The 118 Begins (Again) Without Bobby

ABC wraps up the first half of 9-1-1 season 9 with a mix of endings and beginnings as the 118 moves on from Bobby Nash. Ryan Murphy’s premier network TV show has been in a rough patch since Peter Krause’s unexpected departure from the show. While deaths are the norm for first-responder procedurals, a major character loss simply will not exist until Bobby died in 9-1-1 season 8. Since then, questions about how the show will move on from the tragedy have been floating around.

6 episodes later, 9-1-1 is doing the best that it can to find its footing again after the show-changing loss in season 8. For the most part, season 9 has been a mixed bag in terms of quality. The 4-part premiere felt way stretched out, although ABC made amends in arguably one of the most creative outings of the show in recent years with “Día de los Muertos”. Somehow, the 9-1-1 season 9 fall finale is a perfect representation of the overall state of the show.

9-1-1 Season 9, Episode 6, “Family History” Excels With Character Moments

To say that a lot happens in 9-1-1 season 9, episode 6 is an understatement — and it’s not just in the show’s usual tendency to include several cases in an hour. Aside from the multiple calls, which include people losing fingers during a family gathering and a woman dying in a medical spa, the outing also incorporates a few big developments for its characters.

Athena revisits Mae’s bullying story after a call, Chim makes a big decision to finally take over Bobby’s spot, Harry teams up with Buck to get into the fire academy, and finally, Hen goes through what appears to be a major health scare. All of these storylines happen in tandem with the 118’s usual shift, and while it gets a little convoluted at times, it allows for many poignant character moments.

Obviously, Chimney officially becoming the new captain is emotional, especially as he gets a private moment with his new team. Starting the episode with him contemplating about who the 118’s next chief should be is a little jarring, however, considering that he has pretty much taken over the job. It’s great, however, that the ceremony finally features Athena, since she missed the renaming of the firehouse in episode 1.

Speaking of Angela Bassett’s character, Athena having two separate heartfelt moments with her kids is also terrific. This is particularly important, considering how she pretty much wrote off her kids during the ger daring space walk in the 9-1-1 season 9 premiere. It is odd, however, that even after her heroics during the ill-fated galactic trip, she didn’t even get any kind of commendation.

9-1-1 Season 9 Fall Finale Sets Up The True New Beginning For The Ryan Murphy Show

With Bobby gone, 9-1-1 has to reinvent itself in order to continue. As sad as it was to say goodbye to him, the show needs to eventually move on. In the immediate aftermath of “Contagion” and even up until “Día de los Muertos”, the concept of death, particularly his, loomed large over the show. After the 9-1-1 season 9 finale, it feels like it’s the beginning of a brand new era for the procedural. Chimney is officially the new captain, Harry is entering the Fire Academy, and Hen may be dealing with a serious health concern — all of these storylines are not directly the result of losing Bobby.

It’s too early to say if any of these new plots will result in something compelling or if they will be enough to usher 9-1-1 successfully into a new era. Harry and Buck’s newfound dynamic is specifically intriguing, especially since the former’s grief hasn’t really fully materialized on-screen. Beyond that, his relationship with Eddie has been almost non-existent this year. Regardless, however, of what comes next, they, at least, pose interesting possibilities for 118’s future in the 2025-2026 TV cycle.