The 118 responds to debris from a meteor shower crashing into an apartment building and a deadly fire caused by a hazardous waste truck crash inside a tunnel. Hen struggles with guilt over her ambulance accident. Bobby introduces Eddie to an old friend to help with his anger. Maddie receives an urgent call for help.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of FOX's 9-1-1.
"Fallout" was written by Juan Carlos-Coto and directed by Marcus Stokes
Many of these characters need therapy. In fact, it's fair to say that many of them may actually benefit from it. It should be seen as a safe and responsible action to take given the stress of their jobs. They see so many traumatic things on a daily basis. They constantly have to be strong for others. They need that support from time to time as well. They need to get the proper treatment to handle everything that they have to deal with. Of course, it's hard to say just how effective therapy actually is in this episode. Hen, Eddie and Maddie are all seen in therapy sessions at the top of the hour. They are all going to the same guy. However, it seems like they work through their various mental crises by interacting with their loved ones who care what happens to them. That can be just as inspiring. It just feels like a diminished take of what can be accomplished in therapy. For some of them, it was mandatory that they went. Maddie doesn't believe she can get anything more out of it. She has already seen so many people after the trauma she endured with her husband. He is dead and she is still alive. She was directly responsible for that. It was an act of self-defense after he kidnapped her. It was a very dramatic time. But it's also meaningful to see her go through the process of dealing with all of those complicated emotions. It's not something that simply got better on its own over time. Doug may have been a monster but she loved him at one point. She always thought they could be a happy couple if they worked hard enough. Only now is she starting to realize her own acceptance over what happened and the choices she made. Every situation is different. They are all complicated and personal. It's up to the people in the relationship to determine what happens. Maddie saves a life to prevent another woman from going through the exact same mess that she has had to deal with. That mostly just brings all of this back up to the surface for her. It's effective when she breaks down and accepts that she isn't fine after all of this. Admitting that is a powerful statement. Of course, it also comes in an hour that suggests that that is enough for her to overcome every difficult thing that has happened to her. That's the same mentality applied to Eddie and Hen. With Eddie, it seems as if all of the drama from the illegal fighting matches could have been avoided if he simply talked to Buck. That friendship could have pulled him out of this depressive headspace. It can't all be magically fixed by the reassurance that comes from playing video games. Sure, that may be a healthy alternative to the fighting Eddie threw himself into on a near constant basis. He was willing to throw his life away when he should be celebrating all the happiness that is happening around him. It's a story mostly set up to showcase that Eddie and Buck are in a good place once more. They can rely on each other which is always very heartwarming to see. Meanwhile, Hen's trauma is the most raw and vulnerable. The ambulance was in an accident that killed a young woman. It's absolutely devastating. Hen doesn't know how to move forward because she keeps experiencing it over and over again. It takes being reminded of the power of her ability to save lives that she feels inspired to return to work. It's comforting to be with her family and feel connected with her wife. That is lovely. It too may be too simply. However, the show also presents the argument that all of this may pale in comparison to the risk Bobby places his health in by trying to help a truck driver carrying radioactive waste. Bobby exposes himself to those toxins trying to avoid nuclear disaster. He is a hero. He'll just have to be tested on a weekly basis for a little while. There may even be cause for concern. That's frightening. It too highlights the power of love and respect. Loved ones don't always have to understand each other's decisions but respecting them is the most important thing. Being there to embrace whatever may happen is a significant message even though it remains a little unclear just how the show plans on moving forward this season.
