User Reviews

Lets start with the good stuff because while I still have some issues with how things are going it's important to acknowledge that this season is, so far, MILES better than season 5, the episodes are (for the most part) enjoyable to watch, and I want to re-watch later as well. Most of that is due to the focus on our main characters and them having plots (most of last season could have been an email for all the main characters got to do), and I'm intrigued to see where most of these are going.

Bobby being back and rescuing that dog was fun, though I'm glad we got one last emergency with Captain Hen. She was brilliant in command and if she chooses to stay with being a paramedic, she's going to be an amazing captain some day, and if she goes with doctor, she'll be amazing at that too. It was nice to see her getting to have a little tipsy fun with Buck too (a VAST improvement over their cheating discussion in 5x11) though not having Buck at work for no reason was an...odd choice given the entire struggle last season was due to them not being able to work as a team without each other. Maddie had a rough call but I loved that Noah was able to help, and Maddie was able to take the information she got and get some resources for that mom and her little girl. Her getting a hug from the girl at the end was so sweet! Kenneth Choi continues to be an absolute delight every time we are blessed with him getting lines or little moments and I hope to see more of him next week as he has been criminally underutilized since last season. The scenes with Eddie, Chris, and Ramon were just an absolute highlight for me! Chris is growing up and wanting to branch out more and I'm so excited to see where this storyline goes for him and watching him and Eddie work through it. It was also good to see Eddie and Ramon putting in the work to communicate more and heal their rift.

Now for the not so good. For starters, I feel like I need to watch this episode a second time, and not in a good way. There was way too much happening this episode and consequently I feel like we didn't get to see some things we should have (Kristen's tendency for having things happen off screen strikes again!). Having an entire episode dedicated to NOT first responding last week really put a cramp in the continuity for everyone this week and it forced too much into this episode trying to get things moving again. Chim was abducted, and Buck planted himself in front of a moving vehicle to try and save him and we got.... NOTHING out of it! While the chase scene was fun (and putting Buck on a bike while an iconic song about bisexuality plays was...certainly a choice that I'm loving), we didn't get to see any of the team catching up, Eddie and/or Bobby (or even Chim!) talking to Buck about why he made that choice (which would have been a great way to bring up the rift between Buck and Chim that is looming over them since Kristen refused to address their issues from last season, claiming they were, again, resolved off screen), we didn't get to see the team checking Chim out and making sure he was okay, and the biggest thing of all, was after Chim and Maddie BOTH had rough moments, we did not see them interact AT ALL. I love that Buck went to talk to Hen because he not only loves and respects her, but he knows they have some idea of the other end of the donor thing, but it's also weird (enough that casual viewers have started to notice and mention it being strange) that Buck and Eddie were so absent from each other's big arcs this episode. If less time had been spent last week on showing a whole Cold Case crime drama, and incorporated some of the stuff from this week, things might have felt a little more connected (Hen running herself ragged and then being bored out of her mind when she's sent home, Eddie and Chris being close and playing games together and now Chris wanting space, Buck losing someone on a call who chose to let them save someone else, and then making a decision that will make someone else happy at cost to himself), and the plots would have had a little space to breathe and we could have seen some of these missing scenes.

As for Buck's storyline, I'm willing to grit my teeth and see how the sperm donor thing turns out, but it is clearly getting to the point that Kristen and her ever-dwindling group of writers/directors (which is really starting to feel like someone weeding out everyone but her friends at this point) don't quite know what to do with Buck. Part of that feel like it's because we should have been on the road to Buddie when Eddie got shot in that lovers framing in 4x13 but instead Kristen spent all of 4x14 keeping Buck from his firefam in order to wedge in a woman he realistically wouldn't have wanted anything to do with after what she tried to to do Bobby in season 2 and then wasted an entire season watching him fade into grey misery in his apartment with her. The less said Lucy and that nonsense Buck character assassination, the better. Now he's once again having the majority of his scenes with random people we do not know or care about and not having scenes with Eddie about any of the important things happening from the bike stunt, to the donor plotline, to Eddie seeking input from his co-parent about Chris. We could end this arc having finally gotten somewhere, but given that Oliver said it's not even coming back for another 3 episodes I'm not expecting much, and everyone is getting tired of watching him spin in circles. We know Oliver can do great things, so LET HIM do great things!

Things still feel messy with stuff like the Madney couples therapy from the synopsis getting cut, May getting dropped off at collage getting cut, Hen asking for a second chance for medical school THIS episode when it's on the synopsis for NEXT week, and now this huge plot for Buck coming up and disappearing for 3 episodes. The vibes are better than last season for sure, but the show still doesn't feel settled into it's groove like it was before. The show used to give some weight to even fun/funny emergencies because the person calling 911 IS in distress, even if it ends up being nothing, but now they are leaning so hard into the "one-liner quips" that we get garbage like that "curiosity killed the bird watcher" line, and the warm heart of the show has felt missing ever since Kristen took over. It's clear she doesn't understand the show or characters and is either swinging so dark and depressing and unsettling it's nearly unrecognizable as the show we love while being undistinguishable from every other procedural out there, or going so cheap and surface-deep "fun" that it all feels hollow. The drop of a point and a half in demo and 2 million viewers is LOUD and it is beyond time to get her out of the drivers seat and put in someone who can bring back the heart and soul to the show. We're getting closer, this season is certainly an improvement on last, but the cast can only bring so much to the table if the writing and show direction isn't there to support them.

Final thought, it's been a month and not a single mention of Ravi's name despite him being both a fan-favorite, AND used by the 9-1-1 social media team to promote engagement over the hiatus when they knew the actor was filming other things and wouldn't be back right away if at all. But thank goodness Kristen takes every chance she can get to remind us how much she wants to bring Lucy back. It's time for a change, yesterday.

Not sure how I feel about the direction the show is taking some of the characters. Let's start with what I loved about it:

First and foremost, I have to talk about the Diaz boys. Whenever they're featured, I'm going to love it. They bring so much heart to the show and out of all of the relationships portrayed, theirs is the most engaging and the one that keeps bringing me back to the show. They could never have enough of Eddie, and Chris being part of this story is a beautiful bonus when it happens. They're the best part of the episode by far.

I loved getting a little more Captain Hen, but I'm glad to see Bobby back with the 118. I loved that the straight up stole that dog, Hoover and now the Grant-Nash home will be a little less quiet.

All of the moments we're getting to see between the 118 again are so great. It really highlights what was missing in the last season.

Now for the bad.

Mostly, it revolves around Buck, for me (just like season5). He used to be one of my favorite characters, but since the end of season 4 the writer's just haven't been doing him justice. I understand that he has a lot of trauma, mostly stemming from his neglectful parents. Stuff like that doesn't just disappear and it can pop back up time and time again, even when you think you've come to terms with it. I don't mind a character having problems or regressing here and there, but Buck has gone to therapy (maybe is still going, according to Oliver), he has had an amazing support system for years; people that are always there for him, to comfort him, advise him, remind him of his value and place in their lives. It'd be really, really nice if there were more to show for that. Where is the growth? Aside from not sleeping around anymore, he's still rash, doesn't think things through, and doesn't know what he wants. He spirals frequently. A character's arc doesn't always have to be sunshine and rainbows, but if we're going to watch something difficult, it should at least be compelling (a la Eddie and Maddie's breakdown arcs last season). With Buck, I find myself wanting to skip scenes and just get on (over) with it already. Last season Taylor (and Lucy) made most of his screen time a chore (to put it nicely). I was thrilled they wouldn't be around anymore, but his storyline now is still a chore. A character like this cannot pull off the rash/insecure/lost forever; it becomes tedious and cheapens the bigger moments and relationships that should be promoting growth.

I really don't understan what they're doing with Buck's character anymore. He used to have decent arcs and now it's just like he's going to puberty at 30 years old. He was obviously going to regress after being so self-destructive for the last season and a half, but he's just acting so annoyingly.

Totally ignoring the fact that he said yes to the couple without even telling them that cancer runs in his family, that such a horrible move. Let's hope at least the clinic does its job and they don't allow him to donate. Because if the do, that will be just bad writing.

Eddie and Chris' arc was the best as always. Eddie dealt with Chris' attitude the best way possible while showing he's still learning and even asked his dad for his opinion. It's such a joy to see them getting well together, Ramón, Helena and Isabel need to move to LA so we can see them more and have the good kind of drama.

Maddie's emergency is probably the only interesting emergency of this season. The little girl was amazing and the storyline was heartbreaking.

Hen's arc seems to be going back in circles, let's hope we see more interesting stuff about her. And also Chimney, who has been on the sidelines for far too long.

And I mean it in a good way for them, because while Buck has the biggest story this episode, Eddie's end up as the most well-written one.

Let's go over the positives first, shall we?

* Eddie's parenting arc is the highlight of this episode, and it has quite a good amount of depth to it. Eddie seeking Ramon's advice is a continuation of how they try to mend their relationship with each other as father and son, which is a good way to bring up past plot point. The topic of the conversation/problem is also an important thing people often overlook when they have disabled kids, that the kids need independence and trust from the parents to partly handle the world on their own, and the way it's discussed when Eddie and Christopher have a confrontation about is is done very well. It's time for Eddie to realize that he need to set compromise between protecting Christopher and letting Christopher grow as a person. I also note that Eddie quickly change after he raises his voice on Christopher and move into a more supportive approach, it shows yet again Eddie is serious in becoming a good parent for him. Also credit for the writer for making Christopher act like a realistic sassy pre-teen. Compact yet precise, this plot is written well.

* Maddie's handling of the domestic abuse call is great. It's within Jennifer Love Hewitt's ballpark and she devours it like it's her breakfast. It's glad to see that Maddie uses her experience to help the daughter and follows up on the mother and daughter to give them the help they need. I'm also glad that the abusive father is a white guy because they could've easily fallen into the trap other shows' been doing and make the abusive husband not latino. The show has been trying so hard dismantling negative stereotypes surrounding latinx community starting from making Eddie a good father, and it's a blessing that people need to realize more.

* Bobby getting a dog to fill Athena and his house's emptiness is cute and funny.

And now, the clear negatives.

* This is the point where we reach oversaturation for Buck's character. Buck's a clear winner in terms of screen time this episode, but it's not something enjoyable to watch when the material with him is not good. We've had like 6 scenes surrounding his story this episode; Buck telling Maddie about the terrible self-help book he's been reading (seriously, go to therapy, Buck. Self-help books aren't useful when you still don't know where your problem lies), Buck meeting his college friend and his wife, Buck being shaken over the couple's request that goes along with Eddie discussing his problem with Christopher, Buck and Connor having another talk in Buck's loft, Buck asking Hen for advice, and then him saying yes at the end of the episode. These don't count that Buck appears in every firefighter-related emergencies, even the one when he's supposedly off-duty because he happens to be with Hen, who is also off-duty, because the on-duty team needs her help and she's with Buck in that moment, and we haven't even discussed his plot itself. So his college roommate whom he hasn't seen for three years suddenly asks to eat together and then drops this bombshell, said college roommate then go to Buck's loft and use all this manipulation tactics (taking advantages of his kindness, using reverse psychology by saying "you don't have to do this," and tells how this incident makes him feel like a failure) to make Buck says yes, and despite Hen's stern yet good advice that Buck won't be in the kid's life he says yes anyway. There are so many problems I see with this progression. 1) It's still within his character for Buck to say yes, but it's frustrating that we're looking at a guy who makes the same mistake again because apparently being with someone he doesn't fall in love with for a year he cheats and lies about it is not enough of a lesson for him 2) The show currently overlooks Buckley family history with Daniel that should discourage him from making donation. The fact that Hen doesn't bring this into their conversation despite her being in a medical school doesn't give me confidence in showing whether they're serious in exploring Hen's medical school arc. 3) The show overlooks that they make Connor and his wife an interracial couple where the father is a person of color, yet seek a white man to be their sperm donor. It sends another bad implication to the couple and it will create problems when the baby grows up (assuming the process goes smoothly) because the kid will wonder why they look different from their father, defeating the "donor, not dad" point in the process. 4) Buck doesn't seek other people's opinion regarding this, especially Maddie and Eddie, two of the closest people in his life currently. I don't fault Buck for going to Hen because Hen and Karen are probably the most qualified person to give advice to him, but he needs more people's opinion especially for a life-changing decision like this. Maddie can give perspective on Buckley family history (again, another wasted opportunity Hen doesn't bring this up) while Chimney, Eddie, and Bobby can give their perspective as fathers to emphasize Hen's point on the "Donor, not father." We're meant to see it as Buck making bad decisions, but all the things that has to be (not) done to make this works makes the writing team look incompetent for this part and Buck look immature and rash for being too quick with this decision. They want to fit Buck in into this episode as much as they can, probably because the next two episodes will feature him less especially episode six, but they don't make the effort in plotting this story properly. Also, this would've been better if they space this out for a few episode and it ultimately ends with no. This man needs to make decision for himself whenever a life-altering event happens.

* I don't really like how they write Chimney and Maddie this episode. After the effort of making Maddie and Chimney go back as being lovers, the show makes little effort in showing them as one. Chimney is kidnapped by a drunk driver but they misses the chance of making Maddie the dispatch operator for some "Are you OK?" moment. Maddie has a call that brings up her past traumatic experience but they make her discuss it with Noah the new dispatcher. Granted it also makes sense because Noah helps Maddie find the caller's real address but giving this conversation to Maddie and Chimney is as valid as it makes sense. Two obvious opportunities wasted.

* I'm aware that this is yet another negative point to Buck's storyline (I really don't like it, sorry), but I also don't like how the distance between Buck and Eddie is created in this episode. Aside from the father perspective mentioned above, Eddie is one of the closest people Buck has in his life and after they and Christopher share a meal in Buck's loft while he shares his grievances about the interim captain situation at the premiere, it feels weird now seeing Buck keeps this from Eddie. Kristen probably tries very hard to dissuade Buck and Eddie shippers from thinking it's happening (forgive me for being bias in this regard), but the way they've been in each other's life just makes the effort much more noticeable especially when Ramon's opening advice is the same as Buck's in the episode they built a custom skateboard for Christopher. I also notice that they're trying to use the same concept during one of the scenes where they make Buck sit far from the team as when Eddie sits far away after the kidnapping in Season 5 Episode 6, so I assume Buck is going to undergo similar mental breakdown as Eddie. However, the vehicle they're using to bring Buck to that point is flawed from a narrative perspective and disjointed for the past 4 episodes while Eddie's more natural with what's been happening to him. You can't just slap what makes one story successful to another story and call it a day, it doesn't work like that. Scratch that, this has been how Kristen operates since season 4 forward; making bad copies of what makes the show good. That comparison shot I just mentioned is a clear example of this because BUCK'S PROBLEM IS SOMETHING THAT CAN AND SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED.

And then, miscellaneous parts that doesn't really fit everything:

* The way they're writing Hen and Chimney, I fear that they're going to go sooner than later. While Hen has her proper story that may or may not determine whether she'll be around, Chimney lacks anything cohesive other than being Maddie's boyfriend and the comic relief of the show with how severely underutilized he's been as if the show's trying to ease him out of it by giving him less presence. Hen and Chimney's friendship has been one of the show's biggest highlight and seeing it potentially go will make me sad. We have to see Kenneth and Aisha's decision with this, but the way everything has been going I can't help but feel worried.

* If Buck receives bad stories upon bad stories, I can see Oliver leaving soon. He loves the character and he's probably not satisfied with how it has been played out for the past 2-3 seasons.

Tl;dr: Eddie's plot is the best, Maddie and Hen get decent screentime, Bobby and Athena's short addition is sweet, Chimney is underutilized, and Buck is an oversaturated mess.

Okay. Director was a 10. Writer and show runner -100.

Let's see how stupid we can make Buck look - again.

So haven't heard from you for years - no invite to the wedding but, hey can we get some bodily fluids cause my swimmers don't work. Oh and I'm giving you an out in the second unexpected visit - not playing in your sympathy at all. - I'm just not like a man and we don't need to see books of candidates who have agreed to anonymously donate their sperm - we have a chump right here who is so nice and kind! Let's not mention the fact that this kind person came from two of the nastiest, self-centered people on earth. And because of them Bucks maturity level is about 12 at best. Kristen and Stacy - was it difficult stealing this arc from Station 19? You could have at least waited a year or so. Their drama started last season and continues this season. Plagiarism isn't pretty in any form.

The only redeeming part of this episode was Eddie and Christopher. A small wrinkle in the road to Christopher!s road to sainthood. Thanks for bringing Ramon in for Eddie and leaving wicked Helena out - she would gotten on her broom to come rescue poor Christopher.

It wasn't unexpected for the fighter Hen to abandon her own pity party - brief as always and get back in there fighting for another chance.

And who is surprised Hoover is home with Bobby. All the empty nest references - duh!

Come on you guys. This arc with Buck doesn't go with the Buck we thought was developing. What's he going to do when he realizes he's not part of family - just the donor- thanks for participating- you can leave now cause we don't want your kind self any more - unless it's more donations later on - after all we want more than one kid.

Pathetic!