S07.E01: Abandon ‘Ships

[DanaK]

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THURSDAY, MARCH 14

8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT - 9-1-1: "Abandon 'Ships" (701) (Season Premiere)

Athena and Bobby set off on their honeymoon cruise, but when duty calls, their vacation is put on hold. Meanwhile, a fighter jet traps a civilian, and an unusual incident leaves a couple stuck together. 

 

[Chaos Theory]

So the episode is about when to keep a relationship alive and when to let it die?

Lola and Norman…I love when the show brings back past characters.  
 

Athena coming up with a mystery just to avoid being alone with Bobby.     Actually that would be a fun 12 episode mystery on Netflix.  

Just saying.
 

now that the terrorists have arrived Athena and Bobby will have something to talk about.

[Jillybean]

This was a very meh episode, aside from Amgela Bassett getting another outlet to vent about not winning Best Supporting Actress.

[MrsDixon2U]

Athena & Bobby are my favorite couple. I hate they had Athena act like an asshole towards Bobby. Come on now she doesn't want to be alone with him on their long awaited honeymoon? For real show this what you do? This is totally out character for her and it is insulting to watch him reduced to chasing after her like he's her sidekick. They are equal partners in this relationship; please stop portraying Bobby as a simp and Athena as some wishy washy harpy who can't be bothered to spend alone time with her husband.

 

[possibilities]

They always seemed to love being alone together. I remember the empty nest sexcapades, and they've always seemed to be an enthusiastic team. And Athena has always been direct and not a BS artist. They could have been shown to be having a great time, and still worked in a mystery and a disaster if that's what they wanted. 

I liked the episode except for making Athena suddenly have intimacy panic, which was totally out of character and not fun to watch.

Edited March 15 by possibilities

[Aliconehead]

The first emergency was difficult because this happened here in San Diego, a marine pilot ejected from a plane which then hit a house and killed a woman, her two daughters and her mother. The government had to pay $18 million to the husband. But it was horrible

[dancingdreamer]

Not a bad episode,  I guess were about to see how modern day pirates act

[Irlandesa]

There were things I liked about it and things I didn't.  I think it would have been more interesting if Athena started having a bit of panic about being cooped up after she got on the ship instead of being cooped up with Bobby.  I'm sure she wouldn't be the first to think a cruise sounds like a good idea only to feel a bit cooped up by the fact that you can only go so far. 

I feel like we've seen something similar with Christopher related to his mother before so that felt like a retread even if I liked his scenes with Buck and Oliver. 

But I did like the relationship theme of the rescues. 

[Lady Calypso]

It does feel like this plot of Athena hiding from Bobby because of her insecurities about the stability of their relationship without danger or drama is coming two seasons too late. This feels like a plot that should have been earlier on in their marriage, not four years in. Especially given the fact that it's not like every day is non-stop danger and drama. They have days off. I presume they have days where they can just hang out and chill. I get they both have very stressful jobs and, in hindsight, I get what they mean (take away the days of their jobs, have them on vacation for a couple of weeks and now it's just them being themselves), but it still didn't quite work because of the extremes Athena went to.

Plus, Athena was being very obvious so of course Bobby would figure it out.

And they also completely undermined Athena's issue BY introducing the maximum amount of drama and danger. So what, is Athena going to come to the conclusion that their lives are filled with danger and drama and that's all good for them? 

I did like the Buck/Eddie/Christopher stuff. Christopher being a player is really great and the reasoning for it makes so much sense. I didn't even hate the Shannon cameo because clearly, Christopher has unresolved issues with his mother. I really like how Eddie handled that.

Also, yay to Buck and Natalia breaking up! Boo to Eddie and Marisol being together still. 

I did like the Chimney/Maddie plot. I think they did a good job at establishing the true problem and solving it, for the most part.

The cruise stuff was decent, I enjoyed seeing Lola and Norman again, but I think the kidnapper stuff was a bit too much. But will I enjoy it? For sure, yes. It'll be fun mindless drama.

[Quark]

I've missed this show. This episode was suitably insane.

[tennisgurl]

When I saw a preview for this episode I honestly laughed about how the show was running out of disasters to throw at our heroes during season premiers so they had to take to the sea to do a Poseidon Adventure, and then it turns out Athena and I are on the same page! And of course there ship cant just be capsizing in the middle of a massive storm, they're also going to get attacked by thieves/terrorists right before the storm hits! The real reason Athena should be anxious about traveling shouldn't be her relationship with Bobby or even her being traumatized by 70s disaster movies, it should be the fact that these people cant do anything without some sort of disaster happening!

I don't really buy Athena being worried about being alone with Bobby after so many years, and even less that she's being weird about it instead of being upfront, but I do completely buy her letting their honeymoon be derailed by solving a mystery. 

It was fun seeing Lola and Norman again, I'm glad that they're doing well but unfortunately they've been dragged into the two parter which is always dangerous for a reoccurring character. 

Its so funny to me that we can cut from normal domestic stuff with Chim/Maddie and Buck/Eddie/Christopher to Athena and Bobby fighting terrorism on a cruise ship, its such amazing tonal whiplash. I quite liked both plots, the stories all tied together nicely and I like what they did with Christopher and his lingering issues with his son, even beyond her dying. That really is a lot to unpack, especially for a kid, its rough for someone you loved but had a complicated relationship with to die before you can resolve your issues with them.

Nice to have this show back. 

[possibilities]

I was relieved they had Christopher think people would leave because of his mom, and not because of his disability.

I thought Buck did a really good job in that conversation, asking questions instead of lecturing.

But I also think that at that age, it really ought to be okay to date non-exclusively.

[anna0852]

18 minutes ago, possibilities said:

I was relieved they had Christopher think people would leave because of his mom, and not because of his disability.

Spoiler

 

I think they’ve done a really good job with the Christopher character of not making his CP central part of his character. Yes, he will deal with cerebral palsy his entire life, but almost every plotline we have related to him do with it.

[Snazzy Daisy]

Things that I love about this episode:

• The right balance between cruise disaster waiting to happen, the usual 911 rescues and personal dilemmas.
• The return of Josh, Sue and ghost Shannon too.
• Casual Bobby seeing through all Athena’s BS.
• Athena offhandedly mentions a “major motion picture” and Shelley Winters not winning an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress to her therapist. Oooh, the shade is immortalized.
• Buck and Eddie gossiping about Christopher while working. The co-parenting continues. 
• Buck breaking-up with Natalia the death doula. “That’s all she ever wanted to talk about. Death, death, death.”
• Eddie’s jello tactic in turning a woman off so quickly. A hidden talent that comes in handy during the rescue. I have the same facial reaction as Buck does. 😂
• Shannon reading her letter to Christopher, in spirit. 😭
• Chimney’s calcifying prevention spreadsheet to kickoff Madney’s forever dating lifestyle. Bathena may find it useful too.

 

My favorite line comes from Josh: 

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“Did you find there was calcification occurring?”

😂😂😂

 

Things that I don’t like:

• Athena being an asshole to Bobby during their honeymoon. Why do you have to ruin everything, Athena? He put in efforts to plan this trip.
• The zero chemistry relationship between Eddie and Marisol.
• No sight of the cuties - Jee Yun and Ravi. 

 

I have some Qs though. Is Lola sleeping with the cruise director? If he’s collaborating with the attackers, is it possible that Lola fakes her own kidnapping?

Overall, am satisfied with this S07 premiere. I hope the return of Tim Minear will undo some of the damages done by the previous showrunner.

[possibilities]

1 hour ago, Snazzy Daisy said:

I hope the return of Tim Minear will undo some of the damages done by the previous showrunner.

Oooooh... sounds like you have some juicy gossip I hadn't heard....

[Snazzy Daisy]

1 hour ago, possibilities said:

Oooooh... sounds like you have some juicy gossip I hadn't heard....

No tea, just pure speculation. There must be very good strategic reasons for his return…😉

[CoyoteBlue]

8 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I don't really buy Athena being worried about being alone with Bobby after so many years, and even less that she's being weird about it instead of being upfront

I'm thinking that Athena's issue might be more with her being idle than being alone with Bobby. We know she won't retire until they pull her bodily off the streets. And here they have Lola and Nathan parading their retirement escapades in front of them and Bobby signing up for a ton of activities and she's panicking at the idea of retirement. Rather than examine that, she redirects that panic of the unknown towards something she knows is solid - her relationship with Bobby.

And Bobby will reassure her and ride it out with her and get her out of her head. Eventually.

But that's just my theory for why she's acting the fool. :)

[Maverick]

6 hours ago, Snazzy Daisy said:

Is Lola sleeping with the cruise director?

There is definitely something going on there because she was clearly uncomfortable with him chatting with her husband.  I originally thought affair but later figured he's involved with the pirates somehow.  It may be both.  His job may have been to seduce Lola to get Intel on the couple.  

[Aliconehead]

8 hours ago, CoyoteBlue said:

I'm thinking that Athena's issue might be more with her being idle than being alone with Bobby. We know she won't retire until they pull her bodily off the streets. And here they have Lola and Nathan parading their retirement escapades in front of them and Bobby signing up for a ton of activities and she's panicking at the idea of retirement. Rather than examine that, she redirects that panic of the unknown towards something she knows is solid - her relationship with Bobby.

And Bobby will reassure her and ride it out with her and get her out of her head. Eventually. But that's just my theory for why she's acting the fool. :)

What makes this storyline even more ridiculous is they were together in 2020, when she was injured during Covid. While Bobby still worked, the emergencies were fewer, I can’t imagine that excitement was the same intensity.  This would have made more sense then

[lianau]

2 hours ago, Aliconehead said:

What makes this storyline even more ridiculous is they were together in 2020, when she was injured during Covid. While Bobby still worked, the emergencies were fewer, I can’t imagine that excitement was the same intensity.  This would have made more sense then

I think Athena is scared of the potential to  discover that they aren't that well suited foreach other after all  when they don't have work talk or family to fall back on.  This is pretty much their first ever time alone without any of those interuptions. 

[ribboninthesky1]

I'm sure they will be fine, but I've often thought Athena and Bobby made a bit of an odd couple. If I recall correctly, there were similar communication issues about her retiring and when Bobby was trying to help someone in AA. I mean, she could have just been honest and told Bobby no to cruising.  But hey, then we would not have the requisite disaster multi-episode arc!     

Chim and Hen's friendship is among my favorites, so I was most entertained by their scenes. 

[Raja]

I came back from the premiere was Bobby's use of "detective" with Athena  an indication of a new assignment or a joke?

[Clanstarling]

On 3/15/2024 at 1:49 PM, possibilities said:

I was relieved they had Christopher think people would leave because of his mom, and not because of his disability.

I thought Buck did a really good job in that conversation, asking questions instead of lecturing.

But I also think that at that age, it really ought to be okay to date non-exclusively.

I think it wasn't the non-exclusivity that was the problem, it was honesty.

From what Buck got out of him, it seemed Christopher made each girl think they were special to him, which read as exclusive to the girls.

[shapeshifter]

13 hours ago, ribboninthesky1 said:

Chim and Hen's friendship is among my favorites, so I was most entertained by their scenes. 

I would like this show more if Chim and Hen were the main characters, with a focus on crazy 9-1-1 situations, and everyone else just in supporting roles rather than an ensemble.  

But I have no idea what the salaries would look like for the other actors in that case.

[Emily Thrace]

On 3/15/2024 at 9:58 PM, CoyoteBlue said:

I'm thinking that Athena's issue might be more with her being idle than being alone with Bobby. We know she won't retire until they pull her bodily off the streets. And here they have Lola and Nathan parading their retirement escapades in front of them and Bobby signing up for a ton of activities and she's panicking at the idea of retirement. Rather than examine that, she redirects that panic of the unknown towards something she knows is solid - her relationship with Bobby.

And Bobby will reassure her and ride it out with her and get her out of her head. Eventually.

But that's just my theory for why she's acting the fool. :)

I think it something like that. Although with the therapy and the migraines I wonder if we might be headed for a health crisis with Athena. I feel like they are trying to set something up here with Bathena that is going to be ongoing after they get off the cruise ship.

 

9 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

I think it wasn't the non-exclusivity that was the problem, it was honesty.

From what Buck got out of him, it seemed Christopher made each girl think they were special to him, which read as exclusive to the girls.

Yeah I feel like Buck took the wrong tack there and should have just underlined the importance of honesty and transparency in relationships. Empathy is great but not the strongest suit for most teens in any case. Honesty would appeal to Christopher's sense of right and wrong which has been pretty solid historically.

[iMonrey]

I didn't even know this show was back until I saw a promo spot for next week's episode. Had to catch it on Hulu.

I agree Athena's concern about being alone with Bobby seems out of the blue. They might be able to turn this around and have it be something else entirely but they've been together too long for her to start having these kinds of worries all of a sudden. Lots of people are afraid to go on cruise ships, they could have just left it at that. I suppose the show felt the need to inject some kind of relationship angst into Bobby and Athen'a story but I don't think it was necessary.

[kwnyc]

It was definitely a dumb move for the writers to make Athena worried about her life with Bobby. They've been shown all along as a couple that has learned to communicate well, works on their relationship and has fun sex.

Not to mention that at least once a season they solve a major crime!

So glad that Hen is acting captain: Chim was too nervous and second-guessed himself, and Buck could never be a captain in a million years. Eddie seems to be leaning into Zen Eddie, and I'm glad Buck was able to talk to Christopher.

So glad my show is back!

...PS, in Buck's alternative life/dream, he was an elementary school teacher, and that's actually a job that could suit him. Because, you know, I'd NEVER forgive him if he sued me personally when a fire engine fell on his leg.

[ribboninthesky1]

On 3/17/2024 at 12:06 PM, shapeshifter said:

I would like this show more if Chim and Hen were the main characters, with a focus on crazy 9-1-1 situations, and everyone else just in supporting roles rather than an ensemble.  

But I have no idea what the salaries would look like for the other actors in that case.

I don't mind the ensemble cast, but I think the various friendships are more compelling than the romantic relationships.  I've never been that invested in Bobby and Athena as a couple.