We got the aftermath of the collapsing floor in the Station 19 Season 7 premiere. While a lot of the focus was on Jack Gibson, we also needed to know what would happen to Natasha Ross in the end.
Caution: This post contains spoilers from the Station 19 Season 7 premiere.
After announcing her relationship with Sullivan, Natasha was on the firing line. Their relationship broke all the rules. It seemed pretty clear that she would end up being fired. After all, the press had a field day focusing on that rather than on the actual tragedy that happened—priorities, people!
Natasha found out her fate during the episode. She wasn’t happy with the decision, but not because of the actual decision. It’s the motivation behind it that bothers her.
Natasha Ross keeps her job in Station 19
In some good news, Natasha gets to keep her job. She is also not being forced to end things with Sullivan. Her boss told reporters that it was the rule that was wrong, so he would rally for the rule to be changed. He wants Natasha to stay on.
This all comes down to her actions at the party as the floor fell through. Natasha stepped up and showed her skills her a leader. Even after she broken her leg from it all, she was able to lead her people and she focused on work.
There are also a few other things at play with Natasha’s position. She is the first female of color in the role of chief. That’s a huge step forward in terms of inclusivity and equality.
Why isn’t Natasha happy about the decision?
While Natasha is definitely happy that she still has her job, she knows that it isn’t because of her skills. It’s a political move. While she broke a major rule, she is also a great candidate to boost the optics of the fire department. After all, there is a lot that can be done to show the growth in equality in leadership positions, especially with Andy now as captain of Station 19 at the same time.
This is where there’s a problem for Natasha. She doesn’t get to keep her job because she’s shown she deserves it. This is a political move.
The even bigger problem with a political move like this is that it can be taken away. Should there no longer be support for Natasha, it leads to all of this coming back and rules being changed again. She wanted the role on her own merit, and there’s nothing wrong with that. She has every right to be unhappy and happy at the same time.
Station 19 airs on Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC. Catch up the following day on Hulu.