9-1-1: Nashville Season 1 Episode 14 “Hard Knox” had the kind of opening emergency that will haunt me until my dying day. Because the message is clear: live your life and prioritize doing what you love, being with the people that matter, and creating memories with them. But all I can think about is how that lady toppled over, burst open, and then got into Ryan’s mouth. Absolutely diabolical and turned my stomach in a way that no other show ever has due to how simple and horrifying it was.
One more serious note, “Hard Knox” saw Dixie asking Blythe to get rid of some of the lines that were put up to keep their family separate. And while I don’t think Dixie has a leg to stand on because Blythe literally just paid for her surgery, Blythe is going to do what she always does: be the bigger person while continuing to draw her lines. Then there’s Ryan and Sam. Even though I think those two should’ve gotten a divorce, they work well together.
MORE: Need a reminder of where we left off? Read our review for 9-1-1: Nashville Season 1 Episode 13 here!
Ok Maybe Ryan and Sam Don’t Need to Get Divorced
Back when Nashville started, I was very adamant that these two needed to get a divorce. They clearly cared for each other but the marriage just wasn’t working. Nevertheless, they kept trying and they displayed a strength that I personally would never have. Ever since then, they’ve taken small steps to find a new normal with each other. They even got each other a cat and dog to fulfill each other’s needs but also as a way to say that they saw each other. They even tried therapy. But still, it wasn’t working.
When it comes to Ryan and Sam, the “Hard Knox” core of focusing on those you love, was very pointed. But I like how Nashville turned it on its head in an unexpected way that ended up making Ryan and Sam stronger. Because a lot of times we compare ourselves to other people, just like Ryan and Sam did in this episode. And they had quite a shocker when they found out that the couple that they were comparing themselves to, one tried to kill the other.
What this episode taught Ryan and Sam, and what it taught me, is absolutely not to compare yourself to others. But also that your normal does not have to be the same normal as other people. Or the methods that work for other people, they don’t have to work for you. There’s no one formula to this thing. But if it makes you happy and it works for you, that’s enough. That’s why I think these two are going to make it. Because they found that secret key or way that works for them. And we would all be so lucky.
Then There’s Dixie and Blythe
When it comes to 9-1-1: Nashville, Dixie and Blythe have the most chemistry because they challenge each other, see each other, and don’t back down while also being themselves. They’re electric to watch and I’m always anticipating the next moment between these two. And I feel like “Hard Knox” showed me how well they work together but also how different they are from each other at their very core.
On the Blythe side of things, she’s always been my favorite because she fights for her family tooth and nail but also displays a kindness that isn’t for show. That’s just who she is. And I love how Nashville continues to build out her character and show that she prioritizes helping others so much to the point that she puts her pride aside and asks Dixie for help with the charity. She even welcomes Dixie into her home and worries about her when she starts crying.
Then there’s Dixie. I think she likes Blythe more than she’d like to admit. And this episode showed her that this woman that she has been fighting so hard against, she’s not Dixie’s enemy. Blythe has helped Dixie when it comes to money to raise Blue or the surgery she just had. Blythe even took care of Dixie when she was drunk. And that confession to Blythe, that secret was spilled because she felt vulnerable but also safe.
This is where their differences come in.
Firstly, I love how Blythe didn’t fly off the handle when the big Blue secret is out. She minded her business, walked away, and let Don handle this mess. Because that is his baby mama. But also that is her husband, and I really liked how Nashville didn’t go all soap opera and create a random divide by having Blythe hide this. That would have been out of character. What is in character is Dixie trying to make excuses when Don put his foot down probably for the first time in his life when it came to her. And Dixie’s selfishness and inability to see how she did other people so dirty, is the reason why she’ll never rise to the heights she could’ve.
So, What’s Next?
When it comes to 9-1-1: Nashville or 9-1-1 in general, I’ve got to admit that I have no idea where these plots are going. I get little hints here and there with 9-1-1, but I don’t know what this season is about besides grieving Bobby. And the same thing goes with 9-1-1: Nashville. I’ve got a little hint with Dixie possibly stirring things up. But 9-1-1: Nashville is becoming what a lot of procedurals unfortunately are today: episodes with unique investigations/incidents with zero core besides a cast of characters dealing with it all.
What I personally need is characters that are strong enough in the way that they’re written with personal issues that if the fire trucks and emergencies disappear, we still know their story arcs. We still care and we still want to see more of them. And if a show can’t make that happen, they’re not as strong as they like to pretend they are. But maybe that’s when I need to temper my expectations and just pull back. Because TV isn’t what it was before and I feel like it stopped evolving in a lot of respects.
So do I accept 9-1-1: Nashville for what it is? Or do I ask for more? Or the third option, do I find another show that actually satisfies my need for a consistent plot, interesting characters, and personal journeys that matter all happening at the same time?
Additional thoughts about “Hard Knox”:
- THAT OPENING WILL HAUNT ME FOREVER.
- AND EVER.
- ALSO I saw you Roxie with a date. Now Nashville needs to stop teasing me and actually give us a queer story line.
- Blythe and Dixie have more chemistry than anyone on this show.
- Meaning, I need them to stop fighting or for Dixie to stop seeing Blythe as competition.
- Did that 9-1-1 operator really just ask if he said it was a homicide?! Dude. Aren’t you trained?!
- Ryan and Sam need to stop being like other couples.
- And just be them.
- That’s the most important thing
- And maybe something they’ve never realized.
9-1-1: Nashville airs new episodes Thursdays at 9 pm ET on ABC.
