Spoilers forward!
After ending its seventh season on a cliffhanger and following months of anticipation, 9-1-1 is again for its eighth season, the second on ABC. It’s price mentioning that whereas season 7 was shorter, its ten episodes had been filled with all of the chaos this present is cherished for: we had a lethal cruise ship catastrophe, a fan-favorite character discovering new issues about his sexuality, an enormous marriage ceremony occasion (that went improper earlier than lastly taking place… at a hospital), a wierd (it’s a praise!) doppelganger storyline impressed by Hitchcock’s Vertigo, one of many fundamental {couples} dealing with drama with adopting one other little one (and dropping that little one few episodes later due to a vengeful Councilwoman), an enormous fireplace destroying one of many fundamental {couples} home, the 118 Captain virtually dying, a cartel storyline that led to one other massive fireplace, and — phew! — the 118 Captain being changed by its horrible predecessor. Do you suppose that’s loads? The quantity of stuff I needed to reduce off this “beforehand on 9-1-1…” was even larger!
This all signifies that whereas season 8 begins just a few months after All Fall Down, our characters are nonetheless coping with storylines that didn’t get closure prior to now. Thus, Buzzkill is all about reminding its viewers about how every character ended final season — with an unbeelievable twist. Whereas final season’s catastrophe was impressed by The Poseidon Journey (1972), this one primarily takes inspiration from one other 70s film, The Swarm (1978) — thousands and thousands of bees are attacking Los Angeles after an accident with the car that was transporting them.
Nonetheless, the primary three episodes of this season being a part of a much bigger occasion signifies that the bees are solely the beeginning of this new chaotic journey — one which’s hinted at within the episode’s very first scene, which exhibits two flying automobiles crashing up within the sky, a airplane crash attributable to the bees. Then it’s time to rewind and uncover how this occurred, and the way Athena and the 118 are associated to those occasions.
“Buzzkill” – 9-1-1. Pictured: Angela Bassett as Athena. Picture: Christopher Willard/ABC © 2024 Disney. All rights reserved.
Let’s begin with Athena (Angela Bassett). After virtually dying, virtually dropping her husband, and dropping her home, she’s again to work — and she or he’s given this painful process: Dennis Jenkins (Glenn Plummer), the person who murdered her fiance, wants her assist. After getting away with it for many years till she arrested him in Athena Begins (3.07), he’s now getting launched earlier as a result of he agreed to assist in a much bigger operation destined to reveal highly effective folks concerned in a intercourse trafficking scheme. There’s extra to it although: Dennis agreed to depose to a jury, however provided that Athena is the one to escort him from Phoenix to LA.
We watch Athena very harm about this, unable to deal with the unfairness of this complete state of affairs — however as soon as she will get to escort Dennis and they’re virtually killed on the highway, she realizes that there are larger forces concerned on this — they usually all need Dennis gone. I believe it is an excellent storyline; Athena is that this complicated character who’s but once more having to take care of a previous trauma, however in one other method this time, so I am trying ahead to discovering how it will finish.
In the meantime, Buck (Oliver Stark) is having a tough time coping with his new boss. Captain Gerrard (Brian Thompson) is a troublesome particular person, disagreeable and laborious on his subordinates, however Chimney (Kenneth Choi) and Hen (Aisha Hinds) have already handled him prior to now and Eddie (Ryan Guzman) confronted worse within the military, so they’re all used to it. However Buck will not be — and whereas they take care of the accident that began all of it and set the bees free, the free-spirited Buck comes toe to toe with the abusive Gerrard.
This occurs in the course of the incident involving a mom and her daughter, each allergic to bees, trapped of their automobile and surrounded by thousands and thousands of these lethal animals. And I have to say that scene is one my favourite issues about this episode, because it’s this basic emergency second that will get everybody concerned: we’ve Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Josh (Bryan Safi) coping with the accident from the dispatcher station taking good care of the victims whereas Buck and Eddie attempt to get them out of the automobile. In the meantime, Hen and Chimney care for a person who has one thing caught inside his throat, and Buck finds a strategy to launch mother and little one regardless of Gerrard’s orders. Traditional Buck, basic emergency, basic 9-1-1.
“Buzzkill” – 9-1-1. Pictured: Aisha Hinds as Hen, Kenneth Choi as Chimney, Ryan Guzman as Eddie, Oliver Stark as Buck. Picture: Christopher Willard/ABC © 2024 Disney. All rights reserved.
We additionally uncover new issues about Mara (Askyler Bell), who appears to be well-adapted to her new house with the Buckley-Han. Is that this going to carry bother sooner or later? I concern so. One other little one who appears to be simply as well-adapted is Christopher (Gavin McHugh), who appears to be having the time of his life away from Eddie. On this case, the difficulty is already right here, and actually, I’m very excited concerning the second this season will take care of all of the chaotic issues Eddie did in season 7. By the way in which, Bobby (Peter Krause) can be coping with his previous selections, now having to work as a technical advisor on Hotshots, an motion TV present. A job he appears to not get pleasure from that a lot. This poor man is struggling. Somebody launch him from this and put him again because the 118 Captain.
The episode ends on two massive cliffhangers, by the way in which. The primary one, Gerrard suffers an accident within the station, and whereas Buck tries to avoid wasting his life, the old-new captain is severely injured by the top of the episode. The second: keep in mind that airplane crash that I discussed earlier? So. Athena’s on one of many planes with Dennis, taking him safely to LA. Besides that now issues are something however protected. Poor Athena. I’d say she deserves some trip however everyone knows how that ended the final time.
Lastly, I’d like to finish this evaluate by writing concerning the second that made me snigger essentially the most: Eddie working from the bees. What was that? I used to be smiling a lot throughout that complete factor, this present is so unhinged when it needs to be. And I adore it. General, this was a reasonably constant season premiere, with strong writing and performing and a few actually enjoyable sequences, and I’d grade it excessive in my tier listing of 9-1-1 premieres.
Now inform me your ideas! What do you consider Buzzkill? How would you grade this premiere when in comparison with others? Be happy to go away a remark along with your impressions/theories, and thanks for studying!
