Episode 5 of 9-1-1 season 9 starts with Eddie’s monologue about death on the evening of Día de Muertos. By all accounts, Eddie seems sad, and it makes us wonder what happened. We circle back to a week before; it is Halloween, and 118 are called to an accident scene. The man driving the car had on a headless horseman costume and ended up running over a man in a scarecrow costume.
Shortly after the accident and before the paramedics got there, the man in the scarecrow costume got up and left. The driver repeatedly tells the paramedics about the man he hit, but they assume he is referring to a scarecrow lying near the accident scene. Meanwhile, the injured man walks away and hides in a coffin displayed as part of the Halloween decorations.
The following morning, Maddie tries to help Buck find Bobby’s cookie recipe in his new house. It has taken him longer to find a house and move in, so he is yet to unpack. Buck also complains about hearing odd noises at his new apartment at night. Maddie jokes that the house might be haunted. As they search the boxes, they come across a picture of Buck and Bobby, which they place in the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Harry moves into Athena’s house, but she has yet to move some of Bobby’s things out of the room. Harry is hoping that Athena will support his decision to become a firefighter. At Eddie’s house, his aunt and grandma visit. They notice Eddie has started going back to church again. The women are relieved, but Eddie admits he is still struggling with religion.
Episode Overview – What Happened?
In the latest episode of 9‑1‑1, Season 9 Episode 5 titled “Día de Los Muertos”, the team of the 118 Rescue Unit face a mix of odd emergencies, cultural traditions, and deep emotional reckonings. The hour opens with chaotic Halloween-style rescues, then transitions into the spiritual observance of the Mexican holiday Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), threading grief, loss and memory through the personal arcs of characters like Eddie Diaz, Buck Ripley and Athena Grant.
The mission-calls are wild (a driver hits what appears to be a scarecrow, a runaway inflatable pumpkin, and more) but they exist as more than spectacle—they mirror the internal work the characters are doing: processing death, memory, and what it means to move forward.
Eddie’s Journey – Faith, Loss & Cultural Roots
Confronting The Loss
Eddie’s storyline is the emotional backbone of this episode. He’s still reeling from the death of his friend-mentor Bobby Nash, and his abuela passes away in this episode too—bringing his grief full-circle.
Religion vs. Purpose
Eddie returns to church largely because of Bobby’s influence rather than his own conviction. His family notices: when his abuela and tia confront him about a Bible placed on top of his fridge, it reveals he may be going through the motions rather than feeling faith in his heart.
Eddie’s internal question becomes: Did I go to church for me, or for him? And his abuela suggests maybe he’s looking for God “in the wrong place” — perhaps what he really needs is love, connection and meaning rather than ritual.
Heritage Matters
The timing of the abuela’s passing around Día de Los Muertos gives extra weight to the cultural observances. Eddie honors her through the ofrenda, the altar, and the remembrance of lost ones. It’s less about religion now and more about memory and identity.
Buck’s Arc – Grief, Ghosts & Snickerdoodles
Carrying Bobby’s Legacy
Buck has been struggling with Bobby’s death for some time, and here the episode digs into one manifestation of that grief: he’s obsessively trying to recreate Bobby’s snickerdoodle recipe, and he believes Bobby might be haunting the new house he’s living in.
Haunting or Healing?
At first, the “ghost” story is just amusing: cream of tartar appears mysteriously, Buck sees things, suspects the supernatural. But the twist is more grounded — it turns out the house’s former tenant was living in the attic, not a ghost. Buck’s belief in a sign from Bobby turns instead into a sign of help: the tenant left a sobriety chip, and Buck invites him to AA. That’s a profound moment of healing, not haunting.
Team Dynamics & Buck’s Place
Critics note that while Buck’s story is emotionally potent, the way the ensemble treats him feels uneven. He often becomes delivery for jokes or sidelined, which undermines the weight of his grief. The episode touches on this gap but doesn’t fully repair it.
Athena & Harry – Passing the Torch
Uniforms, Symbols and Tension
Athena confronts Harry when he shows up wearing Bobby’s turnout gear as a Halloween costume. She sees it as disrespectful, a shortcut to heroism. Harry insists it’s about honoring her (and Bobby) — a moment that forces both of them to examine legacy and aspiration.
Agency & Respect
Athena’s protective instinct is strong: she doesn’t want Harry to adopt a firefighter role casually or shamelessly. Harry reminds her that his drive isn’t about Bobby directly, but about her example. This frames the challenge of living in the shadow of the fallen hero: how do you step out and define your own path while honoring someone else’s?
The Emergency Calls – Action With Meaning
Halloween Mayhem vs. Spiritual Threads
The mission-of-the-week opens the hour: odd accidents on Halloween night, a scarecrow hit by a driver, tools failing mid-rescue, a runaway inflatable pumpkin. These bizarre calls provide suspense and spectacle.
Reflecting the Internal
While these calls aren’t deeply tied to the central themes, they mirror the internal chaos: grief isn’t linear, and the calls feel like externalized manifestations of confusion and fear. But many reviewers found the link loose — the emergencies felt disconnected from the emotional arcs.
Symbolism of Life & Death
The man who hit what appeared to be a scarecrow and wandered into a cemetery believing he was dead can be read as a metaphor for Eddie and others: someone damaged, thinking they’re gone, only to be revived — physically or emotionally. This ties into the broader theme of Día de Los Muertos: the boundary between living and dead, remembered and forgotten.
Día de Los Muertos as Narrative Device
Using the Day of the Dead holiday grounds the episode in cultural specificity and gives the theme of remembering lost loved ones real weight. It’s not just a backdrop—it’s the emotional lens through which each character’s grief is processed.
How Grief Works Here
We see three characters each dealing with loss differently: Eddie through faith and culture, Buck through rituals and trying to hold onto Bobby, and Athena/Harry through legacy and symbols. This mosaic of grief offers varying perspectives but also raises questions about whether the show balanced them well. Some argue it didn’t.
H3: Alive in Memory
The idea emerges: the dead live on in our memory, our traditions, our actions. Eddie’s final narration (and the ofrenda scene) express that it’s not about haunting or literal ghost-figures—it’s about the living continuing the story.
Strengths of the Episode
Emotional Depth
Eddie’s storyline especially stands out: his faith struggle, cultural heritage and grief are handled with sensitivity and nuance. The abuela’s death comes as a gut-punch, but the build-up provides context and authenticity.
Rich Cultural Layer
Drawing on Día de Los Muertos gives the episode an extra dimension — one that many episodes of similar genres miss: culture isn’t just surface-decorative. It informs identity, ritual and healing.
Character Growth Moments
Buck inviting the former tenant to AA is a standout moment: one of action, generosity and growth—reflecting Bobby’s values and moving Buck forward. Athena/Harry’s confrontation also provides clarity and development.
Weaknesses & Missed Opportunities
Disconnected Emergencies
While visually interesting, the rescue calls at the start don’t deeply tie into the emotional arcs. Some viewers felt the linkage between action and character story was loose or under-executed.
Uneven Treatment of Buck
Buck’s grief is real, but he remains marginalised in the group dynamics even as his pains are explored. Critics note the show hasn’t fully addressed how the ensemble handles his evolution and role.
Cultural Execution Not Perfect
While the episode earns credit for spotlighting Latinx culture and grief, some feel the representation doesn’t go far enough, or occasionally relies on shorthand rather than deep exploration.
Key Moments You Shouldn’t Miss
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Eddie’s dinner scene: isolated in a family gathering, his beer, his body language — a subtle but telling moment of disconnection.
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The attic discovery: what seems supernatural turns human, forcing Buck to ground himself.
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The altar scene: Eddie and Christopher quietly honoring Abuela, Shannon and Bobby — the emotional climax for the theme of memory.
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Athena’s confrontation with Harry: the uniform, the meaning, the legacy conversation.
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The disturbing exorcism call: a medical emergency disguised as a ritual gone wrong, paralleling the faith vs evidence theme for Eddie.
What It Means for Season 9 Moving Forward
Grief Doesn’t End
This episode reinforces that grieving isn’t a linear process—it loops, tangles with culture, career, identity. Season 9 seems ready to explore how each member of the 118 will live with Bobby’s absence, not just ‘get over’ it.
Culture & Identity Matter
By centering Eddie’s Latinx identity and heritage, the show opens the door for more culturally grounded storytelling. It signals that major character arcs will involve more than calls and rescues—they’ll involve roots and rituals.
Ensemble Dynamics Will Shift
Buck’s journey especially hints at change in the 118 dynamic. If the show follows through, we may see more of him not just as a sidekick but as someone who carries as much story weight as others.
Final Verdict
“Día de Los Muertos” is a bold episode for 9-1-1. It doesn’t just deliver action—it delivers heart. While not flawless (some plot threads feel under-connected), it offers powerful emotional arcs, cultural depth and meaningful character development. If you’re a fan of the series, this is one of the more memorable entries so far in Season 9. And if you’re new, it’s a good showcase of what the show can do when it leans into identity and loss as much as it leans into drama.
Why You Should Care
Because this episode reminds us that heroes aren’t defined just by the fire they fight—they’re defined by the lives they touched, the memories they left behind. It shows that rescue isn’t just about saving others—it’s about saving yourself from being stuck in the shadows of someone you lost.
Conclusion
All in all, Season 9 Episode 5 of 9-1-1, titled “Día de Los Muertos”, is a heartfelt, visually engaging and emotionally rich chapter in the series. It blends culture, grief and heroism in a way that feels both personal and universal. While the action-call structure is perhaps less tightly integrated than we might like, the emotional payoff carries the episode. In a series known for high stakes and big rescues, this week’s rescue is the rescue of the heart and the soul. If you’re following 9-1-1, this is one to pause and reflect on.
