Peter Krause’s exit from 9-1-1 immediately evoked strong reactions from viewers and critics alike, but Bobby’s absence could pose a threat to the series’ longevity. 9-1-1 has been a familiar favorite since it premiered in 2018, and its sudden move to ABC’s roster for the 2023-24 season onward only breathed new life into it. The procedural seemed poised to build on its fresh momentum, with 9-1-1 season 9’s confirmation just another win for the series created by Ryan Murphy, Tim Minear, and Brad Falchuk. The aftermath of Bobby’s death doesn’t bode well for 9-1-1’s future, however.
Bobby's Death In 9-1-1 Has Been Met With Backlash
Many Thought The Bold Swing Was A Big Miss
Bobby’s death in 9-1-1 was divisive for obvious reasons— the ABC procedural had never killed a main character before, and starting with the heart and soul of the 118 was certainly jarring. Yet, there was a deeper backlash surrounding the death that hasn’t waned with time. Bobby’s character had some of the most poignant arcs in all of 9-1-1, but his fatal selfless act seemed to undermine his growth. Given that he and his wife, Athena Grant (Angela Bassett), were building their dream home together, the death also disrupted what 9-1-1 season 8 promised to be their idyllic putting-down-roots period.
Beyond the poor timing and emotional whiplash, the death itself was executed poorly. Within the limited narrative of the two-part thriller, 9-1-1 could’ve easily saved Bobby from his CCHF. That nobody thought to even ask Moira Blake (Bridget Regan) about creating another antiviral is infuriating in and of itself, but the resignation that underlined Bobby’s death scene was a harrowing and unfamiliar feeling of total hopelessness. Even if the death had been an ironclad storyline, however, its very existence goes against 9-1-1’s central identity, regardless of what showrunner Tim Minear has argued since “Lab Rats” aired.
The Reason For Bobby's Demise Doesn't Really Benefit 9-1-1
9-1-1 Was Never Renowned For Its Realism
New episodes of 9-1-1 can be streamed on Hulu the day after they air on ABC.
While Minear suggested that killing off Bobby was necessary to raise the stakes in 9-1-1, the death has now fundamentally changed the show. 9-1-1 has always been a comedy-heavy dramedy: yes, there have been devastating storylines and extremely precarious rescues, but the high-octane scenes were always softened by a quick quip or sweet aside. Maddie’s (Jennifer Love Hewitt) storyline, for instance, may be riddled with trauma and various near-death experiences in 9-1-1, but the close bond she has with her brother and the adorable family she’s built with her husband more fittingly define her.
9-1-1 letting Bobby die suggests that the procedural is experiencing an identity crisis.
Losing Bobby Is A Major Blow To 118 & It Could Change 9-1-1 In A Bad Way
The Team Dynamic Will Never Be The Same
Now that Bobby is dead, 9-1-1 has given itself the impossible task of finding a new captain for station 118. 9-1-1 season 8 began with the team struggling under the oppressive rule of Captain Gerrard (Brian Thompson), and the first four episodes only proved that the 118 needs Bobby. Frankly, it’s baffling that 9-1-1 took care to establish how irreplaceable Bobby is, only to kill him a dozen episodes later. For all intents and purposes, 9-1-1 has backed itself into a corner: hiring a fresh face feels disrespectful to the 118, but none of them feel ready for the role.
Even if the perfect captain appeared out of thin air, the 118 is now irreversibly changed by Bobby’s death. The best episodes of 9-1-1 deal with the team as a whole, whether it’s a treasure hunt, a heist, or a backyard barbecue. The 118 went far beyond a group of coworkers, and losing Bobby throws everything out of balance. There’s something to be said about how death is always a disruption, but at the end of the day, 9-1-1 is fictional. ABC could have eased the characters (and the audience, for that matter) into Bobby leaving— they simply chose not to.
9-1-1 Could Have Increased Its Stakes In A Different Way
Nobody Had To Die To Up The Ante
Arguably the most painful part of Bobby’s death in 9-1-1 season 8 is how unnecessary it was. Putting aside how the death had no narrative build-up, how it doesn’t fit 9-1-1’s brand, and how it was just plain sad to watch, it wasn’t needed to fulfill Minear’s wishes. Admittedly, there was a quiet comfort in knowing that no main character had died in 9-1-1 and presumedly never would, but that didn’t mean the show was without any tension. The gruesome injuries in 9-1-1 alone were hair-raising, but the procedural could have employed many other strategies to spice things up.
The twist ending of 9-1-1 season 8, episode 15 was jaw-dropping on its own, but it's even more heartbreaking in context of another character's plot.
The easiest solution would have been to take a page out of 9-1-1: Lone Star’s book. To raise the stakes, 9-1-1 could have included emergencies on a broader scale. Instead of four firefighters exposed to a pathogen that could hypothetically cause a pandemic, 9-1-1 could have focused on the threat that CCHF posed to the world at large. Widening the scope of the 118’s emergencies would have added suspense without the cruel shock factor of killing off a beloved character. If 9-1-1 was simply bloodthirsty, even a minor character death could have been more effective in the long run.
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