As a long-time fan of 9-1-1, I must say this season premiere left me buzzing with anticipation, but also a tad disappointed. It felt like the writers were building up to something grander than a simple bee swarm, only to deliver a more subdued storyline. But fear not, dear viewers, for it seems we are in for a superswarm of epic proportions yet!
The long ordeal we’ve endured as a nation has come to an end: The emergency responders from the 9-1-1 series are back again. This welcome return also signals fresh challenges for the citizens of Los Angeles, as they’ll have to confront various catastrophic situations devised by the malevolent mind of showrunner Tim Minear and his ingeniously wicked writing team.
It’s an exhilarating period for fans of the series, “9-1-1,” not just because it’s back on air. Many have been dedicated viewers since season one, even as we bid farewell to Connie Britton, a character fondly remembered. Last season, however, the show truly ignited conversations worldwide when the character Buck came out as bisexual, dominating social media feeds. (A nod to the TikTok algorithm and devoted Buddie shippers who have been advocating for years.) As we approach season eight, anticipation for “9-1-1” soars even higher with the announcement of another significant event: the approaching “bee-nado.
Absolutely! The opening episodes of this season’s serial narrative, which revolves around a theme of unceasing intensification, kick off with a thrilling scene where a plane encounters a swarm of bees, causing it to lose control. We’ll delve deeper into that later, but for now, let’s focus on the issues unfolding on solid ground. Following Bobby’s failed retirement at the end of last season, the 118 is now under Captain Gerrard’s leadership. While we’re familiar with his past mistreatment towards Chimney and Hen from flashbacks, it seems disappointingly plausible that he was reinstated as the 118’s captain despite his history of poor conduct.
Current Gerrard remains rather abrasive, yet his distinctive mustache has a charm that temporarily masks Brian Thompson’s role as The X-Files’ alien bounty hunter. He adopts a harsh drill sergeant tone, instructing Hen to polish her boots and Buck to clean the fire truck so thoroughly that “once you’re done, I want to lick the bumper and savor chrome.” (Quite unusual, like in the movie Titane!) Gerrard primarily harasses Buck due to his reactiveness, prompting the rest of the 118 to advise Buck not to let Captain Gerrard provoke him.
Buck is hoping to convince everyone to quit, which, if successful, could make the LAFD recognize their error and rehire Bobby. However, his colleagues have too many personal issues to consider this drastic move. Hen is working on getting her foster license restored so she can adopt Mara, while Chimney is concerned about managing finances for two children since he’s temporarily hosting Hen and Karen’s foster child. Eddie’s new mustache looks like Gerrard’s, making him appear untrustworthy. (One might wonder who would be interested in a TV show about firefighters.)
Despite their personal matters, everyone has more pressing concerns, and in this case, those concerns are swarms of aggressive bees. In a pivotal moment of the episode, a truck carrying 22 million killer bees (for now, let’s accept that) overturns on the highway, causing an enraged swarm. Their initial target is a car occupied by a mother and daughter who are both highly allergic to bees and share only one EpiPen. One might wonder how the bees could identify them – but we’ll leave that mystery for now. The situation becomes critical when both women are stung. Character Buck devises a strategy to remove the hive from the car, while Maddie, a quick-thinking 911 operator, guides the little girl on how to extract an additional dose from the pen to save her mother.
Simultaneously, Hen and Chimney managed to extract bees from the truck driver’s throat, reviving him. However, his question, “Why do I taste honey?” was alarming under the circumstances. The troubles didn’t cease there; we witnessed a bee-whirlwind, which was merely a foreshadowing of things to come. As promised, the truck detonated, not killing the bees but angering them instead. In an instant, they swarmed and joined forces with L.A.’s local bees, forming a lethal super-swarm, bent on wreaking havoc across the city.
In the upcoming event, bees are heading towards a garden party launching Tori’s latest fragrance, “Tori by Tori.” Tori’s aid, Sheila, accidentally attracts the buzzing insects when she sprays herself with the perfume. The bees become intrigued, almost as if it was catnip for them (let’s call it ‘beenip’). Swarming around Sheila, they persistently sting her. In a desperate attempt to evade their stings, Sheila leaps into the pool; however, the bees continue their attack even over the water whenever she surfaces for air. A friendly reminder from 9-1-1: Avoid attempting to escape a swarm of bees by submerging yourself underwater, as it is not an effective strategy!
Once again, the 118 comes to the rescue! Buck conjures up another clever scheme, dousing Eddie with a generous amount of Tori’s bee repellent and prompting him to sprint at top speed, thus diverting the bees from the swimming pool. After Sheila is safely rescued, Chimney employs some duct tape to remove all the stingers from her, which aids in stabilizing Tori’s trusty assistant who is due for a raise.
At the fire station, Gerrard expresses his displeasure towards Buck’s quick actions, launching into a harsh verbal reprimand. In response, Buck rushes at the captain and pushes him to the ground – an action he may later regret since it turns out to be a fortunate move, as it prevents Gerrard from getting hit by a buzzing saw that unexpectedly flew from nearby construction. (Keep in mind, there are countless ways to meet a tragic end in the 9-1-1 world.)
The killer bees may be the A-plot (bee plot) of this premiere, but Athena is facing her own metaphorical bee-nado. The U.S. Attorney’s office has made a deal with Dennis Jenkins, the man Athena helped send to prison decades after the murder of her then-fiancé. In exchange for early release, Jenkins will share what he knows about the clients of his former cellmate, sex trafficker Maxwell Fulton, who might as well be called Schmeffrey Schmepstein. Jenkins has requested that his prison transfer be handled by Athena herself, so she’s sent off to Arizona against her will by Captain Maynard.
It seems Jenkins was correct in seeking help from Athena. She refuses to grant him the pardon he desires, yet she’s the only officer he can rely on – a fact Jenkins is well aware of, as he knows someone is out to get him. Athena swiftly realizes that the “U.S. Attorney” who stops them during their trip to the airport isn’t all he appears to be. In a move reminiscent of Thelma & Louise, she traps him in his own trunk. Upon reaching the airport, Jenkins recognizes there will be more assassins waiting for him upon landing in L.A., but Athena assures him that she’s already thought of this, arranging for a different flight to lead his pursuers astray.
Unfortunately for Athena, though she might outrun her pursuers, she can’t escape destiny, or to put it another way, the writers of 9-1-1. Just as a new flight starts its descent, it crashes into the disoriented pilot from the opening scene (do you recall him?), putting Athena, Dennis Jenkins, and all other passengers in a perilous situation high up in the sky at an altitude of 30,000 feet. This suspenseful moment effectively ties Athena’s individual plot into the larger narrative. In this instance, everything is linked by bees.
Throughout the final moments of “Buzzkill”, it seems that some potential was left untapped. The storyline presents a multitude of personal disputes and bee emergencies, which are necessary for setting the stage in a new season. However, these elements culminate in an outcome that falls short of expectations. The buildup to the anticipated “bee-nado” felt more like a heavy rain with an abundance of bees, rather than the cataclysmic event we were led to believe. Fortunately, there are still two extra episodes on the horizon, and it appears the superswarm is ready to return with a vengeance.
Call Log
I’m excited to review 9-1-1 for Vulture during this season! For the past seven years, I’ve enthusiastically shared the storylines of 9-1-1 episodes with friends, and now I’m thankful for the chance to reach a wider audience with my insights.
• Buck-Tommy duo: Despite the gloomy atmosphere of Eddie’s virtual birthday gathering for Christopher, who is thriving with his grandparents and escaping his father’s troubling antics reminiscent of “Vertigo”, Buck and Tommy continue to be adorable together. (I couldn’t join in on the fun last season as I missed documenting Eddie’s connection with his wife’s look-alike, but I have no regrets about that.)
Is it implied that Captain Gerrard has romantic feelings for Buck, or is it just a hint of subtext that I’m picking up on? I was taken aback by his reference to Buck’s “moody, slightly sulky expression.
I’m not really fond of how isolated Bobby seems, but I do believe his storyline could lead to some entertaining backlot antics. A possible scene could involve a character like Maxine Minx stumbling upon the set of a “Psycho”-like house, but instead of encountering Norman Bates, she’s swarmed by bees.
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2024-09-27 05:54