Is Sean Beckett Leaving Station 19? His Dangerous Drinking Problem Is the Last Straw

It’s no secret that Captain Sean Beckett is struggling with his sobriety. But after the fire captain’s incompetence led to a likable character’s death, Sean Beckett could be leaving Station 19 as a result of the tragic incident.

Station 19 is the ABC drama series, created by Stacy McKee, that follows the personal and professional lives of firefighters on Seattle Fire Station 19 in Seattle, Washington. It’s the second spin-off of Grey’s Anatomy (following Private Practice) that premiered in March 2018. Actor Josh Randall plays Sean Beckett, the fire captain who was brought in during season 5 to replace former Captain Maya Bishop after she was demoted. When Beckett was announced as the new captain, people were far from happy. His condescending and difficult demeanor continued into season 6, where Beckett’s drinking problem went on full display, and ultimately, caused dire consequences for Station 88.

In August 2022, our sister site Deadline reported that Randall would be upgraded to a series regular ahead of season 6’s return in October 2022. Merle Dandridge and Pat Healty, who play Natasha Ross and Michael Dixon, respectively, were also promoted to series regulars. Randall isn’t new to the Grey’s Anatomy universe; he played small roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice as different characters before Beckett. He’s also appeared in various TV shows, including Scandal, Scrubs, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Quarry and Ed.

We’re sharing everything we know about whether Sean Beckett is leaving Station 19, including what happened to Cooper and if Beckett’s drinking problem directly contributed to the lieutenant’s death.

What happened to Cooper on Station 19 and was Cooper’s death Beckett’s fault?

What happened to Cooper on Station 19 and was Cooper’s death Beckett’s fault? In season 6, episode 10, “Even Better Than the Real Thing,” Beckett oversees a training exercise with the firefighters from Station 19 and Station 88. We see Lieutenant Cooper (Johnny Wactor) from Station 88 and find out that Beckett used to be his captain too. Vic Hudges (Barrett Doss) and Andy Herrera (Jaine Lee Ortiz) joke with Cooper that they are sorry that he had to work under Beckett when he was a probie, to which Cooper replies that Beckett was the best captain he’s ever had (an answer that surprised them).

During the third phase of the drill, each team must go into the simulation to recover a dummy, and whichever team recovered the dummy first, won the round. During the simulation, an explosion unexpectedly goes off throwing the firefighters in the air. The camera pans to Cooper on the ground with his radio blaring. It’s evident that Cooper is hurt, and he’s carried out on a stretcher. He later dies from injuries.

After Cooper’s death, the blame immediately falls on Beckett. Vic comments that the fire was big enough to knock over two firefighters during a simulation. “Well, it’s either a freak accident or someone seriously messed something up,” replies Station 19 Lieutenant Theo Ruiz (Carlos Miranda).

Is Sean Beckett leaving Station 19?

Is Sean Beckett leaving Station 19? We’re not sure yet, but his character is in deep trouble. In the following espisode, season 19, episode 11, Beckett is under investigation after the training incident gone bad. The investigation is routine to figure out what happened and to make sure it doesn’t happen again, Chief Natasha Ross (Merle Dandridge) tells the team, but everyone seems to think that Beckett is already guilty and was drunk during the fatal training exercise.

The crew goes to fight a fire at a barbershop, and when Beckett stumbles out of the fire truck, Herrera decides to take control of the situation as Beckett was clearly intoxicated. The team bands together and follows Herrera’s orders, and they ask Beckett to sit this one out. “You’re not getting us killed today,” Herrera tells him, to which Beckett eventually responds: “You’re gonna regret this.” Later in the episode, Beckett runs into the engulfed barbershop to save a man that’s inside; he ends up finding a fallen firefighter and gives him his helmet and oxygen mask. When the crew finally gets to their location, Beckett stares back at the flames, contemplating whether he truly wanted to be be saved or not.

At the end of the episode, Chief Ross yells at the crew and tells them that they violated every protocol by defying Beckett. She also says that she was handling the situation with Beckett’s investigation. The team tells Ross that Beckett was drunk and that they understood the repercussions of their actions. In the final scene, Beckett packs his things and admits to the chief that “he needs help.” “I spoke to my union rep and I’m taking a leave of absence,” he says while handing in his badge.

Could this be the last time we see Beckett in Station 19? It definitely could be. Or it could be the start of his absence on the show while he gets help for his drinking problem. Tune into next week’s episode to find out if Beckett is gone for good.

Station 19 airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

For more on Shondaland’s shows, check out our photo gallery on the Grey’s Anatomy cast’s real-life relationships.