The latest installment of 9-1-1, “Holy Mother of God” marks actress Aisha Hinds’ first project as a director, and it’s safe to say she knocked it out of the park. The back-half of this eighth season has featured some of the show’s strongest episodes thus far, and Hinds’ contribution brings some shocking revelations to the attention of viewers. We know her as Henrietta Wilson, firefighter paramedic with the 118, wife to Karen, and mother of Denny and Mara. But this week, Hinds steps into a much different role in the procedural’s production.
From taking the reins on rehashing a heavy part of Bobby’s past, to tackling a Buddie (fans’ affectionate name for Buck and Eddie’s relationship) bombshell, her directorial debut proves to be a striking one. For those who missed this week’s 9-1-1, find our in-depth recap of the episode. After eight seasons, this is the first time we’ve seen the director’s seat given to one of the drama’s principal actors. We know that the responsibilities of a director of an episode of television are much different than those carried out by the actors, as they oversee almost every aspect of production from beginning to end. Hinds has carried out this process with grace, and a clear love for the work that goes on behind the scenes. Tasked with portraying two major storylines, every single scene in “Holy Mother of God” is crafted with care. It helps that, from what we know, the cast and crew of 9-1-1 are quite close with each other. Those relationships are able to translate into the final product through Hinds’ work in this episode with stunning subtlety, as is a deep appreciation for the bones of the show itself.
This episode has all of the components of a perfect hour of 9-1-1. There’s an equal balance between the silliness that makes the show unique, and emotional moments that strengthen our connection with the characters and their relationships with one another. This balance is reminiscent of some previous fan-favorite episodes, and reminds us what makes this series so special. On social media, Hinds has made it clear that she is very grateful to have been given this opportunity. She’s also made it a point to highlight the work of other crew members both on her Instagram account, and the official 9-1-1 page with a newfound appreciation for the work they put into producing the show.
In a way, Hinds’ addition to the catalog breathes a bit of fresh air into the series. While we’ve had no shortage of excitement in season 8, her direction seems to offer a sense of creativity that differs from anything we’ve seen so far. She handled the storylines of this episode with an awareness of the impact they’d have on audiences. One aspect that really jumped out as a viewer was some of the performances by the actors. As director, I have no doubt that Hinds played a large role in helping make them as compelling as possible. The first is Peter Krause’s portrayal of Bobby.We’ll be delving into some of our favorite creative moves from Hinds in “Holy Mother of God”.
This episode is heavy for him: he has a run-in with his estranged mother and brother, forcing him to confront his feelings and some of the resentment he’s held toward them. Krause is a veteran TV actor, but the raw emotion he displays in this episode is among some of his most powerful work on 9-1-1. Almost halfway through the episode, he delivers a monologue that nearly brought me to tears. There’s a mixture of sadness and frustration laced throughout his words as he makes clear to his mother that he doesn’t believe he’ll ever be able to reconnect with her. The focus is mainly on him as he speaks, voice starting to break. It’s a stunning scene, powerful not only through writing but through direction. The simplicity of the shot composition, and the cuts to his mother’s reaction truly drive home Bobby’s emotion. On another note, Oliver Stark brings Buck’s struggle with the loss of his best friend (and subsequently, his reaction to the possibility of there being more to his feelings) to the forefront of the episode with his performance. It’s known that Stark and Hinds are close friends, which makes total sense through how he’s portrayed in this monumental storyline.
It’s no secret that fans have been waiting for Buck and Eddie’s (played by Ryan Guzman, who is noticeably absent this week) friendship to be taken to the next level. After Buck realized his bisexuality almost a year ago, some feel that step is closer than ever. Well, this episode is the first in the show’s history to directly tackle the topic, and we can imagine that must have been a bit daunting for Hinds. However, as one can expect, it was handled beautifully and with so much attention to Buck’s character. The scenes that feature Buck contain some of this week’s most aesthetically pleasing shots. Something quite noticeable in this episode is the focus on the actors’ faces, providing a more intimate showcase of their talent as they express certain emotions through their characters. This is especially prominent in Buck’s scenes. You can tell that there is a high level of trust between Stark and Hinds, sheerly based on how he hands himself over to the story she is telling in a way that is unique to this episode in particular. While always giving a great performance in 9-1-1, there’s something about the way Hinds chose to frame his scenes and how he acts them out which lend themselves to phenomenal storytelling. While I could go on forever about how effortlessly she seems to be able understand the characters in 9-1-1 based on how the actors were directed, I want to focus a bit more on the storytelling aspect of her final product.
I’ve felt as though the pacing in some of the earlier episodes of the season were uneven, but this second half of season 8 has proven to be a redemption arc for those issues. This episode is no exception — in fact, it contains some of the most even distribution of story arcs thus far. It helps that there are only two main arcs we follow in this episode: Bobby’s and Buck’s. But other characters are still given their time to shine, and we even get to see fan-favorite Ravi (Anirudh Pisharody) back again. Both Buck and Bobby’s screen times balance each other out nicely, and their scenes carry out the same emotional weight necessary to coexist and not make the episode seem too clunky. There is also a nice fluidity from one scene to the next, rather than them forcing their way into each other.
While certain characters like Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt), Chimney (Kenneth Choi), and even Hen (which is understandable, considering Hinds was a bit busy) lack much focus in this episode, it makes sense due to the nature of last week’s intense episode where they were at the forefront. 9-1-1 is at its best when each character is given equal attention, and this episode is a perfect slice of that within the season.
The way Aisha was able to construct this story so coherently in the allotted time and keep it concise is wildly impressive for someone new to directing. I also want to draw attention to the staging of the scenes that take place in the mega-church. In a large space with so many extras and a chaotic scenario to play out, the choreography of every moving part is done very well. While I’ve been focusing on her strengths at directing individual actors, we have to acknowledge the talent it takes to be at the helm of scenes like these as well without making them too overwhelming.
The religious imagery within these scenes is quite breathtaking, as well. From the symbolism of the multiple crosses to the positioning of certain characters to resemble religious figures, these visual cues serve well to hammer home the underlying themes of Bobby’s storyline. What really ties the episode together is the parallel between Buck’s first scene and his last. We open on him surrounded by movers as they pack his new (formerly Eddie’s) house with boxes, visibly overwhelmed by the thought of living in what used to be Eddie’s space. As the episode progresses, he finally makes the revelation that he needs to be comfortable being alone now that Eddie is gone, and at the end he finally begins to unpack his things and make the house his own. The two scenes are shot and spliced together very similarly, almost in the format of a montage with music playing overtop. The juxtaposition of these two similar, yet very different, scenes represent Buck’s journey perfectly. Not just in this episode, but throughout the series.
The care that both main storylines were handled with by director Hinds is sure to be appreciated by the audience (it certainly was by me). From the tender moment between Bobby and his mother toward the end, to the special attention to detail in Buck’s scenes where he addresses whether or not he’s in love with Eddie, there are so many details to pick out. There’s a certain quietness to this episode that makes it so strong. There are things that go unsaid, and lines that are left open-ended, which create a fluidity that will be able to translate well into future episodes. Bobby’s slow but growing understanding of his mother’s actions play out beautifully onscreen, leaving us with even more complexity behind his character. And we have to wonder, despite his insistence that Eddie is straight, could Buck be in love with him? The creative choices made in this episode allow interpretation.
“Holy Mother of God” is a sincere love letter not only to viewers, acknowledging what they’ve been feigning to see addressed for so long, but to the cast and crew of the show as well. Every second in this episode was handled delicately, and every scene was shot with admiration for the actors on the other side of the camera.
