S07.E08: Step Nine

[DanaK]

Quote

THURSDAY, MAY 16, 8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT

After a victim of the apartment fire that changed Bobby’s life resurfaces, he searches to make amends. Driven by his need to right past wrongs, Bobby delves deep into memories of his childhood, unearthing moments from his fractured past.

 

[Whodunnit]

Only saw the first 15 minutes because the cable went out. 😔

[fastiller]

An important lesson I learned: don't go anywhere with Bobby Nash.

[Chaos Theory]

Are we back with the Bobby pity party episodes?  These are the least interesting for me.    

I did however like seeing Bobby as a kid and being really sad that the fire fighters just left him there alone after his dad died leaving him alone in a house full of booze.    Bobby’s first drink.  

[dancingdreamer]

I love MJW, especially  when he was in The Resident. I enjoyed  seeing  him in this, although I didn't  see the end because  I fell asleep. 

[UnknownK]

Why didn't they walk to the truck with the dead gangbanger that seemed much closer to where the diner was?

So, half of the risk of alcoholism is genetic and the other half is social and environmental. Seems like bobby is 2 for 2.

[agathapenny]

Bobby's episodes always break my heart. Have we ever met Bobby's brother? Because I feel like that would be fascinating.

I feel like, since the network change, they've missed the mark on the big musical moments. One would have worked in this episode. I thought the song choice was wrong during Bobby and Athena's reunion after the cruise ship sinking.

[Lady Calypso]

Honestly, favourite episode of the season and quite possibly one of my favourite episodes of the series.

I fully get that, with a shortened season, they're on a tighter schedule, so having a more chill episode like this was needed at some point. And I always crave more Bobby-centric stories. His backstory is the one that has never been fleshed out beyond the Minnesota fire and one tidbit about how he was a kid ice dancer.

Peter Krause and Malcolm-Jamal Warner were absolutely fantastic. I worried that Amir was either going to try to take revenge on Bobby or worse, immediately forgive him. This episode was more nuanced than usual, in the sense that we got Bobby called out by Amir, and Amir really got to lay out his feelings while not forgiving him. He was thankful for him being there when he needed help, but Bobby showing up didn't fix anything. 

Amir and Bobby were really lucky the cartel was dumb as shit and didn't catch them running up the mountain to hide behind a rock. Truly, the dumbest cartel members I've ever seen on a show, but I'm fine with it. I didn't need 40 minutes of Bobby and Amir fighting the cartel, and we got some excellent character work.

And Bobby's backstory is sad. He is now officially a member of the 118 with Shitty Parents! But I fully get why Bobby turned out the way he did. An abusive alcoholic father, his mother and brother leaving that situation while he chose to stay behind, only to have reality hit him and then his dad dying while he's in the next room? Like, damn. 

Really great episode. I know it's outside the norm of 9-1-1 episodes but I get why it was needed, and it was just well done in general.

Edited May 17 by Lady Calypso

[tennisgurl]

I am not at all surprised that something that seems as simple as "Bobby wants to make amends with someone he hurt in the fire in Minnesota" to "Bobby and the guy on the run from the cartel in the dessert after multiple fire fights and several near death experiences after saving a pregnant woman and her husband" that is such classic 911. 

For all the classic 911 drama, I did really like this episode and I like how things played out with Bobby and Amir, Peter Krause and Malcolm-Jamal Warner were both great, I am glad that, even with all the action, it was mostly focused on character stuff. I also think it was realistic that Amir didn't either go on a revenge spree or immediately forgive Bobby, even at the end. It seems like when he said his piece at AA that he was pretty much done with Bobby and was going to go on with his life. We know that Bobby certainly didn't walk away from that fire like it was nothing, but from Amir's point of view I can see how it would seem that way on the outside, but really Bobby was doing something similar to what Amit did, tried to channel that grief and trauma into something good. Even at the end, everything wasn't all forgiven after they went through so much, but it did hopefully provide some closure. He was thankful that Bobby saved him and now knows that Bobby really does take what he did seriously, but that doesn't make everything alright.

Good thing these cartel guys aren't the brightest, they might have guns but they don't have much peripheral vision.  

Ouch, those flashbacks were rough, poor little Bobby was set up for alcoholism on every level. How much time passed between his dad dying and his mom and brother leaving? you would think that if they were divorcing she could file for sole custody, she would certainly have a good case against his alcoholic abusive father. And who the fuck just leaves a kid alone after finding his fathers dead body? Just stay with him for a few hours and wait for his mom, especially considering you know the family! 

I like to think that his mom encouraged him to go into ice dancing to deal with his grief. Just ice dance it out. 

[Crashcourse]

Although I'm sick of the Bobby pity party and wish he'd gone to prison, I thought this episode with him and Amir was well done.  I was afraid that Amir would completely forgive him and say all is well, and I'm glad that he didn't. 

[luna1122again]

11 hours ago, agathapenny said:

Bobby's episodes always break my heart. Have we ever met Bobby's brother? Because I feel like that would be fascinating.

 

And could he please be played by Michael C Hall?

[iMonrey]

I didn't care for it. It started out OK, and I thought the flashbacks were interesting. The casting for Bobby's father was especially on point. 

But the entire saga of trekking through the desert being chased by the cartel was overblown and tedious. I thought it was overkill making Amir just shy of sainthood traveling around the world, putting his life at risk to help all in need. And this business with the rescue people trying to save people who are brought across the border by the "coyotes" is fraught with political implications. 

Also? This is the second week in a row the show focused on one particular character and sidelined fire and rescue stories altogether. I don't mind the occasional detour from the formula, but the show is called 911 and they didn't even have any 911 calls this week. If they're going to do these kinds of soapy stories they need to be spread out more.

[possibilities]

Bobby also lost his family in the fire, didn't he? It's interesting that he never talks about that, in AA or elsewhere.

They tried to have a 911 call, but there was no cell service.

[kwnyc]

I don't think Bobby will ever forgive himself. But he's reconciled himself to living a life of service. Amir seems to have done so as well.

[fastiller]

13 hours ago, agathapenny said:

 Have we ever met Bobby's brother? Because I feel like that would be fascinating.

 

=&=

2 hours ago, luna1122again said:

And could he please be played by Michael C Hall?

Or Josh Charles?

EDIT: I do know PK & JC weren't brothers in Sports Night.  😁

Edited May 17 by fastiller

[eel2178]

9 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

I worried that Amir was either going to try to take revenge on Bobby or worse, immediately forgive him. This episode was more nuanced than usual, in the sense that we got Bobby called out by Amir, and Amir really got to lay out his feelings while not forgiving him.

However, I needed more background information on Amir.

Is he really in AA, or was he just there to stalk Bobby? Does his alcoholism predate the fire? Did he start drinking to try to combat the pain from his burns? Is he one of those addicted nurses who steals drugs from the hospitals he works for?

[marceline]

I remember seeing a comment on another site after the cruise episodes where someone said "Bobby & Athena: Danger is their kink." That's how I see them now, whether they're together or apart. 

I usually find flashback episodes tiresome but as an adult child of an alcoholic (ACOA) this episode got the dynamic absolutely right. One kid tells the truth and gets ostracized. Another becomes the problem solver. Once Pops started wandering around the house I knew he was going to fall. I used to call that "pulling a William Holden." 

Malcolm Jamal Warner is moving into James Earl Jones territory when it comes to vocal gravitas. I hope he gets lots of voice work, especially now that the Cosby Show residuals have probably dried up.

 

Edited May 17 by marceline

[Nialla]

6 hours ago, possibilities said:

Bobby also lost his family in the fire, didn't he? It's interesting that he never talks about that, in AA or elsewhere.

I really expected him to mention losing his own family to Amir. Maybe it hurts too much to talk about to anyone, or maybe he didn't want to "compare" his loss.

[MrsDixon2U]

Oh Bobby. Sins of the father and all that. The trauma of your adolescence haunts you to this day. An alcoholic father negatively influencing you while your family unit crumbles. The unwavering admiration and devotion you had for your father, coupled with the self-flagellation over his death, ultimately brought you to this point. Bobby has a deep seeded sense of shame & unworthiness, like he doesn’t deserve happiness, the love of a good woman, or even to still be alive. Going to his AA meetings is fine, but I hope he starts seeing a therapist on the regular (Although I don’t know about you Dr. Frank, your pre cruise advice was kinda iffy). Bobby absolutely wears his heart on his sleeve much to his detriment at times. Demons from his past are once again threatening to derail his future. I wonder what type of relationship he had with his mother & brother after his father’s death. That might give us more insight into his vulnerabilities.

Bobby had roughly 1.5 minutes of happiness this episode. He was confident, self-aware, humble even as he spoke about his life with Athena & the kids, the 118. He was grateful & hopeful for the future. Then his jacket got pulled… Amir began to speak, and Bobby started to physically deflate in slow motion. He swallowed hard leaving his mouth slightly open as he struggled to catch his breath, the tears starting to well in his eyes. Each word from Amir was like a dagger to his heart- Bobby was shook. He couldn’t even enjoy the impromptu family reunion with May & Harry because his mind had traveled back to reliving those painful memories of his 1st family gathered around the dinner table.

Aw, Athena in bed reaching out for her man wanting to cuddle. I had to chuckle at her making a crack about secret 4am Google searches. I’m glad Bobby was open and honest with her about everything that was going on; she immediately went into protective mode drilling down on the details and questioning motivations. Her saying to Bobby he is not the same man he was 10 years ago, and she needs that to matter to HIM, was something he desperately needed to hear. I was getting a little nervous regarding his mindset the way he kept saying I love you (like a solider going off to war not sure of his return). Even that kiss was slightly reminiscent of the energy between them when Athena told him to come back to her in Ep3. I’m sure my girl was already on the move when she received the call from Bobby that’s why she was so johnny on the spot at the hospital; she had to see for herself that he was alright. Bobby has found a forever home in her heart.😍

I’m happy that knife business in the preview last week was a misdirection. MJW as Amir is hitting all the right notes for me. He was intimidating, mournful, angry, with a touch of dark humor. The dialogue between he & Bobby was good. They were also able to effectively communicate thru facial expressions & subtle head nods, that they knew they were in danger while traveling in that truck. It was only at the end when Amir talked about understanding Spanish did the driver get a clue. I don’t even know what to say about heat stroke Bobby dragging a thoroughly cooked Amir thru the hot ass desert on a tarp😲 That mental image is sending me for some reason. The preview for next week: Bobby better be dreaming is all I’m saying.😬

[CoyoteBlue]

9 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

Although I'm sick of the Bobby pity party and wish he'd gone to prison,

IDK why everyone acts like he intentionally torched the place. He accidentally (okay, maybe negligently) left a comforter next to a running space heater. Not under it, not draped over it. If he'd still been there sleeping under the blanket when the heater malfunctioned, there's not a lot he could have done - the sprinklers didn't work, the public extinguishers were dead, etc, etc. The place was a tinderbox death trap.

Anyone knocking over a candle in their apartment or starting a grease fire on their stove could have triggered the same tragedy. The landlord / leasing company was responsible for maintaining the premises, not Bobby. Not sure how he became the focus of the blame for Amir; the investigation cleared him. I'm guessing the narrative of "junkie squatting in an abandoned apartment" was a part of it - even Bobby bought into it.

[agathapenny]

41 minutes ago, CoyoteBlue said:

IDK why everyone acts like he intentionally torched the place. He accidentally (okay, maybe negligently) left a comforter next to a running space heater. Not under it, not draped over it. If he'd still been there sleeping under the blanket when the heater malfunctioned, there's not a lot he could have done - the sprinklers didn't work, the public extinguishers were dead, etc, etc. The place was a tinderbox death trap.

Anyone knocking over a candle in their apartment or starting a grease fire on their stove could have triggered the same tragedy. The landlord / leasing company was responsible for maintaining the premises, not Bobby. Not sure how he became the focus of the blame for Amir; the investigation cleared him. I'm guessing the narrative of "junkie squatting in an abandoned apartment" was a part of it - even Bobby bought into it.

Yeah, I don't at all believe he should be in jail. He left a space heater on by accident. I mean sure, it's likely he forgot about it because he was busy getting drunk/high, but it was just random chance that it caught fire. His addiction was why he wasn't there to try to save his family. But it was quite explicitly stated that the building was a deathtrap (the non-functional sprinklers, faulty wiring etc.). At most I think he could have been sued civilly. The fact that he feels responsible, however is totally understandable. But there's plenty of blame to go around, and I don't even think the largest portion is Bobby's.

[possibilities]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees it that way. I htink the building owners are way more responsible, including criminally.

[Lukeysboat]

11 hours ago, luna1122again said:

And could he please be played by Michael C Hall?

They might have to age him. Charlie seemed several years older than Bobby, but we know PK is older than MCH. 

Someone commented that there was no 911 call during the show, but there was. Young Bobby called 911 to report the kitchen fire. 

[Irlandesa]

11 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I thought it was overkill making Amir just shy of sainthood traveling around the world, putting his life at risk to help all in need.

I didn't think that of Amir.  I did think that of Bobby.  There's something I really don't like about "redemption" stories told off of the backs of the victims by either making them evil or doing what they did in this episode where Bobby took a hero's journey to save Amir's life.  And I know the circumstances are more nuanced but Bobby shouldn't have stalked Amir to make amends.  Amir said his peace and didn't confront Bobby any longer. 

I liked that Amir didn't forgive him but I'm a little nervous this won't be the end of it. 

12 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Also? This is the second week in a row the show focused on one particular character and sidelined fire and rescue stories altogether.

Last week's show had three separate stories:  Henrietta and Karen's foster, Eddie meeting Kim, and the rescue surrounding Maddie & Athena looking for the missing baby. 

3 hours ago, Nialla said:

I really expected him to mention losing his own family to Amir.

If Amir knew who Bobby Nash was, he would likely have known that Bobby had lost his family.  I don't know if knowing that would move the needle, though, because Amir does see Bobby as largely responsible. 

It's not just about what was lost them but where life has taken them since.  Amir not only lost his family but he wears the scars of the past.  Bobby might feel guilt but we know he is overall pretty happy without external scars.

[marceline]

6 hours ago, MrsDixon2U said:

Aw, Athena in bed reaching out for her man wanting to cuddle. I had to chuckle at her making a crack about secret 4am Google searches.

 I love how she knew he was doing google searches and not, say, watching porn. 😀 

I know Bobby and Athena get on some folks nerves and I completely understand why that is but this what I really love about them. They've got this mature, honest love. I was nervous when Bobby came home from his meeting and just sat down to dinner so I was really glad that he was honest with her. (BTW, hi May! Nice of you to drop in!)

 

[possibilities]

I like that the show takes a complex view of culpability, guilt, amends, forgiveness, trauma, and love.

It is one of those really tough things that often gets over-simplified for the sake of the narrative. But I thought both Amir and Bobby were shown to have a layerd relationship with the issues.

Amir didn't feel guilty, but he still dedicated himself to trying to help people. He could have gone on a revenge or negative acting out course, but he decided ultimately to direct his pain to something better, even if it didn't actually solve his personal problems, and he was angry at Bobby but was still able to acknowledge that Bobby was trying, and was willing to accept his help and work with him in the desert.

Bobby knows there is nothing he can do to undo the effects of the fire, and that he can't expect Amir to forgive him, but he's trying to be happy and also not be escapist and numb to the pain of the fire and his role in it. Being miserable doesn't help the victims. But he also realizes how it looks and that seeing it makes Amir's pain worse. 

Chasing him to the desert is something that IRL I'd consider totally wrong, but handwaving that for a moment, I thought that they used it to show his sincerity, and that it's not enough to just say the words and that even Amir saw that the lengths Bobby was willing to go showed he wasn't kidding about trying, evn if it's futile, to make amends.

I recently took a course in therapeutic interventions for grief, and one of the things they talked about is how sometimes people get stuck in their grieving process because they feel like they need to stay miserable as an act of loyalty to their loved one who is gone. The prof was saying that there has to be a way to get to where you feel the love more than the pain, and it takes time, but that often it involves allowing yourself to feel the good, and make meaning from your experiences, rather than staying fixated on the loss itself. The loss never goes away, but life continues, and grief is not supposed to stay so painful forever so that you can't actually live-- you can even pay tribute in the way you live-- which is I think what both Amir and Bobby are trying to do, with varying degrees of success. 

 

[Crashcourse]

14 hours ago, CoyoteBlue said:

IDK why everyone acts like he intentionally torched the place. He accidentally (okay, maybe negligently) left a comforter next to a running space heater. Not under it, not draped over it. If he'd still been there sleeping under the blanket when the heater malfunctioned, there's not a lot he could have done - the sprinklers didn't work, the public extinguishers were dead, etc, etc. The place was a tinderbox death trap.

Anyone knocking over a candle in their apartment or starting a grease fire on their stove could have triggered the same tragedy. The landlord / leasing company was responsible for maintaining the premises, not Bobby. Not sure how he became the focus of the blame for Amir; the investigation cleared him. I'm guessing the narrative of "junkie squatting in an abandoned apartment" was a part of it - even Bobby bought into it.

I'm still sick of Bobby, I hate looking at him, and I wish he'd find peace by killing himself.  That's just my opinion.

[kwnyc]

I wonder why none of Bobby's sponsors has ever suggested al-anon. Or maybe they have and he just doesn't go.

[Clanstarling]

15 hours ago, Nialla said:

I really expected him to mention losing his own family to Amir. Maybe it hurts too much to talk about to anyone, or maybe he didn't want to "compare" his loss.

Exactly. "I was hurt too" weakens the amends making/apology.

12 hours ago, Lukeysboat said:

They might have to age him. Charlie seemed several years older than Bobby, but we know PK is older than MCH.

At their current ages, I don't really think he'd need to be aged up. Some people age hard, some not (look at Angela - she's seven years older than Krauss).

Edited May 18 by Clanstarling

[iMonrey]

12 hours ago, Lukeysboat said:

Someone commented that there was no 911 call during the show, but there was. Young Bobby called 911 to report the kitchen fire. 

You know what I mean. This was a character study episode, on the heels of another character study episode last week. Most of the cast was sidelined, it was all about Bobby and the rest of the firefighters had nothing to do. 

I get that people like Bobby/Peter Krause, and I do too. This just isn't the kind of episode I enjoy. I want to see the gang all geared out and going on those wacky calls. That's the hallmark of this show. 

[possibilities]

I do notice the wackiness of the calls has seriously decreased.

[agathapenny]

4 hours ago, possibilities said:

I do notice the wackiness of the calls has seriously decreased.

It does feel a bit like they've been missing this season (the wacky calls). I, too, love them. I was cautious about adopting this show because I really am not interested in non-stop depression/pain etc. But the humour of the show convinced me. It's been the right balance of serious emotional moments that don't drag out and bog down the show with some really great comedy.

I loved the flight attendant who lost it and deplaned via the emergency exit. One of my favourite sequences of the entire series is where the guy is whining and threatening to jump off his neighbour's house and we get vignettes with the whole cast talking about their lives in passing. I adored the rescue of the bowling alley owner who got her arm stuck in the pinsetter thanks to the worst employee of all time. I could go on.

[Calvada]

Those firefighters in Minnesota were morons.  You don't ask the child who just discovered his dead father if he wants one of you to stay until his mom gets there, you tell the child one of you is staying.  Also, there would be police officers at the house since this unattended death would need to be investigated, and no cop would leave a minor on that scene without a responsible adult.

While on their march, why didn't Bobby and Amir remove one of their shirts (they were each wearing two) and create some type of head cover to protect themselves from the sun?  

I'm now wondering how the child Bobby, with all the trauma of a broken home, having his alcoholic father die as Bobby slept down the hall, finding his father's body in a pool of blood, beginning to drink, became involved in figure skating.

Two of the best things about this episode: not one scene of Maddie welling up with tears and nothing with Eddie being an idiot.  

 

[kwnyc]

Yeah, I also thought that about using their shirts for head coverings.

[CoyoteBlue]

2 hours ago, Calvada said:

Those firefighters in Minnesota were morons.

If they were "family" like the 118, they wouldn't have let the dad drink himself to death without at least trying to help. Yet when Bobby almost burned down the kitchen, they were giving him crap about his failed marriage, etc.

2 hours ago, Calvada said:

I'm now wondering how the child Bobby, with all the trauma of a broken home, having his alcoholic father die as Bobby slept down the hall, finding his father's body in a pool of blood, beginning to drink, became involved in figure skating.

Therapy option? 😄

[Attatude]

Child Bobby would not have been left in the house. They would have called Child Social Services and taken him to another location to wait for his mother.

I enjoyed this episode as much as it was possible because we have backstory on Bobby. We also got to see MJW again after having his series yanked away from us.  But I agree with others who said this is a 911 show and these intense personal dramas are not what the show is about.  I’m tired of all of them.  It saves them money, though, if they can send a few high paid actors home for a week.  

It’s not their fault that other dramas have worn viewers out on cartel stories. I would be pleased if I never saw another one again.  Saving lives against all odds is also wearing thin. In reality Amir would have died from his injuries and exposure, the cartel would have found them or that crazy grandfather rancher would have shot them both and driven off.  

[UnknownK]

On 5/18/2024 at 9:14 PM, CoyoteBlue said:

If they were "family" like the 118, they wouldn't have let the dad drink himself to death without at least trying to help. Yet when Bobby almost burned down the kitchen, they were giving him crap about his failed marriage, etc.

Therapy option? 😄

Well, those were men from 30+ years ago so family meant they would probably cover for his drinking so he wouldn't get fired missing work. I would suspect being a drunk would get you fired back then.

 

Military, police, fire, etc. men are competitive and always giving each other shit especially back then.

[shapeshifter]

On 5/18/2024 at 9:14 PM, CoyoteBlue said:

If they were "family" like the 118, they wouldn't have let the dad drink himself to death without at least trying to help. Yet when Bobby almost burned down the kitchen, they were giving him crap about his failed marriage, etc.

Therapy option? 😄

19 hours ago, UnknownK said:

Well, those were men from 30+ years ago so family meant they would probably cover for his drinking so he wouldn't get fired missing work. I would suspect being a drunk would get you fired back then.

Yes, at least the sepia/monochrome of those scenes reminds us that it was a different time (the Bad Ol' Days) for children.
Googling history of social services for child welfare finds many documents, as well as:

Quote

…By the mid-1960s, in response to public concern that resulted from this article, 49 U.S. states passed child-abuse reporting laws.[10] In 1974, these efforts by the states culminated in the passage of the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) providing federal funding for wide-ranging federal and state child-maltreatment research and services.[11] In 1980, Congress passed the first comprehensive federal child protective services act, the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980, which focused on family preservation efforts to help keep families together and children out of foster care or other out-of-home placement options.[12]

Partly funded by the federal government, child protective services (CPS) agencies were first established in response to the 1974 CAPTA, which mandated that all states establish procedures to investigate suspected incidents of child maltreatment.[13]
…

wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_protective_services#:~:text=the JAMA.-,By the mid-1960s%2C,-in response to

But crap still happens.
They probably should have had one of those PSA blurbs at the end on reporting, if they didn't.

 

Edited May 22 by shapeshifter

[agathapenny]

Recently watched some reruns from season 3 and I've been really struck by a few unrelated points:

• As I mentioned upthread, I think the musical moments have been missing or off this season.

• More Josh please. He's a great character.

• I really miss the Bobby/Michael friendship. That was awesome. I know why the actor left the show, but it did leave a hole that hasn't been filled.

• Also mentioned upthread, not enough 911 calls, good, bad and ugly.

• I also miss May.

I think the writers should watch some back episodes. 

[fastiller]

On 5/17/2024 at 11:52 PM, Lukeysboat said:

Someone commented that there was no 911 call during the show, but there was. Young Bobby called 911 to report the kitchen fire. 

I liked how the graphics for that call were giving 80s videogame energy.

[Clanstarling]

It's hard to believe (doing the math) that 30 years ago was 1993. I thought the scenes of the Dad had more of a 70's/early 80's vibe (the mustaches for one).

 

[DearEvette]

I just want to know where in all of this did Bobby become the Twin Cities Junior figure skating champion for three years running with his partner Heidi Shatsky? 

[Infie]

I'm pretty sure it was more like 40 years ago than 30.  Was there a chyron?