Is ‘Station 19’ Planning an Exit Strategy for Ben?
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 2, Episode 13 of Station 19, “The Dark Night.”]
From doctor to firefighter to paramedic? Ben (Jason George) is planning another career change, this time to Medic One as one of its elite paramedics.
Is there more to this move than trying to not repeat history and put a strain on his and Miranda’s (Chandra Wilson) marriage? Is this an exit strategy to keep Ben in the Grey’s Anatomy universe if Station 19 is not renewed?
Neither Grey’s nor its spinoff have been renewed, though the future does look brighter for the former. This move for Ben could keep him in the Station 19 family, offering another area of first responders in Seattle to explore, or it could move him back into the medical field for future appearances on — or a return to — Grey’s Anatomy.
Fans first got to know Ben as a doctor, and he changed careers to join the spinoff. However, his job led to trouble in his relationship with Miranda, and while they’re back together after a brief separation, he’s making moves to ensure that doesn’t happen again. That means a move to Medic One.
“I’m … doing what I can on my end to make sure that my world doesn’t interfere with hers in a way that’s not healthy, but it’s going to be a little tough before it gets better,” Ben tells his stepson, Tuck (BJ Tanner), in “The Dark Night.”
The change also tracks with what fans have seen of Ben’s career trajectory if they’ve followed him across the shows, and not necessarily in a positive way. Tuck points out that he keeps finding “some new job thing” that takes him away from his family, and he’s right. There’s nothing to suggest Medic One will be where Ben lands permanently.
Furthermore, he is wearing thin, falling asleep and missing nightly video chats with his wife and stepson, as he works to complete his Medic One studies and continue working at Station 19.
Recent episodes have highlighted Ben’s medical skills. In Episode 11, he leaps into action after an RV crashes into the station. In Episode 13, he treats a dying man in the middle of a blackout and building evacuation. That could be leading to him becoming part of Medic One, but there’s also another possibility.
Could this all be leading to him returning to Grey Sloan as a result of his studies for Medic One and return to a career with more of a focus on medicine? He may decide that’s the best move for him to make for him and his family.
There’s also the upcoming Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 crossover on May 2 to consider. Those events, which will see one of Station 19 end up at Grey Sloan, may change Ben’s mind about his professional future.
Sound off with your thoughts on Ben’s career path in the comments below.
Station 19, Thursdays, 9/8c, ABC
