For the first time all season, Thursday’s episode of 9-1-1 didn’t end on a completely bonkers note. There were no impending bee-nados. No crashing planes. No long, uncomfortable hugs from the Mustache-less Man.
But that doesn’t mean the episode was anything to write home about. Far from it. In fact, 118 finds himself in more trouble—albeit in a different way—than he has all season, with the future of the fire station hanging in the balance. Thankfully, this dramatic hour also dialed things up a bit, delivering some moments fans have been waiting for since last season’s finale.
Let’s start with the big one: we finally get rid of Gerrard! If this were a musical episode, it would end with 118 blasting out to The Wiz’s “A Brand New Day.” Sadly, that’s not the case, so we can only accept Bobby triumphantly returning to the fire department after executing a brilliant plan to get his old job back.
Bobby explains to Gerrard that Councilwoman Ortiz only gave him 118 as part of her ongoing revenge against Hen, and if there’s one thing Gerrard doesn’t like—outside of any sort of minority—it’s being made a fool of. So he agrees to chat further with the councilwoman about their master plan, while recording their incriminating conversation with the same body cam she put on 118 as part of said revenge. That’s some poetic justice right there.
A hearing was scheduled to determine whether 118 should be shut down for “budgetary” reasons, but once Gerrard’s body-worn camera footage was shown, the councilwoman’s ship was sunk. Not only did the fire department survive the shutdown, but Hen and Karen’s foster licenses were reinstated. (That was another major Season 8 problem that’s now been resolved. We understand the need for drama, but can these ladies please enjoy a moment of happiness before their lives are destroyed again? Please and thank you.) Bobby also happily bids farewell to Hollywood, convincing Gerrard to take his job at Hotshots so he can get back to doing what he does best: saving homebuyers with Athena. Speaking of whom, did anyone else appreciate her calling Michael to get the original blueprints for their house? We wouldn’t mind if Athena’s ex-husband came to visit her this season.
In short, everyone’s right where they belong: Bobby’s back at 118, Mara’s home with Hen and Karen, and Gerrard’s… maybe on set? Who knows. Honestly, we don’t care what he does from now on as long as he stays far away.
Well, pretty much everyone’s right where they belong. Christopher’s still in Texas with his grandparents, and Eddie’s separation anxiety came to a head this week when he got involved (perhaps too involved?) in the strained relationship between a male cheerleader and his narrow-minded father. Professional boundaries aside, it was nice to see Eddie come to the teen’s defense. “You think being a cheerleader makes your son weak?” he asked. “I know soldiers who couldn’t survive what your son did.” That is the king’s behavior.
