The 118 Can't Catch a Break in the '9-1-1' Season 8 Finale Promo

The groundbreaking eight-season of ABC's drama series 9-1-1 concludes next week on Thursday, May 15. Several arcs that have been percolating throughout the season get some resolution, or some headway at least, but in the immediate, a collapsed building demands all hands on deck. 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 18, "Seismic Shifts," picks up from where the previous episode left off after an explosion in a residential building compromised its integrity, forcing it to come crumbling down. Athena (Angela Bassett) was the only first responder on the scene then, but she radioed for help. A sneak peek of the episode previews the rescue attempts as LAFD descends on the emergency scene, challenging their abilities as first responders and forcing some of them to confront what they've been avoiding.

Emergencies like the one in the season finale challenge everything the first responders think they know about themselves. Ravi (Anirudh Pisharody) is flabbergasted by what he sees when the 118 arrives on the scene, as the chaotic image before him throws him for a loop. "How does anyone survive that?" he asks, almost reading many viewers' minds. "It's our job," Buck (Oliver Stark) responds. Search and rescue efforts begin; in these instances, one cannot be sure what they'll encounter. Athena helps with the rescue efforts when two people are found trapped, and one is bleeding out.

However, the building is still unstable, and a secondary collapse could happen at any moment. In Episode 17, Athena struggles to reconcile the circumstances leading up to Bobby's death in Episode 15. She knew blaming Chimney (Kenneth Choi) for everything was irrational, but she couldn't help but get angry whenever she thought of him and Bobby (Peter Krause). She resolved to stay away from him in the future, but the universe had other plans. The duo is trapped inside the rubble when a secondary collapse occurs, and this will force them to put their issues aside if they want to survive. Elsewhere in the rubble, Buck and Ravi are trapped with a victim. Will they be able to get out in time?

The '9-1-1' Universe Expands This Fall

The hit procedural was renewed for Season 9, which will premiere this fall. It will be accompanied by a brand-new show in the 9-1-1 universe as viewers go to Nashville to see what first responders deal with in the world's country music capital. 9-1-1: Nashville has cast several characters, with production expected to begin soon. Catch the 9-1-1 Season 8 finale next Thursday before the show goes on break for the summer.

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.