9-1-1 Season 8 returns with an opening disaster storyline unlike anything we’ve ever seen on the show. What kind of disaster could possibly happen when 22 million killer bees accidentally escape into the air? Some may have thought so when the series revealed details of the season’s opening disaster. But let 9-1-1 impress, thrill, and give us goosebumps with a large-scale disaster that culminates in a mid-air plane collision that leaves a passenger jet full of passengers without a pilot. That being said, the first three episodes of 9-1-1 have lived up to its hype, and the numbers have now further proven that the police process has indeed been firmly shut down.
It’s been over two weeks since the bee-nado storyline ended, and the viewership numbers across multiple platforms in 7 days are truly impressive. The finale episode reportedly attracted a total of 10.42 million viewers, which is 89% higher than the 5.52 million recorded for live same-day viewing for the same episode, meaning more people tuned in as the suspense built over the course of three episodes. The episode, titled ‘Final Approach’, also recorded a 2.01 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, resulting in a 294% increase over L+SD (live plus same-day). These numbers represent the best multi-platform performance the show has had since the disastrous Season 7 opener. While it’s not the best jump in the show’s history, it’s still welcome progress, pointing to a positive future for the show and hopefully it will maintain this momentum throughout the season.
What’s next after Bee-Nado?
With the opening disaster behind us, 9-1-1 has shifted to covering emergencies on an episodic basis starting with episode 4, “No Place Like Home.” But make no mistake, this doesn’t mean the upcoming emergencies will be any less intense. On the contrary, they’ll be even more epic as episode 4 sees our favorite first responders in dire situations as they rush to save the day. Without giving too much away, the episode features a supposedly domesticated animal that suddenly goes wild and attacks its owner. Next up is a Halloween-themed episode that will feature some of the weirdest emergencies ever.
9-1-1 stars Oliver Stark as Buck Ryan Guzman as Eddie Díaz, Peter Krause as Bobby Nash, Angela Bassett as Athena Grant, Aisha Hinds as Henrietta Wilson, Kenneth Choi as Howard Han, and Jennifer Love Hewitt as Maddie Buckley. The show’s regular cast members include Gavin McHugh as Christopher Diaz, Bryan Safi as Josh Russo, Declan Pratt as Denny Wilson, Tracie Thoms as Karen Wilson, and Lou Ferrigno Jr. as Tommy Kinnard.
