Thursday’s “9-1-1” concluded the ABC drama’s three-part Season 10 premiere event, where the only thing boiling over faster than the river of lava are the tensions between Buck and Eddie, culminating in a dramatic eruption that could destroy “Buddie” as we know it.
Already concerned about Buck’s questionable parenting, Eddie pays him a visit after the 118’s battle against the volcano, only to discover that his home life is even more chaotic than expected. As he did in the season premiere, Eddie bites his tongue for the sake of their friendship, but he hits his limit when he notices that Buck and Theo are playing a game called “lava bomb.” Eddie doesn’t think it’s appropriate to turn a citywide tragedy into a “party trick,” suggesting that Buck should actually talk to Theo about his fears rather than making a joke out of them.
Buck says Theo could use a few jokes after the traumatic year he’s had, and that’s when Eddie takes the kid gloves off, noting that it’s “not good for a kid” to let his destructive behavior slide. Buck bites back, reminding Eddie that he’s never judged him for any mistakes he’s made in the past, and suggests that Theo might need a friend right now.
“The kid needs a father, and some boundaries that actually make him feel safe,” Eddie says, which is the final straw for Buck, who says that Eddie is, in fact, “overstepping.” Then Buck drops the hammer: “You don’t like the way I’m handling things, Eddie? You know where the door is.”
When TVLine spoke with Oliver Stark last week about Buck’s Season 10 journey, he teased that Buck and Eddie are “going to butt heads” over parenting Theo, which is exactly what we see unfold this week. As for what’s next, we’re a little worried by what Oliver has to say: “It’s going to last longer than I expected it to,” Stark told us. “They’re definitely not on the same page as we move forward for some time.”
Athena survives yet another brush with death
“9-1-1”? More like “Athena vs. the Volcano.” This week’s episode finds Angela Bassett’s character in her most perilous predicament yet — which is saying a lot for a woman who survived an airplane hijacking, a sinking cruise ship, and a disastrous trip to outer space all within the last three years.
With two major liabilities by her side — Matthew Sparks, the former rookie cop who accidentally shot an innocent woman, and Harvey, an elderly man with the the memory capacity of Dory — Athena fights her way back to the surface, facing a river of lava and multiple near-death experiences in the process. Matthew proves surprisingly useful by securing a ladder for Athena and Harvey to climb across, but his heroic stunt also results in major internal bleeding from a fall.
At this point, we’re certain it’s curtains for Matthew, especially when he and Athena begin reminiscing about their brief time together. “Was I the worst?” he asks, to which she immediately replies, “By far.” He even asks her to relay a message to Martha Bailey, the woman he shot, which is always the clear sign of a character about to die. But not on Athena’s watch! “I will not,” she tells him. “Because you will do that yourself.”
Meanwhile, the jewelry store owner from the premiere turns up as a patient at May’s hospital, where he finally relays her mother’s whereabouts — not that it matters, because by the time May reaches Maddie at the call center, Athena has already dialed into 9-1-1 herself. After Maddie diverts the lava (twice!) to avoid destroying any more hospitals, the 118 arrives on the scene to rescue Athena, barely getting a second to celebrate their reunion before running out to escape another burst of lava.
Not only do all three of the tunnel explorers survive, but Athena even arranges for Matthew to speak with Martha, though the victim is understandably hesitant about facing the man who ruined her life. Don’t get us wrong, we’re all for redemptions, but couldn’t this interaction wait until Matthew is discharged? How is Martha supposed to be justly mad at a guy when he’s laid up in a hospital bed?
Sue returns with bad (and then good!) news for Maddie
And then there’s Maddie, who receives back-to-back surprises upon returning to work after leading the charge against the volcano. She’s initially proud of herself for a job well done, but Josh has to be the bearer of bad news: Sue is back… and she needs to talk to Maddie.
Sue acknowledges that her return is “on short notice,” leading Maddie to assume the worst. And she’s not wrong. People aren’t happy that resources were directed to a wealthy neighborhood while a poorer area was left to burn, and while Maddie insists the decision was made to save more of the city, a scapegoat is needed.
That’s where the second surprise comes in: while the top brass does want Maddie gone, Sue says they’re a package deal. If the city wants her to come back to the call center, Maddie’s coming with her! (Whew, close call.)
OK, let’s talk: What did you think of the three-part premiere overall? And how do you feel about Buck and Eddie’s relationship being challenged by their different approaches to parenting? Drop a comment with all of your thoughts below. We know you’ve got ’em!
