Station 19 takes a definitive step towards reconciling Maya and Carina DeLuca-Bishop’s marriage by acknowledging that both characters must take things slow. After episodes of Maya working to heal and respect Carina’s boundaries, Maya asked Carina out on a date. This first step back to their relationship means that Station 19 gets to revisit the firsts that the fan-favorite couple didn’t truly experience before. Many external factors expedited their relationship, and now Maya and Carina get to know each other — and fall in love with each other — all over again, which benefits the characters and the story.

Procedural dramas’ fast-paced natures can mean they take the same approach with their characters, meaning necessary developmental cornerstones for characters and their relationships can be rushed or forgotten entirely. Recently, The Rookie defied those odds by underscoring why taking Lucy Chen and Tim Bradford’s relationship slow is important. After meeting in Grey’s Anatomy Season 16, Episode 14, “A Diagnosis,” Station 19 proves with “It’s All Gonna Break” that it is ready to address the foundational issues of Marina’s relationship and give them the time and space to build a stronger relationship.

Maya and Carina’s Relationship Is Always on the Fast Track

While Station 19 and Grey’s Anatomy‘s crossover leaves Maya’s fate a cliffhanger, Season 6, Episode 7, “We Build Then We Break,” recognizes Maya and Carina’s highs and lows as Maya’s mental and physical health continue to spiral. By Season 6, Episode 11, “Could I Leave You?” Maya continues to take account of her actions while she, as Ben Warren says, “had what could be called a nervous breakdown.” Part of that journey manifests in realizing that Maya frequently prioritizes her job above all else, including her health and wife. That elevated tension clashes with the fast-track romance that the firefighting drama sets Maya and Carina on from the beginning of Season 3, Episode 5, “Into the Woods.”

From then, the couple (affectionately penned “Marina” by fans) faces repeated obstacles, from Maya admitting she cheated with Jack Gibson in Season 3, Episode 15, “Bad Guy,” to Carina and Maya making up in the following episode. The pandemic and Carina’s expiring visa understandably complicate their relationship. The couple is engaged by Season 4, Episode 13, “Comfortably Numb,” and married in Season 4, Episode 16, “Forever and Ever, Amen.” Maya and Carina never really get a honeymoon period, let alone a dating phase, as Maya’s demotion and their efforts to start a family put immense pressure on their relationship, compounding on Maya’s struggles with her health, leading to Marina’s separation.

So, it’s a relief when Maya brings attention to the gaping cracks in the couple’s foundation in “It’s All Gonna Break.” The recognition of what doesn’t work means that Maya and Carina have so many more places to go and at a pace that Station 19 hasn’t granted them until Season 6. Not to mention, it’s crucial that the show does so in a way that acknowledges what Maya and Carina need from their relationship because it’s always been evident that they want each other. Carina even says so before telling Maya, “I need you to win me back. Slowly.”

Station 19 Season 6 Slows Marina Down for the Better

Maya taking care of Carina in Season 6, Episode 10, “Even Better Than the Real Thing,” exemplifies how beneficial slowing Marina down will be for Maya, Carina and Station 19. This slow-burn reconciliation means that Maya and Carina can relish their relationship’s tenderness again after overcoming many obstacles. It also allows Station 19 to represent Maya’s growth in prioritizing Carina over her work. The show can lean into romantic callbacks, like Maya bringing Carina lasagna like Carina did Maya in Season 3, Episode 7, “Satellite of Love,” and transform those touchstones as Marina heals their relationship.

Carina and Maya aren’t starting over entirely. Their history makes this second chance mean so much more. For example, “It’s All Gonna Break” builds on “Even Better Than the Real Thing,” where Carina tells Victoria Hughes that she has a crush on Maya. The episode sees Carina and Maya waking up in the same bed for the first time in a while, and Carina tells Maya, “Thank you. It felt good to feel safe with you.” The scene’s dialogue and the characters’ proximity elicit a fluttering feeling that usually accompanies the beginnings of any great TV relationship.

It’s impactful that Carina wants to speak to Maya after seeing Ben and Miranda Bailey’s relationship confront conflict during “It’s All Gonna Break,” as they are one of the Grey’s Anatomy universe’s longest-running relationships. Carina sees her marriage as one that can go the distance, but she needs to see that Maya believes that, too. “It’s All Gonna Break” showcases that Maya and Carina are prepared to rebuild their foundation by investing in the pillars, and Station 19 finds no better first step than a first date.