S05.E11: Outside Looking In

[jewel21]

Quote

Athena and the 118 "speed" to the rescue to save a family whose pick-up truck has been rigged with a pipe bomb which will detonate if the vehicle slows under 55 miles an hour. Eddie has a rough transition into his new job. Hen is reluctant to accept her new partner in Chimney's absence.

Airdate: 03/21/2022

[preeya]

Buck got "bucked"

[Lady Calypso]

Ok, this was a frustrating episode back from its hiatus, mostly because of Buck's storyline. Now, I get it. Buck is impulsive and makes a lot of stupid choices, but the one thing he isn't ever is a cheater. He's loyal to a fault, always has been. This is the guy who took FOREVER to move on from Abby, even when she ghosted him for years. So for him to willingly kiss Lucy the Firefighter back and then lie to Taylor? That goes against his characterization completely. And now this is gonna go on for at least a few episodes because Taylor is moving in with Buck and she will clearly figure it out. Like Hen said, Buck's a terrible liar.

I'm glad for Hen/Buck scenes, though. Even if it's at the expense at Eddie and Chimney being gone. 

That being said, Lucy's not a horrible character, per say, but they introduced her in what might be the worst possible way to introduce her and it's not gonna get me on board with her. Sorry, Lucy, I may know your name but your introduction hasn't endeared me to you, even if you didn't know about Buck's girlfriend. 

I didn't mind the new paramedic too much, but it's also making me miss the regular crew. Like Bobby said, the 118 won't be the same. The 118 that we've grown with has had this special bond and with new characters jumping in, it hasn't felt the same. Maybe that's why season 5 hasn't been too great to watch for me. Too much change, and the bond between the team isn't what it usually is.

Eddie having a hard time adjusting to his new life. I'm glad Bobby basically gave the same type of speech to Eddie that he gave to Buck in season 3. Which is essentially "fix yourself and your issues and then come back." But it looks like it's gonna be a rough 5B for Eddie. He does NOT look well, and even Christopher knows it. 

[anna0852]

Bad Eddie. Bad, bad Eddie. 

Love Buck and Hen bonding. Do not love female Buck. Buck needs to tell Taylor the truth.

Again, bad Eddie.

[Demian]

That whole legs thing in the opening sequence was just...so...disgusting.  Like, so vicariously, violently disgusting, that it gave me hope this show was getting back on the right track.

And then we got a Speed ripoff and fifteen minutes of Birthmark Boy agonizing because he kissed somebody at a bar.  Sigh.

[toodywoody]

I'm sick of Athena going into places by herself. Wait for back up. I swear.

[marceline]

I was just pissed at every character for one reason or another.

Hen for being bitchy to Jonah a.k.a Monday. I am beyond tired of the "let's be mean to the newbie because we miss our friend" bullshit. Grow up. (That said, I expect Jonah to die sometime this season. He's got "9-1-1 Red Shirt" written all over him.)

Athena for once again walking into a dangerous situation without waiting for backup but I guess I should just be glad that she called for backup before going in.

Buck for just being such a dumb...bucker. You cheat then ask Taylor to move in with you? Idiot. You've learned nothing.

Eddie for just being awful all around. The way he threw Bobby's past into his face in Bobby's own home? I hope the next sniper is a better shot.

The only one who didn't bother me was Bobby. I like how after Eddie's visit he was like "Screw this. I'm hiring two new people."

Edited March 22, 2022 by marceline

[Demian]

Quote

(That said, I expect Jacob to die sometime this season. He's got "9-1-1 Red Shirt" written all over him.)

But will he die because a volcanic rock pierces his chest?  Maybe an accidental spear through his head from some asshole rich person out on Catalina?  How?  How will he die?

(We should start a betting pool:  How Will This Tertiary Character on 9-1-1 Die?  All proceeds can go to Ukraine.)

[EllaWycliffe]

Just now, Demian said:

But will he die because a volcanic rock pierces his chest?  Maybe an accidental spear through his head from some asshole rich person out on Catalina?  How?  How will he die?

Dinosaur attack, obviously.  Or aliens. 

[possibilities]

Eddie getting scolded by the affable leader of the Call Center was a surprise. I couldn't decide if it was out of character. I can't remember the boss's name but he never seemed like he was harsh in any situation before, which made me think Eddie has been getting on his nerves for a while and this wasn't the first incident.

Christopher aged a lot during the pandemic, didn't he? 

[stonehaven]

Yeah, the characters annoyed but it was still fun to have the show back. My mom and I call each other during commercial breaks. I usually have to fill her in on what's happening but both of us agree that Athena is ALWAYS going in without back up.

I will say Bobby's comment about "a little Alberta clipper never hurt anyone" made me laugh.  Yep...still Duluth is expecting an ice/snow/rainstorm today.....

[kwnyc]

I swear I miss the commentary here as much as the show!

Eddie is Buck Redux, and I don't care. He landed a cushy gig where he still gets full-time pay and benefits as a social media liaison and does what he wants to do at the 911 call center (apparently not being much of a team player). And after Christopher's meltdown about how he's afraid he'll lose his dad, he's like: okay, you can go back to being a firefighter.

Of course he's still messed up, and like every damn firefighter on the show (and the Texas one) he fights having to sort out his problems in therapy. I'm glad Bobby moved on (but agree that Monday might be a redshirt.)

Since the show has Chimney and Maddie in its season previews, I'm sure Chim will be back with the unit soon.

And yes, Buck's not a cheater. But he's still as dumb as ever. He needs a girlfriend with a 3-digit IQ to make sure he doesn't run around with scissors.

 

[Ailianna]

6 hours ago, possibilities said:

Eddie getting scolded by the affable leader of the Call Center was a surprise. I couldn't decide if it was out of character. I can't remember the boss's name but he never seemed like he was harsh in any situation before, which made me think Eddie has been getting on his nerves for a while and this wasn't the first incident.

Christopher aged a lot during the pandemic, didn't he? 

I don't think Josh (the call center supervisor) was harsh at all. He opened with a compliment, but then firmly reminded Eddie there are rules and it isn't his house. And then moved on. Eddie just thought he was in for a pure hero speech and didn't get it.

[EllaWycliffe]

6 hours ago, possibilities said:

Eddie getting scolded by the affable leader of the Call Center was a surprise. I couldn't decide if it was out of character. I can't remember the boss's name but he never seemed like he was harsh in any situation before, which made me think Eddie has been getting on his nerves for a while and this wasn't the first incident.

It may very well have been the first incident which was why Affable Leader was putting an end to it immediately. Eddie's not a 911 dispatcher, his idea that  there was a trigger under the pedal could EASILY have just been told to the dispatcher.

5 minutes ago, Ailianna said:

I don't think Josh (the call center supervisor) was harsh at all. He opened with a compliment, but then firmly reminded Eddie there are rules and it isn't his house. And then moved on. Eddie just thought he was in for a pure hero speech and didn't get it.

Eddie was actually a little miffed and I kinda disliked him there.

36 minutes ago, kwnyc said:

He landed a cushy gig where he still gets full-time pay and benefits as a social media liaison and does what he wants to do at the 911 call center (apparently not being much of a team player). And after Christopher's meltdown about how he's afraid he'll lose his dad, he's like: okay, you can go back to being a firefighter.

Eddie is a perfectly healthy young guy taking a cushy spot as social media liaison after whining like a bitch how it was too hard being a single dad to a disabled kid in a profession that can get you killed. Instead of just being shown the door - as he is a perfectly healthy young man fully capable of finding work in an office himself - his boss arranges a job where he maintains status as a "firefighter" and all the benefits without any of the risks. But now Eddie is bored and tired of being bored and decides based on a random comment from his no longer acting traumatized child that everything there is *fine* and its time to nearly get killed every other day again. 

I'm ready for Maddie and Chimney to either get off the show or get over themselves. Can't believe either would still have jobs to come back to.

Hen was being silly with Monday but I liked it. Agree that Monday will die soon.

I liked that Bobby or Captain Manpain as I call him, was actually firm with Eddie about figuring his shit out because I suspect the cushy job and not simply being shown the door was Bobby calling in a favor or two.

[iMonrey]

Considering it was a total rip-off of Speed I thought the whole rip-off scene was remarkable well done. So, there's that.

But, a lot of bad. I think Lady Calypso already summarized my frustrations with Buck, Hen, Lucy and Eddie.

Quote

I'm sick of Athena going into places by herself. Wait for back up. I swear.

Well, at least this time she called for backup. She's getting warmer.

[gonzosgirrl]

I already didn't like Eddie much, and if he gets back 'in' with the 118 without apologizing for his supremely shitty jab at Bobby, then I really do hope they kill him off.

Athena going in to dangerous situations alone is getting old, especially when she actually had another cop right there. But yes, let's send him around back just in case. Oy.

Buck. Oh, Buck.

I did think the Speed 'homage' was pretty well done.

[DearEvette]

I actually liked this episode quite a bit.

Yeah, the biggest problem is Buck and Hen were acting a bit out of character.  Hen was just being mean and taking out her issues with Chim on the new guy and she isn't like that normally.  I thought new guy Jonah? was actually quite reasonable with his interactions with her.  He didn't come on too strong (the way they try to with some characters), he understood where she was coming from, he said his piece in such a way that he sounded sincere  I liked him quite a bit and would be bummed if they killed him off, poor thing.  But if the actor who plays Chim doesn't come back then I wouldn't mind him as a regular.

Ditto with the Female Buck.  She was so very female buck and did have an over-the-top intro but I liked the Speed homage and thought she wasn't too grating.  Also, I actually really like the actress from Midnight, Texas (pour one out for a guilty pleasure /too early cancellation) and unlike Rhonda Rousey who they tried this sort of intro with, this actress can actually act. But yeah, Buck kissing her was not Buck 2.0 behavior.

I know why they did what they did with Buck & Hen and the new people -- to create a sort of meshing conflict but still, they could still showcase the discomfort with meshing your old habits with new people without making Buck a cheater and Hen super rude.

I also liked the sheer mundanity of Bobby dealing with personnel problems and Athena pep talking him through it.

Eddie feels superfluous at this point.  Hate to say, but I would not miss him if he left.

RE: Athena & backup -- she already had back up with her when she started toward the house and she called for even more.  There were two officers with her as they were dealing with the neighbors outside.  When she went into the house, she ordered the neighbors to get into their homes and the other two officers drew guns and started toward the house with her.  One went to the back of the house, one went to the side and she went in the front.  So not as terrible as before when she was completely alone on the scene.

[Snazzy Daisy]

Do the writers forget about the characters that they have developed? Buck is not a cheater, took him a very long time to move on from Abby. Am not a fan of Taylor but Taylor doesn't deserve this, so does Buck. 🤦🏻‍♀️

It's striking how the new male and the new female characters are being introduced. With Jonah, they make him passionate about his job and relatable. While Lucy is being introduced in a cliché way - badass and flirty (in a bar) with the first guy she met during a rescue. This doesn't make sense because most women who work in male dominant fields will choose not to behave this way, they want to be taken seriously. So, how TPTB is going to redeem Lucy after the bad introduction?

I don't really care about moody Eddie, his latest arc is so boring.

And am so tired of Athena playing superhero. Ugh.

Bring back Chimney & Jee Yun, miss them both! 

Edited March 22, 2022 by SnazzyDaisy

[Lady Calypso]

35 minutes ago, SnazzyDaisy said:

It's striking how the new male and the new female characters are being introduced. With Jonah, they make him passionate about his job and relatable. While Lucy is being introduced in a cliché way - badass and flirty (in a bar) with the first guy she met during a rescue. This doesn't make sense because most women who work in male dominant fields will choose not to behave this way, they want to be taken seriously. So, how TPTB is going to redeem Lucy after the bad introduction?

This is definitely what bothers me the most. We already have had very questionable storylines with the other female firefighter Lena. Why is it that the only other straight female firefighter we get, she has to hit all the cliches? Why does she have to propel Buck's storyline forward instead of letting us get to know her as a character first? Why couldn't they have started out as friends and not jumped straight into kissing and cheating? Jonah DID get his own plot, his own feelings, his own backstory. But Lucy? She gets to be a plot device for Buck's story. 

If this is all for Buck to figure out his relationship with Taylor isn't working, as I suspect it is, why couldn't have Lucy helped Buck figure that out without the cheating and the flirting? And now it's gonna be ten times worse because Taylor is living with Buck, so when Buck or Taylor break things off, Taylor will have nowhere to go. 

This plot doesn't just reflect badly on Buck (who is 100% the bad guy for asking Taylor to move in while knowing he has feelings for another woman), but Lucy as well, if she continues flirting with Buck or starts to act jealous when she inevitably meets Taylor. It's just bad for Lucy's introduction. It's gonna be very difficult to like her after this, not because of her actions this episode (she didn't know) but because she's now entangled in this stupid plot that will be dragged out for a few episodes.

I'm not a Taylor fan either, but I feel so bad for her. She's getting screwed over and she doesn't realize it yet. Regardless of Taylor as a character, she's not so bad where she deserves to be cheated on and temporarily homeless once her relationship with Buck ends. 

[mojito]

For those who missed it: Athena and two other cops. All have their hands on the gun. The first cop is going around back, looking out for trip wires in the process. 

I saw "Speed". Didn't make the connection. To be honest, I don't even remember anything about "Speed" besides a runaway bus, Keanu Reeves, and Sandra Bullock. I liked this scene, though.

Didn't all Buck do was kiss the woman? What's the big deal? Don't do it again, shut up about it, and move on. 🤫

[Irlandesa]

47 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

This plot doesn't just reflect badly on Buck (who is 100% the bad guy for asking Taylor to move in while knowing he has feelings for another woman)

Does he have feelings for another woman?  Or did he get very very drunk and responded when a hot woman kissed him?  The only reason Hen advised Buck not to tell Taylor is because he's a terrible liar.  And asking Taylor to move in with him is an example of that.  He panicked.  Asking her to live with him is out of that guilt and panic.  That's more of a mistake than this kiss, IMO.

But otherwise, I agree with everything you said.  She only got to be a character in the shadow of Buck.  She's the "female Buck" and now a thorn in his side as a threat to her current relationship.

[Lady Calypso]

18 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

Does he have feelings for another woman?  Or did he get very very drunk and responded when a hot woman kissed him?  The only reason Hen advised Buck not to tell Taylor is because he's a terrible liar.  And asking Taylor to move in with him is an example of that.  He panicked.  Asking her to live with him is out of that guilt and panic.  That's more of a mistake than this kiss, IMO.

I think he heavily implied it when he told Hen he kissed her back, but that was just my reading. Plus, he was staring at her a lot at the bar and I feel like there had been some flirting going on. But you're right, it may not really be feelings for her, but I do think there's an issue if this continues the way that I think it will.

[Irlandesa]

9 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

But you're right, it may not really be feelings for her, but I do think there's an issue if this continues the way that I think it will.

Yeah. I don't trust this show to have things be "a spade is just a spade."

[auntiemel]

13 hours ago, possibilities said:

Eddie getting scolded by the affable leader of the Call Center was a surprise. I couldn't decide if it was out of character. I can't remember the boss's name but he never seemed like he was harsh in any situation before, which made me think Eddie has been getting on his nerves for a while and this wasn't the first incident.

I think that's the kind of thing he would HAVE to nip in the bud, though. Jobs like 9-1-1 dispatcher, where they deal with life and death situations and are vulnerable to litigation, generally have extremely strict guidelines they have to abide by, and I would imagine that one of them is that no one who has not been through the proper training protocols is EVER allowed to be on the phones. In fact, because this happened, I'm sure Josh had a ton of paperwork to fill out to document the incident - what happened, why it happened, and the steps taken for it not to happen again. Leaving it unaddressed wouldn't even have been an option for someone in Josh's position.

7 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Well, at least this time she called for backup. She's getting warmer.

That made me laugh. :D

53 minutes ago, mojito said:

Didn't all Buck do was kiss the woman? What's the big deal? Don't do it again, shut up about it, and move on. 🤫

That was my thought. Unless he plans to make a habit of it, just move on and make it a point to NEVER go out drinking with Lucy again.

[shapeshifter]

Wasn't there another show that had a plot with one half of a couple cheating on the other and then, instead of "clearing the air," either asked their lover to move in with them, or maybe even marry them?

If Bobby hadn't decided to hire someone right away without further consideration of "chemistry," he would have found out that his new hire is into casual sexual liaisons with fellow firefighters, which I think is a potential bomb waiting to explode.

3 hours ago, SnazzyDaisy said:

This doesn't make sense because most women who work in male dominant fields will choose not to behave this way, they want to be taken seriously. So, how TPTB is going to redeem Lucy after the bad introduction?

And this!👆
There are a lot of reasons I never hooked up with any coworkers, but a big one is that I've never seen it end well, and can definitely derail future career paths.

 

[Ailianna]

I don't think Buck "has feelings" for Lucy. I think it's a natural reaction to the adrenalin and excitement of the call mixed with alcohol and the sexual desire that often accompanies a death defying experience. Not a good choice, but not "feelings" either!

[possibilities]

I didn't realize Eddie wasn't a 911 operator. I somehow missed or forgot the part about him just being there as media liaison and thought that in the months that have elapsed, he'd done the training. That said, it's not that I thought Josh was out of line to discipline him. It was that I was surprised about it, because we've seen a lot of instances of other 911 operators jumping in on other operator calls, both on this show and the spin-off, and nobody getting in trouble for it, even when it seemed to me that it was obnoxious and inappropriate, like with the one who was bullying May (but also in less obnoxious ways; recently someone offered his input on a call Grace took on Lone Star).

But if Eddie's not actually another operator, that makes it reeeeeally out of line, way more than another operator offering help or ideas on a tough call.

 

[bilgistic]

On 3/21/2022 at 9:31 PM, Lady Calypso said:

I didn't mind the new paramedic too much, but it's also making me miss the regular crew.

I called him a "cardboard cutout."

I still can't stand Eddie.

[HerkyJerky]

11 hours ago, DearEvette said:

Also, I actually really like the actress from Midnight, Texas (pour one out for a guilty pleasure /too early cancellation)

I remember her from "John Tucker Must Die" 15 years ago!

[WinJet0819]

On 3/21/2022 at 8:31 PM, Lady Calypso said:

Ok, this was a frustrating episode back from its hiatus, mostly because of Buck's storyline. Now, I get it. Buck is impulsive and makes a lot of stupid choices, but the one thing he isn't ever is a cheater. He's loyal to a fault, always has been. This is the guy who took FOREVER to move on from Abby, even when she ghosted him for years. So for him to willingly kiss Lucy the Firefighter back and then lie to Taylor? That goes against his characterization completely. And now this is gonna go on for at least a few episodes because Taylor is moving in with Buck and she will clearly figure it out. Like Hen said, Buck's a terrible liar.

I'm glad for Hen/Buck scenes, though. Even if it's at the expense at Eddie and Chimney being gone. 

That being said, Lucy's not a horrible character, per say, but they introduced her in what might be the worst possible way to introduce her and it's not gonna get me on board with her. Sorry, Lucy, I may know your name but your introduction hasn't endeared me to you, even if you didn't know about Buck's girlfriend. 

Could not agree more. I really do not get the purpose of this whole storyline, when it's the exact opposite of what Buck would do. This is the same Buck that told Eddie he has to tell Ana it's over instead of dragging it out, as it will cause more pain. But now, he's going to turn around and do the same thing to Taylor? Makes no sense.

And I really can't get onboard with the new character, Lucy, after this. Totally agree that this was the absolute worst possible way to introduce her. Once again, it's another single woman added to a team/house/squad, who sparks chemistry with a male member of that team/house/squad which leads to (possible) romantic tension. This trope has been run into the ground on numerous shows. And it's only a matter of time before the only reason for Lucy existing is for her relationship with Buck. It was so refreshing how this show didn't drag inter-unit romantic tension into the episodes. Now, there will be no way to avoid it.

Edited March 24, 2022 by WinJet0819

[jabRI]

8 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I still can't stand Eddie.

My problem I think is the actor. I mean they've thrown everything at him, wife who abandonded her kid only to show up and then die, a disabled son he's raising (fantastically) alone, panic attacks, getting shot, etc... yet everytime I see him on screen I have to remind myself who he is.  It's like his character is a blank slate, and all these things just happen to him.

 

As for Lucy, I dont like her to start out either.  Transfers and job offers like this take time: vetting, interviews, paperwork. There's no way she was out drinking with the captain the night before and showed up at the station the next morning.  So she must have have known she was going to 51, so why try to hook up with a random person from the house the night before?  It's not a sexist comment, if she was a man I'd be saying the same thing.

[Lady Calypso]

1 hour ago, jabRI said:

As for Lucy, I dont like her to start out either.  Transfers and job offers like this take time: vetting, interviews, paperwork. There's no way she was out drinking with the captain the night before and showed up at the station the next morning.  So she must have have known she was going to 51, so why try to hook up with a random person from the house the night before?  It's not a sexist comment, if she was a man I'd be saying the same thing.

I think a couple of days had passed since that night to the end of the episode. But I think it's also just TV writing where everything magically happens immediately. Bobby also hired Jonah rather quickly, which also would have taken at least a couple of days. 

So no, she wouldn't have known she was going to that station because we know that Bobby put off finding a replacement until midway through the episode. Actually, I think it WAS the night of the Speed case where he finally decided to seriously look through applicants. Now, the question is more if Lucy had applied for that fire station or if Bobby had to go and ask her if she wanted a transfer. I don't recall that being mentioned. 

It's just annoying because, set aside the Buck stuff, and Lucy's scenes weren't bad. The actress is great and I wish she wasn't stuck in some awful plot like this one. Again, her introduction is not endearing her to the audience in any way because she will be known for a while as the woman who Buck cheated with. And I'm all for a new female firefighter; this show hasn't had nearly enough of them and I'm all for a new addition, even though they should also be developing Ravi more than they have. And having Lucy means that they could potentially explore a woman in a male dominated field. I know other firefighter shows have done the same plot, but I was hoping this show would showcase it in a different light.

But then they decided to go full steam ahead on old cliches and have Lucy flirt with and kiss Buck and propel HIS story, rather than having her be her own character. 

The fact that we know way more about Jonah than we do about Lucy speaks volumes to me. It's just real damn annoying.

[izabella]

5 hours ago, WinJet0819 said:

And it's only a matter of time before the only reason for Lucy existing is for her relationship with Buck.

I think that time is already here.  Is there any other purpose to her character?

[circumvent]

On 3/21/2022 at 9:57 PM, toodywoody said:

I'm sick of Athena going into places by herself. Wait for back up. I swear.

I am sorry but you are going to be sick every time. After she literally walked through fire, there is not much else she cannot do, and do by herself This time she used her whatever sense to know exactly where the guy was behind a bunch of boxes. I don't know, maybe she will end up in one of those super heroes shows.

Dear writers, Speed without Keanu is just a foot chase. 

[WinJet0819]

14 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

It's just annoying because, set aside the Buck stuff, and Lucy's scenes weren't bad. The actress is great and I wish she wasn't stuck in some awful plot like this one. Again, her introduction is not endearing her to the audience in any way because she will be known for a while as the woman who Buck cheated with. And I'm all for a new female firefighter; this show hasn't had nearly enough of them and I'm all for a new addition, even though they should also be developing Ravi more than they have. And having Lucy means that they could potentially explore a woman in a male dominated field. I know other firefighter shows have done the same plot, but I was hoping this show would showcase it in a different light.

But then they decided to go full steam ahead on old cliches and have Lucy flirt with and kiss Buck and propel HIS story, rather than having her be her own character. 

The fact that we know way more about Jonah than we do about Lucy speaks volumes to me. It's just real damn annoying.

To me, it's a disservice to all the females that actually work in these male-dominated fields. There are plenty of women that hold their own, as firefighters, police officers, and paramedics. But that never gets portrayed on TV. Instead of them exploring just normal character struggles like we see with their male counterparts, they almost always seem to only exist to be a romantic interest. And then there's always this push to ship them with male character they work with. It is so damn tired. The exception is Hen, as she is married and has a family. She's also a lesbian so we don't have to worry about a romantic relationship with a male co-worker.

For once, why not just introduce a female character who is already in a relationship or married into a male-dominated environment, and give her actual non-romantic storylines. And if there are any romantic storylines, it's with her BF or husband, instead of an inner-house/inner-unit relationship.

Edited March 24, 2022 by WinJet0819

[EllaWycliffe]

7 hours ago, circumvent said:

I don't know, maybe she will end up in one of those super heroes shows.

She kinda already has if you count her role as Marie Laveau in AHS

3 hours ago, WinJet0819 said:

For once, why not just introduce a female character who is already in a relationship or married into a male-dominated environment, and give her actual non-romantic storylines. And if there are any romantic storylines, it's with her BF or husband, instead of an inner-house/inner-unit relationship.

Like Athena the first season. 

3 hours ago, WinJet0819 said:

nstead of them exploring just normal character struggles like we see with their male counterparts, they almost always seem to only exist to be a romantic interest. And then there's always this push to ship them with male character they work with. It is so damn tired. The exception is Hen, as she is married and has a family. She's also a lesbian so we don't have to worry about a romantic relationship with a male co-worker.

I agree - but I would add that while I love Hen, I dislike that Hen is a tradition somewhat butch lesbian playing in the boys world. In the real world, the traditionally pretty girl like Lucy is as often a lesbian as the mannish looking woman like Hen. Its not just 911 that does this. 

[kwnyc]

14 hours ago, WinJet0819 said:

For once, why not just introduce a female character who is already in a relationship or married into a male-dominated environment, and give her actual non-romantic storylines. And if there are any romantic storylines, it's with her BF or husband, instead of an inner-house/inner-unit relationship.

HEAR, HEAR! Back in the olden days, some people were HIGHLY suspicious of Cagney & Lacey because it was two women cops solving crimes. One of them was happily married (to a construction worker), with kids, and it was fine with all of them. OTOH, on Third Watch, Molly Price's character was a great cop whose husband (a construction worker) eventually left her because, I guess, her saw her as having more power than he did.

[juliet73]

On 3/22/2022 at 6:00 PM, shapeshifter said:

This doesn't make sense because most women who work in male dominant fields will choose not to behave this way, they want to be taken seriously. So, how TPTB is going to redeem Lucy after the bad introduction?

This!!  Even if Lucy thought she was going to be a temp at the 118, word of her reputation would get around fast so she wouldn't act like that IRL.  

I like Eddie as a supporting/background character.  However, when he's involved in a main plotline, he always comes across as such a douche.  

I like the new paramedic and I hope he doesn't get killed off.  I miss Chimney but if JLH never came back, I'm willing to take the loss of Chimney.  I'm surprised at Hen's attitude towards the new paramedic considering how she was treated when she first started (Hen Begins).

Buck and Taylor really don't have any chemistry, IMO so if I'd be fine if they broke up.  

Totally off topic, but whoever laid the black floor tile in Athena's house did a terrible job!

 

 

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, juliet73 said:

This!!  Even if Lucy thought she was going to be a temp at the 118, word of her reputation would get around fast so she wouldn't act like that IRL. 

That👆 was my thought/comment too, but now I'm wondering if the writers had Lucy seduce Buck as a setup to Lucy having "dirt" on Buck so he won't say anything to get her fired? Maybe that's her MO? Sleep with everyone so no one can ever go to HR about her? Doesn't sound very practical (someone's not going to go for it) but then that would explain why she was looking for a new job anyway?

[mostlylurking]

On 3/21/2022 at 8:58 PM, marceline said:

Athena for once again walking into a dangerous situation without waiting for backup but I guess I should just be glad that she called for backup before going in.

She’s learned nothing!

On 3/21/2022 at 8:58 PM, marceline said:

Eddie for just being awful all around. The way he threw Bobby's past into his face in Bobby's own home? I hope the next sniper is a better shot.

I found nothing wrong with that. I know we’ve been over this many times on this board but I’m sorry Bobby never paid for what he did he literally killed a shit ton of people and even though he’s been able to pick up the pieces of his life he should never be in a position where he has to judge anyone else.  Bobby has moved past that time of his life and I commend him for turning his life around but I can never forget this horrible backstory. 

 

2 hours ago, juliet73 said:

Totally off topic, but whoever laid the black floor tile in Athena's house did a terrible job!

I actually think that whole house is hideous. All that wood paneling hurts my eyes!

[possibilities]

Station 19 has female firefighters who are not there just to serve as love interests. 

911: Lone Star has Marjan, who is a female firefighter who also defies the stereotype.

I really like Athena, and while I agree it's crazy that she keeps going in without back up, I can't think of a show with a male who does that and it's not thought to make him brave and heroic, rather than crazy. 

I am hoping they swerve on the Lucy characterization. She didn't know about his GF, presumably, and she's definitely competent at her job. So if they pivot from the trope and just make her hot and also a firefighter, like many other characters, and do not resort to the usual slut shaming and other UST tropes, I'm all for it.

Edited March 24, 2022 by possibilities

[Crashcourse]

3 hours ago, mostlylurking said:

I found nothing wrong with that. I know we’ve been over this many times on this board but I’m sorry Bobby never paid for what he did he literally killed a shit ton of people and even though he’s been able to pick up the pieces of his life he should never be in a position where he has to judge anyone else.  Bobby has moved past that time of his life and I commend him for turning his life around but I can never forget this horrible backstory. 

I know he's truly sorry for what he did, but he should have served some prison time.  I still can't stand to look at him.

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, possibilities said:

I am hoping they swerve on the Lucy characterization. She didn't know about his GF, presumably, and she's definitely competent at her job. So if they pivot from the trope and just make her hot and also a firefighter, like many other characters, and do not resort to the usual slut shaming and other UST tropes, I'm all for it.

Would I come on to a guy in a bar who worked at a place where I had applied to work? I think not. But then I haven't dated in over 30 years.
Maybe someone with recent experience can speak to this scenario.

[CoderLady]

Re Bobby: I know it's not as satisfying an atonement as public execution or a sentence of life in prison, but from 9-1-1 Wiki:

Because of donating his blood during the blood drive Chimney organized, he finds out that he has a rare type of blood that has the ability to cure rhesus disease. He views this as a God's punishment because he is now obligated to stay alive and donate his blood for the rest of his life. However, Chimney helps him realize that it's not a curse, but rather a blessing that he is able to help out so many babies.

[shapeshifter]

3 minutes ago, CoderLady said:

Re Bobby: I know it's not as satisfying an atonement as public execution or a sentence of life in prison, but from 9-1-1 Wiki:

Because of donating his blood during the blood drive Chimney organized, he finds out that he has a rare type of blood that has the ability to cure rhesus disease. He views this as a God's punishment because he is now obligated to stay alive and donate his blood for the rest of his life. However, Chimney helps him realize that it's not a curse, but rather a blessing that he is able to help out so many babies.

Hrmph.
I'd rather they had it turn out the fire was just a false memory/nightmare of Bobby's before he had a brain tumor removed.
They could still have him donating his rare blood because he was still plagued with memories of the false memory.

[Crashcourse]

15 minutes ago, CoderLady said:

Re Bobby: I know it's not as satisfying an atonement as public execution or a sentence of life in prison, but from 9-1-1 Wiki:

Because of donating his blood during the blood drive Chimney organized, he finds out that he has a rare type of blood that has the ability to cure rhesus disease. He views this as a God's punishment because he is now obligated to stay alive and donate his blood for the rest of his life. However, Chimney helps him realize that it's not a curse, but rather a blessing that he is able to help out so many babies.

Yes, I remember that.  How lucky for him to have a rare type of blood. 🙄

He could've stayed alive and donated the blood from prison.

[WinJet0819]

2 hours ago, possibilities said:

Station 19 has female firefighters who are not there just to serve as love interests. 

911: Lone Star has Marjan, who is a female firefighter who also defies the stereotype.

I really like Athena, and while I agree it's crazy that she keeps going in without back up, I can't think of a show with a male who does that and it's not thought to make him brave and heroic, rather than crazy. 

I am hoping they swerve on the Lucy characterization. She didn't know about his GF, presumably, and she's definitely competent at her job. So if they pivot from the trope and just make her hot and also a firefighter, like many other characters, and do not resort to the usual slut shaming and other UST tropes, I'm all for it.

In the case of 911: Lonestar, this franchise doesn't have a history of adding females simply to exist for a relationship (until now). So it's not a shock that Marjan was added just to be a firefighter (though her storylines have really dried up with all the focus given to Owen). Athena was married with kids in the first season. When Tommy's character was introduced last season, she was married with kids.

In the case of others, though:

How was Andy first introduced in the series premiere of Station 19? Hooking up with her then fiancé Jack, who worked at the same house. And now she's married to another firefighter she works with in Sullivan. Vic was in a relationship with a fire chief. And now, she's in another relationship with another firefighter who conveniently got transferred to her house. Maya is the only one who has a relationship with somebody outside of the house. Though, even she hooked up with Jack in the past. And lest we forget all the in-house sex scenes, which is a trademark of Shondaland. And we've also seen the relationship drama drag through a majority of episodes.

And on Chicago Fire, we've seen the degradation of the Stella Kidd character who went from being a competent firefighter who was one of the guys into willing to forgo her Lieutentant's exam because her Lieutenant boyfriend was giving her the silent treatment.

And these are just the shows with firefighters.

As others have said, the way Lucy has been introduced already paints her in a bad light. If they had just kept it about her being a firefighter who's unafraid to take risks, as we saw in her actions to help save the family, we could have warmed to her. But then they have her flirt with Buck, who is part of a firehouse that she applied to transfer to, and now she's going to be part of this relationship drama. It's a bad look. Maybe Buck puts the kibosh on this in the next episode, but it looks more and more like this will be dragged out for an extended period until either Buck man's up and comes clean with Taylor, or it blows up in his face when Taylor finds out anyway.

[DearEvette]

I didn't find Lucy's introduction that bad of a look, tbh.  She came onto a co-worker in a different house that she worked for.  Compared to what a wild child Buck was when we first introduced to him that is rather mild.  He used the fire truck to impress a woman and later had sex with someone he rescued on the roof the fire house and all this was in the pilot episode. 

[CoyoteBlue]

5 hours ago, mostlylurking said:

I found nothing wrong with that. I know we’ve been over this many times on this board but I’m sorry Bobby never paid for what he did he literally killed a shit ton of people and even though he’s been able to pick up the pieces of his life he should never be in a position where he has to judge anyone else.  Bobby has moved past that time of his life and I commend him for turning his life around but I can never forget this horrible backstory. 

Did he actually kill them though? The apartment building was a fire code death trap with non-functioning sprinklers. Anyone could have knocked over a candle or left a space heater on and had the same results.

[mostlylurking]

29 minutes ago, CoyoteBlue said:

Did he actually kill them though? The apartment building was a fire code death trap with non-functioning sprinklers. Anyone could have knocked over a candle or left a space heater on and had the same results.

Yeah, I think he actually killed them. Because he was drunk/high and passed out and had no idea the fire had started. Plus if I’m remembering correctly he was in a vacant apartment when it happened which is where he went to do his drinking/drugging (can’t remember which). 

I know this has been debated a ton but I just feel this wasn’t just an innocent accident. Lots of factors were in play, including all the building violations. But I always liken it to getting in a car accident with a drunk driver. It’s an accident, but one of the parties made the decision to drive drunk. So they aren’t blameless.

If they were going to go that route with Bobby I wish it had been a house fire and only his family were the casualties. The fact that he killed basically an entire building full of people it’s just too much.