Spoilers forward!
After ending the most recent 9-1-1 episode, I needed to sit on my own for a short time, as this episode left me with combined emotions. On the one hand, I had a lot enjoyable with some issues, surprisingly laughing out loud at many scenes. Then again, it is a comeback of the Athena cop-related plots that at all times depart me just a little weirded out.
I’ll clarify why briefly, however let me recap the episode first. Athena (Angela Bassett) will get injured in the midst of an try to catch a legal referred to as Flash Rob, who organizes flash mobs by which individuals commit robberies. After that, nonetheless injured, she is assigned to mentor the rookie Sparks (Zach Tinker). Whereas they work collectively to catch Flash Rob, Athena’s instinct tells her that one thing’s off about Sparks, in a scenario that jogged my memory of how Hen (Aisha Hinds) felt about Jonah (the paramedic who occurred to be a serial killer from season 5 performed by Bryce Durfee.) That’s additionally when Athena begins to query her talents, considering that perhaps she’s not match for the job anymore.
This isn’t the primary time this sequence has chosen to give attention to the cop-related aspect of issues. There are many earlier episodes dedicated to exploring Athena’s career, they usually often attempt to each reward and criticize what cops do, often framing Athena as this exemplary skilled in opposition to the dangerous cop of the week. Probably the most exceptional instance for me is the fifth episode of season 3, Rage, by which Athena’s ex-husband Michael (former common Rockmond Dunbar) has a run-in with racist cops that just about ends with Harry (former common Marcanthonee Reis) being shot. That begins an enormous storyline about police brutality and racism inside the Grant-Nash household — Athena sees how this case scared her youngsters and is pressured to rethink how she sees the position of law enforcement officials within the bigger scheme of issues.
“Hotshots” – 9-1-1. Pictured: Angela Bassett as Athena. Picture: Ray Mickshaw/ABC © 2024 Disney. All rights reserved.
This week parallels that scenario in a method, as Sparks has a run-in with a lady, and this case finally ends up with the mentioned girl wounded after being shot by Sparks, virtually dying had Athena not interfered. All of that occurred to maneuver ahead the Athena storyline: she could also be getting older and never in nice bodily form, however her knowledge is stronger than ever and her instinct may also help the youthful rookies. That’s why she tells Capt. Elaine Maynard (Claudia Christian) she’s open to mentoring one other rookie sooner or later, prepared to not be a lone wolf anymore.
The optimistic aspect of this storyline: getting Athena in that great wig and costume within the preliminary scene; the long-awaited comeback of Athena and Hen as besties having some tea collectively; it’s at all times a pleasure to look at an episode filled with Angela Bassett scenes, particularly with somebody as charismatic as Zach Tinker.
The downsides: this present is at its finest when it’s foolish, over-the-top, over-dramatic, however general simply enjoyable. These heavier storylines which might be simply relatable to real-world issues, I believe they must be well-planned, they usually most likely want a few episodes to work. In any other case, it feels a bit hypocritical: I attempt to not take it too critically when Athena abuses her energy (which occurs loads on this present, however let’s simply take what she did to Amir within the seventh season finale for instance) as a result of it’s only a foolish present, and so forth. However then you may have this episode that’s all about abuse of energy and that’s not used to make Athena have a look at herself and her previous actions. Quite the opposite, she’s alleged to be a task mannequin, and I’d even say that in the long run, she’s kinda sorry for Sparks. I imply… Is that this actually a touch upon police brutality at this level? I believe the message is all over, and I’d reasonably not have this sort of delicate concern tackled on the present than have it this manner.
“Hotshots” – 9-1-1. Pictured: Peter Krause as Bobby, Callum Blue as Brad. Picture: Ray Mickshaw/ABC © 2024 Disney. All rights reserved.
About Athena as a mentor sooner or later, I believe there’s a possible enjoyable story there, however a part of me would like to see Athena interacting extra with totally different most important characters from the 118. At this level, she has many storylines with Bobby (Peter Krause), typically having storylines together with her youngsters (extra frequent in previous seasons) and Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) as effectively. Her friendship with Hen made a welcome comeback throughout this one, and I’d love these two to have an extended storyline. Or perhaps they may attempt one thing new and provides us Athena and Chimney (Kenneth Choi), or Athena and Eddie (Ryan Guzman), and/or Christopher (Gavin McHugh)… I don’t know, I simply suppose that as the principle character of this present, it’d be so cool to have her bonding with characters she often doesn’t work together with a lot as an alternative of but once more introducing a brand new recurring character to be her associate.
In the meantime, Bobby and the 118 return to the set of HOT SHOTS — and that’s as a result of Brad (Callum Blue) remains to be obsessive about Bobby, being maybe Gerrard’s (Brian Thompson) greatest hater. It was good having the 118 contained in the set of this fictional firefighter present; I believe they missed the chance to go full meta right here, which might have been attention-grabbing. As an alternative, the episode focuses on Brad making an attempt to have Bobby again on set, creating battle with Gerrard. Is that this the way in which the present discovered to flippantly punish Gerrard? It’s a comical factor to have him this disoriented over Brad and his new position, nevertheless it’s a punishment of some kind, I suppose. Is he being punished to be redeemed in a sure method? I’m undecided in regards to the reply to any of those, however Gerrard is true now being proven extra flippantly. This episode ends with Brad becoming a member of the 118 with the intent of finding out Bobby and the each day work of firefighters — and he’ll trigger extra hassle sooner or later, that’s for positive.
“Hotshots” – 9-1-1. Pictured: Oliver Stark as Buck, Bailey Leung as Jee-Yun. Picture: Ray Mickshaw/ABC © 2024 Disney. All rights reserved.
Lastly, we even have Buck (Oliver Stark) coping with his current breakup. His storyline is smaller right here, nevertheless it has some good moments such because the second by which Maddie and Chimney reveal their new being pregnant, or his cute scene with Jee-Yun (Bailey Leung) — that was such a pleasant, lovely second. Additionally, I laughed a lot within the scene with Eddie stopping Buck from making a telephone name. Hen joins them on this playful second, however that is all about Eddie making an attempt to be a lighter, extra spontaneous individual — and he’s so awkward at this, but in addition so cute. It’s attention-grabbing that Buck and Eddie, regardless of being collectively in lots of scenes throughout this season, have but to have a dialog about all the pieces that has occurred of their lives. Their solely scene utterly alone had them in silence, so I believe there’s one thing to be disclosed between them sooner or later. Let’s wait and see what that’s.
Total, this episode left me with combined emotions: it’s crammed with humorous moments and attention-grabbing interactions between characters, however additionally it is all over in the case of its messages and the cop-related storyline. I’d say it’s the weakest up to now this season, however I don’t suppose it’s a nasty one — on a binge-watching rewatch, the viewers might discover some new issues to care about right here.
What do you concentrate on Hotshots? Any expectation concerning the autumn finale subsequent week? Be at liberty to go away a remark along with your impressions and theories, and thanks for studying!