9-1-1may follow the high-stakes adventures of LA-based first responders, but the ABC procedural includes its fair share of wholesome moments. To balance out the dangerous rescues and visibly stressful scenarios, showrunner Tim Minear sporadically adds in more positive moments, like when9-1-1season 8 utilized Ryan Guzman’s (Eddie Diaz) dancing skills. The mix of upbeat scenes and emotionally-charged sucker punches is precisely what makes9-1-1such a compellingmodern proceduralthat breathes new life into the genre.
With the series so impressively toeing the line between drama and comedy, it’s no surprise that9-1-1has become a franchise with multiple spinoffs. Of course,9-1-1will always be remembered as the blueprint for any subsequent spinoffs, with the devout following it’s garnered since its 2018 premiere speaking for itself. Although the high-octane disasters and adrenaline-pumping close calls are a core part of the show,9-1-1’s heartwarming moments are just as crucial to the procedural’s identity— and, admittedly, a welcome reprieve from the harm that continually befalls the characters.
10A Neighborhood Bands Together To Power A Child’s Ventilator
Season 5, Episode 2 - “Desperate Times”
Although the city-wide blackout in the9-1-1season 5 premiere event may not be regarded as one of themost intense9-1-1disasters, the power outage was responsible for some hard-hitting calls. When May Grant (Corinne Massiah) answereda 9-1-1 call from a mother whose son’s ventilator was quickly running out of battery, the child’s health seemed on the brink of an irreparable nosedive. With resources so limited and help unlikely to reach the house in time, May had to get creative.
Every Actor Who Left 9-1-1
9-1-1 has featured many actors over the years but unfortunately, the show has also featured disappointing character exits as several actors have left.
May called nearby citizens to bring power to the ventilator, with the entire neighborhood connecting cords over fences to save the 12-year-old boy’s life. Aside from the mother’s emotional response, the scene was a touching display of community and stands out as one of9-1-1’s sweetest moments (which ironically didn’t involve any of the main characters). Although May’s run at the 9-1-1 dispatch center was temporary, her problem-solving skills left an impact on the show, leaving Maddie Buckley-Han (Jennifer Love Hewitt) with unexpectedly large shoes to fill upon her return.
9Members Of The Public Come Together To Lift An Engine Off Of Buck
Season 2, Episode 18 - “This Life We Choose”
Oliver Stark’s Evan“Buck”Buckley is undeniably one of the most traumatized characters in the series. Buck has had so manynear-death experiences in9-1-1, it seems as if a season can’t pass without something disastrous happening to him or someone he loves. After a scorned young man targets Bobby Nash (Peter Krause) to avenge his father in the climactic9-1-1season 2 finale, a fire engine ends up pinning Buck to the ground with his leg caught beneath the weight of the truck.
Despite the painful experience,9-1-1saved Buck with an emotional group effort after members of the public rushed to the sceneand worked together to lift the extremely heavy engine up enough for Buck to be moved to safety. The experience wasn’t without complications in future9-1-1episodes, but a horde of citizens rushing to help the first responder was a beautiful gesture nonetheless. Even characters who weren’t on the scene, like Maddie, watched the spectacle on the news with understandably misty eyes.
8Athena & Buck Remind Bobby Of His Christmas Spirit
Season 3, Episode 10, “Christmas Spirit”
In one of9-1-1’s classic holiday-themed episodes, everyone’s titular Christmas spirit seems to be low. Bobby is still dealing with the aftermath of his radiation poisoning and, in an act of pure hopelessness, condemns the 118’s Christmas dinner to be Chinese takeout rather than a home-cooked meal. The majority of the ensemble cast independently express their disappointment over working during the holidays, soAthena Grant (Angela Bassett) and Buck conspire to bring Christmas to the firehouse.
Athena and Buck take Bobby by surprise as9-1-1’s ensemble cast and their families rush in with Santa hats and smiles. The 118 pass out gifts, the table is filled with homemade food, and Christmas cheer permeates from every corner of the room. In an especially sweet detail, characters from the episode’s holiday-themed calls attend as well. The sweet gesture also putsBuck and Bobby’s father-son relationship dynamic in9-1-1on full display.
7Hen & Karen Regain Custody Of Mara
Season 8, Episode 4 - “No Place Like Home”
Karen (Tracie Thoms) and Henrietta“Hen”Wilson (Aisha Hinds) were a9-1-1power couple from the pilot season onwards, but9-1-1season 8 put them through the wringer when a corrupt congresswoman targeted Hen. In revenge for her son dying on a call, the congresswoman conspired for Hen and Karen to lose their foster daughter, Mara (Askyler Bell). The pair tried to fight for their parental rights, but their family seemed like they’d be torn apart permanently.
Ironically,9-1-1’s villainous Captain Gerrard(Brian Thompson) was the final piece in the puzzle that solved Karen and Hen’s custody battle. After Gerrard clandestinely recorded the congresswoman admitting her meddling, Hen brought the evidence to a public meeting and finally had the last laugh. With swelling emotional music underscoring the scene,Mara was reunited with her foster family in9-1-1season 8, episode 4. Just as the title suggests, the young girl was finally home.
6Maddie Shows Buck She Saved His Postcards
Season 4, Episode 5 - “Buck Begins”
When Jennifer Love Hewitt joined the9-1-1 castin season 2 as Buck’s older sister, little was known about their background. Over the years,9-1-1explored the complicated relationship Buck and Maddie had with their parents, their hometown, and each other. In9-1-1season 4, Buck’s parents dropped the bombshell that he had another sibling: an older brother named Daniel who had a terminal illness. Buck discovers proof of his late brother accidentally after finding a picture of Daniel in Maddie’s baby box.
Maddie and Buck’s sibling bond is one of the best parts of9-1-1, and this simple scene proves Maddie was more than a sister to Buck— in many ways, she was his true mother figure.
In “Buck Begins”,9-1-1shows how Buck left home at a young age, traveling across the world and sending Maddie postcards every time he temporarily settled down. Back in the future, after approaching Maddie to learn more about Daniel, Buck jokes about not having a baby box. In response,Maddie shows him the collection of postcards she saved throughout the years. Maddie and Buck’s sibling bond is one of the best parts of9-1-1, and this simple scene proves Maddie was more than a sister to Buck— in many ways, she was his true mother figure.
5Eddie Makes Buck Christopher’s Legal Guardian In His Will
Season 4, Episode 14 - “Survivors”
Buck and Eddie’s relationship includes one of the most intimate bonds in all of9-1-1, even if they aren’t explicitly anything more than platonic. After Eddie is targeted by a sniper at the end of9-1-1season 4, he’s forced to reevaluate his life. When Buck visits him in the hospital,Eddie sits his best friend down for a serious conversationwhere Eddie reveals he added Buck to his will. In the event that Eddie ever has another dangerous experience that he doesn’t make it out of, he entrusts Buck to be his son Christopher’s legal guardian.
9-1-1 Is Failing One Key Aspect Of Buck’s Character
Although Buck is one of 9-1-1’s most recognizable characters, the show is neglecting an important aspect of his character that deserves exploration.
This scene may be one of the most memorable in the entire series, as it made apossible Buck and Eddie romance in9-1-1seem more likely than ever. Yet, without any remotely romantic undertones, the scene is still heartwarming. After all Buck and Eddie have been through together,Eddie’s big will decision in9-1-1season 4 legally made them family in a sense. Eddie and Buck both often display their love for Chris, and the hospital scene corroborates that Buck’s commitment to their unconventional family unit didn’t go unnoticed.
4Buck Sets Up A Hero’s Send-Off For Red
Season 3, Episode 16 - “The One That Got Away”
In “The One That Got Away,” Buck makes an unlikely connection with a retired fire captain named Red (Jack McGee). After helping Red reconnect with a woman he once loved,Buck discovers that Red is in poor health. Since Buck was optimistic to a fault throughout9-1-1’s earlier seasons, he tried unsuccessfully to convince Red to fight his illness, suggesting experimental trials and risky procedures. Eventually, Buck comes to respect Red’s decision to let his life naturally run its course.
After Red ends up in a hospital, Buck arrives to take him home. As they approach the exit, Buck tells Red it just won’t be“in [his] car.”The doors open to reveal lines of first responders saluting, with engines seen in the background flashing their lights. As Buck wheels Red to the front, the 118 greets him and Bobby insists Red ride in the captain’s chair.The ceremony was a lovely tribute to Red’s careerand, though the episode’s end was bittersweet,9-1-1handled Red’s story with surprisingly delicacy and respect.
3Maddie & Jee “Propose” To Chimney
Season 6, Episode 17 - “Love Is in the Air”
Maddie and Howard“Chimney”Han’s (Kenneth Choi) relationship in9-1-1ran a convoluted course, but there’s no denying that their love story laid the foundation for some of9-1-1’s best story arcs. FollowingMaddie and Chimney’s stirring break in9-1-1season 5, the couple finally settled into some sense of normalcy when Maddie returned to the series. Years after the characters initially met,it was clear both were ready to take their relationship to the next level.
After Maddie finds an engagement ring misplaced in their daughter Jee-Yun’s dollhouse, she realizes Chimney was planning on proposing. The ring gets stuck on her finger in one of9-1-1’s most ridiculous conflicts, and Chimney starts spiraling, wondering if losing the ring was a sign to not get married. The two independently realize the risk is worth taking, but when Chimney goes to confront Maddie about his lost ring, she has the diamond on her finger.Maddie brings Jee in, asking:“Will you marry us?”The rest, including their wedding of comedic errors, is history.
2Hen & Karen Renew Their Vows
Season 5, Episode 18 - “Starting Over”
Though Hen and Karen have been through their own trials and tribulations, they remain one of thebest couples in the9-1-1franchise.9-1-1season 5 delved into Hen’s complicated relationship with her mother, culminating in the season finale where she assumes her mother will remarry. When Hen arrives, her colleagues from the 118 are there dressed to the nines. As Hen quickly gathers, her mother isn’t having her own wedding; rather, Hen and Karen renew their vows in an intimate backyard ceremony.
After her mother reentered her life to make amends, Hen finally got the ceremony she deserved, surrounded by her countless loved ones.
Aside from the scene being a beautiful celebration of Hen and Karen’s love, there was a deeper significance to9-1-1’s surprise vow renewal. At their first wedding, Hen’s parents weren’t there to support her as she married Karen. After her mother reentered her life to make amends,Hen finally got the ceremony she deserved, surrounded by her countless loved ones.
Season 5, Episode 16 - “May Day”
Bobby and Athena’s relationship in9-1-1was a surprising treat that began to pick up steam in season 2, but Bobby’s complicated past prevented him from truly feeling like a part of the Grant family. After the dispatch center is engulfed in flames while May is trapped inside, Bobby abandons protocol to rescue her. Though they both run into potentially fatal near-misses, Bobby and May eventually make it out of the building relatively unscathed. As a paramedic tries to keep May and Bobby separate,May assures her it’s okay, insisting“that’s [her] dad.”
Athena’s 9-1-1 Season 8 Story Exposes The Harsh Reality Of Angela Bassett’s Time In The Show
9-1-1 season 8, episode 9 points to a new direction for Sergeant Athena Grant by exposing a harsh reality about the character’s time on the series.
Bobby initially writes it off, telling May she didn’t have to lie just to see him. May doubles down, explicitly telling Bobby she’s come to see him as a father. Bobby’s traumatic experiences constantly fill him with Survivor’s Guilt in9-1-1, and marrying Athena was a big step for him moving on. May not only accepting Bobby in her life but cherishing him as a second father isone of9-1-1’s most emotional moments, and it was a glimpse into the reassurance that the heroic fire captain deserves.
9-1-1
Cast
9-1-1 is a television series that explores the intense experiences of police officers, paramedics, and firefighters. Premiered in 2018, it follows these emergency responders as they navigate high-pressure situations and attempt to balance their demanding work with personal challenges in their own lives.
