9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 3 ‘Final Approach’ is a pretty great ending to this season’s opening emergency, and at the same time a decent good setup to whatever’s next. Because the emergency is always a stopgap. It’s a moment suspended in time, with heightened emotions, yes, but a moment where storylines don’t really move forward. They can’t. There’s an emergency going on. As first responders, everyone on the screen just puts the emergency first.
But in a way, that’s always been the problem with all of these characters. They’re so used to putting the emergency, whichever that might be, first, that sometimes they miss what’s going on inside. It might sound cliché, but sometimes the emergency is inside. Sometimes the emergency is you, or your relationships. And if you don’t stop for a second, you might never notice in time to actually do something about it. And right now, well …the emergency inside Buck might seem kinda obvious, but a lot is going on for Eddie, Hen, and Chimney too, and we have a feeling it’s all going to come to a head in the next few episodes.
MORE: Here’s our review of 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 1! And here’s our review of 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 2.
TELL ME YOURSELF
The first two parts of the season-premiere opening emergency have been in many ways, about Athena. And 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 3 ‘Final Approach’ still is. She is the one landing the plane, after all. She’s the one saving someone after a fire breaks out. And she’s the one getting that black book and figuring out who was after Jenkins after doing all of that. But this episode is also about Bobby, and about who they are together – what they can do together.
It would, of course, be a mistake to say that Athena can only land that plane because Bobby is waiting for her. He has absolutely no actual bearing on her capacity to actually do the thing. But in so many ways, in so many facets of life, Athena can do many more things because Bobby believes in her, because he’s there by her side to be her support. And I always explain it like this: it doesn’t, perhaps, mean that she couldn’t do it before. She would have found a way. Now she doesn’t have to look for a way. She just can. And she’s got someone to hold her hand after she does.
Unconditional support and love has never been a cure-all, but it does make you believe you can do things, be things, and achieve things that perhaps others might not believe are possible. That’s love for you. And Bobby’s belief in Athena is, of course, not unfounded. He isn’t blindly following her into danger, though he would. That’s also what love is. Being able to say hey, I’d do a wild, desperate thing for you if needed. But this …this isn’t that. This is just me trusting that you got this. So yes, I’ll walk into a burning plane to get you. For better or for worse, right?
MORE: How did the cast of 9-1-1 do on Celebrity Family Feud? Find out here!
YOUR BOY
It’s a throwaway line from Brad, but it means a lot in the context of a show that has always sort of positioned Bobby as a father figure for Buck. Because Buck is the one that goes to get Bobby, no questions asked, he’s the one right next to Bobby as they’re trying to figure out this emergency, and there’s something about their dynamic that even a complete stranger to Buck, like Brad, recognizes as being familial.
Which they are. It’s never been about blood. That’s what these opening emergencies are also about. Yes, sure, about establishing how lucky the 9-1-1 universe is that Angela Bassett and Peter Krause have graced us with their presence, but also about establishing that this group of people, the ones we’re seeing here come to Athena and Bobby’s rescue, whether it be by phone or in person, are the center of this show. This is what 9-1-1 is all about.
And in life, like in emergencies, you need your people, your family. Sometimes to pull you out of a burning plane, sometimes to point out when you’re making a mistake, and sometimes just to sit next to you when you’re feeling alone. We’ve already gotten through the actual disaster part of the season. Now, well we get to delve into the internal emergencies.
MORE: How are we doing on the list of things we wanted for 9-1-1 Season 8? Check it out here!
WHAT’S NEXT?
In a way, it feels like a Gerrard who wants to mentor him might be a worse scenario for Buck than a Gerrard who hates him in the long term. At least a Gerrard that hates him allows him to commiserate with the rest of the team, a Gerrard that likes him is going to make him stand out. And Buck, well …he hates that. And he’s going to hate it a lot more when Gerrard continues to berate the people he loves while treating him like he can do no wrong.
We already saw a moment of panic from Buck at the end, when he turns to Eddie, who is his one constant, and the two have one of their silent conversations that kinda sums up how weird Gerrard is being, and also how right Eddie was to think this was how Gerrard was going to react. And, if you add that we already know that Buck thinks he didn’t mean to save the man, that’s a powerful cocktail of insecurities for a Buck who’s now going to be taken under this man’s wing and is going to be feeling guilty that maybe he tried to kill him plus guilty that he’s getting off easy while the others aren’t.
Not that Eddie, Hen, or Chimney are likely to hold it against him. No one’s harder on Buck than Buck himself. But it does set up Buck for a pretty interesting journey in the next few episodes, one that feels very refreshing considering it is about Buck and Buck alone. Where that leads and what revelations he might end up having while he’s in it is anybody’s guess – but if we can ask something, it would be that some of those revelations help get rid of Gerrard, please, and thank you. Because fine, okay, we didn’t get rid of him after three episodes, but we really don’t have to make it to midseason, do we? Do we?
MORE: What questions do we want answered from Season 7 of 9-1-1? Here’s a list!
Things I think I think:
- Sometimes this show says things like “keep compressions until we land” like that’s EASY.
- Do we even comprehend the power of Angela Bassett turning around and going “to land this damn bird”?
- “I need her to hear my voice, and I need to hear hers in case …”
- Don’t you finish that sentence, Bobby Nash.
- Buck hearing Bobby and Athena talk is low-key hilarious.
- “It’s crazy, I never knew he was British. I would have never guessed.” I see you, 9-1-1, I see you.
- “I was already in the Pacific, I wasn’t itching to go back.” Can someone just put this woman in bubble wrap and protect her from all harm?
- Let’s all take a moment to celebrate Bobby Nash’s quick thinking here. Sure, he was trying to save his wife, but he saved thousands of people too.
- Athena could have put it more eloquently than “Change of plans, we’re taking the freeway” though.
- Buck and Bobby, man. Buck and Bobby. What a team. I MISS THEM TOGETHER. THEY’VE MISSED EACH OTHER.
- The way all the firefighters kinda crouch down when they see the plane coming as if that’s gonna do anything.
- Did anyone else laugh at Athena’s “Do I sound like I’m unsure?”
- AND TELLING JEM “I’m lucky to have you next to me.”
- “Exactly who in their right mind takes the 110 at this hour,” LA traffic jokes are real.
- Brad was kinda useful, honestly. And kinda funny. I’m still not sure if he’s going to turn out to be a serial killer or if he’s going to end up being the one who prompts a revelation for someone. He’s gotta be here for a reason!
- EDDIE WHY ARE YOU THE ONE SAYING “I can’t imagine what Bobby’s feeling right now”? Is it because the show wants to hurt me, personally? Is it deeper?
- The way the plane went over Buck was a little too close for comfort.
- Did I cheer? I cheered when it landed, I did.
- And the hug between Jem and Athena!
- But perhaps the most powerful acting moment of the episode? Right after that, with Angela Bassett alone, the show giving Athena one moment to process it all by herself.
- Now there’s a fire? Okay, we need to consider that Athena could actually be jinxed at this point because this woman cannot catch a break.
- I love how Bobby’s giving orders like he’s the Captain and Eddie doesn’t even blink. Hen’s rationally decided to go with it, Chimney is questioning it, but Eddie? No thoughts, just blindly following Bobby.
- And then he and Buck are just reporting to Bobby like it’s another day in the job!
- Have you considered it might have been funnier if you explained why Gerrard is in the hospital, Chimney?
- Okay, I’m not saying I forgive Jenkins, but saving Bobby goes a long way.
- Does everyone get the same room at the hospital or?
- Gerrard is back, joy!
- Exclamation points are vulgar, good to know. I shudder to think what he’d feel about this review.
- But also, he does seem to like Eddie more than Hen or Chim.
- And then …hugging Buck? And everyone’s reaction?
- “This is me taking you under my wing”
- The way the camera pans to Eddie I CAN’T.
- I probably shouldn’t just go on a whole thing about this, but I just want to say that the way Buck looks to Eddie every time something happens in his life: good, bad, surprising, shocking, proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Eddie is Buck’s “person.” Now, that doesn’t necessarily have to be romantic, of course. But it’s still so damn important for someone who has never had someone to instinctively turn to, someone they know, trust and believe will be there to have their backs, no matter what. If that doesn’t make you emotional about their relationship, are you even invested in this show at all?
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 3 ‘Final Approach’? Share with us in the comments below!
9-1-1 airs Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC.
