Station 19 Showrunner Hints At Ben And Carina Possibly Returning To Grey's Anatomy As Final Season Hits Midpoint
After waiting so long for Station 19 to resume new episodes following the postponement from last year’s strikes, it’s simply cruel that Season 7 is flying by so fast. In fact, after the April 11 episode, “My Way,” we will officially be halfway through the shortened 10-episode final season. Grey’s Anatomy, meanwhile, has already been renewed for a 21st season, and many fans are hoping that some Station 19 characters will join that show — specifically Ben Warren and Carina DeLuca. Nothing has been confirmed, but a recent comment from Station 19 showrunner Peter Paige suggests those talks are indeed happening.
Of all of the 2024 TV cancellations we’ve seen, Station 19’s has been particularly brutal for fans, who have connected with the diverse cast and the real-world issues their characters face. If there’s a silver lining to be found, it’s that several of those firefighters could continue to appear on its sister series, as Grey’s Anatomy was one of the big shows that’s been renewed. Peter Paige played it coy when asked if Jason George and Stefania Spampinato might return to the medical side of things, telling TV Line:
It’s not ultimately our decision, but it’s a conversation perhaps that we’ve perhaps been a part of.
The characters of both Ben and Carina were introduced on Grey’s Anatomy (Jason George joined the cast way back in Season 6, and Stefania Spampinato more recently in Season 14) before making the jump to the spinoff. It makes sense that the decision to bring them back would ultimately fall to Grey’s showrunner Meg Marinis and the powers that be on that show, more so than Peter Paige and his fellow Station 19 showrunner Zoanne Clack.
However, Meg Marinis seemed to put the onus on the Station 19 writers when asked the same question, saying she hadn’t seen the final two scripts and didn’t know Peter Paige and Zoanne Clack’s intentions for the characters.
Indeed, Ben Warren in particular seems to be in trouble in the preview for “My Way,” where it looks like some of the first responders are trapped in a fire at the Space Needle. The trailer ends on some pretty dire words from Ben, which you can see below:
We’ll have to tune in to see if Ben survives the emergency call, and if he does, if this serves as the catalyst to him finally calling it quits on the dangerous life of firefighting.
It also seems like it would make sense to move Stefania Spampinato back to Grey’s Anatomy, and if that happens, it’s possible that Danielle Savre could join her to continue the love story of Marina and their expanding family. Savre has already guest-starred on Grey’s as Carina’s wife Maya, and given the actress’ real-world relationship with Kevin McKidd, who plays Dr. Owen Hunt, it seems more than plausible.
The showrunners are understandably tight-lipped about their plans for Ben and Carina at this point, but if Peter Paige’s comment indicates anything, it’s that those conversations are definitely being had. See how the rest of Station 19’s series plays out, with new episodes at 10 p.m. ET Thursdays on ABC, following Grey’s Anatomy. You can also stream the entire series with a Hulu subscription, and keep up with all of the upcoming premieres by checking out our 2024 TV schedule.
