FOX's 9-1-1 - Episode 2.08 "Buck, Actually"
Buck jumps back into the dating scene but fears he will return to his pre-Abby, scoundrel ways, while questioning if Maddie and Chimney are more than just friends. Emergencies involve a woman who goes to great extremes on top of a freeway overpass to get the attention of her husband; a couple involved in a car accident on their wedding day; and a first date that has gone down the toilet.
In 2018, it has become very difficult to keep up with every television show out there. It's even more difficult to provide adequate coverage on this site about the episodes that air every week. Not every show can get full coverage because of my busy and hectic viewing schedule. As such, some reviews will now be condensed to give only some summary thoughts. But it also affords a space for me to jot down my thoughts on the various episodes. And so, here are my thoughts on this week's episode of FOX's 9-1-1.
"Buck, Actually" was written by Matthew Hodgson and directed by Varda Bar-Kar
Romance is swirling around 9-1-1 once more. It's a theme the show has explored many times previously. It has shown just how passionate romance can be even if it also defines so many traumatic experiences as well. And now, it's just fun to see the main characters exploring new romantic connections in their lives while also helping people in some absolutely heart-breaking situations. The hour starts off with the comedy that comes from a woman standing on an overpass demanding to be seen by her husband. It's just a story of a woman no longer having a sense of identity after her son leaves for college. It ends with no one being hurt. It reignites the spark in her marriage. And yet, she is still arrested for disrupting the world and threatening people with a gun. That and the convenience store robbery gone horribly awry are the two comedic stories here. The other two emergencies show how tragedy can happen at any point but that people are generally better together than alone. Newlyweds are hanging on for dear life after driven off the side of the ride. One is an easy save. The other isn't. And yet, both survive. That's miraculous. Meanwhile, it's absolutely heartbreaking to see the show paint such a vivid and moving portrait of a life lived together by an elderly gay couple. It's more effort than the show typically brings to the backstory of the victims in these emergencies. But it's so effectively emotional because the audience can sense the tragedy coming and knowing that these two meant the absolute world to each other. It's horrifying that there is nothing the firehouse can do to save the one run over by the vehicle. But it's so moving to see the other die immediately from a broken heart over losing his greatest love. That's the kind of relationship that everyone on the show aspires to have in their lives. It's the kind of life that everyone should want actually. It's the highpoint of this hour. Of course, it's also told in connection to Buck doubting the growth he has made since his relationship with Abby. It's so annoying listening to him refer to himself over and over again as Buck 1.0 versus Buck 2.0. That's not flattering and shows just how conceited he can be at times. As such, it's significant that the woman he eventually goes on a date with is able to call him out on it instead of just trying to use him for sex like the reporter has been doing. Hopefully, that will get him to stop taking things so seriously even though his worries are absolutely genuine as well. He wants to be better now. It would be very lackluster if he reverted to his old ways from a story perspective too. Elsewhere, it's so unique to see Maddie and Chimney form this immediate connection where they understand each other so well that it seems like they are dating. Of course, they aren't. Maddie doesn't believe that she is ready for something like that just yet. She is still dealing with her past trauma. And yet, Chimney is really stepping up and being there for her no matter what she needs too. And finally, Athena really is stressing out over nothing when Michael brings his latest boyfriend home for one big family dinner. Bobby was welcomed into this place. And now, the same is also true for Michael's new romance. That's meaningful. It also just allows things to be less stressful for once for Bobby and Athena. That's very appreciated after all of the melodrama they've endured in their lives so far.
