When I uttered my conviction last week that the writers possessed the prowess to expertly conclude this season's remaining chapters, I was all too aware that I was setting myself up for another disappointment. It stands to reason that the repercussions of Bobby's demise would linger, and I commend "9-1-1" once more for refraining from rushing to a hasty resolution. However, this prolonged denouement has given rise to a wildly disjointed penultimate episode, an amalgamation of lingering traumas, a city-wide high-stakes emergency, and some cringe-worthy comic relief. Even an opening scene brimming with potential — a flashback to a family dinner at the firehouse, presided over by Bobby, abruptly transitioning to Buck sitting solitary at the table — loses its punch due to the overexposure of Bobby's posthumous appearances, having commenced with a flashback featuring him just last week. This scene does touch upon a pivotal theme of "Don't Drink the Water," highlighting that these characters, akin to a family, are crumbling without their cornerstone, albeit somewhat inconsistently.
Buck seems convinced that he is spiraling out of control on his own, oblivious to the fact that everyone is acutely aware of his battle to come to terms with Bobby's death. Meanwhile, Eddie, who has been offered a position with the El Paso Fire Department, finds himself still in L.A., much to Hen and Karen's observant eyes. This hesitation appears to stem partly from his concern for Buck, although it's also revealing that Eddie still refers to L.A. as his home. Buck, in search of answers wherever they may be found, finds himself returning to Hot Priest, aka Brian, last seen in "Confessions" (whom I failed to notice at the time was Bobby's confidant in the show's first two seasons). Buck confides in Brian about his inability to sense Bobby's presence, something he would have sought Bobby's counsel on had the captain still been alive. Brian assures Buck that he can still converse with him, prompting Buck to break down. "You were wrong," he sobs to Bobby's memory. "You said I'd be okay, and I'm not." What he craves from his former captain is a sign, and in a twist of fate, he receives one in the guise of a 2.8 magnitude earthquake in North Hollywood.
As far as omens go, it's aptly timed, albeit with the unfortunate side effect of causing a fissure in L.A.'s Headworks Reservoir, through which something sinister bubbles into the water. (It's hard to fathom how a 2.8 earthquake could wreak such havoc in a city fortified against tremors.) The repercussions are witnessed firsthand in the week's first emergency, involving Lorna, a woman who begins exhaling flames into her dentist's face mid-root canal. You may recall Lorna from the season-three Christmas episode, where she turned blue from excessive benzocaine consumption — inspired by real events, mind you! — and I'm uncertain as to why she was reintroduced, save perhaps to emphasize that some individuals are plagued by exceptional dental misfortunes. The dentist receives treatment for his burns, while Hen extracts the melted bite guard, along with Lorna's tooth, sparing her from completing the root canal. Moreover, and this seems urgently important, the water is flammable, albeit its origin remains obscure.
Before tackling the pressing matter of the water crisis—yet again, an urgent concern!—our narrative is interrupted by a significant spat between Buck and Eddie, a scene that ranks among my least favorites in this episode. My dissatisfaction stems not from an aversion to character conflict—such clashes often enrich storytelling—but from the sense that this particular fight lacks genuine foundation. Buck is distressed that Eddie kept quiet about his job opportunity in El Paso, inquiring whether Eddie doubts his genuine happiness for him. Eddie responds coldly, "I know you wouldn't be. You'd twist it into another drama about Evan Buckley, a melodrama unfolding in 97 installments." What gives? True, Buck had displayed selfish tendencies before Eddie's departure, but they had since resolved their issues, with Buck actively supporting Eddie's decision to stay in Texas with Christopher. Furthermore, Eddie takes umbrage at Buck's alleged lack of concern regarding his reaction to the phone call about Bobby's passing. While undoubtedly difficult, Eddie's distress cannot compare to the horrors Buck endured in that laboratory! Eddie insists he can't know if he could have saved Bobby had he been present, prompting Buck to question whether Eddie doubts his own efforts. Eddie's curt reply, "I don't know because I wasn't there," adds a cruel edge to their exchange, clashing starkly with the show's emphasis on familial bonds akin to those in "Fast and Furious." Families do argue, but the malicious undertone here feels out of place.
Meanwhile, the water crisis unfolds as the earthquake disturbs an underground gas pocket beneath the reservoir, rendering the water flammable and necessitating that L.A. residents refrain from consuming or boiling tap water. This monumental dilemma affects millions, yet it appears as though no one is taking it with the gravity it deserves. Granted, the concept of water igniting and exploding is absurd, but one would expect the 118 to exhibit a more robust response. They do handle one water-related emergency, where Erin attempts to light candles in her bathtub and inadvertently sets the entire bathroom ablaze. From the 911 dispatch center, Maddie instructs her on breathing air from the septic system (an option I'd personally reject in favor of suffocation), while Buck descends through the skylight to rescue her.
However, this episode primarily revolves around the rift within the family unit, rendering the bathtub fire a minor sidebar compared to the developments at Hen and Karen's place. Athena visits Hen, who deliberates accepting a promotion to captain of the 118. (Please, take the job! We mustn't let Gerrard seize it.) When Chimney arrives with the children, Athena abruptly exits, ignoring him completely. Their tension was evident in the previous episode, but I was taken aback to learn she had severed all ties with him. Karen later visits Athena, urging her to reconcile, especially since their strife deeply affects Hen. Athena acknowledges that Bobby's death isn't Chimney's fault, yet she cannot look at him without seeing her loss, while Chimney cannot face Athena without being overwhelmed by guilt for surviving when her husband did not. Athena suggests maintaining distance and striving for a professional relationship, akin to the forced cordiality displayed on "Real Housewives" among those they cannot abide. Karen attempts to evoke Athena's emotions by presenting her with a framed wedding photo of Athena and Bobby. "These aren't mere coworkers," Karen reminds her, "they're family."
When it comes to familial bonds, Eddie deserves credit for acknowledging his own shortcomings, albeit a genuine apology would have been a cherry on top. In an effort to mend fences, he gathers Christopher and his aunt Pepa at Buck's for a meal designed to soothe frayed nerves. In her private conversation with Buck, Pepa emerges as a beacon of support, far outshining her nephew's efforts. "Your captain was a paragon of virtue," she utters, her tone tinged with empathy. "His absence must weigh heavily on you." Buck confides that the group's dynamic has lost its center of gravity since Bobby's departure, acknowledging the encroaching distance between them. While there might have been a smoother way to delve into this theme, the script somewhat stumbles in its execution. (Perhaps, the spectacle of flaming water wasn't the most judicious choice. What do I really know?) This segment, too, failed to captivate me fully; Pepa, a figure whose presence has been all too sparse in recent times, struggles to make a lasting impression. Her parallel between her stroke recovery and Buck's mourning for Bobby struck me as somewhat contrived. Nevertheless, if abstract notions like "life is transformation, cariño" serve as the balm Buck seeks, I stand in support of it.
Now, I could dwell on the colossal recycling-center blaze that dominated the episode, but the narrative boiled down to the 118 collaborating with multiple fire stations to create a colossal hose network, using non-methane water to extinguish the inferno. More pressing is the mention of Graham, once known as Cart Cop, who re-enters the scene after his mid-season finale exit. Graham has brought his crusade against slackers to his own apartment building, where he extracts clothes lingering in washing machines for far too long, depositing them in the lost and found. (While I can't condone his tactics, his grievance is undeniably just.) Athena is summoned repeatedly to defuse the escalating tensions, yet Graham's true purpose might be to remind her of the imperative to embrace change with open arms. Alternatively, this could merely be a device to ramp up the ante for the season finale: The episode concludes on a harrowing cliffhanger, with Graham's building erupting in flames and beginning to crumble, while Athena stands powerless, watching from her cruiser outside.
