#911 flashback

Recap

In typical 9-1-1 fashion, we begin with an emergency. A fire, to be more specific. I will admit, one of the things I found lacking about this show on my initial binge is the lack of actual fires being put out. Then an acquaintance of mine, a former first responder, explained to me that nowadays firefighters aren’t just fighting fires. They’re dealing with traffic accidents, rescues, medical emergencies, and hazardous chemical situations. Now that I understand that, it makes the moments where we do get an emergency involving a structure being on fire even more special. So, as I said, we have a fire. There’s a residential building on fire and we see the 118 working to both put out the fire and rescue occupants trapped inside. Hen tends to an elderly man named Anton (played by) who tells her he’s been experiencing nausea for several days. He tells her he’s been taking a lot of antacid. Hen believes Anton may have an excess of calcium in his blood, most likely due to an undiagnosed thyroid condition. Anton asks about someone named Gladys and Hen assures him she has her best boys looking for Gladys. Speaking of best boys, Buck and Eddie are looking for Gladys who is a deaf woman. They go up to the roof of a neighboring building and jump over to the building currently on fire. Buck repels down the side of the building and crashes through the window of her apartment. He gets her out of harm’s way and as they’re both repelling down the side of the building to safety, there’s an explosion. The explosion catches their line on fire and thankfully they land on the inflatable airbag below. Everyone is safe. Gladys and Anton are reunited. It’s such a sweet moment. Meanwhile, Hen and Chimney transport Anton to the hospital. A group of doctors and nurses on standby greet them at the door and Hen tells them about Anton’s potential thyroid condition.

Back at the station, Buck is in a celebratory mood and wants to go out. Unfortunately, the others all have an excuse not to join him. Buck is dejected but decided to go out anyway. He ends up at a local watering hole frequented by firefighters and strikes up a conversation with a retired firefighter named Red Delacroix (played by Jack McGee). Red reminiscences about the good ole’ days and says to Buck the only time he and his old unit get together is for funerals. Buck then learns Red never got around to starting a family because he was too consumed with the firehouse, being the best, and saving lives. Meanwhile, over at Bobby and Athena’s, the two enjoy a quiet, kid-free evening when Hen shows up unannounced. Hen tells Bobby she heard on the radio there was a fatality from the residential fire. She tells him the person who died was Anton. Bobby says he thought Anton was fine and Hen says he should have been. She tells Bobby that she gave the nurse at the hospital a full rundown on what was going on with Anton and suggested they do an EKG. Bobby tells her he will make a call. After making the call, Bobby says the official cause of Anton’s death was cardiac arrest. Hen is shocked by the news and tells Bobby she told the hospital staff that Anton might have hypercalcemia. Bobby suggests maybe they missed it because they were dealing with other patients from the fire. Hen is upset because she did her job, but the hospital didn’t do theirs.  

Buck, being an absolute gentleman, walks Red back to his apartment. Buck sees a photo of Red’s old house – the Fighting 134 – hanging on the wall. Buck also learns that Red is the man’s nickname, and it was given to him because he was a bit of a hothead – much like Buck. The similarities continue when Buck notices a photo of a young Red with a woman. When he asks Red about the lady in the picture, Red tells him that’s the one that got away. Red says they were going to get married but she got tired of competing with the job. Red asks Buck if he has anybody and he says no. Red provides Buck with some sage advice. He says, “You can be the hero, save lives, but don’t neglect having your own. Last thing you want is to be at the end holding nothing but regrets.” Red’s words hit Buck like a ton of bricks. The next day, at the station, Buck tells the others about meeting Red. He tells them that all the guys from Red’s unit don’t talk anymore. Hen says that life gets busy and it’s easy for people to lose touch. Buck wonders if that will happen to the 118 and the others assure him it won’t. Eddie asks Hen and Chimney if they keep in touch with the old 118. Chimney says he spoke to Tommy the previous year. Eddie, again, assures Buck that they won’t fall out of touch, even if they retire or move to another firehouse.

We get an emergency involving a father and son. The two are riding a motorized scooter when a drone crashes in front of them causing them to get thrown from the scooter. Thankfully they are okay although the dad may have a broken arm. Athena arrives on the scene and speaks with the owner of the drone. He tells Athena the drone got away from him. A woman asks the owner, whose name is Jeffrey Hudson (played by Noah Bean) why he was flying the drone over her house. Athena tells Jeffrey it is illegal for him to fly a drone over private property. He tells Athena he’s a realtor and he was only trying to get aerial views of the home he is trying to sell. The woman tells Athena she knows almost everyone in the neighborhood, and she hasn’t heard of anyone selling. Jeffrey says the home hasn’t gone up on the MLS (multiple listing service) yet. Athena tells him that if he is using the drone for his job, it should be registered with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration). She asks Jeffrey to see his remote pilot’s license which he doesn’t have. Athena has Jeffrey arrested for operating a drone without a license, trespassing and destruction of private property.

Over at the LAPD, Athena escorts Jeffrey into custody and turns over the broken drone to an officer. Meanwhile, Buck shows up at Red’s apartment telling him he found Cindy, the one that got away. Buck says Cindy is widowed. Buck throws Red’s words about not having regrets back at him and convinces him to go see Cindy. Red agrees to go visit her. When they arrive at Cindy’s home, Buck gives Red two tickets to the Dodgers-Mets series. They go to the door and Cindy’s caretaker Doris (played by Loren Escandon) answers. Cindy also comes to the door and appears to recognize Red. She invites him and Buck inside. Doris serves tea while Red catches up with Cindy. As the conversation progresses, it becomes quite evident that Cindy has some sort of dementia which is crushing for Red. She panics and starts asking about her husband. Buck and Red make a hasty retreat and the latter tells Buck they never should have come. The one lasting memory he had is now ruined. He tells Buck to stay away because he’s not sure he can survive with his help anymore.

Back at LAPD, the officer who Athena handed the drone off to reports finding something disturbing. Apparently, Jeffrey is a Peeping Tom and was using the drone to spy on women. Athena then learns Jeffrey has been released from custody by the Feds. Meanwhile, Buck speaks with Maddie about Red. Maddie asks if the situation with Red is reminding Buck of his own romantic life – or lack thereof. Buck thinks she’s being ridiculous. He then asks Maddie if she thinks he’s lonely. She tells him he stopped trying after Abby. She tells him she understands but he’s quick to remind her it’s him who always gets left behind – not her. In fact, Maddie is the one who always leaves. Buck assures Maddie he’s not mad. He tells her she doesn’t know what it’s like when people walk away.

We have another emergency. We see two chefs competing in a reality TV cooking competition a la Chopped. Chef Maurice (played by Jeff Blim) shakes a can of nitrous whipped cream, and it explodes. The spout the whipped cream is dispensed through gets lodged in Chef Maurice’s chest splattering whipped cream and blood all over the kitchen set. The 118 arrive and Hen and Chimney tend to Chef Maurice. Chimney says the whipped cream spout is millimeters from the chef’s heart. Bobby radios to the hospital to have surgeons on standby. During transport, Hen performs a thoracotomy much to Chimney disapproval. She puts her finger in his chest and keeps it there all the way to the hospital. When the ambulance arrives, a doctor (played by Joe Gillette) scolds Hen for performing the procedure. Hen accompanies the doctor and nurses into the operating room. Another doctor, Dr. Imelda Royce (played by Jessica Tuck) commends Hen for breaking the rules to save the chef’s life. The surgery is a success.

Meanwhile, Buck gets a call from Red who is in the hospital. Buck learns that Red has cancer. Buck, learning from his earlier mistake, simply asks if there’s anything he can do. Red asks if Buck can sit with him. Buck takes a seat and asks Red to tell him a story about his old house. The next day at the station, Hen sees a doctor’s coat hanging over her turnout gear. The others commend her for saving the life of the chef. Bobby congratulates her too and tells her never to do that again. Back at the hospital, Buck arranges for several firefighters to help him escort Red out of the hospital after he is discharged. It’s such a touching scene watching Buck help Red into the firetruck. Red is deeply touched by the gesture. As the firetruck drives off, Red salutes Buck. We then learn from Buck that Red dies. Maddie tells her brother he was a good friend to Red. She then says that Buck is nothing like Red. His life is not Buck’s life. His life is not Buck’s future. Maddie tells Buck the difference between he and Red is that Red didn’t have a sister. She says that she knows she left him behind twice but she came back. She pinky promises to never leave him behind.

In the final scene of the episode, Athena and Detective Lou Ransone (played by Sasha Roiz) go to Jeffrey Hudson’s home. Jeffrey has flown the coop but has left a lot of evidence behind. An officer finds a video of Jeffrey attacking a woman in her woman in her home. Turns out, Jeffrey Hudson isn’t just a Peeping Tom. He’s a serial rapist.

Observations

After the apartment fire, Buck wants to go out and celebrate. Everyone has an excuse as to why they cannot hangout; however, Eddie tells Buck he can come over and help him chaperone Christopher’s sleepover. I know I always have my foot on the neck of Buddie shippers, but I find this moment funny because at times it seems that Buck is only useful to Eddie when it comes to helping him raise his son.

The whole point of this episode is that Buck’s life doesn’t have to end up like Red’s. However, the two share a LOT of similarities. They both go by their nicknames (Buck and Red) instead of their actual names (Evan and John). They’re both adventurous and love being firefighters. They can fly off the handle at times. They both fell in love with red heads.

Speaking of Red Delacroix, this is not the first time I’ve seen his actor Jack McGee play a firefighter. I remember him from the FX show Rescue Me starring Denis Leary.  

Buck is a great active listener.

I love any time Athena and Bobby dance.

Chimney mentions that he keeps in touch with Tommy, further proof that Tommy Kinard has always been around. Also, there’s no malice in the mentioning of his name which tells me that even though Hen and Chimney don’t check in with Tommy regularly, they have no ill-will towards him.

Bobby using the chainsaw made me so nervous especially since we can’t see the dad’s head.

Whenever Buck is really having a hard time, he typically goes to the women in his life. I love how candid he is with Maddie. It was important that he let her know that her abandoning him really affected him. I love their pinkie promise at the end of the episode. It’s not the last time we will see it.

Chef Maurice looks an awful lot like Chef Marcel Vigneron on Bravo’s hit cooking competition show Top Chef

The scene where Buck wheels Red out of the hospital always makes me cry. Seeing all those first responders, past and present, standing at attention is so beautiful. Buck is a good guy. Period. You can never make me hate him. Also, I love how the 118 showed up for Buck as well.

911 Lore

This episode marks the first appearance of Detective Lou Ransone played by Sasha Roiz.

This episode marks the first appearance of Jeffrey Hudson played by Noah Bean.

Hen’s medical intervention could’ve resulted in her being fired. Instead, it inspires a new career path.

Maddie left Buck twice – she left him when she left home for the first time and she left him again when she married Doug.

Recap

Night has fallen in Los Angeles and Maddie is getting inundated with non-emergency calls. She gets a call from a man named Drew Hudson (played by Burt Grinstead) whose wife Ainsley has gone into premature labor. Maddie tells him that 32 weeks isn’t so early that Ainsley is in the danger zone. She tells Drew to monitor his wife’s breathing and time her contractions. Drew is adamant his wife needs an ambulance. Maddie tells him resources are spread thin, and no ambulance will be coming. She then goes on to tell Drew she’s a trained nurse and she’s delivered a lot of babies. Drew reveals that Ainsley is unconscious which, in hindsight, should have been brought up earlier in the conversation. Drew explains that he was in the process of taking Ainsley to the hospital when the aftershock hit. Ainsley fell and hit her head. Maddie remains calm considering this is like her first day on the phones. She asks Drew to check Ainsley’s breathing. Thankfully, she is still breathing. Maddie gets the bright idea of having Drew drive his wife to a fire knowing emergency units will already be on the scene. We head over to the fire where we see Captain Martinez (played by Pablo Espinosa) getting a call from Maddie. She alerts him of Drew and his unconscious, pregnant wife coming to them. Captain Martinez sees the couple pull up and directs his EMTs to treat Ainsley and transport her to the hospital. Maddie thanks the fire captain and we get our first official Maddie tears of the series.  

We head back to the Hollywood Palm Hotel where we see the father of our family of four approach Chief Miranda Williams (played by Romi Dias) about his daughter, Kat. The chief assures Brian (played by Eric Nenninger) search and rescue operations are continuing. Growing impatient, Brian tells her he wants to try looking for Kat himself. Chief Williams says she cannot allow him to do that because then he’d end up needing rescue, too. She tells him that the best thing for him to do is be with his family. Chief Williams also gets an update on one of the firefighters from the 118 being trapped inside the hotel. Bobby and Chimney are still inside the hotel looking for Hen. They call out to her but don’t get a response. Another firefighter is able to pick up Hen’s heat signature and informs Bobby and Chimney she is three meters deep behind a pancaked section of the parking garage. Chimney points out that if they attempt to get to her, it can cause further collapse. Several stories up, Buck and Eddie have managed to rescue Ali from certain death and are leading her through the stairwell which is now sideways. Bobby radios to them saying he needs a head count. Eddie radios back saying he and Buck are good. Two red shirts named Castillo and Jackson also respond. We hear the names Paulson, Marcus, and Riley reply as well. Chimney radios Bobby despite being with him. Bobby calls out to Hen but doesn’t get a response. Buck and Eddie exchange ominous looks. Ali asks the two firefighters if Hen is their friend. Eddie ignores the question and says to keep moving.

Meanwhile, Hen is trying to contact the others but not getting a response. She stumbles across the firefighter from the previous episode. Russell Byrd (played by TJ Linnard) is trapped underneath debris and is not doing well. He tells Hen that his pelvis is fractured, and he has a flail chest. He’s not going to make it out of there alive, but Hen is going to try. Hen gives Russell some pain medication to keep him comfortable. He asks her if she’s married. She tells him about Karen. He tells her he used to have a wife. He was so afraid of not making it back home to her at the end of the day that he just stopped coming home altogether. Hen tells Russell that her team is right above them, but her words are for naught. Russell succumbs to his injuries.

Over at Athena’s, Michael is trying to stay busy while May and Harry are watching the news. Michael chastises them for not cleaning up the mess in the living room. Harry, our little sociopath who was celebrating his school getting wrecked by the earthquake, accuses his dad of not caring about their mom. Michael looks angry but doesn’t lash out at Harry. He tells the kids to grab their coats and the earthquake kits and get in the car. Speaking of Athena, our resident sergeant arrives at a convenience store where an angry mob has formed. She pushes her way through the crowd and heads inside. Turns out, the owner whose name is Herve (played by Michael Ray Escamilla) fired a gun which is why the crowd outside is in such an uproar. Athena notices something’s not right about the situation and asks him how much he’s charging for water. Herve tells her $14.99 which is highway robbery if you asked me. A woman from outside peeks her head inside and says he’s lying. Herve is charging $100 for a case of water. Athena quickly cites a penal code and tells him about the anti-price gouging law. She threatens to write him up if he continues his shady business practices. Herve says he can off 50-percent off everything in the store. Athena approves of his idea. She announces to the crowd outside that everything in the store is half price.

We head back over to the dispatch center where Maddie is asking an LAFD Liaison named Bill Jenks (played by Matthew Jayson Cwern) if he’s heard anything about the 118. He tells her he hasn’t heard anything but assures her he will find her if he gets any new information. Over at the hotel, Buck, Eddie and Ali are still navigating their way towards getting out of the building. They hear someone calling for help in one of the hotel rooms. They investigate and find a hotel worker named Batari (played by Kevin Teh) trapped under fallen furniture. Buck and Eddie work quickly to move the furniture out of the way while the latter checks for injuries. The hotel worker apologizes for soiling himself as Eddie tries to get him to wiggle his toes. Eddie tells Buck he believes the man has a spinal injury. They brainstorm a way to transport Batari out of the building and Ali suggests using an ironing board. Eddie wonders how they will transport him via the stairwell. Buck thinks they should use the elevator. The three of them peek inside the elevator shaft and see the car is above them.

Down in the parking garage, Hen works hard to free herself but isn’t making any progress. She takes out her phone and records a goodbye message for Karen in case she doesn’t get out. She tells Karen that she wants her to know she fought hard to get back home to her and Denny. When she finishes recording, goes back to chipping away at the debris she’s trapped behind. She creates a space in the wall and the mean rich lady’s dog – Paisley – comes running out to her. Paisley runs off and Hen goes after her. Meanwhile, Michael takes Harry and May to their church so they can be a service to their community. They are greeted by another member of the church, Ms. Lorna (played by Kimleigh Smith) who puts them to work. While May hands out water, Harry notices a young man sitting under a table. When Harry asks the guy what he’s doing under the table, he tells Harry that his mom told him to go to church if something bad happens. Harry tells him he will have an easier time seeing his mom if he gets out from under the table.

Back at the hotel, Buck and Ali watch as Eddie repels down the elevator shaft with Batari. Buck then helps Ali harness up so they can repel down, too. Another aftershock hits, sending the elevator car crashing down. The four of them manage to get out of the elevator shaft without getting crushed. Meanwhile, down in the parking lot, a firefighter tells Bobby and Chimney he can see movement on the other side of the wall. They’ve found Hen. The only issue is there is a lot of concrete separating them from her. On the other side of the wall, Hen manages to find Kat. Outside the hotel, Captain Williams radios Bobby and tells him a collapse is eminent. She gives a direct order to evacuate. Bobby and Chimney defy orders and go looking for Hen. They see several floors of the parking garage and have collapsed onto each other. Bobby gets an idea to use one of the cars that hasn’t been crushed to pull one of the crushed cars out of the way thus creating a space for them to get to Hen. Chimney spots a huge pickup truck and decides it would be better to pull the car. The chain snaps just before they manage to remove the car. Buck and Eddie show up along with several other firefighters and Captain Williams to assist Bobby and Chimney. They all manage to create a space large enough in the wall for Hen, Kat and Paisley to crawl through.

Over at dispatch, Maddie gets a call from a woman asking if something else happened. She says she sees a glowing cloud in the sky. Maddie asks the woman if she has power and she says no. There’s not a light for miles. Maddie smiles and tells the woman she’s seeing the Milky Way. Los Angeles is usually too lit up at night for people to see it. We head back over to what’s left of the Hollywood Palm Hotel and we get a montage. Kat reunites with her family. Bobby shakes hands with Captain Williams while Buck talks with Ali. Chimney checks Hen out to make sure she doesn’t have a concussion. Kat’s mom mouths a silent thank-you to Hen. The basketball coach is leading his team in prayer. Hen stands at attention as Russell Byrd’s body is taken out of the rubble and loaded into an ambulance. Buck gets a text from Maddie asking if he’s okay and he messages her back saying he is fine. We then head over to the hospital where Drew and a conscious Ainsley are celebrating the birth of their baby. Athena makes it home to her kids and Michael. We see all the basketball players signing Jeff’s leg cast. Hen arrives home with Paisley in tow. Buck drives Eddie to Christopher’s school. The two are so happy to see each other.

We end the episode at Athena’s. The kids are putting things back on the shelf while Michael cooks dinner. Athena gets a call from Bobby asking her to come outside. Athena goes out front and sees Bobby standing in the driveway. The two embrace, happy to see each other. Happy they both survived the day. Michael comes outside and invites Bobby inside for dinner. Bobby politely declines but Michael tells him he’s already made a place setting for him. He tells Bobby the kids are excited to see him. Athena takes Bobby’s hand and leads him into her home.

Observations

Maddie is remarkably more confident since the last episode.

We will see Drew and Ainsley Hudson again later this season in the episode “Careful What You Wish For”

The death of Firefighter Russell Byrd marks the first on-screen death of first responder

While I don’t agree with the convenience store owner hiking prices during a state of emergency, Athena’s interaction with him is yet another moment that makes me uncomfortable. I’m not sure how I feel about her using her power to threaten someone. I love Athena but at the end of the day, she’s still a cop and sometimes cops engage in problematic behavior.

Buck accidentally refers to Ali as “Abby”.

At the end of the episode, Hen, Karen and Denny become the proud owners of Paisley the dog whose owner was crushed during the earthquake.

Poor Christopher! What a traumatic first day of school!

A lot of people misinterpret Buck’s look at the end of the episode as him displaying romantic affection for Eddie. I think at this moment Buck is in awe of seeing a father and son embrace each other. Knowing Buck’s personal history, I’m guessing he didn’t get a lot of hugs from his dad.

Michael is so supportive of Athena dating again and is so welcoming to Bobby.

The episode opens in what appears to be an interrogation room. A single folding chair sits in the center of the room. Captain Bobby Nash enters in full uniform, removes his cap, and takes a seat. An unseen interviewer asks him to state his name. He answers, “Robert Wade Nash.”

We cut to a 9-1-1 call: a panicked woman tells the dispatcher she can’t see. A child calls out for her mother in the background. The woman reassures her daughter, insisting that her daddy is on his way.

Then we flash back to 2014—St. Paul, Minnesota. Bobby is on the roof of his apartment building, getting high. Sirens, honking, and shouting rise from the street below. Curious, he looks over the edge and sees a ladder truck, a fire engine, and an ambulance gathered outside his building.

He bolts inside, desperate to reach his wife, Marcy, and their children, Brooke and Robert Jr. When he reaches his floor, the hallway is already engulfed in flames. He fights his way to his apartment and tries to kick in the door, but the weakened floor collapses beneath him, dropping him to the level below.

Bobby scrambles to his feet and tries to jump back up to the burning floor, but two firefighters spot him and drag him away from the danger. Outside, he fights to go back in, shouting that his family is still inside. A firefighter promises him that the crew is searching for them.

Chaos swirls around him—paramedics treating burn victims, people coughing from smoke inhalation. Then Bobby sees Marcy being wheeled out on a gurney, severely burned but alive. He rushes to her side. A firefighter named Phil, who knows Bobby, tells him she’s still breathing and urges him to ride with her to the hospital.

Something shifts in Bobby. He suddenly asks Phil about his kids—where they are, whether they’ve been found. Phil avoids the question, insisting Bobby focuses on Marcy. But then Bobby sees two small bodies being covered with sheets. Brooke and Robert Jr. are gone. The moment is devastating, almost too much to take in.

Phil pushes Bobby into the ambulance with Marcy, and they race to the hospital.

There, Bobby watches her through a window—bandaged head to toe. A priest stands at her bedside, praying. When Marcy stirs, the priest calls Bobby in. He tells her everything is okay. She asks about the kids. Bobby lies, saying they’re safe. She whispers, “I knew you’d come and save us.”

Marcy closes her eyes, and the monitor beside her begins to beep. Nurses rush in. Bobby collapses as they work to save her.

We then get a… title card!

When we return, we slip into a quiet slice‑of‑life moment with the Nash family. Bobby is at the stove making a ragù, and he lets Marcy taste the sauce. They share a soft, romantic moment. It’s a little surreal seeing Bobby kiss someone who isn’t Athena—my Bathena heart twitches—but Bobby and Marcy’s relationship still lands. He clearly adores her. It’s a reminder that people can have more than one great love story in a lifetime.

The family gathers for dinner and prays together. For context, this scene takes place just hours before the fire. As they talk, their voices begin to distort. We hear someone ask, “Captain Nash, can you hear me?” Another voice insists, “You have to go. You have to go.” Bobby echoes, “I don’t want to.” A thunderclap. “Captain Nash…” On screen, Bobby whispers, “I’m sorry.”

Robert Jr. asks Marcy if his dad is okay. She reassures him he is and promises they’ll see Bobby soon. Bobby looks at his family and says, “I love you so much.” The distorted voices return. A monitor beeps. Flashes of a man. “Shock him. All clear?” More thunder. More flashes.

Bobby jolts awake in a bar with Deputy Chief Phil Evans (Andy Umberger) standing over him. Phil asks if he’s okay. Bobby sits up, eyes wild, and demands to know why Phil brought him back—he says he was with Marcy and the kids. Two uniformed men escort Bobby out while Phil shouts for them to keep Bobby’s name off the radio. When Phil looks back at the bar, he sees a binder labeled FIRE INCIDENT REPORT: The Lakeview Apartments, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Phil later visits Bobby in the hospital. Bobby immediately asks if he’s been fired. Phil snorts. “For what? Being an alcoholic?” He points out that Bobby isn’t the only firefighter who struggles with substance abuse. “Pick a day—I’ll point you to ten church basements. You’ll see some familiar faces.”

Phil brings up the incident report. Bobby tells him he’s read it—and that he’s been cleared. But he doesn’t want to be cleared. He admits he confessed to setting the fire because 148 people died. The weight of that number is staggering. You can feel how completely he’s internalized the blame, how convinced he is that every one of those lives is on him.

The deputy chief walks him through the facts: Bobby was drunk and high and left a space heater running, yes—but the heater overheated, the circuit breaker failed to trip, the water supply malfunctioned, the building’s fire alarms had dead batteries, and there was no backup power. Phil lists violation after violation, all ignored or overlooked.

He’s trying to hand Bobby a “Get Out of Guilt Free” card, but Bobby refuses to take it. He argues that he lived in the building—he should have noticed the problems. He should have done something. He insists he has to own this.

Phil pushes back, telling him he’s punishing himself. Bobby doesn’t deny it. So Phil gives him the harshest truth of all: if Bobby wants punishment, he already has it. He survived. “Now make it worth a damn.”

With that, Phil leaves him alone at his bedside.

We next see Bobby speaking at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. He tells the group that when he first walked into AA, he was completely alone—“No friends, no family, no higher power.” He admits he told his sponsor, Oscar, that he didn’t believe in AA and didn’t need it. Then he shares Oscar’s response:

“Imagine you’re by the ocean. You walk out into the waves. You put out your hand and you say, ‘Stop, be still.’ If the ocean obliges, congratulations—you’re God. And if it don’t, sit down, shut up, and accept how powerless you are.”

He thanks the group and says he wouldn’t be anywhere without them.

After the meeting, Oscar (Daniel Edward Mora) checks in and asks about work. Bobby tells him he’s still stuck on desk duty and climbing the walls, desperate to get back into the field. Oscar acknowledges how hard Bobby has been working through the Twelve Steps—and that he’s about to face the toughest one: Step 8. For anyone unfamiliar, Step 8 is about making a list of everyone you’ve harmed and becoming willing to make amends.

This ties beautifully back to the “Pilot.” When we first meet Bobby, he’s writing down the names of the people he saves in a little black book. In Bobby Begins Again, we learn that Oscar is the one who gave him that book. It’s a full‑circle moment, especially since Bobby let go of the book at the end of last season.

Oscar tells Bobby he’s proud of him—and that Bobby’s family would be proud too. They hug and part ways.

Bobby then meets with Deputy Chief Evans and shows him his six‑month sobriety chip. Phil congratulates him and asks what’s next. Bobby says he wants to go back to real work. He wants to be on calls again. Phil hesitates, unsure Bobby is ready. Bobby sets his little black book on the desk and explains that it contains 148 names—the victims of the fire. “Those are lives that I owe to balance the books, and I can’t do that riding the desk.” He’s ready.

Phil agrees that Bobby may be ready but reminds him that the rest of the crew might not be. Trust takes time, especially when you’re asking people to walk into burning buildings with you. Bobby doesn’t flinch. If his old unit won’t take him back, he wants a transfer—anywhere.

Phil studies him and asks what’s really going on. Bobby doesn’t hesitate: he needs to atone, and if he can’t do that in Minneapolis, he needs to go somewhere he can. “Dart and a map, coach. Just put me in.”

The deputy chief obliges, and Bobby is transferred to the City of Angels. Over at Station 118, Hen Wilson is already taking bets on how long their new captain will last. Tommy Kinard (Lou Ferrigno Jr.) asks her to spot him four weeks… on credit. He claims he needs to run to the ATM. Hen warns him he’d better pay up—she knows the bookie, and she’s a madwoman.

Hen turns to fellow firefighter Sal Deluca (Gino Anthony Pesi). He hands over his cash and confidently gives the new captain one week, tops. “Guy’s from, like, Nebraska,” he says. Chimney corrects him: Minnesota. Sal shrugs. “There’s New York, there’s L.A., and in between there’s Nebraska.” Hen fires back that Chicago’s going to kick his ass.

Hen explains that they’ve had six captains in two years—they’re basically the Island of Misfit Toys for retiring brass. She hopes this one sticks around. Sal remains skeptical. Sure, if a barn’s burning down or the roads need salting, the new guy will be fine. But a fire at the fair? Forget it. “L.A.’s gonna look like Mars to this Podunk, and we’re fresh out of training wheels.”

Right on cue, the siren on a nearby ladder truck blares, startling all four of them. The door swings open—and Bobby steps out. What an entrance. He immediately points out that they’re missing half the supplies that should be stocked on the truck. Then he strolls over to Hen, Tommy, Sal, and Chimney and places his own bet: “Give me the odds on lasting longer than one or all of you.”

Damn, Bobby.

Can I just say: I love this iteration of the 118. Don’t get me wrong—I adore Buck, I mostly like Eddie, and Ravi is a breath of fresh air—but I really wish we’d gotten more time with this lineup. This isn’t our first glimpse of Sal and Tommy, but now that Gerrard is gone, the vibe is so much lighter and more fun.

One detail I really appreciate—great “show, don’t tell”—is how chummy Chimney and Tommy are here. In “Chimney Begins,” we learn Chimney was hazed when he first joined the 118, and by the end of that episode he literally saves Tommy’s life. Seeing them so relaxed and friendly now is such a subtle, satisfying bit of character continuity.

Now, back to the episode.

We launch into a rapid‑fire montage of emergencies set to Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train.” The first call involves a tree trimmer stuck high up in a palm tree. Chimney reacts just in time to keep Bobby from getting clocked by the guy’s machete.

Sal immediately starts barking orders like he’s the one wearing the captain’s badge: “Tommy, get on the ladder and prep the saw. Hen, I need you teed up at the base, ready to attend.”

The ladder goes up, and Tommy and Sal climb to reach the trapped worker. On the ground, Bobby asks Chimney if this kind of thing happens often. Chimney says it does—several times a year. Sometimes the weight snaps their necks; sometimes they suffocate before help arrives. Casual nightmare fuel.

Tommy and Sal manage to free the tree trimmer while Bobby dodges falling palm fronds below. The man slips and nearly plummets, startling the crowd, but Tommy and Sal catch him just in time. They bring him down to cheers and applause.

The next call is pure comedy: a woman named Julie (Chasty Ballesteros) has somehow gotten her head stuck inside the diffuser of a hair dryer. Hen theorizes she’s having an allergic reaction to hair dye, which explains why her head looks… alarmingly swollen. Julie insists she thought she was at a holistic salon. Amy (Cassandra Nuss), the owner, chirps that they are holistic: “We pride ourselves on our green policies. We even use non‑toxic products to clean the equipment.”

Sure, Jan.

Bobby orders them to cut Julie free, then mutters, “Just don’t decapitate her. It’s my first day.” Thankfully Julie doesn’t hear him, but Chimney and Hen’s reactions to Bobby’s dry humor are priceless.

Bobby reassures Julie they’ll get her out. She tells him she has a big audition later that afternoon. Chimney saws through the diffuser, and once she’s free… yeah, she’s not making that audition. Whatever caused that allergic reaction needs to be discontinued immediately. And Amy should probably lawyer up.

As Chimney escorts Julie out, Hen turns to Bobby and deadpans, “I don’t think she’s getting that part.” Hen is so funny in this episode. More of this version of the 118, please.

Between the emergencies, we also get some great comedic beats of Bobby trying to learn the layout of Los Angeles. He’s got this comically oversized map unfolded, and Chimney and Tommy keep exchanging looks like, “Is this guy for real?”

As night falls and “Crazy Train” fades out, the 118 roll up to another emergency—this time at a trailer park. Chimney and Hen approach the victim, a man named Ted (Joshua Dov), who’s been stabbed and slashed multiple times. Bobby asks what happened. Ted wheezes out, “Maurice… went crazy.”

Bobby reassures him that they’ll patch him up and get him out of there, and that the police are on their way.

Right on cue, Maurice makes his grand entrance. Maurice, as it turns out, is a rooster. Ted panics, and suddenly we’re treated to banjo music as the 118 scatter to avoid a furious bird with tiny blades strapped to his feet. Yes—cockfighting. Hen is horrified and demands to know why they’re even helping this guy. Ted asks if she’s one of those “animal rights types.” Chimney, without missing a beat, points out that her name is Hen. Comedy gold.

Chaos erupts as Tommy attempts to wrangle Maurice. It’s immediately obvious he has never done this before. He and Sal do their best to distract the rooster while Hen and Chimney hustle Ted to safety.

Meanwhile, Bobby is laughing—probably for the first time in ages—watching Tommy and Sal chase a weaponized rooster around a trailer park. And honestly? It is funny. After everything Bobby has been through, seeing him genuinely enjoy a moment feels like a gift.

Then Bobby strolls over with a towel and effortlessly scoops Maurice up. “West Coast, meet Midwest,” he says, removing the blades from the rooster’s feet and soothing the bird like it’s no big deal.

That’s when Sergeant Athena Grant arrives. She approaches Bobby, Sal, and Tommy, explaining she got a call about a stabbing by an unknown assailant. Bobby introduces her to Maurice and hands the rooster over, assuring her he’s been disarmed. He tells her to go easy on Maurice—he’s had a rough day. Then he walks off, leaving Athena standing there holding his… rooster. Winky face.

And you guys—this moment is huge. This is the very first time Athena and Bobby meet. Their very first interaction. Neither of them has any idea that they’re about to embark on one of the most epic romances in television history.

We cut to a phone call between Bobby and his sponsor, Oscar. Oscar asks how the West Coast is treating him. Bobby says it’s a different world. Oscar checks whether he’s been attending meetings, and Bobby jokes that no matter where he goes, it’s never hard to find a room full of old drunks and addicts. Oscar reminds him: 90 meetings in 90 days, and find a local sponsor. Bobby agrees. Oscar signs off by telling him to take care of himself.

Then we see Bobby step out of his vehicle… and walk straight into a bar.

Next, he’s at church. He sits in the nave, praying while waiting for confession. Father Jameson (Nick Searcy) startles him, joking that the last guy had a “ridiculously busy month.” Bobby asks if they can talk in the pews instead, and the priest agrees.

Bobby hands over his sobriety chip and admits he would’ve celebrated a year of sobriety—if he hadn’t reset the clock the night before. Father Jameson asks if he had a bad day. Bobby says no. He had a good day. And he doesn’t think he deserves good days. Oh, Bobby.

He tells the priest he made a mistake that hurt a lot of people, and there aren’t enough candles in the church to atone for it. But he made God a promise. He has a plan—a way to make things right. Father Jameson asks whether he’s not allowed to be happy while he carries out this plan. Bobby says he doesn’t get to forget what he did, and yesterday… he forgot. For a moment, it felt like old times. He felt like himself. Like he could go on living.

Bobby explains leaving Minnesota and coming to Los Angeles. When he finishes, Father Jameson gestures to the crucifix and says he only knows one man who could multitask from a cross. If Bobby wants to help people, he needs to take his sobriety chip back and work on earning it again.

We shift to Guillermo’s Eatery, where owner Victor Costas (Eddie McClintock) is serving customers while his son Freddie (Anthony Turpel) does homework in a booth. Victor heads to the back office, where his wife Ellie (Lauren Stamile) is reviewing their finances. The restaurant is struggling, but Ellie insists they’ll figure it out.

Victor tells her to forget the paperwork and take Freddie home—he’ll close up. She asks if he’s sure. He jokes, asking if she thinks he can’t handle the dinner rush. They hug, and she leaves. Victor then approaches a man working at a booth and asks if he wants to order something. The man scoffs, refuses, and storms out.

Then comes the 9‑1‑1 call: Ellie reporting a fire at Guillermo’s Eatery. She’s frantic—Freddie went back inside to grab his laptop.

The 118 arrive. Athena is already there, trying to calm Ellie, who’s screaming about the sprinklers not activating. Athena tells Bobby there are two people inside: Victor and Freddie. Bobby snaps into captain mode. “Kinard, get on the roof!” He turns to give Sal an order—only to realize Sal has already run inside. Bobby radios him to come back. Sal refuses, saying he’s doing his job.

Inside, the restaurant is an inferno. Bobby enters and is hit with memories of his apartment fire. He pushes through the intrusive thoughts and finds Victor on the floor. He drags him toward safety, but a flashover erupts. Chimney radios that there’s a skylight above him. Bobby breaks it, and the burst of oxygen helps knock the fire down.

He gets Victor out and turns to go back for Freddie—only for Hen to tell him Sal already found the boy. Father and son are reunited with Ellie. Bobby reassures Freddie as he’s loaded into the ambulance that everything will be okay. When he turns around, Sal is standing there.

Sal reports he found Freddie in the bathroom. Bobby is… not impressed.

Back at the firehouse, Sal and Tommy are changed and heading out when Bobby calls after Sal. Sal ignores him until Bobby calls again. Sal turns and snaps, “You’re a piece of work. You come in here with your nose in the air and your eyes looking down.” Tommy tries to stop him. Chimney and Hen drift over, sensing trouble.

Bobby warns Sal to watch his tone. Sal fires back that Bobby isn’t his captain. Bobby asks if Sal thinks he knows how to run the house. He tells him he’s putting lives at risk just so he can play hero.

Sal counters that Freddie would be dead without him. Bobby says they all could’ve died because of him. Sal got lucky. Sal insists it wasn’t luck—it was skill. The kind of skill that saves lives and leads the 118. Bobby replies, “But definitely not the temperament.”

Sal drops his bag and lunges. Chimney and Tommy hold him back. Chimney tells him, “Enough.” We learn Sal applied to be captain but didn’t get the job—explaining the bitterness simmering under the surface. Chimney tells him to apologize. Sal refuses.

Bobby steps forward. He tells Sal he needs to learn respect for the chain of command or he won’t work there anymore. Sal spits out, “Screw you,” and walks off. Bobby calls after him: he’s relieved of duty. Sal stops. “You’re firing me?” Bobby says Sal fired himself. Pack up and get out.

And that’s why Sal isn’t with the 118 in the present day. Honestly, I get where he’s coming from. Watching Gerrard get removed only to have a new captain swoop in and take over must sting. And Sal’s been at the 118 longer—of course he thinks he knows what’s best. It’s a shame. I actually like Sal.

Bobby sits alone upstairs at the dinner table, replaying the events of their last call. He opens the little black book Oscar gave him before he left Minnesota and adds Guillermo’s Eatery to the list. Back in the Pilot, we learned that Bobby keeps a ledger of every life he saves. This call is the very first entry.

He snaps the book shut when Hen comes upstairs. Bobby compliments her work; she thanks him and then—curious—asks about the book. He quickly tucks it away. She apologizes for prying, saying she was just trying to make conversation. Bobby asks what’s on her mind. He calls her by her last name, and she gently corrects him: she goes by Hen. She also tells him that Howie Han goes by Chimney. Bobby asks why. Hen tells him he’ll have to ask him.

Hen brings up Sal and the firing. Bobby repeats that Sal nearly got them killed. Hen counters that he didn’t—everyone lived. Bobby says he would’ve given Sal a second chance, but Sal didn’t want one. Then he reveals he pulled some strings to have Sal transferred to the 122.

Hen is surprised. She tells him what he did was gracious. Bobby replies, “I like to think of it as fair… which I try to be.” He adds that he hopes she’ll see that as she gets to know him. Judging by Hen’s expression, he’s already earned her respect. She proves it by inviting him out for drinks the next day.

Bobby shows up that night to join Hen, Chimney, and Tommy. Before he arrives, Chimney and Tommy are still stewing over Sal’s departure. Chimney thinks the punishment was too harsh; Tommy suspects Bobby is marking his territory. Hen sets them straight: Sal wasn’t fired. He was suspended for six weeks and then reassigned to Station 122. Chimney and Tommy are stunned. Hen explains that Bobby only meant to reprimand him—Sal talked himself out of the 118. Chimney then asks what a “mook” is, the word Sal used to describe Bobby.

Right on cue, Bobby walks in—looking hot—and answers, “It means a stupid person.” He pulls up a chair. The others stare at him, and he explains he Googled it.

Tommy admits he didn’t expect Bobby to show. Bobby says Hen invited him. He orders a club soda and tells them drinks are on him. Just like that, Chimney and Tommy soften.

The conversation shifts to scars—the kind you earn on the job. Tommy, still closeted, jokes about how women love scars. Hen shows off one on her lower leg. Tommy stands, lifts his shirt (drool), and reveals a scar on his right side. Chimney proudly announces he’s unscarred and intends to stay that way. The irony is delicious, considering future Chimney gets rebar through his skull and stabbed by Doug Kendall.

Then it’s Bobby’s turn. Tommy asks if he has any scars worth mentioning. Bobby unbuttons his shirt (drool again) and reveals a gnarly scar on his left shoulder. Tommy says, “I don’t want to die without any scars.” Chimney immediately bursts into laughter while Hen gives him a very concerned side‑eye. Tommy explains it’s a Tyler Durden line—from Fight Club. Chimney gets the reference instantly, which only further proves how tight the Chimney/Tommy friendship already is.

But while the others keep joking, Bobby’s expression shifts. He goes quiet, distant. For a moment, it looks like he’s flashing back to the Minnesota fire. Then he abruptly excuses himself, leaving the others confused.

Bobby heads back to Guillermo’s Eatery. He slips inside with a flashlight and checks the circuit breaker. That’s when Sergeant Athena Grant arrives, gun drawn, and tells him to put his hands up. Bobby identifies himself. She says she knows. He asks if she’s still mad about the rooster. She is… not amused. She asks what he’s doing there. Bobby says he’s following a hunch. Athena admits she is, too.

Athena points out that the sprinkler system never activated, even though Ellie Costas said it had been serviced the month before. She also notes the water valve was shut off. Bobby adds his own observation: the circuit breaker is untouched while everything else is powered down. He followed the burn patterns, and they all led to the spot where he found Victor Costas.

Then Bobby spots something on the floor—an improvised incendiary timing device. He theorizes that Victor set the fire before leaving, never expecting Freddie to come back inside. Athena suggests Victor ran back in to save his son and tried to put the fire out, but it was too late. Either way, this was arson. Bobby and Athena are in agreement.

Bobby returns to church to speak with Father Jameson. He admits he feels like a hypocrite. Father Jameson says he is one too—“a sinner wagging his finger at other sinners.” Bobby talks about Victor Costas. He sees so much of himself in the man who burned down his own restaurant and nearly killed his son. Now Bobby is supposed to hold Victor accountable when he can’t even hold himself accountable. He points out that he wouldn’t even have his job if his file hadn’t been whitewashed.

Father Jameson reminds him of Paul. Paul wasn’t always Paul—and he certainly wasn’t always a saint. He recounts the biblical transformation from Saul to Paul, a man given “a fresh purpose and a new name.” Los Angeles isn’t Damascus, he says, but it is where Bobby gets his new purpose. It’s a beautiful moment.

Bobby hears him, but he still insists he doesn’t deserve a second chance. Father Jameson tells him that’s the entire point of St. Paul’s story—and of their faith. Grace isn’t something you earn or deserve. Grace is a gift. Bobby asks if he’s just supposed to accept that. Father Jameson answers simply: “Yes.”

We head to the hospital, where Victor Costas has just been discharged. Ellie and Freddie are with him—and so are Bobby and Athena. The moment Victor sees them, he knows the jig is up. Athena asks to speak with him privately. Ellie and Freddie are confused, but Victor immediately confesses to starting the fire. Athena reminds him he doesn’t have to say anything. Ellie demands to know what he did. Freddie jumps to his father’s defense. Victor repeats, quietly but firmly, that he burned down the family restaurant.

He explains the financial strain they were under, how they were about to lose everything. Burning down the restaurant and collecting the insurance money felt like the only way out. Athena tells him she has to take him into custody. Two uniformed officers appear. Ellie asks what he was thinking. Bobby tries to soften the blow by saying Victor was thinking of his family. Freddie, still in denial, lunges at the officers. Bobby steps between them. Freddie turns on Bobby, furious, saying he lied when he promised everything would be okay.

Victor is led away. Freddie keeps shouting at Bobby, insisting his job is to save people.

Bobby returns to church to speak with Father Jameson. (Side note: I really do wonder what happens to Father Jameson—does he retire? Move parishes? Because by the pilot, we’ve got Father Brian instead.) Bobby tells him what Freddie said—that he called him a liar—and that it stung. Father Jameson, ever the dry wit, reminds Bobby that by his own admission he’s a “hypocritical liar who lies a lot.”

He asks whether the 118 know Bobby’s past. Bobby says no—he doesn’t want them to. He needs their trust. Father Jameson tells him he doesn’t have to confess his entire history to show them who he truly is. He adds that Bobby may have a plan, but God likely has a different one.

Bobby goes home with groceries. Lots of groceries. And new cookware. He starts presenting the best version of himself at work. He attends AA meetings and church. He cooks again—fresh bread and everything.

After a call, he invites the team upstairs. Dinner is ready. Hen, Chimney, Tommy, and the unnamed red shirts sit down. Bobby announces that family dinners will now be a thing at the 118.

We then see Tommy get a surprise farewell: red, white, and black balloons and a cake that reads, “Farewell Tommy. The 217’s Loss Is Our Gain.” Hen immediately smashes his face into the cake. And just like that, we understand why Tommy isn’t with the 118 in the pilot—his departure makes room for a certain ladder‑truck‑stealing lothario.

At the next family dinner, a young man walks in and introduces himself as the new recruit: Evan Buckley. He says he was told to report to Captain Nash. Bobby looks around the table and asks if anyone knows a Captain Nash. Poor Buck looks so confused—and so nervous. Bobby tells him to sit. Buck says he prefers to be called “Buck.” Bobby welcomes him to the 118. Buck thanks him.'

Buck glances at the spread on the table and asks if it’s always like this. “Always,” Hen says. Buck smiles, saying he thinks he might be in the right place.

We flash forward to the present. Bobby sits at the dinner table and asks the others to join him. Once everyone is seated, he says, “As of this morning, pending further investigation, I am officially suspended from my duties here at the 118.” Buck reacts first—outraged. Bobby explains he was suspended for not disclosing what happened in Minnesota before taking the captain position.

Buck insists Minnesota is old news. Bobby says it isn’t “old news” to the LAFD. If they’d known the full story, he never would’ve been hired. Hen tells him he doesn’t owe them that part of himself—only his record. Bobby says he always knew the truth would catch up to him. He just thought that by the time it did, it wouldn’t matter.

He was wrong.

We see Bobby in his interrogation. A man off‑screen tells him the panel’s duty is to determine whether he should remain with the Los Angeles Fire Department. Bobby says he understands—and that he wants to tell the truth.

Fade to black.

Wow. I always forget how incredible this episode is—and how foundational it is to the show’s world‑building. We learn so much here. We learn that Bobby and Athena had already worked together before the pilot. We learn why, two episodes from now, Freddie Costas has such a personal grudge against the LAFD—specifically Bobby. We see Hen become the first person to bridge the gap between Bobby and the 118. And we see how big a role Tommy played in the early days of the team, even though he later insists Buck got to be part of something he didn’t.

Another thing I really appreciate about this episode is how hopeful it is. What happened to Bobby is unimaginably tragic, and I can’t begin to fathom what it feels like to live with that kind of loss. For every person he’s lucky enough to save—whether he’s in uniform or not—he will never be able to save the people who mattered most to him. And yet, over time, he comes to see the 118 as his family. By extension, he comes to see Athena Grant as family too—long before she officially becomes his family when they marry.

I’m so glad I revisited this episode. There’s just so much here. This might be one of the longest reactions I’ve ever written, but I didn’t want to miss a single detail. The dialogue is excellent, the emergencies are strong, and the restaurant fire storyline is especially gripping. I also love how 9-1-1 plants seeds two or three episodes in advance that end up having major consequences later. They did it with Doug Kendall before “Fight or Flight,” and they’ll do it again next season when Maddie and the rest of the call center are taken hostage.

Maybe that’ll be the next episode I cover. I’ve really been enjoying revisiting stories where Bobby is the emotional center. Who knows what I’ll react to next—maybe even the new episode airing tonight. You’ll just have to wait and see.

Recap

**Note: I have stopped referring to this section as Quick Recap because apparently I’m incapable of doing anything quickly.**

When a girl and her dad find a message in a bottle in the woods, the 118 are led to a stranded hiker. Eddie and Chimney, with the help of L.A. County Rescue are able to rescue the hiker and bring him to safety. Bobby and Hen ask him why he didn’t call for help despite having a cell phone. He tells them he didn’t want anyone else to find the treasure. We learn via Taylor Kelly (played by Megan West) that famed mystery author Hollis Harcourt (played by Patrick Fischler) has died. As his parting gift, Hollis has left five million dollars’ worth of treasure to the city of Los Angeles. The catch is, he’s buried it somewhere in the city. Chimney recites a poem Hollis wrote that has clues to where the treasure can be found. Chimney thinks the poem is shit but Bobby says it’s less of a poem and more of a riddle. Buck finds the idea of buried treasure exciting while the others worry that Taylor’s story will lead to more emergencies like the stranded hiker.

Buck gets a call from Taylor who tells him she believes the buried treasure is real and says Hollis’ assistant Jeremiah Ruiz (played by Ithamar Enriquez) confirms its legitimacy. Buck thinks that if he and Taylor compare notes, they will be able to locate the treasure – and if they locate the treasure the safer Los Angeles will be. We head over to the police station where Athena and Detective Rick Romero (played by Danny Nucci) are also watching Hollis’ video. Athena believes that with Los Angeles coming out of a near yearlong lockdown, this is going to send everyone over the edge. We then get a montage of people trying to find Hollis’ buried treasure and getting injured in the process. We see a woman with a tree branch through her shoulder, two old men fencing with metal detectors, and a man trapped underneath a giant bear statue. Over at the dispatch center, Linda (played by Chiquita Fuller) and Jamal Momed (Ashwin Gore) take bets over where the treasure will be found. We then see a woman (played by Kahyun Kim) interrupt Taylor’s news report to beg people to stop looking for the treasure. She swipes Taylor’s mike and says that her husband almost died because of what she believes is a hoax.

Back at the station, Eddie suggests he and Buck team up to find the treasure, but Buck tells him he’s already teams up with Taylor. Although, he supposes they could split the money three ways. Taylor’s on board with them teaming up; however, she tells Buck he will have to split his half with Eddie as she has plans to split her money with her cameraman. Taylor believes they need more clues, and Buck knows just the person they can help. He and Eddie approach Ravi in the locker room while Chimney and Hen watch the three of them talk. We get another emergency involving a man covered in red ants. Now I’ve been bitten by one red ant, and it sucked. It felt like my leg was on fire. I can’t imagine what hundreds of red ant bites would feel like. Over at the police station, we see a lot of folks have been arrested, all because of this stupid hidden treasure. Athena returns home and notices Bobby is acting strange. She discovers what looks like a murder board, only the corkboard is covered in photos and maps and other clues. Bobby convinces Athena to team up with him to find the treasure. Athena asks Bobby what they would do with five million dollars. Bobby says he would set up trust funds for the kids, remodel the kitchen, or maybe even buy a new house. He suggests they could take the honeymoon they never had. Or retire. Athena balks at the idea of retiring. Athena says that Bobby can retire but she plans on patrolling the streets until she’s forced off them. Bobby reminds her someone almost did. He brings up how she almost died the previous year. Athena tells Bobby she already talked with Captain Maynard, and she made the decision to stay at LAPD. Bobby seems put out that Athena didn’t include him in her decision-making process.

We get another emergency where a woman falls in a hole full of sewage. Meanwhile, Athena is called to Hollis Harcourt’s mansion, believing there to be a burglary. She is met by Hollis’ assistant Jeremiah, and she tells him to stay put while she goes inside to investigate. She finds Hollis’ office … and Hollis Harcourt … alive. Athena is stunned and Jeremiah is pissed that his boss faked his death. Hollis admits he faked his death so he could sit back and observe all the greedy individuals looking for the buried treasure. Hollis tells Athena he is currently working on a new mystery novel, but he doesn’t know how it ends. Hopefully this treasure hunt will help him find an ending. Back the station, the 118 agrees to give up on the treasure hunt. Back at home, Athena reads Hollis’ poem aloud with Bobby and believes she knows where the treasure is located. She and Bobby head over to the Glendale Narrows, home of herons and bullfrogs. Hen, Chimney, Buck, and Eddie join them. Bobby suggests they split the treasure six ways. Eddie suggests seven ways because of the deal he and Buck have with Taylor and her cameraman. The six of them go to the spot where they believe the treasure is buried but Ravi has beaten them to the punch. They all assemble around the treasure chest and Bobby tells Ravi to do the honors. Ravi opens the chest and there is nothing inside. Our very annoyed firefighters and Athena head over to Hollis’ mansion. They find the front door open, and Athena tells them to all wait outside while she goes inside to check things out. Athena finds Hollis dead.

Detective Romero grills Athena and the 118 about Hollis’ death. They all assure the detective they all arrived at the same time wanting to confront Hollis over the empty chest. Detective Romero views some footage taken by a security camera. They see a woman dressed in a delivery uniform arrive at Hollis’ home. Turns out it’s the same woman who interrupted Taylor’s broadcast to warn people to stop looking for the treasure. Romero is able to track down the woman and she says she went to Hollis’ mansion to confront him about her husband getting hurt. Hollis was very cold towards her so she broke one of his expensive vases. Hollis ends up having a real heart attack. The woman calls 9-1-1 but has second thoughts. She exits the mansion leaving Hollis to die. Outside the interrogation room, Athena says there is nothing they can really charge the woman with since Hollis did let her inside his home.

Over at Bobby and Athena’s, much like with the heist in season two and the hostage situation at the dispatch center in season three, we get a round table discussion where everyone tries to hash out what happened. Taylor tells everyone that Hollis’ assistant Jeremiah swore to her that he’d seen the treasure. Athena adds that Jeremiah seemed to be just as surprised as she was that Hollis was alive. Athena posits that Hollis didn’t bury the treasure. He asked Jeremiah to do it for him. Once Jeremiah found out about Hollis’ stunt, he went to the spot where he buried the treasure and took it for himself. At the end of the episode, Buck thinks he’s going to rekindle his romance with Taylor, but she seems content to be friends.

Observations

Athena usually works along but when we do see her partner with someone, it’s usually Detective Rick Romero. We will see more of him in future episodes.

Athena’s brutal attack from season three is brought up by Bobby.

Athena and Taylor are very similar in this episode as they are dismissive of the feelings of the men that care about them.

This is the first mention of Ravi Panikkar in one of my 911: Flashback reactions. In this episode, he is considered a probie.

Much like Eddie in “Ocean’s 9-1-1”, Ravi says he doesn’t really know the others while being interrogated by Detective Romero.

Here are the skills everyone brought to the table: Athena had prior knowledge of what the title of Hollis’ next book would be; Hen’s wife Karen wrote an algorithm that detects changes in satellite images; Buck learned from Taylor that Hollis used to jog at the Glendale Narrows.

Quick Recap

We begin the episode at an amusement park and right away I’m on edge. As a 80s-born millennial who grew up watching 90s and early-2000s horror movies, I was immediately reminded of the third installment of the Final Destination franchise. In that film, several teenagers, celebrating their impending graduation, board a rollercoaster. Our main character has a premotion of the ride crashing and she is able to convince several of her classmates to get off the rollercoaster before it malfunctions and subsequently crashes, killing everyone else on board. In our episode, we are introduced, briefly, to friends Devon and Chad (played by Sean Liang and Caleb Castille). Chad convinces Devon to get on a rollercoaster despite the latter’s apprehension of getting on the ride. Chad tells Devon there are two hot girls in front of them and if they get out of line, those girls will talk about them on social media and call them pussies. Whoa! I think this may have been the first time I’d heard the p-word on one of the basic networks. Chad is such a shitty friend, but he does manage to convince Devon to get on the ride. The two get on the ride but because Devon is a heavier guy, the bar that goes over them doesn’t lock into place. What’s even more messed up is the ride attendant checks their restraints before starting the ride and we can clearly see Devon and Chad are not secure. The coaster starts and Devon tells Chad he hates them as they go up the first hill. As the car goes starts to descend, the lap bar goes up and Chad flies out of the car.

Over at dispatch, Abby receives a call from someone at the amusement park. The 118 arrive and we see the car Devon and Chad were in stuck at the top of one of the loops. Devon is hanging on for dear life completely unaware his best friend is dead. Buck climbs up a ladder to get to Devon. Buck asks Devon to give him his hand and promises he won’t let him go. However, Devon is unable to hang on for any long. He resolves himself to his fate and lets go while everyone, including Buck, watches in horror.  Back at the station, Buck is in total disbelief over not being able to save Devon. He tells Chimney and Bobby that all Devon needed to do was reach for his hand. This is Buck’s first loss as a firefighter and it’s hitting him hard. He asks if losing someone in the field gets any easier and Bobby promptly answers, “No”. Chimney diagnoses Buck’s issue as him viewing each emergency as a relationship when they are actually one-night stands. Athena and Hen arrive, and the latter tells the others that Athena’s going through some personal stuff at home and needs a little TLC. Athena is already a part of this group of people although she does make it known that she’s not sold on Buck just yet due to their terse introduction in the previous episode. However, since Buck did save Athena’s life during a home invasion, she is willing to give him a second chance. The two start their relationship anew and Bobby tells Athena that Buck is dealing with his first loss on the job. Athena tells him the reason first responders like themselves wear uniforms is so that at the end of the day they can take them off symbolizing the leaving behind of the job as to not interfere with their personal lives. Buck tells her every time he closes his eyes, he keeps seeing Devon falling. Athena assures him it will pass. Just then, the alarm sounds, and these poor men and women don’t even get to enjoy the delicious meal Bobby prepared for them.

Over at Abby’s, Carla Price (played by Cocoa Brown) arrives just as Abby is about to leave for work. Abby’s mother, Patricia Clark (played by Mariette Hartley) is locked inside the bathroom and Carla manages to get her out. Abby hugs Carla for her assistance and Carla validates that what Abby is doing is very hard. Carla assures Abby she is hear to help and tells Abby go get her life back. Over at the Grant household, things are still tense between Athena and Michael. Harry reports that May is still in bed so both parents go to check on her. May claims she is sick and can’t go to school. Michael tells Athena he will push back his appointments so he can stay home and look after her. She thanks him and leaves for work. We get our second emergency call which Chimney and Hen respond to. We see Athena abuse her power at a fast-food restaurant where she bullies her way through the drive-thru line so she can get four cheeseburgers. Athena shows up at a house where a man is trapped by two Doberman dogs in his living room. Hen lets the man knows Animal Control is on the way. She tells him to stand still. Athena tosses the cheeseburgers at the dogs and Hen coaxes them into the pantry. The dogs are taken away by Animal Control. Hen picks up on the chemistry between Athena and the guy (played by McKinley Freeman). Athena reminds Hen she is not divorced. Hen reminds Athena that her husband likes men. Athena is unconvinced. She is not ready to start dating. Hen tells Athena that in order for her to be there for her kids, she needs to look after herself. Hint-hint. Wink-wink. Nudge-nudge. It then dawns on Athena that neither the front nor back door to the man’s home was open so that means the dogs live there. The home’s actual owner arrives and both Hen and Athena realize they let a burglar get away.

Over at Abby’s, Abby and Carla bond over wine while Patricia is asleep in the next room. Carla asks Abby why she isn’t out with Tommy. Abby tells her that she has to keep reliving the worst breakup she’s ever had because her mom keeps forgetting they’re not together anymore. Abby also tells Carla that once her mother moved in, she just doesn’t have any energy left to give, especially when it comes to dating. The two of them then see a reporter interviewing Buck on TV. Carla notices Abby noticing Buck. Carla tells Abby that all firemen are dogs, including Buck. Abby says she’s been thinking about calling Buck just to see how he is doing. Abby says that Buck is the first person in years to thank her for help. Carla, being a good wing person, encourages Abby to call Buck. Abby gets up, goes into the next room, to make the call. Abby goes to make the call and Buck does pick up. He tells her that everyone keeps patting him on the back and all he wants to do is scream at them that people died. Abby tells him she’s had to listen to people die. The silence after they die is like no other kind of quiet. Buck tells her that all Devon needed to do was take his hand. Abby says there are some people who don’t want to be saved. Buck thanks her for calling and asks if he can call her again sometime. She says that is fine. He thanks her again and he says let’s talk soon.

Buck attends Devon’s memorial and speaks with his sister, Liz (played by Jee Young Han). She asks him about what happened in her brother’s final moments and Buck unintentionally offends her by implying that Devon gave up. She tells Buck that her brother was very happy to be alive. She says Devon was loved and he knew it. The sister then goes on to tell Buck that Devon wanted to live and Buck failed him. Yikes! Poor, Buckaroo! I know she’s grieving but that’s not what Buck needs to hear right now. Meanwhile, we go over to an office where two coworkers are dealing with a pervy window washer. While the window washer is ogling both women through the window, he slips and falls. The 118, of course, responds to the call and Buck tells Bobby he will go inside the building to make sure the window washer is secure. We don’t see the outcome of this particular emergency, but it is implied the window washer falls to his death. The next thing we see is Buck sulking in the locker room. Bobby listens while Buck tells him he loves being a firefighter because he gets to be tough while he’s helping people. Buck asks Bobby if he remembers the first person he lost in the field. Bobby can recall every aspect of the person of the person he lost on down to her outfit and toenail polish. Bobby tells Buck that he’s glad he can’t just automatically flip the switch when it comes to being affected by the not so nice parts of their job. He also tells Buck that if anyone ever tells him that losing someone doesn’t affect them, they are lying. He gives Buck the name and number of a trauma counselor. Bobby tells Buck he doesn’t have to talk to him, but he needs to talk to someone.

Buck goes to see a grief counselor named Dr. Wells (played by Autumn Reeser) while Athena and Michael see a marriage counselor named Dr. Glass (played by Tim Russ). Dr. Wells asks Buck what it is about sharing his feelings that scares him. Buck assures her he is not scared. Athena tells Dr. Gates she isn’t scared either; she’s angry. Buck tells Dr. Wells he’s only there because Bobby insisted. She asks him why he froze up during his last call. Buck says he hesitated. Athena tells Dr. Gates and Michael she doesn’t like being a fool. She admits to knowing that Michael was gay, but she wanted so badly to make a life with him. A family with him. She tells Michael she’s not ready to let go. Dr. Wells reminds Buck he lost someone and losing people is hard. Buck tells her he can’t shake the feeling that he could’ve done something differently. Michael tells Athena she is not a fool. He reminds her she is a strong, loving woman. He admits he’s the fool and he thought she would be able to fix him. Dr. Wells asks Buck if he blames Devon. Buck keeps wondering why Devon didn’t take his hand. Dr. Wells goes to sit near Buck, which feels very inappropriate. Buck asks Dr. Wells if she friended him on Facebook. She tells him she did, but it was before their appointment was scheduled. She tells him to delete the friend request. Michael tells Athena no one is trying to take her family. Athena tells Michael she can deal with a sexless marriage, just not a loveless one. Michael hesitates and Athena asks him what’s going on. Michael admits he’s met someone. Back at the office of Dr. Wells, we see her and Buck post-coital. She regrets their hookup and dismisses him from her office. Eww.

Speaking of inappropriate behavior, Athena uses the knowledge that Hen provided her during the Doberman phone call and uses it to track down the burglar. I don’t know how I feel about Athena’s methods of fighting crime sometimes. I respect that she’s a total-badass, Black, female in a male-dominated profession but I don’t like that she sometimes abuses her power, and we’re supposed to be okay with it because at the end of the day, she is able to take down the bad guy. I wish I could blame this on her anger and grief, but the truth is this behavior continues beyond the first season.

We get one last emergency, this one involving a man attempting to jump off the side of a high-rise. The man is Leonard (played by Shannon McClung) is threatening to jump because he thinks his girlfriend, Kelly (played by Azita Ghanizada) cheated on him with her coworker. The 118 arrive and Buck is none too thrilled to discover they are dealing with a potential jumper. Buck makes a dark joke about wishing the man would use a gun instead of joking. Bobby tells Buck he needs to do The Maneuver which Buck is uneasy about. Chimney volunteers to do it instead but Bobby is confident Buck can pull it off. Bobby goes up to talk to Kelly while Buck harnesses up. While Bobby distracts the unhappy couple, Buck repels down the building towards where Leonard is hanging. In perhaps the funniest moment of a pretty bleak episode, Buck kangaroo kicks Leonard back into his apartment. Buck is like, I may have lost two but damnit, I’m not about to lose three. Back at the station, Bobby commends Buck for saving the day. Chimney is jealous because he believes Buck is going to get laid because of his heroic moment. At that moment, Devon’s sister shows up wanting to talk with Buck. Liz apologizes for what she said to Buck. She tells Buck that seven years ago, Devon tried to kill himself. After his suicide attempt, Devon went to therapy and got better. However, two months ago, he started isolating himself again to the point where he wouldn’t leave the house. Liz is the one who called Chad and begged him to get Devon out of the house. Liz doesn’t blame Buck for her brother’s death – she blames herself. Buck tells her there’s nothing either of them could have done for Devon because some people just don’t want to be saved.

Abby goes out to dinner with her mother and Carla. Carla pushes Abby to call Buck again. Abby leaves the table to call Buck who is still at the station. She asks him how he was doing. He asks her if he can ask a question and she says sure. He asks her how old she is because she keeps calling him on his phone instead of texting or using Snapchat or FaceTime. Abby tells him she spends so much time on the phone it’s her most comfortable form of communication. Bucks says he likes that she calls him. It’s old-fashioned. Abby says she has another old-fashioned idea. She wants to meet up in person. Buck asks if it’s a date and she says it will be a date. Buck tells her he has some issues when it comes to intimacy and if they go out they’re gonna have sex. He then admits to sleeping with his therapist. Abby says she isn’t interested in a sleeping together. Buck tells her he likes talking on the phone because it makes him feel safe and he doesn’t want to mess things up before they really begin. Abby says she’s fine with that. She returns to the table and tells her mother and Carla that Buck said no to going on a date. They are confused as to why she is happy about that. Abby tells them that sometimes the right kind of no is better than the wrong kind of yes.  Lastly, in our final scene of the episode, things turn bleak again when Athena goes to May’s room and finds her unresponsive.

Observations

Sean Liang who plays Devon will later on play Pete in American Horror Story: 1984

Tim Russ who plays Athena and Michael’s marriage counselor will later on play David in American Horror Story: 1984

Had Carla not pushed Abby to call Buck, the two of them may not have ever dated, which means Buck would have never met Carla and recommended her as Christopher’s caretaker.

Buck sleeps with his therapist. The show sort of glosses over this regrettable moment in the show but let’s be very clear. That therapist crossed an ethical line. Let’s call it what it is. Sexual abuse. Buck was sexually abused by his therapist and it’s no laughing matter.

911 Lore

This episode marks the first time Buck lost someone in the field.

We and Athena learn that Michael is seeing someone.

Buck was enlisted with the Navy SEALs prior to becoming a firefighter. He tells Bobby that he was good at the physical part, he just wasn’t good at following orders. He says they wanted a machine; people who could flip a switch in their head and turn off every natural, human instinctive emotion but he couldn’t do that.

If we’re keeping score, Buck has slept with three people since the Pilot episode. Although, one of them was without his consent.

This episode marks the first time we see someone do The Maneuver.

Chimney is very jealous of Buck.

We see glimmers of Bobby is Buck’s Dad and Athena is Buck’s Mom in this episode.

The episode kicks off with a high-speed chase on the 710 freeway. A yellow 1970 Ferrari Daytona Spider is tearing down the road at 105 mph in a 65 zone, and Officer Athena Grant is among those in pursuit.

A call comes into 9-1-1. The caller tells Maddie he’s on the 710 and there are a bunch of police cars behind him. Maddie calmly informs him she’s aware of the pursuit and instructs him to pull over to let the officers pass. That’s when the caller clarifies: the police are chasing his car.

Maddie asks for his name, and we learn he’s a kid—Tony Bryson, played by Nolan Bateman. Cool as ever, Maddie asks Tony to explain what’s happening. Why won’t he pull over? Tony says he can’t—the gear shift is broken, and the car just keeps accelerating. He’s panicking.

Cue the title card.

Athena checks in with dispatch to see if they believe Tony’s story. Dispatcher Josh Russo (Bryan Safi) jokes that kids are pathological liars but admits Tony sounds genuinely scared. They confirm Tony is 15 and doesn’t even have a learner’s permit. Athena requests backup to shut down the freeway.

Maddie asks Tony for his current speed: 100, then 105. She asks if his foot is on the gas. He says no—the car is “possessed.” It’s like the car knows he’s not supposed to be driving it and is punishing him. Maddie shifts gears—pun intended—and asks if he’s tried the brake. Tony says he did, but the car started shaking violently. She asks if he can shift into neutral. He says he can’t get it into gear. Then he pleads with Maddie for help, insisting he cannot hurt the car.

Maddie gently reminds him that he’s the one they’re worried about. Tony says his dad will kill him if anything happens to the car. Maddie scoffs, but Tony insists his dad loves the car more than anything—more than him. That’s why he’s not allowed to drive it. His dad doesn’t even drive it himself; he just sits in it and listens to Phil Collins. (Love Phil Collins!)

Athena notes that Tony’s getting tired, which means time is running out. She tells Josh that Tony’s going too fast for a PIT maneuver, and a spike trap could send him spinning out of control. Athena then formulates a plan. Cut to Station 118, where Captain Bobby Nash briefs his crew: Athena’s plan is for Tony to down before he crashes.

Maddie gets in touch with Tony’s father, Charles Bryson (Christopher Cousins), who immediately launches into a rant about the car’s make and model. Maddie cuts him off—Tony is more afraid of damaging the car than hurting himself. She tells Charles that his son believes he loves the car more than him. That lands hard. Charles is stunned. Maddie urges him to talk to Tony and make it clear that he’s wrong. A police cruiser is en route to pick Charles up.

Back on the line, Tony asks if Maddie’s still there. She reassures him she is. He’s noticing the police slowing down and wants to know what’s happening. Charles patches into the call. Tony starts apologizing, but Charles tells him it’s okay—he’s not mad. Tony’s disbelief is heartbreaking. He assumes his dad isn’t angry because he’s about to die. Panic escalates. The two start shouting. Charles finally tells Tony to shut up and listen: the only thing that matters is getting out of this alive. He tells Tony to trust Maddie.

Maddie instructs Tony to take the next exit. The plan? Tony will follow behind the 118’s firetruck and, once he slows down enough, crash into the back of it to come to a full stop. The car predates airbags, which adds another layer of risk. Eddie notes that if they can get Tony’s speed down to 60 or 70, his chances improve. Hen asks who came up with this wild plan. Bobby, from the front seat, replies: “My wife did.”

Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” plays over the climax of the scene. Maddie coaches Tony through the exit. Athena gives the go-ahead. Bobby confirms he’s in position. Maddie asks Tony if he’s ready. She tells him to keep the wheel straight and apply the brakes. The speed won’t drop below 80. Maddie tells him to pull the emergency brake and hit the truck.

Tony crashes into the back of the firetruck. The car finally stops. He’s alive—probably with a broken nose—but breathing. Bobby pries open the roof and pulls him out. Charles arrives and rushes to his son. He tells Tony he’ll be taken to the hospital to get checked out. Athena informs Charles there will be an investigation into the car’s malfunction. Charles, unfazed, tells Tony they can look at a Testarossa once he’s out of the hospital.

Athena just shakes her head and mutters: “Kids today.”

Next, we go inside a burning building. A firefighter moves through the smoke, extinguishing flames and scanning for survivors. Spotting someone trapped on the floor below, they remove a grate and drop down into the room. Moments later, they emerge carrying the victim in a fireman’s carry.

The “victim” turns out to be a dummy—and the firefighter is none other than Buck. He rips off his helmet and oxygen mask, waiting anxiously for the results of his recertification exam. Captain Thomas (Mike Derwin) announces that Buck has set a new record.

Buck is back, baby!

Cue Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love” as we transition to night. Over at Athena’s house, the fire fam is gathering for a surprise celebration. Michael greets Hen, Karen, and Denny. Karen’s feeling emotional from the IVF shots—“a very weepy pin cushion,” as she puts it. Hen notes this is the first official gathering of the Grant-Nash household. Michael, still a little salty about missing Athena and Bobby’s courthouse wedding, jokes that he didn’t expect to be invited. The Grant-Nash dynamic is always a joy—especially Michael’s friendship with Bobby and his easy rapport with Athena.

Chimney announces the guest of honor is about to arrive. The doorbell rings. Athena opens the door to Buck and Maddie. Everyone shouts, “Surprise!” Buck is genuinely stunned—and absolutely delighted. He greets Eddie first, then hugs Bobby and Hen.

Out in the backyard, Christopher gives Buck a handmade card, and Buck is visibly moved. A montage follows: laughter, hugs, and heartfelt moments. Hen and Karen show Buck a baby photo of their chosen sperm donor. Buck says the donor is cute, so their kid will be cute. Karen bursts into tears again and hugs Buck tight.

Inside, Michael spots a photo of Athena and Bobby from their courthouse wedding, with the kids beside them. They look like a happy family.

Back outside, Chimney tells Buck they got him two cakes—one for passing, one for failing. Thank goodness Buck passed, because that would’ve been one awkward party. Chimney and Maddie are flirting, and Buck teases them to just get married already. Michael overhears and tells them to make sure he gets an invite.

Bobby pulls Buck aside and tells him his recertification papers will arrive in the morning—he’s officially back with the 118. Bobby asks how he feels. Buck says he’s relieved and excited to return. As he speaks, he rubs his chest. Bobby tells him they all missed him, and it’ll be good to have the whole team together again. Buck thanks Bobby for sticking by him, even when he wasn’t the easiest person to be around. We learn that Ali broke up with Buck during his recovery.

Then Buck starts coughing. Hard. He doubles over, spitting up blood. A lot of it.

And then—Buck collapses on the Grant-Nash patio.

We head over to the hospital. Maddie and Chimney are with Buck as Dr. Calloway (Christian Keyes) delivers the news: Buck has suffered a pulmonary embolism. Maddie immediately asks what caused the clot. Dr. Calloway explains that Buck has multiple clots—one in his lungs, two in his leg—but the cause is unclear. Chimney is baffled; Buck had just received a clean bill of health the week before.

Dr. Calloway asks Buck if he’s experienced leg pain, tenderness, discoloration, or swelling. Buck, looking guilty, admits he thought he’d pulled a muscle. He’s been training hard for his LAFD recertification. Dr. Calloway notes that intense training can lead to dehydration, which increases clot risk.

Buck asks when he can go home. Dr. Calloway says they’ll keep him overnight for anticoagulants and further testing. As the doctor exits, Chimney senses Maddie’s fury brewing and quietly slips out.

Maddie stands beside Buck and asks when his leg started bothering him. “A day or two ago,” he says, insisting he wasn’t ignoring it—he thought it was just a cramp. Maddie warns him that if he’d been alone, he could’ve died. Buck brushes it off: “I just passed out.” Maddie corrects him—he passed out after vomiting blood. Buck is stunned. He doesn’t remember that happening.

Cut to the Grant-Nash household, where Bobby and Athena are cleaning up after the chaotic party. Bobby gets a text from Buck apologizing for the mess and hoping he didn’t ruin anything. Athena shrugs it off—she’s raised two kids and seen worse. She’s just glad Buck’s okay.

Then she asks Bobby if he’s okay. Bobby admits he’s worried. Buck’s been laser-focused on returning to work, and Bobby thought he was ready—but now he’s not so sure. Athena asks if he’s afraid Buck is pushing himself too hard. Bobby says yes. He did the same thing after the Minnesota fire and fears Buck is heading down the same path.

Athena shares that when May or Harry stumble, her instinct is to throw herself in front of them—to cushion the fall. Bobby reminds her that Buck isn’t his kid. Athena counters: Buck isn’t Bobby either. Whether he repeats Bobby’s mistakes or not, at some point Bobby has to let him grow up. Salient advice, Athena.

We shift to the second emergency of the episode. Station 118 responds to a call at a retirement home. A son and daughter—Sara Kramer (Karina Logue) and Dave (Larry Sullivan)—are worried their father isn’t answering his door. Sara explains that during lunch, their dad started acting strangely. Dave noticed something on his stomach, but when they tried to check, their dad kicked them out and locked the door.

Bobby and Hen head down the corridor. Bobby tries the door—it’s blocked from the inside. Hen asks Dave what he saw. “Marks,” he says. “Wounds or maybe sores.” Bobby knocks and identifies himself. Jack Kramer (Bobby Costanzo) opens the door just enough to say he won’t let anyone in until his “ungrateful vultures” stop circling.

Bobby radios for Eddie and Chimney to bring the battering ram. Chimney climbs in through the window and lets the team inside. He examines Jack’s stomach. Hen takes one look and knows it’s not a rash. Chimney suggests MRSA. Jack disagrees. Hen asks when symptoms started. “A few weeks ago,” Jack says. He thought it would go away—“like crabs.”

Chimney peeks down Jack’s shorts. Everyone recoils. Hen mutters, “That’s something you don’t see every day.” Jack thanks her, thinking it’s a compliment. She clarifies: he has a flesh-eating STD. Definitely not a compliment.

Dave is horrified. “What kind of 82-year-old gets an STD?” Eddie says it’s more common than people think—chlamydia and syphilis are on the rise among seniors. Sara is appalled. Her dad gave her mace and condoms when she went to college and told her to protect herself. Now she feels he’s a hypocrite. Dave’s offended—he only got mace. Jack shrugs: “Didn’t think anyone would have you.” Cold-blooded.

Dave demands to know who Jack’s been sleeping with. Jack refuses to say. Bobby tells him he’ll need to disclose that information at the hospital so his partner can get antibiotics.

Dave takes matters into his own hands. He announces to the entire retirement home that his dad has a flesh-eating STD and anyone who’s slept with him should go to the hospital. One woman stands. Then another. Then two more. A man stands and asks, “What if you slept with one of the women he slept with?” Eddie says he should probably get checked too. Soon, the whole room is practically on its feet.

Sara scolds her dad—he’s supposed to be a role model. Chimney quips, “He is. To some people.” He wheels Jack out as Bobby and Hen follow. Outside, Bobby’s phone rings. It’s the chief.

At the hospital, Bobby finds Buck out of bed and pacing the hallway. Concerned, he asks if Buck should be walking. Buck assures him it’s good for circulation—better for the blood flow in his legs. Bobby asks if the doctors have any theories about the clots. Buck says no, but the meds are working, and he’s being discharged that evening.

Then Buck asks if the hospital needs to sign anything for the Department. Bobby hesitates, then drops the bomb: Buck isn’t cleared to return to work. Not yet.

Buck is stunned. He passed his physical. He aced his recertification. He has everything he needs. Bobby explains that the Department is worried about liability—Buck’s on blood thinners, and the cause of the clots is still unknown.

Buck’s face falls. Bobby tries to reason with him, saying, “If we were out on a call and something happened—” But Buck cuts him off. “I’d be fine. I’d have two paramedics with me. Bobby, you know how hard I’ve worked for this. They can’t do this to me. You can’t let them take away my job.”

Bobby gently reminds him: no one’s taking anything away. Buck was injured in the line of duty. That hasn’t been forgotten. Chief Alonzo thinks that if Buck responds well to the meds, he could be cleared for light duty in a few weeks.

But Buck recoils at the idea. A desk job? That’s not why he fought for five months to recover. “Out there, helping people—that’s where I belong,” he says. “I don’t want light duty. And if the roles were reversed, you wouldn’t either.” Then, with quiet devastation: “They won’t put me behind a desk. Because I quit.”

Back at the firehouse, Bobby, Chimney, Hen, and Eddie are upstairs prepping a meal. Bobby shares that Maddie told him Buck hasn’t left the loft in a week. Chimney says she’s tried to coax him out, but Buck’s content ordering takeout. Bobby adds that Buck won’t return his calls.

Eddie shrugs. “He’s just sulking. He’ll get over it.”

It’s a dismissive take—and infuriating, considering Buck once went out of his way to find help for Eddie, bringing Carla into his life when Eddie was struggling. Buck shows up for the people he loves. Especially Eddie. And now Eddie’s brushing him off.

Hen, ever Buck’s defender, reminds them that Buck’s been dealt a crushing blow. He deserves time to grieve. Chimney asks, “How much time is he allowed?”

Eddie doubles down. “Whenever things didn’t work out, my dad always said: brush it off and keep moving.”

Hen doesn’t let that slide. “Your dad’s advice isn’t exactly a gold standard,” she says. “We all had lives before the LAFD. We all have things outside of work. What does Buck have?”

Bobby answers quietly: “He has us.” Even if Buck doesn’t believe that right now.

At dispatch, Josh checks in with Maddie about Buck. She tells him her brother’s been glued to the sofa, bingeing cooking shows and barely moving. As they walk back from a coffee refill, Maddie confesses she doesn’t know how to help him—he seems so lost. “I don’t know if I should kick him in the butt or hug him,” she says. Josh, ever practical, replies, “You can do both.”

Back at her station, Maddie puts on her headset and takes a call. A woman says she’s been stabbed and kidnapped. Maddie immediately asks if the attacker is still present. “No,” the woman replies, her voice weak. “I’m bleeding.” Maddie asks her name. “Jill,” she says.

Maddie mutes the line and tells Josh she has a stabbing victim who doesn’t know her location. She returns to Jill and gently asks if there’s anything nearby she can use to stop the bleeding. Jill, panicked, says she doesn’t want to die. Maddie’s voice is firm but kind: “You’re not going to die. You’re going to fight. I’m going to help you. Stay with me.”

Maddie asks Jill to look around. Jill sees clothes. Maddie tells her to grab something—anything—and press it against the wound. She reassures Jill they’ll find her. But when Maddie calls out again, there’s no response.

Josh walks over and hands Maddie a note with Jill’s husband’s phone number. Maddie calls Rick Evans (Tom Costello), identifying herself as a city services worker. She says she’s trying to reach his wife and asks if he knows where she might be. Rick says Jill could be shopping or running errands. Maddie presses: does he know where she was headed?

Rick grows suspicious. “Where are you calling from? What’s going on?” Maddie keeps it vague, saying Jill had made a request earlier and she’s trying to follow up. Rick suggests calling Jill’s cell. Maddie says she tried—no answer. Rick says that’s unlike her. Then he remembers: Jill mentioned buying clothes for the baby.

“How old is your baby?” Maddie asks.

“She’s due next week,” Rick replies.

Cut to Athena, stepping out of her cruiser and approaching a car with a woman and a baby inside. She asks for license, registration, and proof of insurance. The woman asks if she was speeding. Athena says she was—and she ran a stop sign.

Athena glances into the backseat. The baby doesn’t look right. The woman hands over her documents. Athena studies the license, then asks her to step out of the vehicle. She cuffs her and tells her to sit. Then she asks about the blood on her hands and feet.

Athena checks the baby again. The infant is turning blue. She radios for emergency support.

Station 118 arrives. Chimney grabs the baby and rushes to the ambulance. Bobby, Hen, and Eddie stay behind. Athena tells Officer Williams (Chris Wu) to alert dispatch—flag any unusual calls involving a pregnant woman or a missing baby.

Hen approaches. Athena asks how the baby’s doing. Hen says the infant lost a lot of blood. The umbilical cord wasn’t tied off properly. “This baby’s no more than an hour old,” she adds. “And they weren’t born in a hospital.”

Officer Carol Branford (Michelle Bernard) calls Athena over. In the trunk of the woman’s car is a fake pregnancy belly.

Athena doesn’t hesitate. The woman isn’t the baby’s mother.

Back at dispatch, Maddie reaches Jill’s sister, Hope. Hope says they met for breakfast earlier that morning and parted ways around 9:00—Hope had to get to work. Maddie asks if Jill mentioned where she was headed. Hope says she was going to pick up baby items. Maddie gently tells her that Jill called 9-1-1 and reported being attacked.

Hope is horrified. She explains that Jill had been trying to save money by buying used baby things online—something she kept from Rick, knowing he’d freak out. Jill had planned to meet someone in a public place.

Back at the scene, Hen finishes assessing the woman—no injuries, no signs of impairment. She tells Bobby and Eddie that Chimney reported the baby began responding at the hospital. “Let’s hope we get lucky twice,” she says.

We learn the woman’s name: Nancy Cook (Terryn Westbrook). Athena asks what she did to the baby’s mother. Nancy insists the baby is hers. She asks if Aria is okay and when she can see her. Let’s be real—only someone truly diabolical could steal a baby from another woman’s womb and then name her.

Athena tells Nancy they both know she’s not the child’s mother. Nancy pleads: “You don’t understand. I promised my husband I was having a baby. There has to be a baby this time.” Athena warns her that if Jill dies, things will go very badly for her. She asks again: “What did you do to the baby’s mother?” Nancy repeats, “I am the mother.”

Officer Williams patches Maddie in over the radio. Maddie tells Athena that Hope said Jill was meeting someone in Griffith Park near the pony rides. Athena jumps in her cruiser and speeds off. Josh reminds Maddie that Griffith Park spans over 4,000 acres—Jill could be anywhere.

Athena asks if Jill gave any clues about her location. Maddie says Jill sounded disoriented. All she said was that it was dark. Maddie recalls hearing a strange sound during the call—a whistle, maybe a horn.

Athena and the 118 arrive at Griffith Park. Athena questions an employee, but he hasn’t seen Jill. Bobby reports they’ve checked all the restrooms—no sign. Athena presses the employee again. Jill would’ve been driving a 1996 burgundy Cadillac. The employee remembers the car—it stood out among the SUVs and minivans. But the woman driving it wasn’t Jill. It was someone else—with different hair.

Athena and Bobby piece it together: Nancy must’ve walked Jill to her car, incapacitated her, and stashed her in the trunk. Then she moved the vehicle. Bobby realizes—Jill is in the trunk of her own car. Athena deduces Nancy couldn’t have gone far; she’d need to return to her own car with the baby.

Just then, a train whistle pierces the air. The sergeant and captain spot the burgundy Cadillac beyond the tracks. They rush toward it. Eddie and Hen follow. Bobby and Eddie pry open the trunk—and find Jill, unconscious. Her pulse is weak. She’s lost a lot of blood.

Maddie radios Athena: Jill Evans is alive. Maddie and Josh exhale in relief.

Back at the hospital, Rick Evans hugs Maddie, thanking her for finding his wife. Athena joins them and asks how Jill is doing. Rick says she made it through surgery. The doctors say she’s doing well, all things considered.

Bobby asks if they’ve chosen a name for the baby. Rick says they had a list—but none of the names feel right anymore. Athena smiles. “You’ll figure it out,” she says. “You’ve got time.”

A nurse brings the baby over to Rick, who gently asks the little girl if she’s ready to meet her mom. He carries her into Jill’s hospital room, leaving Athena, Maddie, and Bobby in the hallway. Maddie watches them go, quietly marveling at how tiny and sweet the baby is. Bobby asks if she and Chimney are thinking about having one of their own. Maddie deflects, pointing out that he and Athena just got married—are they planning on starting a family?

Bobby gets the hint. Athena answers for them: “No plans to reset the clock another 18 years.” Maddie laughs and says Buck is 28 and still keeping her hands full.

Later, at Chimney’s apartment, he and Maddie are making dinner. Chimney asks if she wants kids. Maddie says she used to—but after getting married, it never felt safe. She tosses the question back to him. Chimney admits he’s still adjusting to the idea that he’s not a kid himself. He lost his mom too soon, barely speaks to his dad, and doesn’t know if he’d know how to be a good parent. Maddie agrees. She’s still carrying too much baggage. Neither of them rules it out completely—it’s a conversation for another day. Maddie wonders if they’re the only ones in their circle without kids. They pause, then remember: Buck.

In the penultimate scene, Eddie drops by Buck’s loft and forces him out of bed. “You’ve got things to do,” he says. “Your life isn’t over just because you’re not a firefighter.” He tells Buck to take not dying as a win and stop feeling sorry for himself.

Buck is still frustrated—until he sees Christopher sitting on the sofa. His mood shifts instantly. “What are you doing here?” he asks. Christopher says he’s hanging out with Buck while Eddie works. Carla’s in Morongo. Eddie tells Buck to take Christopher out and have some fun. “He never feels sorry for himself,” Eddie says.

Buck asks Christopher what he likes to do for fun. Cut to the Santa Monica Pier: rides, carnival games, cotton candy. They take photo booth pictures. Christopher wins a bear nearly his size. Buck spots paramedics tending to someone unconscious on the boardwalk. He watches, transfixed, until Christopher calls for him. “You okay?” he asks.

Buck shrugs. “The universe is mocking me.” He shakes it off and suggests they go feed the fish.

Buck asks Christopher what he wants to be when he grows up. “An astronaut. Or a pirate.” Buck smiles. “Good choices.” Then Christopher changes his mind: “I want to be a firefighter.” Buck replies, “Me too.” He tells Christopher that whatever path he chooses, he hopes he finds something he loves—something he can do forever.

Christopher gently lifts Buck’s chin and says, “You’re going to be okay.”

Then they notice the crowd gathering. Buck stands—and sees that the water around the pier is gone. A massive wave is rushing toward them.

And that’s all she wrote. I loved this episode, and I hope you did too. As season premieres go, this one ranks high. 9-1-1 usually kicks things off with a disaster—natural or manmade—but this time, they gave us something quieter: a chance to check in with everyone post-season.

Bobby and Athena are settling into married life. Chimney and Maddie are in their honeymoon phase. And Buck—poor Buck—is still reeling. I hate that he quit the LAFD, but I get it. I also understand Bobby’s perspective. Buck is an incredible firefighter, no one disputes that. But if he gets hurt again, it’s not just a legal risk—it’s emotional fallout for the whole team. Bobby, Chimney, Hen, Eddie—they’d all be carrying that weight.

The emergencies this episode were strong, especially the one at the retirement home. It was funny, shocking, and oddly poignant. Life really does come full circle—one minute your parents are raising you, the next they’re sneaking around like teenagers.

I also thought it was smart to use this episode to set up the disaster arc for the next two. Of all the natural disasters on this show, the tsunami is my favorite. I remember watching those episodes for the first time—pure stress. It’s like the writers took last season’s earthquake arc and cranked the stakes to eleven.

Sadly, it’ll be a while before I cover those episodes. 9-1-1 has plenty of amazing ones—and a few duds. I’m trying to pace myself so I don’t end up stuck recapping the forgettable ones at the end. Season 5… I’m looking at you.

Next up on 911: Flashback, we’re heading into Season 4. I haven’t picked the episode yet, but I promise it’ll be a good one.

The episode opens with a montage set to Gloria Estefan’s “Milagro (Miracle)”—a track I’ve definitely added to my 9-1-1 playlist. We’re welcomed into the morning routine of our newest recruit, Eddie Diaz. As a single dad, Eddie’s day doesn’t just start with coffee and gear—it begins with getting his son Christopher ready for school.

Christopher, who we learned has cerebral palsy a few episodes back, is already up and moving. He does push-ups alongside his dad, pours an avalanche of cereal into his bowl, and dresses himself with determination. It’s a beautiful slice-of-life moment that gives us deeper insight into Eddie—not just as a first responder, but as a father. And the best part? Eddie walking into Christopher’s room and watching him tie his shoes. The smile Christopher gives him is pure sunshine. I love this kid.

And then… title card!!!

Our first emergency of the episode involves George (Seth Coltan), a security guard who’s spending his night shift browsing job listings on a rooftop. He hears a group of teens vandalizing the building and springs into action—abandoning his newspaper and snack to chase them down. The kids leap across to a neighboring building through an open window. George tries to follow, but gravity has other plans. He loses his grip and falls between the two buildings, wedging himself in place.

The next morning, Station 118 rolls up. And can I just say—it’s so nice to see this iteration of the team: Captain Bobby Nash, firefighters Buck and Eddie, and paramedics Hen and Chimney. This is my favorite lineup, though I’ll admit Ravi grows on me in later seasons.

They find George stuck between the buildings, his midsection keeping him firmly wedged. Bobby checks in, and George says he can’t feel his legs and suspects a broken ankle. Bobby, Chimney, and Buck head to the roof of the building George was originally on, while Hen and Eddie enter the neighboring apartment. Hen asks how long George has been trapped, and he replies, “I saw the sun come up.” Buck tries to pull George up by his arm, but it only causes him to slip further. Chimney turns to Bobby: “What’s the plan?”

The trio interrupts an open house in progress, much to the horror of real estate agent Dolores Graham (Charlene Amoia). Bobby drills a hole in the wall—too close for comfort. Hen and Eddie guide him to a safer spot, and Bobby successfully drills through without hitting George. Then Buck grabs a sledgehammer and starts knocking through the wall, sending Dolores into a full-blown panic. But it works. Buck creates a hole wide enough to pull George through. Eddie and Hen join the others, and together, Bobby and Eddie haul George to safety.

At the LAPD, Athena is called into the office of Captain Elaine Maynard (Claudia Christian). She’s apprehensive about the meeting, given that their last significant conversation resulted in Athena’s suspension for abuse of power back in season one. Captain Maynard steps away from her desk and sits beside Athena, initiating a more personal discussion.

She brings up Athena’s previous applications for lieutenant—four in total—and asks why she stopped applying. Athena explains that she was passed over each time and was told she lacked the “necessary leadership qualities for further advancement.” The person who made that assessment was a man named Conners, who had a history of discriminatory behavior toward women.

Maynard tells Athena that Conners was wrong and expresses her confidence in Athena’s leadership abilities. She shares that there’s an opening in the Northeast Division and wants to recommend Athena for the position on an interim basis. With recruitment down and retirements up, the department’s command structure is thinning. Athena is flattered and overwhelmed, and asks for time to consider the offer. Maynard encourages her to take a few days and assures her the position is hers if she wants it—and if not, that’s okay too.

Meanwhile, Eddie arrives at his Abuela Isabel’s home with Christopher. She affectionately calls him “Eddito.” Isabel (Ana Mercedes) watches Christopher struggle up the path and chides Eddie for not helping him. Eddie explains that Christopher prefers to do things on his own. He thanks Isabel for watching Christopher while he works, and she replies that taking care of him isn’t the problem—it’s giving him back that’s hard. As Eddie rushes off, Isabel reminds him to slow down. He kisses her goodbye, and she blesses him with the Sign of the Cross. Eddie then kisses Christopher and leaves.

The next emergency involves a young woman named Jennifer (Ashley Platz). The 118 arrive at Saddle Ranch, where several intoxicated bar patrons stumble outside. Two women mistake Buck and Eddie for strippers. Inside, the bar resembles the lively atmosphere of the Coyote Ugly. Buck makes his way through the crowd and finds Jennifer in the parking lot—on her knees, with her head stuck inside the tailpipe of a large truck named Betty.

The truck’s owner, Brent (Lucas Kerr), had dared Jennifer to stick her head in the tailpipe as part of his flirtation. Hen checks on Jennifer from underneath the truck while Bobby questions Brent about the bruises on her arms. Brent claims they’re from the mechanical bull inside the bar. Eddie examines the oversized tailpipe, which Brent says is custom-made. Bobby suggests using a TSA 230 saw to remove it.

Chimney brings over the saw, prompting Brent to protest—he spent $1,200 on the custom tailpipe. Bobby suggests he close his eyes while they cut it off. As the team prepares, one of the intoxicated women approaches Buck asking for his number. He tells her he has a girlfriend and needs to focus so her friend doesn’t get hurt. Another woman asks Eddie if he has Snapchat. He replies that he has a son. She quickly responds that she has a child too.

Chimney asks the crowd to stand back while they begin the extraction. Hen instructs Jennifer to keep her head perfectly still as Bobby cuts through the tailpipe. Once finished, Buck and Eddie carefully remove it from her head. Jennifer, now free, looks at Eddie and calls him “hot.” Hen asks if she’d like to be transported to the hospital, but her friends insist all she needs is another drink. Bobby advises the group to call a cab and go home. He leans down and tells Jennifer that if she experiences a headache or blurry vision once sober, she should go to the hospital. She laughs in his face.

Hen hands the severed tailpipe back to Brent, and the 118 head toward their truck. On the walk back, Buck asks Eddie if Christopher is the reason he doesn’t date. Eddie says yes, but also notes the women flirting with him wasn’t his type. Buck agrees, saying they weren’t his type anymore either. (For context, Buck is still technically in a relationship with Abby, who left to travel at the end of last season.)

Eddie explains that dating is complicated when you have a child, but Buck doesn’t accept that as an excuse. Eddie reminds Buck that he’s currently living in his absent girlfriend’s apartment. Just then, Eddie receives a phone call. His reaction suggests something is wrong.

Eddie and Buck arrive at the hospital, where they meet Aunt Josephina—aka Aunt Pepa (Terri Hoyos). They learn that Abuela Isabel has broken her hip. She fell while calling Christopher in from the backyard, and Christopher was the one who dialed 9-1-1. Eddie asks to see his grandmother, but Aunt Pepa says she’s sleeping. She notices Buck and asks who he is. Eddie explains they work together, and Aunt Pepa jokes that she thought they were just dressed alike. Eddie introduces Buck.

Aunt Pepa tells Eddie he can’t keep leaving Christopher with Isabel—she’s no longer able to care for him properly. Eddie apologizes and says he’s trying to find permanent help, but the process is overwhelming. He compares the paperwork to the V.A. Aunt Pepa brings up Eddie’s ex-wife, suggesting she left him with Christopher and that Eddie is now stuck. Eddie insists he’s not. When she asks if he has to return to work, he says yes. She agrees to keep Christopher overnight, but only if Eddie commits to figuring things out.

Christopher calls for Eddie, and he goes to check on him. Aunt Pepa tells Buck that raising a child alone is difficult. She calls Eddie a saint—but says she prays for him anyway.

Athena sits quietly, brooding over a cup of tea as Michael and the kids return home. Harry, the youngest, hands her a bouquet of white roses to celebrate her promotion. Michael tells her it’s long overdue. Athena explains that she hasn’t accepted the promotion yet—she’s still thinking it over. Michael is surprised; this is something she’s wanted for a long time. She asks the kids to put their things away so she can speak with him privately.

Michael points out how hard she’s worked and doesn’t understand why she isn’t enjoying the moment. Athena says she’s tired—the constant fighting has taken its toll. She reflects on her younger self, who was focused on climbing the ranks. Now, she realizes success looks different. For her, it’s May and Harry—her family. She has people who love her and people who rely on her. Athena says she’s finally comfortable in her life and in her own skin, and she’s not sure she wants to give that up for a pay raise. Michael tells her it’s not just about the money—it’s about recognition. He encourages her to take the risk, because the next step might be even better.

At the station, Buck, Hen, and Chimney are hanging out with Eddie and Christopher. Bobby approaches, and Eddie immediately apologizes for bringing his son to the firehouse. He explains that his aunt is trying to leave work early to pick up Christopher, and he didn’t know where else to take him. Bobby reassures him that he brought Christopher to the right place and that Buck had already given him a heads-up. Bobby says he cleared it with the chief.

The alarm goes off, and everyone—including Christopher—boards the truck. Christopher, dressed in turnout gear, rides along as the team responds to a traffic accident. Bobby explains the jaws of life to him. Back at the station, Chimney plays pinball with Christopher, Bobby makes him grilled cheese, and the team helps him slide down the firehouse pole.

Aunt Pepa arrives to pick Christopher up. Before they leave, Eddie hugs Bobby and thanks him for accommodating his son. It’s a rare and touching moment between the two.

Later, at the loft, Buck talks to Maddie about Eddie and Christopher. He tells her about the paperwork and bureaucracy Eddie faces trying to secure care for his son. Maddie says only people who work inside the system—like nurses—can truly navigate it. Buck laments that it shouldn’t be so difficult. He worries that Christopher might feel like a burden. Maddie asks if Eddie feels that way. Buck assures her that Eddie is a great dad and doesn’t see his son as a burden.

Maddie then asks Buck if he’s ready to move on from Abby in favor of his new “boy crush” on Eddie. Buck dodges the question. Maddie changes the subject—she’s found an apartment. It’s close to work, has two bedrooms, a secure building, and parking. Buck is surprised, but Maddie reminds him she said her stay wouldn’t be permanent. She reflects on leaving Doug without a plan, just the need to escape. Buck was the one who encouraged her to start over in Los Angeles. She tells him it won’t feel like a new life until she’s standing on her own.

Meanwhile, Chimney receives good news from his neurologist (Jeff Harlan). The doctor tells him that in 34 years of practice, he’s never seen a case like Chimney’s and calls him a modern medical miracle. Chimney admits he doesn’t remember much of the incident, but the doctor says some memory loss is expected after such trauma.

As Chimney leaves the hospital, he runs into his ex, Tatiana (Rachel Breitag), who is visibly pregnant. She assures him the baby isn’t his—it’s her husband’s. Tatiana says she’s glad they crossed paths and apologizes for abandoning him during his accident. She asks how he’s doing. Chimney replies, “I’m a miracle.” She agrees, saying his accident was the wake-up call she needed. It made her realize how fragile life is, and she’s since done the work to become a better person.

She asks if he’s seeing anyone. He says no, but mentions he’s Mr. April in the LAFD calendar. She laughs and says that’s great. Before stepping into the elevator, she hands him a card and tells him to send her a copy. Chimney says he’ll take the next elevator.

During a routine ATM transaction, a piece of paper emerges from the receipt slot with a startling message: someone is stuck inside and needs help. One older man dismisses it as a prank, thinking he’s on a hidden camera show. But the final customer receives a note that reads: STUCK IN ATM! NO CASH UNTIL CALL 911! Thankfully, she takes it seriously and calls 9-1-1. Maddie intercepts the call and dispatches both LAPD and LAFD to the scene.

Bobby and Buck arrive alongside Officer Carol Branford (Michelle Bernard) to investigate. Chimney and Hen pull up in the ambulance. As is often the case on 9-1-1, the scene intercuts two conversations: Buck confides in Bobby about Maddie moving out, while Chimney tells Hen about his unexpected reunion with Tatiana.

Officer Branford explains that a bank technician was sent earlier that morning to replace the vault lock inside the ATM. She’s located the technician’s van nearby—with a cell phone left on the passenger seat. That explains why the technician couldn’t call for help.

Bobby uses a camera on a long cord to peer inside the ATM. Then, for the second time this episode, he grabs a saw and begins cutting through the metal door—while offering Buck advice about his long-distance relationship with Abby. Buck admits they barely talk anymore and that he only learned she was in Morocco via Instagram.

Once the door is removed, the technician—credited as Morris Murray and played by Steven Lee Allen—is revealed, hot and exhausted. He quips, “I don’t know this Abby person, but I’ve never been happier to see anyone in my life.” Chimney and Hen wheel over a stretcher, and the scene wraps.

This moment highlights two of the show’s strongest dynamics: Buck and Bobby, and Hen and Chimney. Bobby is patient and grounded, offering Buck honest advice without judgment. Hen, as Chimney’s best friend, is direct and protective—never letting him spiral, and always ready to call out Tatiana’s past behavior. Eddie’s absence from this call is noticeable, possibly explained by his responsibilities with Christopher.

The next emergency is one of the most heartbreaking in the series. Daniel (Tommy Savas) visits a jewelry store—not to buy a ring, but to request a box for a Ring Pop. He explains that he once gifted his girlfriend Ariel (Zarah Mahler) a diamond necklace, which she pawned and donated the proceeds to an animal shelter. The employee finds his story romantic and gives him the box.

At a shopping mall, Daniel rides an escalator toward Ariel, who’s waiting on the upper level. He opens the box and proposes: “Ariel Simone, I love you to the moon and back. Will you marry me?” She says yes. But moments later, the platform at the top of the escalator collapses, and Daniel falls into the machinery below.

Station 118 arrives quickly. Hen comforts Ariel, who is in shock. Daniel is initially unresponsive. With the escalator shut down, Chimney drops into the shaft to assess his injuries. The chain is pressing on Daniel’s femoral artery. Eddie notes that the tension is acting as a tourniquet, preventing him from bleeding out.

Bobby instructs Hen to run an IV. Daniel regains consciousness, despite the pain. Ariel reassures him. With Eddie’s help, Chimney lifts Daniel out and places him on a backboard. Daniel asks what Ariel’s answer was. Chimney tells him she said yes. Moments later, Daniel begins to convulse and dies at the scene, despite their efforts.

Back at Station 118, the mood is somber. Chimney removes his turnout gear and sees Daniel’s blood on his undershirt. Bobby joins him in the locker room. Chimney says he’s alive, and Bobby agrees—but Chimney questions why. Why did he survive his own accident when Daniel didn’t?

Chimney reflects on how Daniel’s life was about to change. Bobby reminds him that he also has a life worth living. But Chimney feels stuck, as if he died the night of his accident. He admits he remembers everything, despite previously saying he didn’t. Bobby asks why he’s kept it to himself. Chimney says it’s easier not to talk about it.

Bobby gently tells him that a life-changing event can’t change his life if he keeps pretending it didn’t happen. He urges Chimney to process it, reminding him that he’s alive and surrounded by people who love him. Bobby hugs Chimney as he breaks down.

And in case anyone forgot—Bobby Nash is the best.

After shift, Buck invites Eddie over under the pretense of needing help moving. When Eddie arrives, he’s surprised to see how much is still unpacked. Buck explains that most of the furniture belongs to Abby, and Maddie didn’t bring much with her. Then he admits he lied—he doesn’t need help moving. He invited Eddie over because there’s someone he wants him to meet. Eddie assumes Buck is setting him up on a date and looks visibly annoyed.

Right on cue, there’s a knock at the door. Buck answers it, and Carla Price (Cocoa Brown) greets him with a warm hug, saying she’s missed his face. Buck invites her in and introduces her to Eddie. He explains that Carla is one of Los Angeles’ finest home health care aides, with years of experience navigating bureaucratic systems. Buck believes she can help Eddie figure out how to get Christopher the support he needs. Carla tells Eddie she’s red tape’s worst nightmare and suggests they sit down so she can see what he’s working with—“other than his perfect bone structure.” Classic Carla.

Meanwhile, Chimney meets Tatiana at a restaurant. He tells her he spent months thinking about what he’d say if he ever saw her again after she left him in the hospital. But when the moment came, his mind went blank. Tatiana says that’s why she showed up—she’s ready to hear whatever he needs to say. Chimney takes a beat and finally speaks. He thanks her for not pretending after the accident. It wasn’t what either of them needed. He admits that throughout their relationship, he was pretending—trying to be someone he wasn’t, making up stories about heroic moments on the job. Tatiana asks why he felt the need to do that. Chimney says he never thought he was good enough. She tells him he is—more than enough.

Feeling lighter, Chimney gives Tatiana a baby gift: a large rubber duck dressed in turnout gear. He also hands her a copy of the LAFD calendar, where he’s featured as Mr. April. Tatiana is charmed. Chimney tells her he hopes she has a blessed life, and she wishes the same for him. He finally seems at peace, having found closure.

In the penultimate scene, Bobby and Athena lie in bed. Bobby can tell Athena’s mind is racing, so he turns on the bedside lamp and asks what’s going on. Athena says she has to give Captain Maynard her decision before her next shift. Bobby suspects she’s worried Maynard will think less of her if she turns down the promotion. Athena asks how he knows she’s planning to decline—especially when everyone else assumes she’ll accept. After all, she’d be “crazy” not to.

Bobby tells her it’s not crazy to be happy with what you have—to feel satisfied that it’s enough. Athena wonders if it really is. She says she loves being out in the field, seeing the world with her own eyes, helping where she can, and then coming home to let it all go. Bobby admits he became a firefighter because he didn’t want to sit behind a desk. He loves being in the truck with his team and wants to keep doing that for as long as he’s allowed.

He tells Athena there’s nothing wrong with the paths either of them have chosen. Then he asks if she thinks she can sleep now. Athena, wide awake in more ways than one, replies, “Not yet.” Winky-face emoji times three.

In the final scene, Buck and Maddie load her belongings into his Jeep. Eddie and Christopher visit Isabel in the hospital, and Carla is there—subtly confirming she’s now Christopher’s caretaker. Buck returns to Abby’s loft, and for the first time, it feels truly empty. He’s alone. The episode ends.

Earlier I mentioned that this wasn’t one of the flashier episodes of 9-1-1, but I truly believe it’s one of the more important ones. So many of our characters begin the episode feeling “stuck”—trapped in circumstances they’re trying to navigate or escape.

Eddie is stuck trying to balance his demanding job with the responsibilities of raising a child with special needs. Through Buck, he finds Carla, someone who can help lighten the load. I love that in Eddie’s life, it’s the women—his grandmother, his aunt, and now Carla—who play such pivotal roles in supporting him and Christopher.

Then there’s Chimney. In season one, he was difficult to root for—dishonest, insecure, and in a relationship that lacked mutual investment. But this season, he’s grown. He no longer feels the need to pretend. His reunion with Tatiana, while brief, gives him the closure he needs to move forward and be open to something new.

Athena’s version of being stuck is more introspective. Unlike Eddie and Chimney, who are actively seeking change, Athena realizes she’s content. She’s worked hard, and while she may not have the formal recognition, her fulfillment comes from helping others. She’s in a relationship with someone who shares that same sense of peace. I’m glad she turned down the promotion—it means she’ll continue doing the work she loves, out in the field, where she shines.

And then there’s Buck. He’s stuck in a relationship that only exists in his mind. I liked Abby Clark in season one—I found her compelling, and I didn’t mind her relationship with Buck. But I wish she had ended things before leaving the country. It wasn’t fair to either of them. I’m glad Buck is finally starting to see that. I’d like to think Bobby helped him get there. I’ve never loved how dismissive the others have been about his relationship with Abby—even Maddie took a few jabs. Buck’s arc feels unresolved, and I’m curious to see where it goes next.

Overall, I have so much love for this episode. The writers did a fantastic job balancing four meaningful character stories while still delivering the emergencies we tune in for. My favorite emergency was the proposal gone wrong. It was heartbreaking and effective, and it’s the moment that pushes Chimney toward the closure he’s been needing. The actors did a great job selling the tragedy, even with limited screen time. When Daniel dies, you feel Ariel’s grief.

So, when I decided to start writing reactions for past episodes, I went back and forth on if whether I wanted them to be like the reactions I’ve written for current seasons. I have ultimately decided I’m going to keep these shorts and have four sections I will focus on in the reaction. They are:

Quick Recap

Observations

Funny Lines

911 Lore

Let’s begin with a quick recap.

Quick Recap

The episode begins where “New Beginnings” left off. Chimney got stabbed by Maddie’s estranged husband Doug who only befriended Chimney to get closer to Maddie. While Chimney lay dying, Doug kidnaps Maddie. Buck shows up at Maddie’s place, finds Chimney bleeding out, and calls 9-1-1. He then goes to look for his sister, but she is gone. Athena, Bobby, and Detective Andy Marks (played by Colby French) arrive at Maddie’s apartment. Side note: One thing I love about this show is its continuity with certain characters. The last time we saw Detective Marks was back in season one when Abby and Athena were investigating a stalker.

Buck steals Chimney’s phone and heads straight to the hospital. He goes to Chimney’s room and uses his fingerprint to unlock the phone. Buck is caught and immediately reprimanded. Sensing that Buck is feeling useless, Athena brings him along to the dispatch center where Josh pulls up Chimney’s call. Josh sees the are calls to Chimney’s phone from someone named Jason. Buck recalls that Chimney has been hanging out with someone new and believes that person is Doug who is using an alias.

Meanwhile, Doug and Maddie pull over at a gas station. Maddie tells Doug she needs to use the restaurant, so he unfastens her restraints and allows her to go inside. Maddie makes use of her privacy by writing a note on a piece of paper she found in the glove compartment. Doug grows impatient and demands Maddie come out of the restroom. Maddie escapes through the restroom window but Jason catches up to her. The gas station attendant (played by Roman Mitchyan) comes to Maddie’s defense, but Doug overpowers him and shoots him dead.

We find out that Doug got rid of his phone by stashing it on a semi-truck. Athena, Buck, and Detective Marks catch up to the driver and Athena asks him if he’s made any stops. The driver (played by Tim Stafford) says he stopped at a gas station just before sunrise. When Athena asks if he saw anyone else there. The driver tells her that as he was leaving, he saw a couple go inside. Athena quickly figures out that Doug ditched his phone because he knew it could be tracked.  Athena, Buck and Detective Marks head to the gas station which is currently a crime scene. An officer has found a rental agreement for the car Doug is driving in the restroom. Athena suggests that since the car was rented from a smaller business, there’s a chance it has a tracking device.

Doug and Maddie arrive in Big Bear and break into one of the cabins. Maddie uses a fire poker to attack Doug. She then runs away from the cabin and into the woods. Doug recovers, quickly, and goes after her. When he finally catches up to her, the two have a knock-down, drag-out fight which culminates in Maddie killing Doug. During the tussle, Maddie does get stabbed, but her injury doesn’t stop her from fleeing the scene in hopes of escaping the nightmarish situation.

Athena, Buck, and Detective Marks arrive in Big Bear and locate the cabin where Maddie and Doug were hiding out. When an officer finds blood in the snow, Buck takes off running into the woods where he finds his sister. The two of them embrace and Maddie tells Buck she didn’t give up. The two of them ride in an ambulance to the hospital where Maddie will be treated for multiple injuries.

At the end of the episode, Maddie is transferred to the hospital where a now conscious Chimney is being treated. While a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” performed by Adele plays, Maddie kisses Chimney and you just know theirs is going to be a whirlwind romance. All’s well with the couple, minus their injuries, as the episode fades to black.

Observations

This section will spotlight moments within in the episode I find are particularly notable.

Maddie’s subtle but terrified expression when Doug brings out the glasses they drank from at their wedding; it is also mentioned that one of the glasses has a chip.

Doug mentions his mother twice in the scene where he and Maddie are celebrating his promotion leading me to believe was his abuser.

Maddie hasn’t been working at dispatch all that long yet Josh Russo and Sue Blevins are willing to break the rules for her.

Doug is extremely insecure when it comes to how he is perceived in relationship to other men, especially those in uniform, i.e., firefighters.

In flashbacks, Maddie is shown wearing a lot of sweaters and cardigans, most likely to hide the evidence of Doug’s abuse, while in the present she is wearing a fairly low-cut top.

At the end of the episode, it is revealed that it’s been three days since Maddie and Chimney have seen each other.

Funny Lines

Due to the serious nature of this episode, there aren’t very many comedic moments. However, I did find a few lines that made me laugh:

Athena: “You know, Detective Marks didn’t believe me. He said no one could be that stupid. I said, “You don’t know Buck.”

Bobby: “Buck. Here are the ground rules: You don’t leave her sight, you don’t lie, you don’t withhold any information from her, you don’t break the law, and you don’t do anything that’s gonna force her into early retirement. You got it?”

Eddie: “Then why are you in hospital jail?”

Doug: “In the kitchen? Where the knives live?”

Chimney: “This is much better than rebar.”

911 Lore

In this section, I will highlight moments within the episode where we learn new information about our beloved characters that add to the overall narrative.

This is the second time Chimney has ended up in the hospital and Maddie’s first time ending up in the hospital; unfortunately, it will not be the last for either of them

This is the second time we have seen Buck and Athena team-up. These two have come a very long way from their initial meeting back in the “Pilot” episode.

While not a main character, this is Detective Marks second and final appearance in the show; in both episodes he is featured in, the case he is working involves domestic violence

Buck and Josh meet for the very first time

This is the episode where Athena officially becomes Buck’s mother figure

Hen tells a story about how Chimney looked after Denny while she and Karen were away. This moment further cements just how close Hen and Chimney are and how much they care about each other

Michael and Eddie meet for the very first time

Both Shannon and Christopher reference the many surgeries Christopher has had

Eddie expresses guilt over not being there for Shannon and Christopher

Bobby’s favorite donut is a bear claw

Bobby references Chimney’s last medical emergency which involved a piece of rebar going through his skull