9-1-1 focuses on Los Angeles’ first responders in the aftermath of an emergency. The series presents a different spin on the procedural by including emergency personnel every step of the way, from dispatchers taking emergency calls to the police, firefighters and paramedics sent to respond, with each episode centered around a certain theme and emergencies based on real incidents. After spending its first six seasons on Fox, then getting canceled, the series was picked up by ABC starting with Season 7. It was created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear and was followed up with the spin-off 9-1-1: Lone Star.
9-1-1 has become known for epic catastrophes endangering countless lives, from earthquakes to tsunamis, all of which make for exciting television. But it’s not just ambitious disasters which make for memorable episodes. Some of the series’ best offerings are also its most heartfelt, with emotional stories about the staff of the 118.
15“Chimney Begins”
Season 2, Episode 12
In classic 9-1-1 fashion, this episode takes a look back at how Chimney began his firefighter story and how he became the paramedic he is today. Chimney worked at a bar, wanting to become an inventor, but he couldn’t seem to get anything off the ground. When he’s feeling low and like his life doesn’t have a higher calling, a fellow bartender attempts to light a tower of shots on fire, but instead lights a woman at the bar on fire and the bar itself.
Chimney doesn’t panic, he successfully saves the woman, but the bar eventually burns down. After seeing the fire rescue attempt to save the bar, he realizes that this is what he’s going to do with his life. It’s a heartwarming and inspiring episode. Chimney was so down about not having a purpose in his life and finally gets a sign that he was meant to be a firefighter.
14“Blindsided”
Season 4, Episode 9
The 118 race to a drunk driving accident that has caused a huge pileup. As they arrive, they see many victims in trouble, but discover Albert, Chimney’s brother, is part of the accident. The drunk driver was driving down the wrong side of the highway and collided with oncoming traffic. While all this is happening Maddie is about to go into labor with her and Chimney’s daughter.
This is one of the most intense episodes; burning cars, injured people, a brother in trouble, and a new part of the 118 family all packed into one. While Chimney is feeling like he has to grieve his brother he also wants to feel joy for the birth of his child. So much emotion in one amazing episode.
13“Athena Begins”
Season 3, Episode 7
In another flashback episode, a murder weapon surfaces from a case that Athena worked on when she was brand new on the police squad, which gets her reminiscing about her first day as a police officer. Athena visits a man named Dennis Jenkins who is a suspect in her case. Dennis doesn’t resist but invites Athena inside and explains that he was addicted to drugs and wanted them so bad he would do anything for a fix.
The episode flashes back and forth between the case in the ’90s and the present day as Athena pieces together what happened. It turns out it was Emmet, Athena’s fiance who was killed that day and Athena can’t forgive so easily. Dennis understands and peacefully turns himself in. It’s an emotional flashback episode that sheds light on Athena’s time on the police force.
12“New Beginnings”
Season 2, Episode 11
In another emotional episode, like most, Maddie’s ex-husband, Dough, tries to insert himself into her and Chimney’s new relationship. Doug pretends to be someone else and becomes friends with Chim to get closer to him and drive a wedge between him and Maddie. Meanwhile, Bobby meets Athena’s mom for the first time and she disapproves of their relationship. While their personal lives are taking a tole, the crews still have lives to save on top of their emotional problems.
The episode is a testament to these two women, Maddie and Athena, and highlights their strengths in different ways. It was a great episode of character development and emotional growth.
11“May Day”
Season 5, Episode 16
The 911 Call Center goes up in flames and the 118 springs into action. Bobby risks his life to rescue May and Claudette, who have been feuding days before about protocol for detaining a fleeing suspect. As the fire breaks while they are arguing at the station, Claudette freezes in fear while May springs into action and protects her. Meanwhile, Albert is questioning his role as a firefighter, as he and Chim rush to the Call Center.
Another strong episode that sheds light on the character’s motives and their intentions. We see Bobby risking his life and Albert questioning his. In the classic 9-1-1 fashion, it’s coupled with intense life-saving heroics and emotional character development.
10“The Taking of Dispatch 9-1-1”
Season 3, Episode 14
The dispatch center was held hostage in “The Taking of Dispatch 9-1-1” by a group of criminals posing as police officers. But the dispatch center itself and its staff weren’t what they were really after, as their goal was to rob a museum and intercept any calls from the scene, so they could keep emergency personnel away. They allowed a few dispatchers to work and take calls, while keeping the others separate.
It’s not unusual for 9-1-1’s first responders to be in danger themselves, but those working in the dispatch center were typically safe, until “The Taking of Dispatch 9-1-1.” The episode also put them at its center, as opposed to the emergency personnel responding to calls, and showed how their quick thinking helped them to communicate something was wrong and save themselves. But what made the episode among the series’ best was the way the criminals’ larger plan was revealed slowly.
9“Buck Begins”
Season 4, Episode 5
In “Buck Begins,” after Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) revealed to Buck (Oliver Stark) that they had an older brother, Daniel, who died of leukemia shortly after Buck was born, Buck was forced to confront his childhood and his strained relationship with their parents and how it contributed to his recklessness as an adult. Buck learned that he was intended to be a bone-marrow done for their brother, but the treatment wasn’t as successful as they’d hope and Daniel relapsed.
“Buck Begins” was a highly anticipated episode which provided great insight into Buck’s character through his past. A young Buck trying one dangerous trick after another was fun to watch, and it was sweet to see the dynamic between him and Maddie as kids, especially as she took on a more maternal role for him. But the episode overall was heartbreaking, as it also explained why Buck’s relationship with his parents was strained and why they seemed to prefer Maddie over him.
8“Pay It Forward”
Season 6, Episode 18
Multiple car accidents on the freeway caused the overpass to collapse in Season 6 finale “Pay It Forward,” threatening the lives of both civilians and the 118, with many of the first responders suffering from grave injuries, forcing them to help each other in addition to the other victims. First, a car got into an accident with a van, then an exhausted truck driver fell asleep at the wheel, leading the truck to collide with a pillar and causing the collapse.
“Pay It Forward” was a thrilling way to end Season 6, with an intense emergency that affected almost all the show’s first responders, the kind of major event the show has become known for. Things spiraled out of control quickly, and the nature of the pileup and collapse meant many people were in precarious positions. But Bobby’s situation was the most concerning, given his status in the 118 and the fact that he was separated from the others.
7“Fight of Flight”
Season 2, Episode 13
In “Fight or Flight,” Maddie was abducted by her ex-husband, Doug, leading the 118 to search for one of their own. First, Buck arrives at Maddie’s apartment to find Chimney (Kenneth Choi) unconscious and bleeding out, and his actions in trying to find Doug and Maddie threaten to get him arrested. Meanwhile, flashbacks showed Maddie’s marriage to Doug, where she lived in fear. Doug was played by Love Hewitt’s husband in real life, Brian Hallisay.
Doug was a menacing villain in “Fight or Flight,” and it was an intense episode overall as Maddie fought to get away from Doug yet again. It was a great episode for both Maddie and Buck, while he struggled with feeling guilty for not being able to protect her and was willing to take matters into his own hands to punish Doug, Hewitt as Maddie delivered one of her best performances of the series.
6“Desperate Times”
Season 5, Episode 2
In “Desperate Times,” Day 5 of a citywide blackout in the middle of a record-breaking heatwave continued to cause problems for Los Angeles. The 118 continued their search for serial rapist Jeffrey Hudson (Noah Bean), and Athena (Angela Bassett) had security stationed at the homes of his victims but forgot to consider herself, and Hudson kidnapped Harry (Marcanthonee Jon Reis) as revenge against her. Meanwhile, Chimney confides in Hen (Aisha Hinds) about Maddie’s postpartum struggles, and Eddie (Ryan Guzman) struggles with his relationship with Ana (Gabrielle Walsh).
A simple blackout was anything but in “Desperate Times,” and it was an exciting, fast-paced episode from the start. Aside from the danger that posed on its own, the 118 had a lot to deal with, from Hudson to their personal problems. Some of the episode’s best moments came from Athena’s confrontation with Hudson, while Maddie’s exhaustion in caring for a newborn and her guilt over an ultimately harmless accident were heartbreaking but relatable for new parents.
5“7.1”
Season 2, Episode 2
Multiple firehouses joined forces when a huge earthquake hit Los Angeles in “7.1,” endangering the lives of people trapped in a significantly damaged high-rise hotel, with victims trapped under the rubble as well as high up on the hotel’s upper levels. In the midst of the situation, Maddie was still in training to work as a dispatcher, and Athena, who had been driving on the freeway at the time, dealt with the collapse of an overpass.
“7.1” was a classic large-scale catastrophe for 9-1-1. The earthquake impacting so much of the city meant lots of people needed help, and those in the hotel were in particularly precarious situations. The episode was a great way to showcase the skills of the first responders, especially Athena with her quick thinking, but it was also a great example of their bravery. Despite Bobby telling his crew they didn’t have to enter the hotel if they didn’t want to, they all chose to, putting the needs of others ahead of themselves.
