worse" but Ben chose to move the goalposts here. It wasn't circumstances beyond his control.

[jcbrown]

I am tired of Ben, honestly. We already had his first career crisis on Grey's when he switched to surgery. Now he has decided to dabble in firefighting. Just grow up already and pick a lane.

[SimoneS]

1 hour ago, anna0852 said:

This is not what Miranda signed up for when she married Ben. I get "for better or worse" but Ben chose to move the goalposts here. It wasn't circumstances beyond his control.

It is difficult for me to believe that he gave up a career of a promising surgeon, but it is even more ridiculous that he expects his wife to accept the change to such a dangerous job. On the other hand, does separating from Ben really lower Miranda's stress? Will she worry less? Or is she determined to fall out of love with him?

[Chas411]

The seperation is ridiculous to me - it's purely for logistics so they don't have to keep having one pop up in the other's show. God forbid they were just in a relationship offscreen. I also think they want Ben singe for a while since nobody else in firehouse seems to have a storyline outside of who they're dating or hoping to date.

[SimoneS]

About Sullivan, he is supposed to be a tough competent guy, but his standoffishness and general obnoxiousness just shows that he is a bad supervisor and leader. I don't blame Andy for blowing up at him. A good supervisor cultivates good working relationships with the people who work for them. He doesn't have to be friends with the team, but engaging them in conversation beyond barking orders and sharing the occasional meal with them is a component of being a good leader. He just comes into the workroom, not bothering to acknowledge Travis and Vic.  It is difficult to believe the fire department made him a captain and didn't send him on a training leadership course. He would know praise and appreciation first and then follow with constructive criticism rather just yelling. I know it is all for the drama, but it is getting annoying now.

Edited November 3, 2018 by SimoneS

[Dowel Jones]

This is a department that was considering promoting either Andy or her squeeze Ryan to the Captain level.  Nuff said.

[readster]

1 hour ago, SimoneS said:

About Sullivan, he is supposed to be a tough competent guy, but his standoffishness and general obnoxiousness just shows that he is a bad supervisor and leader. I don't blame Andy for blowing up at him. A good supervisor cultivates good working relationships with the people who work for them. He doesn't have to be friends with the team, but engaging them in conversation beyond barking orders and sharing the occasional meal with them is a component of being a good leader. He just comes into the workroom, not bothering to acknowledge Travis and Vic.  It is difficult to believe the fire department made him a captain and didn't send him send him on a training leadership course. He would know praise and appreciation first and then follow with constructive criticism rather just yelling. I know it is all for the drama, but it is getting annoying now.

Same goes when he was heading off the rookie training and wouldn't bother getting people's names right and even telling them: "I don't care." Then again, this is the same department that promoted Andy by default and put a guy like Ripley in as chief when he makes bad calls in the heat of them moment. Plus, had a Section Captain purposely giving bad reviews to said Station because she didn't like them and even put them in no-win training situations because of an argument she had with the Station Captain when she was the one who screwed up and not them.

[WinJet0819]

On 11/2/2018 at 12:14 PM, SimoneS said:

It is difficult for me to believe that he gave up a career of a promising surgeon, but it is even more ridiculous that he expects his wife to accept the change to such a dangerous job. On the other hand, does separating from Ben really lower Miranda's stress? Will she worry less? Or is she determined to fall out of love with him?

Remember, he was willing to drop being a firefighter altogether after Miranda had her heart attack. But she told him not to, because he should get to do what makes him happy. Now, she's worried to the point where she has to separate from him? How about she chooses a lane? There are spouses all over who have to accept, rather they like it or not, that their loved one is doing a dangerous job, and they don't consider separating because they're worried so much.

Edited November 6, 2018 by WinJet0819

[readster]

1 hour ago, WinJet0819 said:

Remember, he was willing to drop being a firefighter altogether after Miranda had her heart attack. But she told him not to, because he should get to do what makes him happy. Now, she's worried to the point where she has to separate from him? How about she chooses a lane? Their are spouses all over who have to accept, rather they like it or not, that their loved one is doing a dangerous job, and they don't consider separating because they're worried so much.

Problem is, this is as cliche and as old as time and has been talked about with the spouses of: firefighters, police, soldiers and yes, even teachers. They all of a sudden can't deal with their better halves being gone so much or when they will or "if" they will be home. If it's not in Bailey's head about: "I can't breath every time I try to sign your benefits if you die." I wanted to go: "yeah, because who needs money because your are Miranda Bailey, who ALWAYS has money and then complains about over spending budgets. If it isn't that, it's the cliche that doctors care more about working hours than spending time with their families. When you want to tell others: "What am I suppose to do? Let them die?" Like with teachers where it isn't 9 to 5, it's a world of hoops jumping through, constantly being looked over and parents who try to get your fired if you they see you out at a bar drinking a beer with a brother who has is visiting out of town. Yet it's: "You work too much and care more about your students than me." 

 It's these out of control double standards where you just want to go: "Then what is the perfect spouse do that will keep you from always arguing?" Same when you have a person who constantly screws up at a job, what will it take to fire them? 

[SimoneS]

2 hours ago, WinJet0819 said:

Remember, he was willing to drop being a firefighter altogether after Miranda had her heart attack. But she told him not to, because he should get to do what makes him happy. Now, she's worried to the point where she has to separate from him? How about she chooses a lane? Their are spouses all over who have to accept, rather they like it or not, that their loved one is doing a dangerous job, and they don't consider separating because they're worried so much.

I didn't remember Ben's offer. I am sure that at the time Miranda told him to do what made him happy because she thought she could live with his decision. It just turns out that she is wrong. Her health isn't something that she can just "choose a lane" about. If only for her son's sake, she has to do everything she can to reduce her stress to prevent having another heart attack. Her blood pressure is dangerously high right now. The person who needs to choose a lane now is Ben. It is either his marriage and Miranda's health or being a firefighter. Honestly, the more I think about it, both shows have done a great job setting up this obstacle in Miranda and Ben's relationship so kudos to the writers.

Edited November 3, 2018 by SimoneS

[SimoneS]

9 hours ago, readster said:

Same goes when he was heading off the rookie training and wouldn't bother getting people's names right and even telling them: "I don't care." 

Exactly. Building rapport to get to know your team and establish productive working relationships is Leadership 101. Sullivan can't even bother to know their names. He is impatient with them, unnecessarily barking orders. Now he is yelling because he has personal issues, yet has no tolerance for his team's personal issues. He is a horrible supervisor. Maybe they will soften and integrate him into the team eventually, but for now, I think he just there to create drama and tension for Andy and other team members.

[izabella]

6 hours ago, SimoneS said:

I didn't remember Ben's offer. I am sure that at the time Miranda told him to do what made him happy because she thought she could live with his decision. It just turns out that she is wrong. Her health isn't something that she can just "choose a lane" about. If only for her son's sake, she has to do everything she can to reduce her stress to prevent having another heart attack. Her blood pressure is dangerously high right now. The person who needs to choose a lane now is Ben. It is either his marriage and Miranda's health or being a firefighter. Honestly, the more I think about it, both shows have done a great job setting up this obstacle in Miranda and Ben's relationship so kudos to the writers.

 

Exactly.  Miranda also has OCD that she is taking medication for, so for her, it's not a simple matter to stop worrying or obsessing.  Add to the fact that Ben was an anesthesiologist when they first got together, then started going down the surgery path, and then changed again to fire fighting...that's a big change in who she thought she married.

Edited November 3, 2018 by izabella

[SimoneS]

3 hours ago, izabella said:

Exactly.  Miranda also has OCD that she is taking medication for, so for her, it's not a simple matter to stop worrying or obsessing.  Add to the fact that Ben was an anesthesiologist when they first got together, then started going down the surgery path, and then changed again to fire fighting...that's a big change in who she thought she married.

 

I had forgotten about Miranda's OCD. It should also be noted that to reduce her stress and lower her blood pressure Miranda gave up being Chief of Surgery, a job she worked her butt off for and wanted all her career, and then gave up performing surgery completely to conduct research instead. It wasn't easy for her to ask Ben for this separation. She is only doing so because nothing else that she has done has worked. Time for Ben to give up something. This kills me because I love them as a couple.

Edited November 3, 2018 by SimoneS

[readster]

On 11/3/2018 at 8:52 AM, SimoneS said:

Exactly. Building rapport to get to know your team and establish productive working relationships is Leadership 101. Sullivan can't even bother to know their names. He is impatient with them, unnecessarily barking orders. Now he is yelling because he has personal issues, yet has no tolerance for his team's personal issues. He is a horrible supervisor. Maybe they will soften and integrate him into the team eventually, but for now, I think he just there to create drama and tension for Andy and other team members.

It's like with Ripley making split second decisions when others are: "But that won't work, and we know it WON'T work from experience." Ripley is: "But it's my decision, so shut up!" After this episode, we see he has a history of it. After seeing this in the flashback and even the present and then in the finale last season. The City Council would be having him in the review chair. Plus, you also add in the fact that everyone got on Ben's case about leaving a man behind to save someone else. Yeah, because no one had been told that and then seeing what happened with the flashback. Pot meet kettle. 

[WinJet0819]

On 11/3/2018 at 4:13 PM, SimoneS said:

I had forgotten about Miranda's OCD. It should also be noted that to reduce her stress and lower her blood pressure Miranda gave up being Chief of Surgery, a job she worked her butt off for and wanted all her career, and then gave up performing surgery completely to conduct research instead. It wasn't easy for her to ask Ben for this separation. She is only doing so because nothing else that she has done has worked. Time for Ben to give up something. This kills me because I love them as a couple.

That's the old tired adage on these shows in Shonda's universe. The man has to be the one to choose to accommodate the woman. It's never the other way around or a healthy compromise. We saw Derek wind up giving up the job in DC for Meredith. Owen gave up his hopes at a family for Cristina. Now it's Ben being forced to choose between his job as a firefighter and Miranda. If this is what they're going to use to break up Miranda and Ben, then it's just plain sad. The sun does not, and should not, revolve around what the woman wants all the time.

[readster]

16 hours ago, WinJet0819 said:

That's the old tired adage on these shows in Shonda's universe. The man has to be the one to choose to accommodate the woman. It's never the other way around or a healthy compromise. We saw Derek wind up giving up the job in DC for Meredith. Owen gave up his hopes at a family for Cristina. Now it's Ben being forced to choose between his job as a firefighter and Miranda. If this is what they're going to use to break up Miranda and Ben, then it's just plain sad. The sun does not, and should not, revolve around what the woman wants all the time.

Well, I can't say that is completely true. Miranda's first husband, Fletcher wanted Miranda to give up being a doctor/surgeon to be a "mother" to Tuck. Because somehow his magical law firm let him take a whole year off work. I wanted to go: "Who the hell is going to pay the bills?" Same with Miranda's father being mad at her for giving up on her marriage just to fix a person's hernia that could have been by another doctor. Nowhere in any of these shows or in real life to doctors, teachers, police officers or fire fighters go: "So I should just let the person suffer and die?" It's old. 

[anna0852]

16 hours ago, WinJet0819 said:

That's the old tired adage on these shows in Shonda's universe. The man has to be the one to choose to accommodate the woman. It's never the other way around or a healthy compromise. We saw Derek wind up giving up the job in DC for Meredith. Owen gave up his hopes at a family for Cristina. Now it's Ben being forced to choose between his job as a firefighter and Miranda. If this is what they're going to use to break up Miranda and Ben, then it's just plain sad. The sun does not, and should not, revolve around what the woman wants all the time.

At this point it's not about Miranda's wants. It is literally her health at stake. This is a need. She's already had one heart attack. She has a history of OCD and obsessive behavior, which can feed right into an anxiety disorder. She has elminated as much stress as possible from her life, including the job that has been her life's dream since we met her. She has altered her lifestyle. She's medicating. She is doing everything within her power that can be done and her blood pressure is *still* dangerously high. Something has to give.

And for the record, Ben was an anesthesiologist that was now doing a surgical residency when they married. Miranda didn't marry a firefighter and then move the goalposts. Ben moved the goalposts. At this point I feel it says quite a bit about Ben that he didn't immediately turn in his resignationt to the fire house after Miranda had to resort to yelling her BP numbers at him. 

Edited November 7, 2018 by anna0852

[WinJet0819]

4 hours ago, anna0852 said:

At this point it's not about Miranda's wants. It is literally her health at stake. This is a need. She's already had one heart attack. She has a history of OCD and obsessive behavior, which can feed right into an anxiety disorder. She has elminated as much stress as possible from her life, including the job that has been her life's dream since we met her. She has altered her lifestyle. She's medicating. She is doing everything within her power that can be done and her blood pressure is *still* dangerously high. Something has to give.

And for the record, Ben was an anesthesiologist that was now doing a surgical residency when they married. Miranda didn't marry a firefighter and then move the goalposts. Ben moved the goalposts. At this point I feel it says quite a bit about Ben that he didn't immediately turn in his resignationt to the fire house after Miranda had to resort to yelling her BP numbers at him. 

Oh, please. Ben moved the goal posts because he chose another career? He's not free to make that choice? Seriously? That makes no sense. Spouses do change careers. And forget this need nonsense for health purposes because her husband is a firefighter. That is wildly inaccurate. Lots of spouses do dangerous jobs. Ask the wives of Navy operators. Haven't heard of any needing to stop their jobs simply because the other worrying so much that it's endangering their health. So now Ben's the bad guy for not resigning? That is completely unfair to him. And as I said, it's always something that has to give for the guy in Shondaland to accommodate the woman. It's pathetic. If it's so bad Miranda, how about she try therapy, instead resorting to simply an ultimatum.

[readster]

6 hours ago, WinJet0819 said:

Oh, please. Ben moved the goal posts because he chose another career? He's not free to make that choice? Seriously? That makes no sense. Spouses do change careers. And forget this need nonsense for health purposes because her husband is a firefighter. That is wildly inaccurate. Lots of spouses do dangerous jobs. Ask the wives of Navy operators. Haven't heard of any needing to stop their jobs simply because the other worrying so much that it's endangering their health. So now Ben's the bad guy for not resigning? That is completely unfair to him. And as I said, it's always something that has to give for the guy in Shondaland to accommodate the woman. It's pathetic. If it's so bad Miranda, how about she try therapy, instead resorting to simply an ultimatum.

Therapy? On an a Shondaland show that lasts more than one episode? What a concept! You think after 2 seasons of Station 19, Ripley, Andy, Jack and Sullivan would have been there. Everyone else on Grey's motto is: "Just have hot sex and life is great!"

[WendyM]

I think that if Miranda looked over the past...let's say...15 years at Grey-Sloan, she might realize it's more life threatening to be a doctor/intern/nurse there than be a firefighter at Station 19. Just sayin', Bailey!

[Ohwell]

Bailey has health issues but I think her main goal is to have Ben in her sights, or nearby, 24/7.   

Also, if this were a man wanting to have his wife quit firefighting because he needed her to have a "safer" job for the benefit of his health, feminists would have a shit fit.

[Palomar]

On ‎11‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 11:37 AM, Chas411 said:

The seperation is ridiculous to me - it's purely for logistics so they don't have to keep having one pop up in the other's show. God forbid they were just in a relationship offscreen. I also think they want Ben singe for a while since nobody else in firehouse seems to have a storyline outside of who they're dating or hoping to date.

It's totally ridiculous...why would she worry LESS by NOT knowing he was OK every night by separating. You would think she would have the double worry of IF he is OK and what he is doing with his free time.  Plus, why can't he follow his dream of being a firefighter.  She has had her career that he supported where (even if not dangerous) she is rarely at home.

[Lady Calypso]

16 hours ago, Palomar said:

It's totally ridiculous...why would she worry LESS by NOT knowing he was OK every night by separating. You would think she would have the double worry of IF he is OK and what he is doing with his free time.  Plus, why can't he follow his dream of being a firefighter.  She has had her career that he supported where (even if not dangerous) she is rarely at home.

Yeah, I agree that Miranda and Ben separating won't change how she feels, and Ben even pointed that out. But Miranda seems ready to try anything, and she did specify that she won't be seeing other people and this is solely for her health. 

As for your second question, Ben has had three separate dreams over the course of both series. He changes his careers like he changes a leased car. This wasn't his dream three years ago. She's supported his career change when, I believe, he left for California for a residency. He also had a different career when he met her. Wasn't he an anesthesiologist or something?

Who's to say Ben won't change his career again in three years time? What if he'll want to be a police officer next? Or a pilot? With Ben, he's been shown to not stick with a job for very long. Like Miranda said, his job is affecting her health. It's not like she's being overdramatic for no good reason. Her health is at risk, and that can't be willfully changed (which is why I think the separation should technically fail). I think there are spouses who are equipped for handling these dangerous jobs and spouses who aren't. For Miranda, it's clear that she cannot handle being married to a firefighter and no amount of a "sabbatical" is going to change that. At least she's not demanding that he quit being a firefighter. They already have that storyline covered with Dean, it seems, since they can't have a regular on their sister show be the bad person. 

Either way, if this stops the dramatics on both shows, then good. I don't care about Ben, I honestly am not even a fan of Miranda Bailey, and don't need to see their relationship. 

As for the rest of the episode, I've been catching up on the episodes I've missed. Dean's family sound like awful people. I get worrying over Dean and his job. But threatening to never speak to him again if he doesn't quit his job? No, that's BAD parenting. 

The Jack/Maya stuff was fairly entertaining and they seem to be setting up a personal storyline for Jack. I'll admit; I'm intrigued.

Now, the Sullivan/Ripley backstory, mostly on Sullivan, was fascinating. I still love Sullivan and he had every right to whip people into shape. I just think he should have been yelling at everyone more. Although, I do agree he does take it a tad too far and this episode had him projecting his own feelings onto everyone else. There's a difference between teaching them to not make his mistakes, and completely projecting his own story onto them. However, yeah, Ripley kind of sucks as....well, chief. I imagine he could lose his job with sleeping with Vic, and that would be a good thing, since he's not a very capable chief. 

I was not surprised at Ripley and Vic and I'll admit they do have some chemistry, but it's so inappropriate that it can't go well.

Andy is the worst. She's so self absorbed. She just doesn't get it and I don't think she ever will. Her nature is to have everything about her, have her make all the decisions and her needing to be right. 

[SimoneS]

14 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

Now, the Sullivan/Ripley backstory, mostly on Sullivan, was fascinating. I still love Sullivan and he had every right to whip people into shape. I just think he should have been yelling at everyone more. Although, I do agree he does take it a tad too far and this episode had him projecting his own feelings onto everyone else. There's a difference between teaching them to not make his mistakes, and completely projecting his own story onto them. 

A supervisor who has to yell at his team to get them to do their jobs lacks leadership skills. It is the most inefficient way to get people to be productive. At the rate Sullivan is going, he is far more likely to push them to transfer to other stations to get away from him. I don't even understand why Sullivan has to "whip" the team into shape when we have been told that Station 19 crew is one of the best in the city and  that Andy and Jack are promising young candidates for captain. I was thrilled to see a new captain come to the station, but am disappointed by the story given to Sullivan so far. I really hope his story improves.

 

14 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

Andy is the worst. She's so self absorbed. She just doesn't get it and I don't think she ever will. Her nature is to have everything about her, have her make all the decisions and her needing to be right. 

I like Andy. She is a confident competent ambitious firefighter. Yes, she can be self-absorbed, but at least she always ready to be a good friend when needed. Besides, she is less self-absorbed that Meredith was when Grey's first started so I will take it. 

Edited November 11, 2018 by SimoneS

[Reality police]

As for the Ripley and Vic romance I am all for it. I think they are cute together and I just adore the actor that plays Ripley from "McLeod's Daughters". Anytime he has screen time I'm a happy camper.

 

[Chas411]

1 hour ago, SimoneS said:

ut at least she always ready to be a good friend when needed

Is she though? Every conversation her and Maya had last year was about her, Jack and Ryan or her, Jack and the captaincy (that she never deserved). I don't recall Andy ever being there for anyone despite every character telling us how brilliant she is every episode. I found Meredith more appealing in that at least she liked Derek. Even Andys love interests get treated like shit by her. 

[Dowel Jones]

6 hours ago, SimoneS said:

She is a confident competent ambitious firefighter.

Given her actions in recent episodes I would hesitate to call her competent. also.  She's made some hare-brained decisions.

[SimoneS]

6 hours ago, Chas411 said:

Is she though? Every conversation her and Maya had last year was about her, Jack and Ryan or her, Jack and the captaincy (that she never deserved). I don't recall Andy ever being there for anyone despite every character telling us how brilliant she is every episode. I found Meredith more appealing in that at least she liked Derek. Even Andys love interests get treated like shit by her. 

Andy is the lead so every conversation is going to revolve around her, but she does stop when she finds out that her friends have a problem. I do like both Meredith and Andy.

 

1 hour ago, Dowel Jones said:

Given her actions in recent episodes I would hesitate to call her competent. also.  She's made some hare-brained decisions.

I am sure that Andy will go back to being competent after the show is done with the "Sullivan knows best" story. I did roll my eyes when the show tried to sell that Sullivan and Maya were right to send Andy into the hoarder's apartment because the woman was saved. They almost got Andy killed sending her in there before the structural engineer assessed its safety. Most of the crew were also trapped and almost killed when they were trapped in that building thanks to Sullivan and Maya yet again. 

Edited November 11, 2018 by SimoneS