A fan of 9-1-1 has the perfect analogy for season 8's worst decision, which connects closely to Bobby's death. Unexpected and largely rejected by viewers, the death of Captain Bobby Nash (Peter Krause) came late in the show's eighth installment. Bobby sacrifices himself after contracting a lethal virus, keeping his terminal condition a secret for the sake of his 118 family.
Co-creator and showrunner Tim Minear defended the unpopular twist in interviews, explaining there were high stakes in the life-threatening emergencies that the main characters respond to in nearly every episode. But as much of a shock as Krause's exit from the long-running procedural was, and as unconvincing as the justification for it proved to be, the aftermath was even more confounding in some ways. That is represented in the decision to sideline a main cast member for a recurring character that was never that popular in the first place.
Eddie Should Have Been In The Lab For Bobby's Death (Instead Of Bringing Back Tommy)
Eddie's Season 8 Story Was A Mess
Eddie (Ryan Guzman) doesn't appear in three episodes during the latter half of season 8. That includes "Lab Rats", which ends with Bobby's final farewell to his wife Athena (Angela Bassett). Eddie is in Texas, attempting to repair his strained relationship with his son Christopher (Gavin McHugh). Even though Eddie is not there, Tommy Kinard (Lou Ferrigno Jr.) is all over "Lab Rats." He plays a crucial part in the story, essentially helping his ex-boyfriend Buck (Oliver Stark) deliver the cure that helps to save Howard's (Kenneth Choi) life.
Tommy never interacts with Bobby, who is trapped in a lab, alongside most of the 118. But his spotlighted inclusion in the episode, providing a heroic assist during such a pivotal moment, rubbed fans the wrong way in light of Eddie's absence. Tommy is reintroduced in 9-1-1 season 7, essentially being a catalyst to help Buck realize his bisexuality. But this depiction of him is at odds with how Tommy is portrayed during the procedural's early seasons. It is outright galling precisely because of Eddie's faded presence and bizarre arc in the second half of season 8.
9-1-1 does try to get some dramatic tension out of Eddie not being there after Bobby's death. A flashback in the penultimate episode, "Don't Drink the Water," lingers on Eddie's utter devastation in the immediate aftermath of receiving the news that Bobby is gone. Still, because of the limitations of being a 42-minute network drama with multiple actors to serve, Eddie's place in the story never gets the exploration it warrants.
...there's not a single scene that reveals his reaction to moving back to Los Angeles after apparently building a life and community in a different state.
After making so much out of not wanting to disrupt Christopher's life and needing to remain in Texas, all it takes is one rousing speech from Howard to change Eddie's mind. After the show makes so much out of the importance of what Christopher needs, there's not a single scene that reveals his reaction to moving back to Los Angeles after apparently building a life and community in a different state. It's a bizarre way to diminish the journey of two crucial characters, which may have been alleviated by including Eddie during an absolute turning point for the series.
One 9-1-1 Fan Came Up With The Perfect Hunger Games Analogy To Describe It
Fans Compare Tommy & Buck To Hunger Games Characters
On social media, @WORSHlPTHESUN, from X, made the comparison that Tommy's presence was like if Haymitch (Woody Harrelson), a mentor figure to Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen, died, but didn't have the person closest to her as a source of comfort. Similar to if Gale (Luke Hemsworth) were present, but fan-favorite Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) was nowhere to be found. Eddie isn't Buck's love interest like Peeta was to Katniss, at least not yet, but he is Buck's best friend. He absolutely should have been there instead of being a minor character like Tommy.
The comparison works with other fandoms, as well. It could be like when Buffy's mom on Buffy the Vampire Slayer brought back Scott (Fab Filippo), a minor and ultimately antagonistic love interest in season 3, rather than bringing in Angel (David Boreanaz) to comfort the titular slayer. Tommy, similarly to Gale and especially like Scott as well, wasn't the right person for such a monumental episode for a multitude of reasons.
Tommy Has Been A Divisive 9-1-1 Character Since His Introduction
He's Never Been All That Important Either
During flashbacks, before Buck and Eddie's arrival at the 118, Tommy is shown as dismissive and unwelcoming to Howard and Henrietta (Aisha Hinds). Far from confronting Captain Vincent Gerrard (Brian Thompson) for his discriminatory treatment towards Henrietta and Howard, Tommy more or less shrugs his shoulders and dismisses his new co-workers when they attempt to reach out. Tommy does eventually warm up to Howard in particular. However, because the show never bothers to grapple with how he enabled Gerrard's bigoted behavior, Tommy doesn't win over any new fans.
Even without diving into the large segment of the fanbase that hopes to see Buck and Eddie together, Tommy doesn't become important to 9-1-1 even after his reintroduction in season 7. He spends most of his time as Buck's boyfriend off-screen, returning just long enough to abruptly end their relationship. He shows up once prior to Bobby's death to accuse Buck of having feelings for Eddie, hinting at a potentially interesting conflict that goes nowhere.
Alternately, a minor antagonist and a walking plot device, it was maddening that Tommy got so much focus during Bobby's last episode when a mainstay like Eddie was nowhere to be seen. It speaks to the show's tendency to redeem villains without making the effort to earn it, though Gerrard is the most glaring example of it. More broadly, it's just a microcosm of 9-1-1's recent baffling narrative choices.
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