9-1-1 Recap: Freeway Ex Machina

As a seasoned TV critic with a keen eye for character development and plot consistency, I must say that this episode left me feeling a tad perplexed. On one hand, it was refreshing to see Athena and Bobby’s storyline come to a dramatic close, complete with unexpected twists and turns. However, the swift resolution of such a high-stakes operation seemed almost too convenient, especially considering the caliber of names involved.

Previously, I had a slight worry that my criticism towards “9-1-1” might have been too harsh, as the absence of bees in the three-part bee-nado event left me feeling quite upset and biased. However, despite this disappointment, I still complimented the episode while expressing my hope that the conclusion would once again make me feel elated about the series. Regrettably, “Final Approach” replaced bees with a rather predictable ending, hurriedly wrapping up all the storylines without the usual array of bizarre medical emergencies that have been characteristic of this show since its inception.

To clarify, just because the episode isn’t stated otherwise, it doesn’t mean it lacks action. Instead, it immediately follows the suspenseful ending of “When the Boeing Gets Tough,” where Athena is performing CPR on the co-pilot who has been in cardiac arrest for six minutes. Maddie informs over the phone that if they can maintain CPR until landing, there’s a possibility he might survive. Before returning to the cockpit to “land this bird,” Athena asks passengers with first aid skills for assistance.

In the meantime, Bobby, Buck, and Brad are speeding towards LAX in a stolen fire truck from a movie set. Desperate to reach Athena, Bobby urges Maddie to look through the plane’s passenger list and call people randomly, hoping someone will pass the phone to her. I get his sense of urgency, but I’m pretty sure Maddie has other pressing matters to attend to, and Athena certainly has a lot on her plate! To be honest, it seems unlikely that 9-1-1 would write off Angela Bassett.

Despite having Gem as her companion (I apologize for referring to him as “Jim” last week; I should have known better), Athena is struggling to deal with the escalating issues with the plane. The damage just keeps piling up, and unfortunately, when the rudder is lost, air traffic control informs us that the aircraft can no longer steer, making a landing at LAX impossible due to its runways being perpendicular to the flight path – and there’s only enough fuel left for about 20 more minutes of flight time. To make matters worse, a passenger enters the cockpit while Bobby is on the phone, which seems like the worst possible moment for a sensitive discussion.

In hindsight, I should have foreseen that Bobby would be the one to come up with a solution for our runway predicament. As Athena laid out the dilemma to her spouse and Gem suggested we’d need a mile of runway, it struck me like a bolt that the 110 freeway could potentially be the ideal choice – if only we could expedite the clearing process. To put it simply, this scenario may not seem extraordinary compared to typical emergency situations in shows like 9-1-1, but it’s still an exciting challenge for me, and Bassett gets another chance to deliver a powerful speech. “We’re making an emergency landing,” she tells the passengers, “and it won’t be a smooth ride, but we’ll do our utmost.” She reminds us all that we’re in this together.

Bobby and Buck rapidly clear traffic, while Brad practices acting skills in his role as assistant. As the plane approaches an improvised runway, Gem becomes anxious because this spot often causes him to crash during flight simulator games. Athena helps calm him down, allowing them both to successfully land on the freeway without colliding with any vehicles ahead. However, Bobby, who should have been more cautious, was precariously perched atop a truck and narrowly avoided being hit. (I’ve been tougher on him this week, let’s hope he makes better decisions!) Once safely on the ground, Athena praises Gem, saying his mother would be proud of him. They embrace, and yes, I admit, my emotions got the best of me due to the intense adrenaline rush from the landing.

Initially, I thought being securely on the ground was going to last, until a fire erupted at the back of our aircraft. Unfortunately, amidst the chaos, everyone managed to escape except for Athena who valiantly performed CPR on the co-pilot. If this man makes it through, I’m going to need him to pen her the most heartfelt thank-you note ever! Fortunately, the paramedics arrived, and Hen and Chimney were able to step in, successfully evacuating the co-pilot and transporting him to the hospital. Bobby finally managed to get Athena off the plane. I can only imagine the anxiety she’ll have towards any mode of transportation from now on, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Currently, Athena’s immediate dilemma involves keeping Dennis Jenkins with her, as dangerous individuals continue to pursue him. She deduces that one of the Assistant U.S. Attorneys might have orchestrated this situation back in Arizona. So, she convinces Bobby to deceive by claiming that Athena and Jenkins are going to a hospital for examination. The trio then head out to acquire Maxwell Fulton’s black book, which, in typical Alanis Morissette-style irony, is situated at LAX, secreted away in a Ferrari that Fulton had left there.

The black book unexpectedly contains incriminating information, particularly well-known figures listed alongside QR codes leading to damning evidence, such as scandalous videos. Before Athena and Bobby could decide whom to give the book to, AUSA Spencer arrives on the scene. Athena understands that Spencer’s interest in the book isn’t due to any payment, but because his name is written within its pages. When Spencer attempts to shoot Bobby, Jenkins steps in front of the bullet, an uncanny act of retribution for having killed Athena’s former fiancé years ago. Even after being shot, Jenkins saves the day once more by using a makeshift weapon (toothbrush shiv) to stab Spencer, allowing Athena to arrest the corrupt U.S. Attorney.

In the hospital setting, AUSA Lawrence discloses that the entire operation to obtain Fulton’s black book was Spencer’s brainchild. Had it not been for Athena’s intervention, he likely would have destroyed it and walked away scot-free. It is worth noting that Jenkins also played a significant role in this scenario. Given the magnitude of the figure involved, who appears to be on par with Epstein, and the contents of the book containing senators’ and billionaires’ names (and possibly sex tapes), it seems odd how neatly this storyline concludes. Was Spencer truly operating alone? Both Jenkins and Athena receive their resolutions as Sergeant Grant grants her permission for an early release. Her reasoning that Emmett would want her to let go of her anger rings true, and Bassett delivers it convincingly. However, the finale “Final Approach” introduces these developments following the climactic event, which gives the entire sequence a rushed feel. It seems plausible that some parts of this plot could have been expanded beyond the three-episode arc.

An unresolved story arc is Captain Gerrard’s reign of terror, which continues even after the episode concludes with his return to 118, still displaying his usual gruff demeanor. Despite his harsh words for Hen, Chimney, and Eddie, he shows affection towards Buck. “Feel these arms, son?” Gerrard queries him, hinting at my gaydar once more. “This is me protecting you,” he explains, as he interprets Buck’s tackle as an effort to save him from the flying buzzsaw that almost claimed his life. While it’s understandable that Gerrard would see this act of bravery in such a way, I wonder how much more depth 9-1-1 can add to this character that seems rather one-dimensional. Nonetheless, I look forward to seeing Bobby rejoin the team officially.

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It’s quite surprising to learn that Brad, who portrays an American firefighter on TV, is actually British – this remark is subtly hinting at the fact that Oliver Stark, the actor, hails from Britain.

In the episode, Brad provides some humorous scenes despite my uncertainty about the character’s plot development. His over-the-top portrayal as a firefighter, complete with a gritty American accent, managed to elicit a chuckle from me. Additionally, his instant fainting at the sight of the volleyball girl’s unsavory leg injury also made me laugh.

9-1-1 is my preferred TV comedy because in reality, Athena’s “Miracle on the 110” landing would instantly make her a worldwide celebrity and lead to an immediate movie adaptation, while Fulton’s little black book – filled with damaging information about sitting politicians – would keep headlines buzzing for eternity. However, in this series, it’s just another ordinary week!

• Buck’s Watch: No sign of Tommy yet, but it seems likely he’ll pop up again in a week, offering a listening ear for Buck’s rants about his unwanted camaraderie with Gerrard next time they cross paths.

• Though I don’t generally find Gerrad’s incessant bullying to be amusing, I did enjoy him calling out Hen’s “vulgar” use of an exclamation point in her report. As a millennial who overuses that particular punctuation mark, it resonated!

2024-10-11 04:54

9-1-1 Recap: Freeway Ex Machina

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