S05.E04: Home and Away

[jewel21]

The members of the 118 arrive on the scene after a truck crashes into a high school homecoming parade. Meanwhile, Athena and Michael try to help Harry in the aftermath of his kidnapping, May is intimidated by returning call center legend and Bobby gives a devastated Chimney advice regarding Maddie.

Airdate: 10/11/2021

[preeya]

Quite a bit of "over the top" acting tonight. Chimney throughout, 911 legend operator, Athena doing housework.

Also, I've heard of "switched at birth" but not so much "switched at death." I predicted that plot twist as soon as the injured girl kept saying Makayla.

Edited October 12, 2021 by preeya

[possibilities]

They also did the classic misdirect of "old lady driving badly will probably cause a disaster" and then it was the truck driver whose brakes failed and he's the one who drove into the parade. Don't they mark parade routes, though? So people won't turn onto the street, working brakes or not?

 

[EllaWycliffe]

Do we really need another bullying plot with May? Where a group of adults are so awed by the new woman that calling May an intern and then making a blatant age crack about her youth isn't an HR issue? The bit with the coffee was also over the top offensive for people to ignore. Wanna bet this resolves three episodes from now with Dispatch Bitch learning her lesson the hard way?

I did like hearing May and Harry have some real brother sister talk about the incident. 

Does no one know how to hire a private detective? And what kind of fire station insists on people being on call for five days straight but also lets people head off on possibly lengthy road trips with little notice?

 

[Racj82]

41 minutes ago, EllaWycliffe said:

Do we really need another bullying plot with May? Where a group of adults are so awed by the new woman that calling May an intern and then making a blatant age crack about her youth isn't an HR issue? The bit with the coffee was also over the top offensive for people to ignore. Wanna bet this resolves three episodes from now with Dispatch Bitch learning her lesson the hard way?

I did like hearing May and Harry have some real brother sister talk about the incident. 

Does no one know how to hire a private detective? And what kind of fire station insists on people being on call for five days straight but also lets people head off on possibly lengthy road trips with little notice?

 

I don't really think May was being bullied. In the end, I think this be a tough love sort of thing that May learns from. In a mentor type of way. They might continue to clash at first. 

They were on call for 5 days straight for a emergency blackout situation. That's the not the case anymore. Also, they both have a boss that would be will to give them some time.

Chim is not in the best place right now. He's not making all of the smartest decisions.

[possibilities]

I figure Chim took emergency leave because his wife is missing. Also, the crisis with the grid hacking is over. They don't usually have peopel working 5 days straight; that was crisis overtime.

I think it's notable that the other dispatcher agreed with May that New Person is a bully. I also wonder why she left, and why she came back. What makes her special so she's the only one who doesn't wear the uniform? I don't know where they're going with this, but I think they dropped several hints that she's selectively abusive. 

 

 

[Andyourlittledog2]

When I was working we had a new district manager come in who was a very accomplished black woman and she was actually very nice for the most part, as managers go. But she was very hard on the black women in the office. She would critique their wardrobe and just really put them down when she ran into them. You know, instead of 'good morning' it was a dump on their outfit or their hair or whatever. Which seemed weird to me because she was unfailingly nice to me, a white woman, and I dressed down way way down for work because that's me, and the women she was mean to looked great. She was just uniformly hard on them. I always thought it was because she expected more from them, like she took it personally like it reflected on her whereas I did not. That's what I thought anyway. So this new 'bully' kinda reminded me of that. Like she was dismissive of May because May somehow reflected on her and she took any failure or shortcoming, perceived by her, personally. I could be way off base, but that's what I thought when I watched this.

Athena and her ex (what is his name?) made me nervous so I can imagine how Harry must have felt. It would be impossible to just relax around them while they hover with all that nervous energy like that. Poor kid.

I hate the Chim/Maddie storyline. I know they are trying to deal with a sensitive and important issue but it just all seemed to melodramatic and fake to me. Like some very special episode fake. JLH does that anyway. She's awful. But I usually like Chim and I hate him as he is being written for this storyline.

[Tdoc72]

3 hours ago, preeya said:

 

Also, I've heard of "switched at birth" but not so much "switched at death." I predicted that plot twist as soon as the injured girl kept saying Makayla.

I guessed it because I knew the similar story of it happening in real life. 
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/wbna23849928

[possibilities]

Did she steal your coffee, too?

I get what you're saying, but I hate it anyway. Maybe none of my business, but I think you can teach people without being obnoxious.

[Jillybean]

4 hours ago, Tdoc72 said:

I guessed it because I knew the similar story of it happening in real life. 
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/wbna23849928

The two sets of parents co-wrote a book about the experience. It was very touching. 

[tvgoddess]

7 hours ago, EllaWycliffe said:

And what kind of fire station insists on people being on call for five days straight but also lets people head off on possibly lengthy road trips with little notice?

 

Chim isn't working right now. Buck said to him at the top of the episode that maybe it was time he came back to work.

Anyway, this was a difficult episode. Emotionally charged. I just felt sorry for everyone. Athena clearly needs therapy just as badly as Harry. The parade accident seemed cruel. I'm being kind of hypocritical because I'm always the one that says it isn't realistic that more people don't die on this show, but that was rough. The best part of the episode was May and Harry's conversation. It was very real, some nice brother/sister moments.

5 hours ago, Tdoc72 said:

I guessed it because I knew the similar story of it happening in real life. 
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/wbna23849928

I didn't think of this story last night, but once I saw the names and the pictures I remembered it. Tragic.

[EllaWycliffe]

8 hours ago, possibilities said:

I think it's notable that the other dispatcher agreed with May that New Person is a bully. I also wonder why she left, and why she came back. What makes her special so she's the only one who doesn't wear the uniform? I don't know where they're going with this, but I think they dropped several hints that she's selectively abusive. 

Yeah the uniform refusal is actually something where I was like "if you don't like the policy then why take the job". I also don't like any management situation where its understood that New Person is being allowed arrogant priveledges including snotting off publically how she's too good to wear the uniform and where even her supervisor is hesitant to address concerns from other employees about her. 

 

5 hours ago, possibilities said:

Did she steal your coffee, too?

I get what you're saying, but I hate it anyway. Maybe none of my business, but I think you can teach people without being obnoxious.

Steal your coffee in front of coworkers and insult you about your age versus your competence to do the job? With no one correcting her or telling her to settle down? We're talking about an employee who is five years at least away from the job - we never saw her before and yet everyone (except May) totally knows her and loves her? And allows her to treat a reasonably tenured employee (May isn't a new hire, she's been a dispatcher for over a year now) like a piece of garbage? And management immediately dismisses any concern? Its just a matter of time before we discover New Person's fatal flaw.... 

8 hours ago, possibilities said:

I figure Chim took emergency leave because his wife is missing. Also, the crisis with the grid hacking is over. They don't usually have peopel working 5 days straight; that was crisis overtime.

I know it was an unusual circumstance, the working five days straight, but time off because the wife has done a runner was something Chim had already taken - Buck said he hadn't been in, and now he's off on a road trip for who knows how long. There's only so much emergency leave granted...

The five days straight thing is more that knowing Chim's wife is having post partum, there couldn't be special circumstances to let Maddie bring herself and the baby down to the firehouse for a break?

Edited October 12, 2021 by EllaWycliffe

[alalaxmom]

Quote

10 hours ago, preeya said:

Also, I've heard of "switched at birth" but not so much "switched at death." I predicted that plot twist as soon as the injured girl kept saying Makayla.

 

This happened in my town when I was in high school thirty years ago.  Six teenagers were all crammed in a car that went off a really steep embankment.  The lone surviving girl was wearing another one's class ring.  If I remember correctly, it took them several days to figure it out.

[Empress1]

36 minutes ago, EllaWycliffe said:

Yeah the uniform refusal is actually something where I was like "if you don't like the policy then why take the job". I also don't like any management situation where its understood that New Person is being allowed arrogant priveledges including snotting off publically how she's too good to wear the uniform and where even her supervisor is hesitant to address concerns from other employees about her. 

Agree. You can argue “why wear the uniform, it’s not like they can see us,” but if the policy is to wear the uniform, she needs to wear the uniform unless there’s a medical reason that she can’t. “I don’t wanna” isn’t a good reason, and it’s bad management to allow it.

I saw the mistaken identity coming pretty much immediately, but it was still awful. I can’t imagine how it would feel to think your child had survived and then to have that yanked away.

8 hours ago, Andyourlittledog2 said:

Athena and her ex (what is his name?)

His name is Michael.

Sexy Bobby was at it again when the hazmat situation was revealed.

I did not see Chim hauling off and decking Buck coming. Chim unraveling was hard to watch - when he was like “Doug is still alive!” I thought, yikes.

(That said, Maddie taking $20K is alarming; it indicates that she plans to be gone for a while.)

[Racj82]

Also I hope the new character at the crisis center interacts with Rockmund Dunbar. Rockmund and Vanessa Williams played a married couple for 5 years on the TV version of Soul Food for Showtime.

 

[iMonrey]

I wouldn't expect May to be intimidated by someone like the dispatcher bitch, being raised by someone like Athena. I did enjoy her scene with Harry though. We don't get much interaction with those two. But I wish we'd actually seen how the kidnapping went down. Harry is mad at Michael because he says he was right there and should have seen him, but wasn't Harry able to call out to him, then? That part's confusing.

I don't know what to make of the whole situation with Maddie and Chim because the way it played out made Chim look sort of dense and unaware of how badly she was doing. Not a great look for him.

[emcmac87]

Was watching the new season of Nancy Drew and I guess that’s where the actor who plays Albert is 

[ajsnaves]

4 hours ago, EllaWycliffe said:

I know it was an unusual circumstance, the working five days straight, but time off because the wife has done a runner was something Chim had already taken - Buck said he hadn't been in, and now he's off on a road trip for who knows how long. There's only so much emergency leave granted...

Maybe he has a bunch of vacation or sick time saved up.  He hasn’t been grievously injured in over 2 years after all.  That whole storyline is a bit too real for me.  I like is show for the crazy over the top calls. With bits of drama  interspersed in. But I am also glad they are doing this kind of story.  I think I just want to put It behind us now, and everybody to be happy.  I feel the same with Athena and Harry too.  I know it is not realistic though.

[ribboninthesky1]

16 hours ago, possibilities said:

Don't they mark parade routes, though? So people won't turn onto the street, working brakes or not?

There was also a band playing loudly.  I wondered how the driver didn't hear that.  The brakes suddenly failing when they apparently worked behind the elderly woman driver was a bit much. 

Harry brought up something I wondered myself: how Michael didn't notice an unknown adult male taking his son.  I know he threatened to kill his family.  But the house doesn't look that big.  The one time we saw the two of them interacting together at the house was downstairs and outside.  Somehow Hudson slipped out with him while he wasn't looking?  I know it's unfair to judge, given the number of people in the house.  But still.  Michael didn't even know Harry was missing until Athena got there and asked, and there was no one else around at that point.  

I didn't watch TV show Soul Food.  It seems like the few times I see Vanessa Williams, she's playing some version of her OTT Cosby Show character.

I knew as soon as Josh advised May to talk to Claudette, it would not go well.  He witnessed Claudette's openly derisive tone towards May.  Josh is also a bit of a pushover, so it tracks that he's oblivious.  That said, I did agree with him in that it hadn't even been a day and she's already coming to him about it.  Sometimes people are assholes, and you just have to let it be until a pattern of behavior shows that you can note (and possibly document).  And assholes always know who to try.      

Edited October 12, 2021 by ribboninthesky1

[EllaWycliffe]

9 minutes ago, ribboninthesky1 said:

I know it's unfair to judge, given the number of people in the house.  But still.  Michael didn't even know Harry was missing until Athena got there and asked, and there was no one else around at that point.  

I think it's totally fair to judge when Michael was too busy hosting the blow out party to notice. I'm willing to be the asshole here. They shouldn't have been having a party to begin with. It's not even Michael's home anymore, so it was sort of asshole behavior to come over for the generator use and let the neighborhood crash simply because Bobby and Athena had to work.

 

13 minutes ago, ribboninthesky1 said:

I knew as soon as Josh advised May to talk to Claudette, it would not go well.  He witnessed Claudette's openly derisive tone towards May.  Josh is also a bit of a pushover, so it tracks that he's oblivious.  That said, I did agree with him in that it hadn't even been a day and she's already coming to him about it.  Sometimes people are assholes, and you just have to let it be until a pattern of behavior shows that you can note (and possibly document).  And assholes always know who to try.      

I would have waited a day or two for the "OMG SHE'S HERE! LETS ALL WATCH HER DO OUR JOB WITH AWESTRUCK FACES!" stuff to wear off. Josh was happy to have her back and really wasn't in a place to hear any complaints. He is also a pushover and clearly wasn't wanting to confront Claudette... which I suspect will be a problem. Her behavior towards May - a character I dislike and wish would go away - was so over the top rude, I was feeling bad for Athena's irritating perfect child. 

[Empress1]

27 minutes ago, ribboninthesky1 said:

I didn't watch TV show Soul Food.  It seems like the few times I see Vanessa Williams, she's playing some version of her OTT Cosby Show character.

“IF truth … shall be my companion in the FLAMES … so be it.”

[Crashcourse]

13 minutes ago, EllaWycliffe said:

I think it's totally fair to judge when Michael was too busy hosting the blow out party to notice. I'm willing to be the asshole here. They shouldn't have been having a party to begin with. It's not even Michael's home anymore, so it was sort of asshole behavior to come over for the generator use and let the neighborhood crash simply because Bobby and Athena had to work.

I agree with this.  Michael had no business and no right to invite neighbors to their house.  Even though Harry being kidnapped was bad, things could have gone even worse.  

[marceline]

So is Hen still in medical school? Something about the way Claudette came sweeping into the call center acting snotty reminded me of Hen's friend from medical school. It looks like they dropped that whole storyline and given COVID that was probably a good idea.

Honestly, I don't blame Chimney for punching Buck. Chimney is terrified that something happened to Maddie and Buck can't just come out and say that he spoke to Maddie before she left? If he doesn't know where Maddie is then what was the harm of telling Chimney that?

That said, where was Chimney going when he loaded up the car and drove off? Is he just going to drive around LA yelling Maddie's name?

Edited October 12, 2021 by marceline

[threebluestars]

The Humboldt Broncos crash also resulted in mixing up two of the victims, one of whom died. The parents spent two days at the bedside of the boy they thought was their son. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/coroner-mixup-humboldt-broncos-fatal-collision-1.4668594

I remember they did this storyline on Nash Bridges. Nash's daughter and friend are in a car crash and misidentified when one dies. (You can probably guess who survived ... )

I liked May and Harry bonding. I think it'd be much easier for a sibling to maintain a more normal vibe while still being open to talk, unlike a parent who is also dealing with trauma from it. May was not actually present, which I think is a bonus for Harry.

 

[ribboninthesky1]

1 hour ago, Empress1 said:

“IF truth … shall be my companion in the FLAMES … so be it.”

Memories! 

1 hour ago, EllaWycliffe said:

It's not even Michael's home anymore, so it was sort of asshole behavior to come over for the generator use and let the neighborhood crash simply because Bobby and Athena had to work.

I forgot about this angle.  

38 minutes ago, marceline said:

That said, where was Chimney going when he loaded up the car and drove off? Is he just going to drive around LA yelling Maddie's name?

I feel for Chim, especially since he had no idea about the ER visit.  I know Maddie is struggling, but it was horrible not to tell him about that.  I mean, she had ample opportunity in the video, not like she had to tell him face-to-face.  Yet, I still laughed at the visual of Chim hanging out the driver side window yelling for Maddie while the baby looks on confusingly at her father from the back seat. 

[tennisgurl]

I am really not sure what Chim's game plan here is exactly. Put up lost flyers with Maddie's face on it and drive around LA yelling her name like she's a lost dog? Its obvious he isn't thinking clearly, he even started to suspect that Doug was somehow still alive, and even on a show that frequently gets soapy, that seems pretty out there. I get why he was mad at Buck, but he was in a really hard place, wanting to be there for his sister and his friend/brother in law. Its just such a sucky situation, I am so mixed on the whole story. Its an important topics to discuss, and its being handled well by the actors and writers, but at the same time, they're family has already been through so much trauma in the last year or so, with Maddie's abusive husband kidnapping Maddie and almost killing Chim, Maddie still dealing with the trauma of her abusive marriage, Buck almost dying about six times, Albert almost dying the day the baby was born, Maddie and Buck finding out their big family secret from their neglectful parents, the general stress of being a first responder, the near deaths of several of their close friends, its just so much already, cant they just enjoy being new parents for a bit? At least we got to see Albert for a second, calling in from his other gig on Nancy Drew!

I have heard the story of the two kids being switched after one died, so I knew right away that the girl was calling for her friend and not saying her name, but that just made the whole thing worse knowing what was coming. Its been awhile since we had a real downer story, so the homecoming parade was extra sad. 

I am guessing that the new superstar who is being such a shit to May is trying to do some kind of tough love, that she knows its hard being a young black woman in the work place and is trying to toughen her up or something, but its a really crappy way to treat a co-worker, someone should have stepped in. Not a great first impression, if everyone else has to wear the stupid shirt, so does she, even if she is apparently gods gift to call centers. Its especially bad for May, given her history with being bullied. Josh or someone really should have said something instead of starring awe struck. It did at least need to a nice scene with May and Harry, which Harry really needed. Its understandable that he feels mad at his parents, even if its not what he's "supposed" to feel, and they are clearly working through their own stuff, May can still treat him like normal Harry in a way they cant yet. 

Edited October 12, 2021 by tennisgurl

[mojoween]

Oh please let a storyline be coming (next week would be great) where crotchety new bitch lady is spectacularly wrong about something that May is 100% right about.  PLEASE.

[Andyourlittledog2]

7 hours ago, Empress1 said:

16 hours ago, Andyourlittledog2 said:

Athena and her ex (what is his name?)

His name is Michael.

Thank you.  I am so bad at names. 

Superwoman was working for five years at another call center I thought they said. The supervisor (again, don't remember his name either) said he was lucky he was able to steal her from them and have her back. What I wonder is how she was doing at the other center and how they saw her. Was she a problem for them and that was the reason he was able to get her back? Was it their way of releasing a problem employee to be someone else's problem?  Did she want to come back now that the prior very experience supervisor here was gone and a newer and more of a pushover supervisor was now in charge?  What is her angle? I think there is something afoot.

[Crashcourse]

I haven't watched every episode, but what happened to the other lady who was the supervisor?

[toodywoody]

So no one else needed to take a call while they all stood around applauding the rehire and then she immediately went on break and took May's coffee. I already don't like her.

[Snazzy Daisy]

Thank you Chimney for making me cry, twice‼️ The scene where he poured his heart out to Jee Yun’s doctor in front of the hospital was heartbreaking. Chimney and Hen hugging at the end, that was sweet and priceless. 😥

I adore the May-Harry (and ice cream) bonding time. We don’t get to see this much. Harry should tell Michael and Athena his true feelings because those two are quite reckless sometimes.

This Claudette person, why is she being called the “legend”? I thought Gloria Wagner was the legend at that center. Josh once said to Maddie that Gloria held the place together. And what’s with the bad vibes between Claudette and May? I don’t get it. I hope Sue will return in next episode so she can put Claudette back in her place and make her wear the damn uniform. Claudette is the typical office b*tch, very Regina George!

The scene where Buck was talking to Eddie, was it at Buck’s apartment? Since when it has a balcony? 

[toodywoody]

So why can the rehire just walk around without the uniform and then jump on another employee when she isn't even a supervisor and what happened to red headed lady? The whole story with the rehire is just pissing me off. 

Poor Chim. But I still don't understand why Maddie wasn't back at work or if she wasn't why they didn't have more people helping out with a new baby. And the talk on the balcony was spot on. I don't understand why more people weren't helping them though.

Edited October 13, 2021 by toodywoody

[chlban]

On 10/11/2021 at 7:37 PM, preeya said:

Quite a bit of "over the top" acting tonight. Chimney throughout, 911 legend operator, Athena doing housework.

Also, I've heard of "switched at birth" but not so much "switched at death." I predicted that plot twist as soon as the injured girl kept saying Makayla.

There was an actual case of it. I assume this was the inspiration for that plot twist. https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2016/04/28/cerak-vanryn-mistaken-identity-taylor-university/83639026/

[KatWay]

I love Kenneth Choi and thought he did an amazing job this episode, and I normally love Chimney but WTF show at this casual depiction of violence and essentially making it not a big deal?? after we saw Maddie get beaten by her husband, her boyfriend just punches her brother in the face and everyone acts like this is equal to Buck acting like a dumbass by keeping Maddie's secret? yes he should have told Chimney, but you don't just hit your friend in the face!

like imagine for a second that it had been Hen or May who kept Maddie's secret and ended up punched, would people be that blasé about it?

[Racj82]

18 hours ago, ribboninthesky1 said:

I didn't watch TV show Soul Food.  It seems like the few times I see Vanessa Williams, she's playing some version of her OTT Cosby Show character.

She's plays very grounded characters in Melrose Place during her one season and especially on Soul Food. She played a great wife, mother and sister. Except for Melrose, she tended to be too theatrical I'm her performance early on. I think she's grown a lot since then.

[Racj82]

2 hours ago, KatWay said:

I love Kenneth Choi and thought he did an amazing job this episode, and I normally love Chimney but WTF show at this casual depiction of violence and essentially making it not a big deal?? after we saw Maddie get beaten by her husband, her boyfriend just punches her brother in the face and everyone acts like this is equal to Buck acting like a dumbass by keeping Maddie's secret? yes he should have told Chimney, but you don't just hit your friend in the face!

Buck knows how out if it Chim has been. It was an emotional moment. Buck probably also feels bad about being put in the middle of this. No it wasn't right but a punch in this instance is not unforgivable bout of violence that needs to be reported. You also can't put a woman in place of that punch and expect all involved to have the same reaction. I always believe I'm keeping your hands to yourself. No one punch anyone unless it's in self defense. But, two men are more likely to handle this differently and it's between them. Chim was wrong for punching him. The show didn't say otherwise. For Buck, this is small potatoes compared to everything that's going on.

Edited October 13, 2021 by Racj82

[Moose135]

15 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

I haven't watched every episode, but what happened to the other lady who was the supervisor?

She saw a guy abducting a woman and tried to stop him, he hit her with his car as he escaped. She was in the hospital in serious condition, but survived. I don't remember where it went from there - I don't think she has been back on the show since then.

Edited October 13, 2021 by Moose135

[anna0852]

Just now, Moose135 said:

She saw a guy abducting a woman and tried to stop him, he hit her with his car as he escaped. She was in the hospital in serious condition, but survived. I don't remember where it went from there - I don't think she has been back on the show since then.

Sue's been around. She's not main cast so we don't see her every episode. 

I can't imagine she'd allow Claudette's crap though.

[Moose135]

3 minutes ago, anna0852 said:

Sue's been around. She's not main cast so we don't see her every episode. 

Thanks, I haven't watched at all this season, and didn't remember from last season.

[tvgoddess]

15 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

If Maddie finds out that Chim hit Buck, I won't be shocked if Maddie divorces Chim. 

Maddie and Chim aren't married. But if she does find out, Maddie's personality would very much assume it was her fault or at the very least feel guilty that her situation led to this. I highly doubt she'll be very angry at Chim.

The whole not wearing the uniform struck me as extremely unrealistic. Where in the world can you get away with that IRL?

[KatWay]

53 minutes ago, Racj82 said:

Buck knows how out if it Chim has been. It was an emotional moment. Buck probably also feels bad about being put in the middle of this. No it wasn't right but a punch in this instance is not unforgivable bout of violence that needs to be reported. You also can't put a woman in place of that punch and expect all involved to have the same reaction. I always believe I'm keeping your hands to yourself. No one punch anyone unless it's in self defense. But, two men are more likely to handle this differently and it's between them. Chim was wrong for punching him. The show didn't say otherwise. For Buck, this is small potatoes compared to everything that's going on.

it's normal for two men to work out their differences by one punching the other in the face?? he crossed a line and I HATE how casual male/male violence is portrayed on TV, this show is apparently no exception. How is it any more okay to punch your friend than it is to punch your girlfriend? It's not, and the fact that the show seems to agree they both acted badly and just need to make up after a tiff is concerning.

[candall]

LOTS of sobbing in this episode--four guest parents, Chim, Athena.  Too much.

 

I appreciate that May could address her situation with sugar and not hysterical crying.

P.S.  I would like to have known more about the science teacher and the football kid.

[NJRadioGuy]

So what makes Claudette or whatever her name is all that special? Given that home invasion plus heart attack call she handled, any call-taker or on-air dispatcher on the floor should be able to do precisely what she did every single time. Plus there are scripts that must be read and followed to the letter. I can't speak for L.A., but in most major cities the 9-1-1 call takers (the ones who speak with citizens) hand off the call to radio dispatchers.

Some inside-baseball: In most circumstances you wouldn't find a call taker alternating between the caller and the people in the field. Plus PD, FD, and EMS radio work would be handled by completely separate desks, so a PD dispatcher only has his or her sector's cars at that console, fire is, in many cases, handled by sworn firefighters, etc. They don't operate on the same frequencies and their SOPs are completely different. Unless you're talking about small towns or sparsely-populated counties, PD, FD, and EMS and intake are all separate.

[tvgoddess]

54 minutes ago, candall said:

P.S.  I would like to have known more about the science teacher and the football kid.

Omg, same! Do we even know if the science teacher is okay? And I wanted to see the football kid visiting him at the hospital. Sometimes things should be expanded if it's a good story and this was.

[ribboninthesky1]

6 hours ago, anna0852 said:

Sue's been around. She's not main cast so we don't see her every episode. 

I can't imagine she'd allow Claudette's crap though.

I assumed that was why she was absent.  She loves her some May, so Claudette's attitude would definitely not fly with her.  Their eventual interaction will be interesting.

It's too early for me to call what they do with Claudette - she might die a horrible death, or she and May might be friends.  Or maybe they become friends, then she dies! Never really know with this show. 

Maybe she's there (from a writer's perspective) to give May some steely resolve. 

Also, #justiceforLinda (the other recurring black dispatcher). Claudette threw unnecessary shade towards her too. 

Wasn't the football player mocking the teacher before the accident? There was a lot of interpersonal drama in this episode, but I wasn't moved by his 180.          

[izabella]

On 10/12/2021 at 8:35 AM, EllaWycliffe said:

Steal your coffee in front of coworkers and insult you about your age versus your competence to do the job? With no one correcting her or telling her to settle down? We're talking about an employee who is five years at least away from the job - we never saw her before and yet everyone (except May) totally knows her and loves her? And allows her to treat a reasonably tenured employee (May isn't a new hire, she's been a dispatcher for over a year now) like a piece of garbage? And management immediately dismisses any concern? Its just a matter of time before we discover New Person's fatal flaw.... 

I think we already found her fatal flaw.  She's a bitch who punches down.

[izabella]

On 10/12/2021 at 9:17 AM, Empress1 said:

(That said, Maddie taking $20K is alarming; it indicates that she plans to be gone for a while.)

My guess is it's money for a PPD hospital stay.

[iMonrey]

Quote

it's normal for two men to work out their differences by one punching the other in the face??

On TV it is.

I know, it's a trope. And in the next scene, Buck had the classic "black eye" perfectly applied. And it will be gone by the next time we see him. Even when TV characters get serious beatings they're always fine a few scenes later with no physical after effects. 

[shapeshifter]

27 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

On TV it is.

I know, it's a trope. And in the next scene, Buck had the classic "black eye" perfectly applied. And it will be gone by the next time we see him. Even when TV characters get serious beatings they're always fine a few scenes later with no physical after effects. 

Which really bugs me. One evening in the college library where I was a reference librarian for 18 years, a young male student came in with a black eye and a cavalier attitude about it. In my role as Dispenser of Knowledge, I encouraged him to see an ophthalmologist to check for a detached retina. I like to think I scared him a little bit.

Since this show is largely about people getting hurt or killed doing stupid things or due to unforeseeable events, they really ought to have a black eye that turns into something more serious.

[shapeshifter]

About the new character ragging on May: 
I'm probably wrong, but my go-to explanation was that the New Old Super Black Female Dispatcher is trying to teach May that to grow up to be respected in her field, that, as a Black woman, she is going to have to be at least 3 times better than everyone else, and by the new character's 3rd episode, she and May will be BFFs. IDK. 🤷‍♀️

Edited October 15, 2021 by shapeshifter
a typo