9-1-1 has cemented itself as one of television’s hottest primetime dramas with its latest season, which elevated the series’ storytelling to a whole new level. Season Seven was packed with heart-pounding action, eye-popping visuals and heartwarming bonding moments between the central cast.
Originally premiering on Fox in 2018, 9-1-1 was an instant hit. The show’s focus on the firefighters of Los Angeles’ Station 118 rapidly garnered a massive, dedicated fanbase. However, its frequent and intense action required an equally large budget. That mounting cost ultimately led to Fox’s cancelation of the beloved series after season six. Fortunately, ABC acquired the rights and delivered an outstanding product.
9-1-1 Season Seven Started with a Bang
- Elijah M. Cooper replaces Marcanthonee Jon Reis as Athena’s son, Harry Grant.
- Devin Kelley, who last appeared on 9-1-1 as Eddie Diaz’s ex-wife, Shannon, returns for a small but meaningful role.
- The fourth episode of season seven, “Buck, Bothered and Bewildered,” is the one-hundredth episode of 9-1-1.
Season seven ran from March to May 2024 and continued 9-1-1’s tradition of nurturing each character. It packed plenty of value into its shorter ten-episode run. However, the call center staff were noticeably absent for most of the season.
The heart-pounding opening episodes of season seven revolve around Bobby Nash and Athena Grant, played by Peter Krause and Angela Bassett, respectively. The loving couple’s romantic cruise goes predictably south, forcing the rest of the 118 to fly to their aid — literally.
In earlier seasons, that daring airborne rescue may have been the only focus. Season seven turned that expectation on its head, adding additional tension by pitting Bobby and Athena against a gaggle of unruly pirates. As if that wasn’t enough, they must also care for a fellow cruise passenger, Norman Peterson (Daniel Robuck), after he is shot by said pirates. These concurrent disasters create an escalating sense of tension that serves as the perfect opening hook. Likewise, the eventual resolution is the masterful, satisfying cherry atop a very dramatic sundae.
At this point, season seven splits into multiple storylines. While this narrative split is an expected standard for 9-1-1, its staggered stories give each character time to shine.
The Main Storylines in 9-1-1’s Latest Season
- Episode 3, “Capsized” is Season 7’s highest rated episode on IMDb.
- Season 7 is the first installment since Season 3 not to feature Albert Han (John Harlan Kim).
- Tim Minear, 9-1-1’s co-creator, continues the procedural genre’s tradition of borrowing dramatic scenes from newspaper headlines.
A troubling foster placement evolves into a diplomatic custody battle for Henrietta “Hen” Wilson and her wife, Karen (Aisha Hinds and Tracie Thoms, respectively). The heart-wrenching storyline perfectly demonstrates the series’ ability to emotionally capture its audience. The ever-empathetic Hen perseveres through Mara’s nightmares and outbursts, slowly uncovering her foster daughter’s precocious and affectionate personality. As outbursts turn to bonding moments, Aisha Hinds’ emotional acting feels infectious, further emphasizing the budding bond. Special credit must also be given to young Askyler Bell, who skillfully conveyed Mara’s anxieties and fears.
Throughout season seven, Peter Krause shows off his uncanny ability to portray angst. Bobby Nash battles his past after being confronted by a victim of the apartment fire that killed his first family. In a convoluted twist of fate, his attempts to amend his fatal error land him on a drug cartel’s bad side. His house is burned to the ground, and a comatose Bobby is forced to reconcile with the imaginary ghost of his alcoholic father, who was also a firefighter. In the midst of the emotional breakdown, Bobby announces a plan to retire.
Krause’s ability to capture Bobby’s complex personality is the meat of this subplot. Like Bobby, Krause seamlessly flows between his many roles — the protector of the 118, the loving spouse, and the traumatized firefighter. These distinct personalities are at the heart of Bobby’s character, and as the lines between each blur, viewers feel a palpably rising sense of dread for 118’s larger-than-life leader.
Yet another convoluted plot plays out at the Diaz house. Eddie Diaz (Ryan Guzman) falls for a coincidental near-carbon copy of his deceased ex-wife, Shannon. Eventually, the truth gets spilled. Despite her disgust, Kim — insistent that she is Shannon — returns to give Eddie a chance to speak his mind. However, 9-1-1 compounds the problem with its usual dramatic flair. Marisol (Edy Ganem), Eddie’s current flame, and Christopher Diaz (Gavin McHugh), his son, return amid the head-scratching pseudo-seance. The revelation causes an understandable rift between the trio, ultimately ending with Chris leaving to live with his grandparents in Texas.
While the impetus may resemble the melodrama of a daytime soap opera, Eddie’s grief is long overdue. In the five seasons since his ex-wife’s impromptu vehicular death, Eddie has yet to address the issue satisfyingly. Thus, despite its puzzling delivery, Eddie’s catharsis feels like a definitive pin in an otherwise unfinished storyline.
9-1-1’s Biggest Season Seven Reveals
- Multiple scenes were cut from “There Goes the Groom,” including a karaoke duet between Buck and Chimney.
- Athena and Bobby are the only main cast members appearing in “Step Nine,” the eighth episode of the season.
- The penultimate episode, “Ashes, Ashes,” was originally titled “Unfinished Business.”
9-1-1 doesn’t stop there. Despite the many twists and turns, there were three more secrets up season seven’s sleeve, and these monumental developments deserve their own praise.
Howie “Chimney” Han (Kenneth Choi) and Maddie Kendall (Jennifer Love Hewitt) finally get married. However, in true 9-1-1 fashion, the ceremony goes awry after Chimney unknowingly contracts viral encephalitis. Nonetheless, despite his hallucination-induced wandering and near-death, Chimney wins his usual happy ending. Maddie and Chimney wed in the hospital, ending a multi-season romantic fiasco with a heartwarming kiss.
Meanwhile, in one of the few storylines that didn’t revolve around interpersonal drama or literal fire, Evan “Buck” Buckley (Oliver Stark) comes out as bisexual and starts dating Tommy, a helicopter pilot he met while rescuing Bobby and Athena from a sinking cruise ship. This development was more than a crowd-pleaser — it also paved the way for some of the season’s most endearing scenes, courtesy of Oliver Stark’s infectious energy.
The season finale culminated with a self-referential twist. Vincent Gerrard (Brian Thompson), an infamously bigoted and old-fashioned fire captain, has appointed himself the head of the 118. His newfound status is questionable, as he used Bobby’s admittedly ill-advised retirement announcement to regain control of his former fire station. Notably, Gerrard’s abusive tendencies as a fire captain were witnessed firsthand by Chimney and Hen, as shown in the season two episodes “Hen Begins” and “Chimney Begins.”
Why 9-1-1 Season Seven Was the Best
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for his role as Theodore Huxtable in The Cosby Show, guest stars as Amir Casey.
- Jennifer Love Hewitt pitched the idea for the hilarious crossover with The Bachelor.
- Longtime fans are rewarded for their dedication, as season seven features many flashbacks to older episodes.
As a further testament to the show’s skillful cast and crew, 9-1-1 packed all the action into a dramatically shorter season. Despite a ten-episode limit, the 9-1-1 team delivered a polished and fully realized narrative comparable to its usual eighteen-episode runs. The breakneck pace engaged fans of the show’s technical firefighting elements, and masterful dialogue fully utilized the season’s precious moments of narrative downtime. Nonetheless, returning to the show’s eighteen-episode format could provide more time for viewers to digest 9-1-1’s ambitious storytelling.
Even a cancelation couldn’t slow down what was once Fox’s highest-rated drama series. The primetime phenomenon continues blazing its way through ratings and into the hearts of its many fans. Its most recent developments have only cemented its status as a flexible, relatable and relevant drama for modern audiences.
Ultimately, season seven captured what made 9-1-1 great and further refined the formula. It continued growing and nurturing its cast and characters, adding depth to otherwise standard procedural tension. That sense of growth and evolution keeps 9-1-1’s fresh and sets it apart from its competition. In some ways, it makes 9-1-1 a closer match to emotionally-charged narrative melodramas like Grey’s Anatomy than similar problem-of-the-day procedurals.
While its exorbitant budget may have scared off Fox, it gave ABC plenty of chances to create visually stunning action scenes. Even the tsunami from season two seems underwhelming compared to the awe-inspiring imagery of Bobby and Athena’s sinking cruise ship. Another candidate for season seven’s most jaw-dropping shot is the massive blaze that consumed the Grant-Nash household.
The cast’s performances remained as remarkable as ever. Each character has a definite sense of realism, complete with flaws and anxieties. More importantly, 9-1-1 perfectly balances every emotional moment for maximum impact, giving each of its actors time to shine. The heart-pounding action at sea was as remarkable as the small, quiet moments of anxiety and grief.
Perhaps more excitingly, ABC’s acquisition of the show may also plant the seed for future fun and hijinks, as evidenced by a hilarious tie-in with The Bachelor in “Buck, Bothered and Bewildered.”
Where Will 9-1-1 Go in Season Eight?
- 9-1-1 season eight will premiere on September 26 on ABC.
- 9-1-1’s eighth season will retain its previous schedule slot, airing at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
- 9-1-1 will no longer air on the same channel as its spin-off series, 9-1-1 Lone Star, due to its acquisition by ABC.