S06.E18: Pay it Forward

[jewel21]

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A series of freeway car accidents leads to a catastrophic overpass collapse that endangers the lives of civilians and members of the 118.

Airdate: 05/15/2023

This is the season finale!

[Snazzy Daisy]

911 | 6x18 Promo "Pay It Forward" (Season Finale)

 

[anna0852]

Loved Buck and Ravi getting it done!

As soon as the guy in the diner said ‘heart of a champion’ I knew who the helpful civilian would turn out to be :-)

And we didn’t end with Buck raising a baby! I called that wrong.

[Crashcourse]

And, once again, Athena is the only police officer in LA to show up at a major disaster. 🙄

I'm glad the Buck as sperm donor issue was resolved, and the couple is raising their son together.  The death doula woman seems nice, and I hope this relationship works out for Buck.  

[DanaK]

Can someone remind me what the story is on the young man who helped Athena?

[Snazzy Daisy]

38 minutes ago, DanaK said:

Can someone remind me what the story is on the young man who helped Athena?

We met Jeff Pickens in S02E02 - a hotel building collapsed during an earthquake.

Jeff was the high school basketball player who was trapped under the building. He was pinned down, 118 team saved him and his leg. The rescue was intense and emotional. After that, Hen was thrown further down into the collapsed hotel, triggering another devastating rescue.  
 

[kwnyc]

5 minutes ago, Snazzy Daisy said:

We met Jeff Pickens in S02E02 - a hotel building collapsed during an earthquake.

 

Thank you! I thought that was who he was, but the glimpse of him in the past was so quick!

And, while I'm glad we get another season, if this HAD been the show finale, it was a good note to end it on: No one was killed, everyone was continuing on their journey, and they had a marriage, a foster-baby, and a much-postponed cruise to look forward to! And Buck and Eddie were at the start of relationships that they will certainly screw up. ;-)

I liked that Ravi was the first guy to get back to the truck, and saved Buck, who called for a headcount, and everyone else kept helping all the others. It was Ted Lasso-like! ;-)

 

[Irlandesa]

This was definitely written as if it were a series finale.  It's not so much that there were no cliffhangers** but they seemed to give everyone a hopeful ending. 

 

**I mark this because I missed the ending with Bobby and Athena.  It cut out as she said she can't believe they're going to be able to get away.  Did they go on a cruise? 

 

 

[possibilities]

43 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

  Did they go on a cruise? 

Yes

[dancingdreamer]

We enjoyed  this episode,  Buck was great. It was wrapped up as a season finale,  but it isn't. 

I like Natalia, I am anxious to see where the relationship  goes. 

[Snazzy Daisy]

Well, this finale is just OK. Everything has been wrapped-up nicely as if it’s the series finale. Bathena finally go on a cruise in their cute floral outfits, cliché. Madney is planning a home wedding. Henren is adopting a new baby because they strive on chaos. Lucy Donato is doing well with Air Support and we get to see her in action.

Jeff (the basketball kid) saving Bobby’s life like Bobby saved his, it’s heartwarming. 🥺

The things that don’t feel right - Buck and Eddie are “forced” to date these strange characters that we barely know just because the show runner and the writers want everyone paired up. So silly. It would be a more satisfying conclusion if towards the end, we see Buck doing the couch shopping with the Diaz boys. Why every couch for Buck needs to come with a girlfriend?

There are also other things that take me out of this episode. The aftermath of what happened to 118 aren’t quite believable. Their not-so-minor injuries heal faster than bullet trains. Are they immortal or something? Buck’s donor baby, that’s the biggest preemie baby I’ve seen on tv. He looks like a healthy 4mo. And now we know why Connor/Kameron have been fighting a lot with Kameron comes running to Buck. Donor daddy needs to deliver his donor baby, dramahhh! 🙄  

Why Ravi doesn’t get to have his own end-of-season moment like the rest of 118??! That’s not fair. 😩 

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by Snazzy Daisy

[preeya]

11 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

And, once again, Athena is the only police officer in LA to show up at a major disaster. 🙄

This ↑ and no other engine companies respond, so they recruit a construction vehicle, that happens to be right in the area, to intercede and save the day.

[Clanstarling]

10 hours ago, kwnyc said:

I liked that Ravi was the first guy to get back to the truck, and saved Buck, who called for a headcount, and everyone else kept helping all the others. It was Ted Lasso-like! ;-)

I liked Ravi running the rescues.

4 hours ago, Snazzy Daisy said:

Why Ravi doesn’t get to have his own end-of-season moment like the rest of 118??! That’s not fair. 😩

I thought so too - but then so far Ravi hasn't really had any trauma/drama to wrap up, has he?

It sure felt like a series finale, and would have been just fine as one.

They must have had a major time jump for Chim to be back at work (his was the worst injury, wasn't it). For a hot minute I thought it was Chim's entrance to heaven story.

I thought it was pretty good all in all. The rescues of their own people were pretty tense.

Though newborn babies are never realistically small on American shows, this newborn preemie was definitely too big. Even if, say, she were only a month early, it was way too big (having had mine that early, they were very considerate - I hear that last month's a b***h).

Edited May 16, 2023 by Clanstarling

[iMonrey]

I thought this was a pretty damned impressive episode, effects-wise anyway. The car crashes and the bridge collapse were pretty spectacular, definitely got an out-loud "Damn!" from me. Or maybe even the F word. The show really pulled this off well.

That said, it wasn't realistic that everyone survived relatively unscathed. Seems like God is trying to tell Chim something with all the rebar injuries. It's hard to believe he wouldn't have bled out. Or that Buck, Eddie and Hen with their own injuries were still trying to rescue others. It's too much like they're super heroes. I kind of wish the show had the guts to off a major character, but I guess it would have been too much of a downer for a season (or possibly series) finale.

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And we didn’t end with Buck raising a baby!

Not yet anyway. We've still got at least another season to go.

[tennisgurl]

I'm glad that we're getting another season, but if this was the series finale, I would be happy with it. All of the characters are in good places, looking towards the future, we got one last big set piece rescue, nobody died, most of the subplots have been wrapped up, it would be a nice note to end on. As a season finale it was also quite good, the big crash was really well done, it looked very real and gritty, even if it pushed suspension of disbelief that everyone would just walk that off. Of course, I can also respect that the show isn't even bothering with overdoing the tension about a main character dying, these guys are obviously immortals, they can survive literally anything. They could fall three hundred miles into a pit of broken glass and walk it off. 

Thanks for the reminder of who the kid was who saved Bobby, I recognized him but had trouble placing where we had seen him before, the heart of a champion bit should have clued me in. That's one of those great 911 scenes that's so cheesy and I love it so much. 

Love that Ravi got shit done and that Buck showed a lot of competence. They spend so much time on Bucks messy personal life and him being a goofus that its nice to be reminded that he's good at his job. I hope that Ravi is around more next season, he's great and seems to live a pretty drama free life, which the crew really needs more of. 

I don't think that Buck needs a constant stream of love interests, but the Death Dulla seems nice, hopefully he wont screw this one up. We don't know much about Eddie's new love interest but she seems nice enough, even if I wish they could find him something better to do.  

What are the odds that the next season starts with Bobby and Athena solving a crime and saving some lives on that cruise ship? 

[possibilities]

Those parents should buy Buck a new couch. 

I did find it funny when the cleaning service declared it hopeless and said: "I'm sorry for your loss" over the couch.

That was probably the fastest labor of all time. 

[nokat]

When Buck was holding the baby and looking at it for a long time, I thought "damn, Buck imprinted." 😆

[kwnyc]

It also occurred to me that if a semi crashing into a support could bring down a highway overpass, the city of Los Angeles needs to do some major infrastructure checking stat!

[Crashcourse]

2 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

What are the odds that the next season starts with Bobby and Athena solving a crime and saving some lives on that cruise ship? 

You got that right!

[threebluestars]

I still think killing off Eddie so Buck raises Christopher is the end game lol.

[perkie1968]

13 hours ago, Snazzy Daisy said:

The aftermath of what happened to 118 aren’t quite believable. Their not-so-minor injuries heal faster than bullet trains. Are they immortal or something?

I got the impression that time had passed by, not that everyone healed overnight.  

 

4 hours ago, kwnyc said:

It also occurred to me that if a semi crashing into a support could bring down a highway overpass, the city of Los Angeles needs to do some major infrastructure checking stat!

That was my first thought as well!!

[yourdreamer]

I spent the entirety of the time from Chim getting back to the firehouse thinking it was his coma or death dream. I continued to think so, as it was too rushed and clean. I get that it was supposed to serve as a possible series finale, but it felt too pat to be realistic. 

[Bulldog]

I thought for certain that the kid who helped save Bobby would be shown applying to become a firefighter before the episode was over. 

[Demian]

On 5/15/2023 at 9:24 PM, Crashcourse said:

And, once again, Athena is the only police officer in LA to show up at a major disaster. 🙄

Hey, I don't know about you, but if 1000% certified badass Angela Bassett showed up at my emergency?  I'd immediately know I was in good hands.

18 hours ago, Snazzy Daisy said:

Buck’s donor baby, that’s the biggest preemie baby I’ve seen on tv.

You aren't watching Yellowjackets, I assume.

18 hours ago, Snazzy Daisy said:

The aftermath of what happened to 118 aren’t quite believable. Their not-so-minor injuries heal faster than bullet trains. Are they immortal or something?

Well, duh, obviously.  They've been surviving stupidly fatal wounds ever since Chim took that rebar through his skull in Season One.  And tonight?  With the broken ribs and concussions and contusions and the face-smashes into shatterproof windshields that actually shattered?  The members of the 118 are obviously The Eternals.

[Xantar]

This show always does season finales as if they are series finales. Honestly I think it’s a good practice. The last thing we would want is the series ending on an unresolved cliffhanger, and it’s not a serialized story like many other shows. One of these days the season finale is going to be the actual finale and everything will work out just fine.

[stonehaven]

All I want before the series finale is an explanation on Chimney's nickname.

Love this show and this episode was so over the top awesome. It's hard to take it seriously. NCIS lets me down with how boring it is right after this show.....

[Lady Calypso]

So, for a finale, it was a fairly decent one. I did really like the finale disaster they did. It was tense and they really went all out on the budget for it. 

That being said, the aftermath of the rescue was what disappointed me. First off, everyone's apparently fine enough to be released the next day? Hen's concussion was nothing, Bobby being pinned ended up nothing more than an injured shoulder, and Chimney's stomach wound just kept him overnight?

Also, the inconsistency with Eddie's cracked ribs being fine enough for him to throw up his arms after Marisol asked him out, but Buck's still visibly injured?

The donor storyline ends with a whimper...or a baby's cry. What a pointless plot that went nowhere, same with Buck's death experience. Neither made Buck a better person; he's still exactly the same, not even with a new couch anymore!

They did wrap things up neatly, though. Athena/Bobby go on their cruise, Hen/Karen foster-to-adopt again, and Maddie/Chimney plan their wedding. And they force Eddie and Buck into relationships for no real reason. 

So, a strong finale that ended in a whimper for me. If I could cut the last 20 minutes out, it would be one of the best finales they did.

[Clanstarling]

19 hours ago, nokat said:

When Buck was holding the baby and looking at it for a long time, I thought "damn, Buck imprinted." 😆

Me too!

12 hours ago, yourdreamer said:

I spent the entirety of the time from Chim getting back to the firehouse thinking it was his coma or death dream. I continued to think so, as it was too rushed and clean. I get that it was supposed to serve as a possible series finale, but it felt too pat to be realistic. 

That's what I thought as well, but at some point I realized it wasn't. Unless they surprise us with the premiere episode next season.

11 hours ago, Bulldog said:

I thought for certain that the kid who helped save Bobby would be shown applying to become a firefighter before the episode was over. 

Maybe he will next season.

[iMonrey]

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I thought for certain that the kid who helped save Bobby would be shown applying to become a firefighter before the episode was over. 

I thought he would turn out to be a ghost. "Where's that kid?" "What kid Athena?" "That kid who helped me save you!" "Athena, there was nobody down there . . . except you and me!"

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Buck’s donor baby, that’s the biggest preemie baby I’ve seen on tv.

You aren't watching Yellowjackets, I assume.

At least that one was a dream.

[MicheleinPhilly]

I'm cool with this being the series finale for me personally. I've always been more drawn to the HUGE rescue set pieces that they typically do in the premiere and the finale and I recognize that economically, they can't have massive disasters every episode. 

I just don't care about anyone's love life or any of the domestic drama which seems to be the primary focus. Unless I come back here next season and someone tells me that ABC re-tooled this and now it is amazing, I'm done. 

Peace out, 9-1-1! 

[MaryHedwig]

On 5/16/2023 at 11:01 AM, nokat said:

When Buck was holding the baby and looking at it for a long time, I thought "damn, Buck imprinted." 😆

I was even looking for a birthmark over the baby's left eye.

[mojoween]

Athena has two kids, running off on a cruise without telling anyone seems like not the best idea.

Love Buck asking the couch guy if there was any ring he could do, and the guy said he could help him take it to the curb.

The doula seems fine, but I really liked Taylor and hate that they (the show runners) fucked that up.

Edited May 18, 2023 by mojoween

[possibilities]

Athena's son is with is father in... where did they go? Haiti, I think. And her daughter is in college.

[yanksno1]

I'm with you guys, this def felt like a Series Finale, not a Season. This show is getting renewed right? Wonder if they were on the bubble. They must of been to go this route.

I thought this episode was done really well. Felt like 2 ep's in 1, but in a good way. Loved seeing Buck take control during the save's. For the most part, all the story's wrapped up pretty nice.

[iMonrey]

1 hour ago, yanksno1 said:

I'm with you guys, this def felt like a Series Finale, not a Season. This show is getting renewed right? Wonder if they were on the bubble. They must of been to go this route.

They were cancelled by Fox but picked up by ABC for next season. So yes they definitely were aware this might be the end of the series when they shot it. I think there were some money issues involved in doing another season that Fox wasn't willing to fork over.

[shapeshifter]

On 5/16/2023 at 12:52 PM, tennisgurl said:

What are the odds that the next season starts with Bobby and Athena solving a crime and saving some lives on that cruise ship? 

Astronomical. 
Hey, maybe the cruise ship will be hit by a meteor shower   
— with a side of food poisoning.

 

On 5/16/2023 at 2:05 PM, kwnyc said:

It also occurred to me that if a semi crashing into a support could bring down a highway overpass, the city of Los Angeles needs to do some major infrastructure checking stat!

I think that’s why the CalTrans guys were already on the scene with the equipment to lift vehicles and stuff. No?

Is it wrong that I was relieved that the driver who fell asleep at the wheel of the big rig that caused the bridge collapse died so we don’t have to wonder about legal implications?
(It’s been a rough season for L&O.) 

Edited May 20, 2023 by shapeshifter

[Clanstarling]

18 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Astronomical. 
Hey, maybe the cruise ship will be hit by a meteor shower   
— with a side of food poisoning.

A meteor shower does indeed fit "astronomical" LOL.

[kwnyc]

Anyone else think of this season finale when a truck ran into an interstate overpass, which then collapsed, in Philly?

[Tdoc72]

On 6/21/2023 at 3:27 PM, kwnyc said:

Anyone else think of this season finale when a truck ran into an interstate overpass, which then collapsed, in Philly?

Yes!!!  I’m just getting caught up; the last 2 episodes have just been sitting on my dvr. But I immediately thought that. I almost quoted your above post from May to mention Philly. 

[Quark]

I've just finished catching up on this show and find it an absolute hoot and a half!

Rare to have a show where I pretty much like all the main characters. And it's nice they are never killed off either.