There’s a new member on the 118 team during 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 8, and he’s got a very recognizable face.
Brad Torrence, Hotshots star and thorn in Bobby’s side, not only “joined” the 118 at the tail end of 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 7, but he’s now suiting up for calls! What could possibly go wrong?
As you’ll see in this clip exclusive to TV Fanatic, the 118 is called to the scene of an emergency where an explosion of wastewater has left a mess of accidents, and Brad’s ready to get his hands dirty.
Brad’s arrival at the firehouse was unexpected for Bobby and the rest of the team.
But the midseason finale promises to show us just how his addition to the tight-knit squad works out for everyone.
In this exclusive clip below, we get our first little taste of that: a serious emergency for the crew.
As you’ll see, Brad’s pretty excited to get in on the action.
The Hotshots storyline has been a steady presence throughout the first half of this season, and the midseason looks to offer more of the same, as Brad sees the up close and personal side of what it means to be a real firefighter, not just pretend to be one on TV.
As 9-1-1 showrunner Tim Minear previewed for us last week in our exclusive interview, “You’re going to see some chaos, and then you’re going to see some of that bluster and façade kind of stripped away, and you’re going to see maybe the real man underneath.
“And it’s The Wizard of Oz, right? It’s like, ‘If you ever go looking for your heart’s desire, don’t look any further than your own backyard.’ His life may have meaning that he doesn’t even understand that maybe he will learn.”
Brad’s foray into actual firefighting will undoubtedly be a learning experience for the famous actor, who may also have to deal with the realities of being recognized while on a call.
The actor seems to revel in the spotlight, though, so if that were to arise again, it’ll be fascinating to see how he navigates that.
But Brad won’t be the only person with a significant role in the closing hour of 2024, as Athena finds herself dealing with the assault of a man found behind a grocery store.
Athena thrives when tasked to helm an investigation, and this one will surely be no different.
Outside of that, some lingering plot points will be addressed, as Minear also told us, “What I would say is that episode eight this year is more kind of tying up some story threads that have been set up in the first eight episodes.”
We can think of a few story threads we’d like to see more development on (hint, hint: hello, Mr. Diaz), but we’ll have to see what the installment has in store for us before we dive into the hiatus.
9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 9 will return on March 6, 2025, but before we get too sad about that reality, we still have another hour of the veteran drama to devour!
Check out the clip above, and hit the comments with all your predictions about what the midseason finale will bring.
What are you hoping to see?
As always, we’ll be back after the episode airs with an in-depth review of the hour and our thoughts about what could come when the show returns.
You can watch 9-1-1 on Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC.
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