9-1-1 Struggles to Find Bobby's Replacement in the Season's Fiery Penultimate Episode

9-1-1 is in a weird transition period, so viewers should give the ABC series a pass if it feels out of the ordinary. But then again, this is 9-1-1's doing. The series did kill off Bobby Nash after all. Yet even during this uncertain time, 9-1-1 still knows how to entertain. Its center may be gone, but its purpose is still alive.

Season 8, Episode 17, "Don't Drink the Water" opens, yet again, with another Bobby flashback. These opening scenes feel so normal and comforting that it makes the audience wonder if ABC accidentally played the wrong episode of 9-1-1. As Bobby and the other firefighters of the 118 laugh uncontrollably at the dinner table, the scene flashes to a darker vision of Buck sitting alone at the table in silence. Nothing about life after Bobby is normal. The cold transition leaves the most powerful impression of the episode. For the remainder of the time, it's all about balancing 9-1-1's typical zany emergencies with a check-in on everyone's grieving period.

9-1-1 Faces Grief During Normal Hours

While Everyone's Back to Work, Athena and the 118 Move Around Bobby's Absence

It seemed weird that, in 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 16, Buck's grief (or lack thereof) was not featured in at least one poignant scene. Aside from Bobby and Athena, Buck and his captain had the strongest dynamic in the show. Well, it turns out 9-1-1 was saving the bottle of emotions for "Don't Drink the Water." The guy's going through a tough time, one that's a realistic depiction of slow grief. Buck feels alone in his grief, which isn't unexpected. In former storylines, Buck has typically clung to the past to try to fix what's broken instead of moving into the future. His search for answers sees the return of both Eddie and Brian, a.k.a. Bobby's priest and confidante in the first two seasons. Having Brian back, even temporarily, is a nice touch to remember Bobby's life and struggles, and to pass the mantle from Bobby to Buck.

Hen is processing better than everyone else, not out of cruelty but for logical reasons. She has the weight of a potential captain promotion on her shoulders. She ends up turning it down because of one terrific scene between her and Athena, who says that she never accepted a promotion herself because it wasn't what she wanted. It's an eye-opener that debunks the "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" mentality that claims promotions are the only way up the career ladder. But that does leave the job open once more for Gerrard to fill. Odd to say, but his grumpy archetype adds good tension to the sunshine characters.

Then there's Chimney and Athena. The outcome of their fallout in the previous episode is a bit of a conundrum. Athena declares that the two should strictly maintain a professional relationship (to Karen of all people) because every time she looks at Chimney, she sees her husband who has died. Chimney doesn't feel any better about Bobby sacrificing his life for him either. Athena's feelings are valid, but it's a jump from how the previous episode left off. The two weren't on good speaking terms, but they also weren't cold to one another.

Eddie Returns With a Chip on His Shoulder

Buck and Eddie Have a Big Grief Competition

Eddie returned in the last episode to attend Bobby's funeral, and has since taken up a more substantial role again. The lack of Eddie in the second half of Season 8 disturbed 9-1-1's usual formula, which, honestly, should've been the first sign that something was going to permanently change the show. His return doesn't come without conflict though. Eddie and Buck get into this huge blow-up that makes very little sense, but they're also projecting their own feelings onto one another.

The two practically make a competition out of their grief, which is toxic in and of itself. Grief comes in all shapes and sizes. Eddie shares how he learned the news of Bobby's death, flashing back to a brief scene of him quietly crying in the dark after getting a phone call. For a man who's lost military friends both in war and after, finding out this way stings the most. The two make amends though, albeit through no worthwhile apologies, but Texas seems to be behind them for now. Buck and Eddie shippers can rejoice.

Season 8, Episode 17's Cliffhanger Predicts an Explosive Finale

In a Time of Loneliness, 9-1-1 Forces Athena and the 118 to Work Together

Despite personal drama, Athena and the 118 still have jobs to do. Athena opts to go back to work early, to no one's surprise, and it couldn't be a worse time. A small earthquake breaks open an underground gas pocket that contaminates the water with methane, so no joke, the tap water is on fire. A woman's background looks as though Daenerys Targaryen's dragons torched the place. A bathtub causes a house fire. A simple dentist procedure turns into a blaze of fury. It's pure goofiness with touches of heartfelt heroism when several Los Angeles stations work together to prevent an environmental disaster. This is what Bobby would've wanted.

There's an interesting decision to bring back two characters from previous emergencies: Smurfette Lorna from Season 3, Episode 10 and Cart Cop from Season 8, Episode 8. To bring back one character doesn't turn any heads, but two characters plus Brian have to have some significant meaning. This is something TV shows only do once they're heading toward the end, but 9-1-1 has already been renewed for a ninth season. For a series that really harps on the future lately, it can't let go of the glory days.

Season 8's penultimate episode ends with an explosive cliffhanger, literally. Just as Athena gets in her cruiser to send in a report, the water line going through the laundry room of Cart Cop's apartment complex catches fire, causing massive destruction. The meaning behind the sudden catastrophe couldn't be more clear: This is a reminder that the 118 and Athena always put the people of Los Angeles first. In the process, they'll learn they work better as a family, not a bunch of co-workers with professional relationships. Bobby isn't the center of 9-1-1 anymore. But collectively, everyone else can fill the hole he left behind.