9-1-1 (S07E01) Recap/ Review | Is Excitement/Distractions The Key To Longevity?
“9-1-1” returns on a new network, and while it ups the ante with a kidnapping, a hijacking, and Christopher dating, it is still a lot of the same – for better or worse.
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Plot Recap
Christopher, A Player? – Christopher, Shannon, Buck, Eddie
Little Christopher isn’t so little anymore. He is dating and bringing girls over, and Eddie accidentally learns he is dating, or at least talking to, up to five girls! Since this is worrisome, Bobby is away, and Hen’s son is younger, Eddie goes to Buck.
Think about it: Buck was a player when the series started, and he even used the fire truck to aid in his pick-ups. But, now he is reformed, and maybe Buck speaking to Christopher could speed up the maturing process.
At least, that was the idea. The truth is, Shannon leaving caused Christopher a kind of trauma, as he thought that people leave, so it’s better to play the numbers game. With hearing that, both Buck and Eddie try to steer this ship. Buck, through making it clear you shouldn’t lead on multiple girls and Eddie? He gives Christopher a letter Shannon gave when she left the first time.
Does this completely change things for Christopher? Only future episodes can reveal that.
Calcifying – Maddie, Chim
A lot of the rescues in this episode deal with people whose relationships have gone stale. With Maddie and Chim still early into things, he fears the worst and naturally does the most.
Now, his desire to date Maddie, set a quota for dates, and do things like that is romantic. However, with it being clear that it would be hard to keep up and him learning to have faith in his relationship, he calms down and pulls back from the need to be aggressive.
Anything To Fill The Time – Bobby, Athena, Mrs Peterson, Mr. Peterson
Originally, Athena presents the idea that going on a two-week cruise with Bobby creates anxiety because of watching the movie “Poseidon” released in 1972. However, she soon reveals that the chaos of their lives as a police officer and firefighter makes it so between work, the kids, and never getting a moment of silence, that has allowed their relationship to thrive. So, existing in each other’s company when things are calm, and relaxing, and it is just them? That could reveal their relationship might not be as strong as she thinks.
Hence why, when she sees Mr. and Mrs. Peterson, the couple who had their own chaos when the wife held up traffic and streaked way back in Season 2, Episode 8, she latches onto them. They are zany, weird, interesting, and a distraction. One that Bobby picks up on, and in the pursuit of Bobby trying to confront Athena about her dodging quality time, they learn Mrs. Peterson got kidnapped due to mistaken identity. Also, because Mr. Peterson doesn’t have the money the kidnappers want, they decide to hijack the ship to get what they desire.
Cast Guide
| Character’s Name | Actor’s Name |
| Christopher | Gavin McHugh |
| Shannon | Devin Kelley |
| Buck | Oliver Stark |
| Eddie | Ryan Guzman |
| Maddie | Jennifer Love Hewitt |
| Chim | Kenneth Choi |
| Bobby | Peter Krause |
| Athena | Angela Bassett |
| Mrs. Peterson | Romy Rosemont |
| Mr. Peterson | Daniel Roebuck |
Review
Highlights
A Kidnapping?
I gotta admit, that’s different for “9-1-1.” It’s also a bit bonkers, but let’s not pretend that bonkers isn’t what this show lives off of with all it has had its cast survive. The only question now is, how will they get out of a kidnapping plot and then the villains taking over the boat with machine guns?
On The Fence
Christopher’s Storyline & Relationships In General
Dating and relationships have long been a challenge for “9-1-1.” Outside of Hen and Karen, most matchups seem more about consolidating characters (Athena and Bobby/Chim and Maddie) or avoiding rumors and theories that characters may not be straight, like Buck and Eddie.
So, with Christopher’s storyline, at best, it reminds you how far Buck has come and reminds you of Shannon’s existence, which was a nice treat. However, it also acted as a reminder of one of the main weaknesses of “9-1-1.” While the writers know how to craft drama and emotional moments, especially if they deal with loss, there is a real struggle to write good, long-term romances.
Now, we’re not going to downplay Hen and Karen going through things over the many seasons, but as shown by Buck and Eddie’s relationship and how Athena talks about her current one, the bond flounders once the convenience is over. So Athena talking about how she doesn’t know how to operate in a relationship with Bobby unless there is chaos around them? Is that a sign they rushed too fast into this? Yes. Could it also be a sign Athena should have dated more after her divorce? Also yes.
However, it seems no show is comfortable with its lead characters being single too long, even if there is nothing to invest in. But who knows? A Bobby and Athena separation, or divorce, could be the most interesting storyline either have had that wasn’t work-related or involved Athena’s kids.
Background Information
| Episode Title | Abandon Ships |
| Release Date | March 14, 2024 |
| Network | ABC |
| Director(s) | John J. Gray |
| Writer(s) | Tim Minear |
| Previous Episode | Season 6/ Episode 18 |
| Series Page | 9-1-1 |
| Character Guide | 9-1-1 Cast and Character Guide |
