9-1-1 Season 9, Episode 8 ‘War’ improves on some of the frustrating issues from ‘Secrets’ by making the characters address the complications caused by Hen’s secrets, and delivers a few great moments that feel very much in line with what the show does best. Sure, the underlying problem of Hen’s arc being OOC cannot be fixed, but at least this episode deals with the after satisfactorily.
The thing is, of course, that we’ve been here before. I remember saying the same about Bobby’s death, and even the immediate aftermath, only for the show to then provide us a good episode about grief. It would be much better if the show didn’t make absurd decisions to give us good episodes of the characters dealing with those absurd decisions. Just saying.
But overall, the cast chemistry and a general sense of the story moving forward, not to mention focus on Hen’s grief at last, help this hour feel way less disjointed. Well, that, and a few very good reminders that this show still remembers what people like about it. Now, if it could focus on that instead of requiring characters to act OOC to make every big storyline work, that would be great.
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CONTINUITY IS GOOD
KENNETH CHOI, OLIVER STARK, RYAN GUZMAN
Ah, continuity, how I love you. I cover a lot of procedurals, and 9-1-1 is one of the worst at making sure the characters act in a way that makes sense considering what we know of them. Eddie’s PTSD and trauma about the shooting? What’s that? Maddie’s Doug issues? Over and done with! Athena and Michael? Only worth bringing up if there’s a flashback episode! So, it’s good to see the show do a much better job of this in ‘War.’
First with Eddie, because yes, he would be the one to agree that what Chimney did makes sense. He was in the military; he understands the chain of command. And him going into the store makes absolute sense too. Buck having absolutely no reaction kinda doesn’t, but I guess you can’t win them all. Earlier, Buck’s reaction to Hen being fired makes sense, too.
But even with Hen and Chimney, who the show often forgets were best friends when this all started. Having Chimney mention he’s Hen’s best friend once this season doesn’t mean we have gotten to see them be besties all that much lately. This episode, we do. In good and bad ways. But that’s friendship sometimes. And it’s a good sign that the show is remembering all these little things.
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FRIENDSHIP
Hen and Chimney needed the moments of release they get in ‘War’. Sure, they had that scene at the end of the last episode, but that was more about Chimney finding out than it was about dealing with what happened and why Hen made the decision to hide things, plus why Chimney made the decision to fire her. Because the thing is, Chimeny didn’t want to fire her. He only did so because Hen poked him into it.
And because he was scared, clearly. That’s his best friend right there, and she not only lied to him, in a way that could have put other people in danger, but she is also sick. That’s terrifying for Chimney, especially when it feels like she couldn’t tell him. So, when Hen says he should fire her, he reacts. And he’s not exactly wrong to do so. Perhaps he could have found a better way to express it, but that doesn’t mean he was wrong.
It’s just that, as everyone else points out, in this episode, they’re a family. And in a family, you try. (We won’t even go into how Hen didn’t really try when Chimney was the bigger person and apologized, because she was also scared. And she clearly wasn’t acting rationally.)
So Chimney tries. It’s just that when he does, Hen isn’t receptive. And then it’s her turn. I mean, Athena tricks her, but she does open up after some prodding. Because these kinda things cannot be one-sided. Chimney let himself be goaded and reacted emotionally. Hen let her emotions drive her into lying to not just her best friend, but her Captain. It’s a nuanced conflict, and neither person is completely right or wrong. But now, right and wrong don’t matter. Because Hen is going to need her family by her side as she takes on this next hurdle.
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HOME
‘War’ also does something we’ve been asking the show to do for a while: give Eddie a storyline that’s about him. It’s just scratching the surface, but it is much better than we’ve gotten in a while. Because Eddie gets to be competent, and his military experience is actually brought up when it makes sense. And also, because we get a glimpse of how far he has come and how much he has worked to make a home for himself.
Home is the emphasis. For Eddie, and for the man holding a gun in that store. But Eddie makes it clear that war never really leaves you. That some wounds leave a scar, even when they’re healed. But home isn’t just about a place. Home is about people. It’s about what you build as you walk out of the darkness.
That home, for Eddie, is the 118. It’s Christopher. It’s feeling safe in his work and in his life. It’s trusting that there are people who will have his back, and people he can joke with and lean on. It always has been. But it seems like this Eddie has internalized it. Understands it. And that’s a really good place for Eddie Diaz to be. And, perhaps, a place that can lead to further examination of what else Eddie wants and needs.
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Things I think I think:
- So, if Hen was your wife now… was Buck your work husband before, Eddie?
- Also you both don’t need to be doing that in that in the exact same spot.
- “I hope you don’t choke.”
- Chimney, you were right. Don’t back down completely!
- Maddie’s scar is back!
- So, is Ravi not here today?
- “I meant the car.”
- Nooo, don’t bring AI into this.
- “Like you, but better.” Murder this man.
- Look, I think Hen didn’t apologize enough. But I agree, Chimney would pick up a shovel if Hen asked.
- Did she really get mad at Chiney after he told her she couldn’t come back to work?
- “You’re not the bad guy. You’re just a bad Captain.” Hen, now YOU need to apologize.
- Imagine if Eddie still worked at Dispatch. He’d surely love the AI.
- Buck introducing Eddie to people is funny.
- Of course Eddie is going in.
- “It never really ends, does it?”
- The emphasis on home for Eddie.
- SARA bye.
- When she called Maddie, that was clearly hilarious.
- Maddie killed SARA. And I approve.
- Athena is not slick. I love her.
- Eddie and Buck trying to be casual in Athena’s living room. And stress eating. Well, Eddie was stress eating, and Buck was stress drinking.
- “Not sure you have the moral high ground on this one.”
- Look, I always wanted all these people to go to therapy.
- LOL the little “chain of command” moment between Buck and Eddie.
- “Wish you would have told us.”
- HOW WERE THEY GONNA ASK? THEY DIDN’T KNOW.
- “I was so worried about all of you. Were any of you even a little bit worried about me?”
- It does get hard, being the person carrying it all. But I still feel like this is just a convenient excuse for Hen being OOC. If you’re gonna pull the grief card, you need to at least give us some hints. Not go “gotcha, it was always about grief!”
- “We’re gonna take care of you.”
- MY FAMILY.
- Space capsule. I told you space was evil!
- The next episode promo broke me.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of 9-1-1 Season 9, Episode 8 ‘War’? Share with us in the comments below! Check out our Tales From the 118 podcast if you also want to listen to our reviews. On Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Plus, if you want to leave your own rating/comment about the show, you can do so in our 9-1-1 hub!
9-1-1 airs Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC.
