9-1-1: Season 3, Episode 5 “Rage” – Recap, Review (with Spoilers)

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.

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As Michael experiences DWB, and his kids get the race talk, Buck learns the consequences of his lawsuit.

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Network
FOX
Director(s)	Jann Turner
Writer(s)	Lyndsey Beaulieu
Air Date	10/21/2019

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Recap

IVF, IUI, IM-DONE: Hen, Karen

Karen is a woman of a certain age. With that, getting pregnant, even with the help of medical professionals, isn’t easy. However, take note, she has been with Hen a long time and while she loves Hen’s son, and sees Denny as her own, let’s not pretend Denny’s dad doesn’t exist. The show may pretend he doesn’t exist, but I’m sure Karen hasn’t.

So having a child with Hen, while it won’t change her love for Denny, it does allow her to experience something Denny can’t give her. But, after doing IVF, IUI, among other procedures, she loses 6 embryos. As many can imagine, this is devastating. For whether you have a miscarriage or lose embryos, there is an emotional effect that can’t be explained in enough words. Especially if you wanted the child, have been doing everything right, and yet still can’t have one.

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Not to forget, when you add in Denny’s biological mom being who she is and how she is, the fact she had the privilege of carrying a child to term and Karen can not? It seems immensely unfair and cruel.

DWB (Driving While Black): Athena, Harry, May, Michael

Michael is an architect, well-educated, speaks well, and looks like he can run for political office. However, all of that gets negated when a cop pulls him over and reminds him he is Black, they are in LA, and him driving a nice car makes him suspicious. Well, let’s tell the full story, he got pulled over since his tags are expired, but considering Michael said he had the new ones and things still escalated, to the point he ended up on his car hood and Harry with a gun pointed at him, it speaks volumes.

However, this leads to a bit of a conflict with Athena. She is a cop and sees the ones who harassed her family as exceptions. Which she has to press her kids to understand since Michael is presenting the conversation many Black parents have with their kids. One that complicated her position since now May thinks she is complicit, and that is causing friction in their relationship.

Leading to Athena doing what she can from the inside from trying to press the reports that can be written to giving the officer a taste of their own medicine.

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Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. Isn’t it kind of weird for Athena to talk about cops going too far, and those people being an exception, when she abused her power to arrest a kid bullying May? Granted, they pushed her to do something drastic, but let’s not pretend Athena didn’t take things a bit far.

Be Careful What You Wish For: Bobby, Buck, Chase

Buck decides to air all of the 118’s business to get back on the force, and even when he is offered a multi-million dollar settlement, he says no. Leading Chase to think he is crazy for whether we’re talking about Eddie coming back after his wife died, Chim coming back within a month (?) of both of his near-fatal accidents, and Bobby going on a bender, it seems clear his career should be over. However, Bobby’s superior says to bring Buck back, and it was offered to send him to another station. But, for reasons that may not bode well for Buck, Bobby asks to keep him.

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. Bobby isn’t dumb enough to try to make Buck quit, is he?

Collected Quote(s) & .Gifs

When we say “Protect and Serve,” we mean the community, not ourselves.
— Athena

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Review

Highlights

Karen’s Experience

Getting pregnant, especially after a certain age, is difficult. However, women of various ages have complications and seeing that experience on-screen means so much. For even if they don’t tap into Hen’s ex having no trouble, despite all the bad habits she had, and the envy that comes from seeing underserving mothers, there is that struggle. That heartache and the kind of pain which doesn’t have an easy fix for even if you have money, it doesn’t offer you any solutions. Just opportunities to keep trying, getting hurt and feeling something is wrong, as Karen feels, and questioning why you have this desire for something your body seeming doesn’t want. If not the universe.

On The Fence

Eddie Lashing Out Against The World

While Eddie’s feelings are valid, even with him being on the show a full season now, there is something about him that still feels like an outsider or guest star. One who gets way too much development and screen time while the originals are still just there. For as nice as it is that Chim has a boo now, Maddie benefits from that storyline way more than him. Also, when it comes to Hen, her partner benefits from the storyline way more than she does. Yet for Eddie, he and Lena are both being boosted by what is going on between them, and it just makes what is going on feel lopsided.

Not to imply that, like Karen representing for women having trouble getting pregnant, there isn’t value in Eddie showing the challenges of being a single dad to a child who requires extra time and attention. It’s just, there remains this vibe that this show doesn’t’ know how to balance everyone out and instead plays favorites and throws Chim, and sometimes Hen, a bone here and there.

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Buck Is Back In The 118

I want you to process the various things which can come from Buck rejoining the 118. The top possibility is Bobby making his life hell, and either everyone icing out Buck or thinking Bobby is going too hard on him. Following that is Buck being forced to pay his dues, and trying to win everyone back. Also, there is the possibility of him feeling ostracized and complaining again.

No matter what the scenario is, I can’t necessarily say it is one to jump at the idea of. Each one is worse than the next and while, I’ll admit, maybe I’m being a bit pessimistic about this, the show has made it clear that recovery from major incidents isn’t that long. So, the possible worst-case scenario here is Buck saving Bobby’s life, or anyone’s really, and then him being forgiven for airing out all of their business to selfishly get back on the force. Something which will likely get mentioned, to show the writers haven’t forgotten it, yet the event still feels like it was more about ratings than anything else.

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