As a dedicated viewer of 9-1-1 for quite some time now, I must say that this week’s episode was a rollercoaster ride of emotions. The Denny-in-peril plot was undeniably tense, and it’s always heart-wrenching to see our favorite characters in distress. However, I found myself yearning for more of the wacky antics that Buck’s mummy curse usually brings. But hey, at least Denny survived, which is a relief!
Watching the TV show “9-1-1” involves not just setting aside skepticism but also accepting the exaggerated world it presents. This week, the storyline invites us to believe in a series of unlikely events, and moreover, it emphasizes that Halloween outranks all other holidays. Even though I personally enjoy Halloween, it’s challenging to accept this portrayal, as characters from the 118 squad express concern about not celebrating Halloween with their families. In the universe of “9-1-1“, it appears that Halloween overshadows Thanksgiving and Christmas. To be fair, you can’t dress up for those holidays!
Hen is absolutely embracing the holiday vibe: The costumes kick off with Hen as the immaculately dressed Tin Man, Karen as the Cowardly Lion, Denny as the Scarecrow, Mara as Dorothy, and Jee-Yun as Toto, which might seem a bit cheeky, considering her love for barking. It’s puzzling why Chimney isn’t the Wicked Witch of the West and Maddie isn’t Glinda, but maybe the show aimed to steer clear of promoting “Wicked” prematurely. As everyone revels in Halloween fun, a tension arises between Hen and Karen as Hen will be working on the actual night. Karen suggests she should take the shift off since it’s Mara’s first Halloween. “She’ll never forget it if you come — and she’ll never forget it if you don’t,” Karen cautions. (I’m suspending disbelief, as promised, but Mara, having been through so much trauma, seems unfazed by the idea of both her moms taking her trick-or-treating. Let’s be realistic.)
Halloween isn’t just about dressing up and leaving parents behind; it’s also a time to explore the various ways one could meet a grisly end or suffer an injury. Athena delivers a lecture to her high school class, emphasizing that Halloween is statistically the most dangerous night of the year for young people, serving as a precursor to events and demonstrating the writers’ familiarity with modern lingo. The girls who seem uninterested in Athena are referred to as Sigmas, which appears to be similar to Alphas (I am in my late 30s).
At fire station number 118, they’re hosting the Firehouse Haunt Fest where the entire team dons costumes and creates an intricate haunted house setup (I must admit it looks impressive, but I can’t help but wonder if one of them couldn’t have a night off instead?). Buck has acquired a remarkably lifelike mummy prop from a Hollywood special effects house – so authentic that it seems almost too obvious. Positioned at the exit of the haunted house and dressed as a cowboy, Buck invites kids attending Firehouse Haunt Fest to grab candy from the mummy. In an attempt to demonstrate its artificiality, he pulls on the mummy’s arm, only for the limb to detach with tendons still visible.
The mummy’s true identity is now a case for the LAPD. And the 118 has a more pressing emergency to attend to: a man named Franklin with his head caught in a pumpkin. He was just trying to do something fun with his daughters — both of whom are decidedly too old for the Pumpkinhead shtick they loved as kids — because since his divorce, he hasn’t been able to spend time with them on actual holidays like Halloween. (I’m suspending disbelief!) What Franklin doesn’t understand is why he was able to get into the pumpkin so easily but now can’t get out. “Gourds can be very unpredictable,” Chimney wisely notes.
The scenario worsens rapidly, much like it often does in this program. To begin with, the decayed and spoiled pumpkin from a month ago triggers an anaphylactic response in Franklin, making the place quite foul-smelling. Then, he accidentally inhales pumpkin pulp. Swift action by the 118 allows them to extract the pumpkin and clear Franklin’s throat of its contents, which is undeniably disgusting, yet still preferable to bees. Before being transported to the hospital, Franklin, who has significantly swollen, expresses embarrassment over nearly meeting his end due to a pumpkin. Buck comments that he’s witnessed people hurt themselves in far less intelligent ways, a cautionary remark that seems fitting for a show known for its penchant for punishing such carelessness. True to form, Buck promptly slips on the pumpkin residue and takes a heavy fall, dislocating his shoulder.
At the hospital, under the influence of pain medication, Buck shares a strange connection with Tommy and Eddie: His injury seems to echo an unfortunate incident from Firehouse Haunt Fest, where he unintentionally defiled a prop mummy – a sign, as he puts it, of the infamous “mummy’s curse.” Buck elaborates to Tommy that his research at home revealed the mummy was once William James McCurdy, a ruthless outlaw known as Billy Boils. His posse, in a double betrayal, handed him over to the sheriff for a reward and gave him the derogatory nickname due to a skin condition. The members of his posse met gruesome ends because Billy always exacted revenge. Though Tommy dismisses Buck’s theory as absurd, the curse becomes somewhat credible when Buck wakes up the following day with boils covering his face.
On the bright side, Buck won’t need a mask for Halloween (Eddie says this, not me, I would never). The 118 is getting ready for a busy night, with Hen making a call to Denny about being extra careful and keeping an eye on Mara and Jee-Yun. Denny brushes off her concerns, saying, “It’s Halloween, not the Purge.” What did I say about famous last words? Over at the 9-1-1 call center, a similarly reckless Maddie says she’s looking forward to the chaos of the night as a distraction from not being able to trick-or-treat with her daughter — again, it’s like these people don’t even watch the show. At least Josh has the good sense to warn her to “be careful what you wish for.”
As a movie buff, I’d rephrase it like this: “The evening starts off casually with me, an old-timer, dialing 9-1-1 over a burning bag of dog waste on my porch. However, things take an unexpected twist when my house gets egged. In my hotheadedness, I hop in my car to chase after the teenagers responsible – the Sigma girls, I presume, though they seem too cool for such simple Halloween pranks. During a phone call with 9-1-1, I stubbornly refuse to abandon the chase as Maddie pleads with me to return home. The tension is palpable, and true to form, I lose control of my car, crashing it straight into someone’s front door – all without even a ‘Trick or Treat’.
Farewell to Mr. Pearson, yet another crisis arises: His car has trapped Denny against the house, leaving him in critical condition. Working at the 118 is as perilous as it gets, but being related to someone who works there can be even deadlier. Upon arrival, Hen demands control, which seems risky, though her impassioned plea for morphine for her son, Chim, is iconic. Internal bleeding necessitates an emergency transfusion for Denny, and fortunately, Karen with her type A blood is on hand to help. It’s a heart-wrenching scene, but the brief moment when Denny flatlines is quite grim. I would have preferred more of Buck’s eccentric mummy curse and less of the Denny-in-danger storyline. Perhaps I feel that Hen and Karen have already endured too much this season, especially since Karen is not yet a series regular, making it seem particularly unjust.
Denny manages to pull through, which we’re all thankful for. At his side, Hen feels remorse for not being there to shield him during the significant occasion of Halloween. On the other hand, Karen acknowledges feeling a sense of relief that Hen was working, and reminds everyone that Hen was present at the crucial moment, saving Denny’s life. When the Sigma girls arrive with candy for the boy hurt due to their prank – I’d say Mr. Pearson bears more responsibility, but he’s already been punished – Athena suggests a different approach. She gets them to deliver a new safety presentation about Halloween to their classmates instead. It seems that it’s always beneficial to begin preparing for future events, even if they’re still far off.
Regarding Buck’s health issues with his boils, at the hospital Tommy admires the strong bond among the 118 team, which prompts Buck to take action. He understands that Billy’s predicament is actually a call for assistance – Billy was deserted by his gang, and this must have been quite hurtful. In response, Buck puts on a suit and makes Tommy do the same (a sign of a caring boyfriend) so he can deliver a speech at Billy’s grave. This speech serves as a roundabout message, similar to the song “People” from Funny Girl, concluding with Buck stating that he’s now part of Billy’s group. Let’s hope this means we won’t encounter those boils again, although it wouldn’t be unusual if the mummy makes another appearance, given horror films’ tendency for sequels.
Call Log
In any Halloween special, it’s the costumes that truly steal the spotlight. Among all, Hen’s Tin Man outfit really took the cake; it was so authentic I thought she might be our weekly mystery! On the other hand, Maddie’s cat ears were a letdown – they seemed unnecessary at best. Lastly, I must commend Bobby for his Cap Dracula ensemble, not just because it was unique but mainly because his accent resembled that of Gru from the Minion movies rather than a genuine Transylvanian one.
It’s fantastic to keep Aisha Hinds busy for two consecutive weeks, but I must admit that the tension between Hen and Karen didn’t resonate with me; it seemed excessively focused on shame. The portrayal of these firefighter-paramedics on the show highlights their struggles with an unhealthy work-life balance, which is ironic given that they are the main characters in a series centered around their professions.
As a movie enthusiast, I must say, the ‘Buck-Tommy’ scene was a delightful treat! It was heartwarming to see Tommy taking care of Buck, and his persistent use of Buck’s real name only added to his appeal. What struck me as particularly endearing was when Buck lamented about his boils making even his own boyfriend unwilling to kiss him. And just like that, Tommy stepped in with a gentle reassurance: “Oh, that’s not true.
• I’ll say it: Buck as a cowboy kind of did it for me. So did Eddie eating a Ring Pop.
Praise Angela Bassett for consistently delivering strong performances, but the show 9-1-1 often assigns her the most absurd storylines when she’s not in the main spotlight. I can’t decide which is more disappointing: the overcrowded sobriety check or her final line of the episode being “And that’s no joke.
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2024-10-25 05:54