Is Maddie Leaving 9-1-1? Jennifer Love Hewitt's Future In Ryan Murphy's ABC Show Explained

Warning: SPOILERS for 9-1-1 season 8, episode 10.9-1-1’s two-part midseason premiere has concluded, and Jennifer Love Hewitt’s Maddie Han was predictably at the hands of a serial killer. Although Jennifer Love Hewitt only joined the 9-1-1 cast in season 2, she quickly became a crucial part of the ensemble and was given bigger storylines. Yet, every time Maddie takes center stage for a 9-1-1 plot, it always ends up being either devastating or dangerous. 9-1-1 season 8 is no exception, but Maddie’s fate was only decided after an hour full of dramatic and downright disturbing mind games and threats.

Typically, 9-1-1’s intense disasters are forces of nature like tsunamis and earthquakes, but Maddie’s most recent brush with death came after an unfortunate run-in with a corrupt detective. Originally, the main plot seemed like it would follow Ryan Guzman’s Eddie and his potential 9-1-1 exit, which made Maddie’s sudden abduction at the end of 9-1-1 season 8, episode 9 all the more jarring. In a way, it was refreshing to only focus on one storyline for the majority of 9-1-1 season 8, episode 10. However, it may have come at much too high a cost.

Maddie's Harrowing Plot In 9-1-1 Season 8, Part 2 Explained

The Kidnapping Takes A Torturous Turn

Maddie’s storyline in 9-1-1 season 8 ends up as a cautionary tale after her vigilante work on a case leads her directly into the killer’s crosshairs. Abigail Spencer’s guest role as Detective Amber Braeburn in 9-1-1 was obviously more than she seemed, but the corrupt investigator waited until the closing moments of “Sob Stories” to strike. Following the immediate aftermath, “Voices” focused on Maddie’s fight to escape coupled with the 118’s fight to find her. Unfortunately, Amber’s erratic behavior and confusing motives gave Maddie a real challenge; unfortunately for Amber, Maddie had a family to get home to.

Amber hatches a plan to kill her and make it look like a suicide, but Maddie only becomes more determined to escape after hearing it. When Amber leaves, Maddie expertly frees herself from her restraints and finds defensive weapons, newspaper clippings about Amber’s past as a victim herself, and a drink to curb her dehydration. Maddie does everything right, even making it look like she’s still in restraint when Amber returns, lulling her captor into a false sense of security. Maddie’s smart thinking makes it even more terrifying when Amber overpowers Maddie and slits her throat.

Jennifer Love Hewitt Will Not Leave 9-1-1 (At Least For Now)

Maddie Survived Yet Another Near-Death Experience

The gruesome scene is complicated by Chimney’s (Kenneth Choi) arrival. After spending all of 9-1-1 season 8, episode 10 trying to investigate his wife’s disappearance, Chimney appears at Amber’s front door, still under the impression that the detective is trying to help him find Maddie. Amber quickly turns a gun on him, prepared to kill him execution style, when Maddie suddenly appears to take Amber down. Although Amber attempts one last kill straight out of a slasher movie, Athena (Angela Bassett) appears just in time to shoot her dead. Thankfully, Maddie and Chimney both survive another near-death experience in 9-1-1.While multiple actors have left the 9-1-1 franchise before— including Maddie’s dispatch predecessor, Abby (Connie Britton)— Jennifer Love Hewitt is pivotal to the plot. Maddie has real roots laid down in 9-1-1 and plenty of unresolved storylines, meaning it would be impossible to quietly write her out. Many speculated 9-1-1 might finally kill a main character now that it’s moved to ABC, but I’d be shocked if they started by letting the voice of 9-1-1 (who also happens to be pregnant) go first. Whether Maddie will continue having plot armor after the baby comes, however, is less set in stone.

What Maddie's Traumatic Kidnapping Means For Her Future In 9-1-1

Maddie's Second Pregnancy Storyline Is Already Eventful

The last time Maddie was a victim of something so horrific was when her abusive husband, Doug (Brian Hallisay), abducted and nearly killed her in 9-1-1 season 2. It took a while for Maddie to fully heal from the experience, and it put a pause on her relationship with Chimney. Now that Maddie has Jee-Yun and another baby on the way in 9-1-1, she’ll have less room to fully process her experience. Chimney will undoubtedly do everything he can to support her and help her deal with the trauma, but there’s only so much anyone can do in that scenario.

Alternatively, 9-1-1 might lean into Maddie’s resolve and use her past experience as a vehicle for her to heal from this tragedy quicker. Maddie was able to think rationally and make clever decisions while tied up in Amber’s basement, and she fought until the very end. That determination isn’t enough to make her move on without some sort of emotional journey, but it may help expedite the process. Maddie and Chimney are one of the best couples in 9-1-1, and Maddie deserved more peace to begin her second pregnancy. Nevertheless, Maddie’s indomitable spirit in 9-1-1 bodes well for her future.

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