Just finished rewatching Help Is Not Coming and Michael really went, "Why are you keeping my future husband-in-law standing in the cold? 😤 Bring him in to meet his new step children at once!"
also gotta say that when Buck was staring through his car window at Eddie hugging Chris … that man is HUNGRY for them both. He wants to wife up that family and make it his. He wants what they are having. You cannot convince me he has not been writing self-insert romance novels where Eddie is the handsome single dad love interest since day dot! I’m telling you right now he fell in love the second he saw Eddie’s eight pack.
Yesterday, I reacted to the season two episode “7.1” which sees our first responders dealing with the aftermath of an earthquake. For today’s edition of 911: Flashback, I will be reacting to the season two, third episode “Help Is Not Coming” which originally aired October 1, 2018 on FOX. The episode was written by Zachary Reiter and Tim Minear and directed by Bradley Buecker. Let’s chat about the episode!
Recap
Night has fallen in Los Angeles and Maddie is getting inundated with non-emergency calls. She gets a call from a man named Drew Hudson (played by Burt Grinstead) whose wife Ainsley has gone into premature labor. Maddie tells him that 32 weeks isn’t so early that Ainsley is in the danger zone. She tells Drew to monitor his wife’s breathing and time her contractions. Drew is adamant his wife needs an ambulance. Maddie tells him resources are spread thin, and no ambulance will be coming. She then goes on to tell Drew she’s a trained nurse and she’s delivered a lot of babies. Drew reveals that Ainsley is unconscious which, in hindsight, should have been brought up earlier in the conversation. Drew explains that he was in the process of taking Ainsley to the hospital when the aftershock hit. Ainsley fell and hit her head. Maddie remains calm considering this is like her first day on the phones. She asks Drew to check Ainsley’s breathing. Thankfully, she is still breathing. Maddie gets the bright idea of having Drew drive his wife to a fire knowing emergency units will already be on the scene. We head over to the fire where we see Captain Martinez (played by Pablo Espinosa) getting a call from Maddie. She alerts him of Drew and his unconscious, pregnant wife coming to them. Captain Martinez sees the couple pull up and directs his EMTs to treat Ainsley and transport her to the hospital. Maddie thanks the fire captain and we get our first official Maddie tears of the series.
We head back to the Hollywood Palm Hotel where we see the father of our family of four approach Chief Miranda Williams (played by Romi Dias) about his daughter, Kat. The chief assures Brian (played by Eric Nenninger) search and rescue operations are continuing. Growing impatient, Brian tells her he wants to try looking for Kat himself. Chief Williams says she cannot allow him to do that because then he’d end up needing rescue, too. She tells him that the best thing for him to do is be with his family. Chief Williams also gets an update on one of the firefighters from the 118 being trapped inside the hotel. Bobby and Chimney are still inside the hotel looking for Hen. They call out to her but don’t get a response. Another firefighter is able to pick up Hen’s heat signature and informs Bobby and Chimney she is three meters deep behind a pancaked section of the parking garage. Chimney points out that if they attempt to get to her, it can cause further collapse. Several stories up, Buck and Eddie have managed to rescue Ali from certain death and are leading her through the stairwell which is now sideways. Bobby radios to them saying he needs a head count. Eddie radios back saying he and Buck are good. Two red shirts named Castillo and Jackson also respond. We hear the names Paulson, Marcus, and Riley reply as well. Chimney radios Bobby despite being with him. Bobby calls out to Hen but doesn’t get a response. Buck and Eddie exchange ominous looks. Ali asks the two firefighters if Hen is their friend. Eddie ignores the question and says to keep moving.
Meanwhile, Hen is trying to contact the others but not getting a response. She stumbles across the firefighter from the previous episode. Russell Byrd (played by TJ Linnard) is trapped underneath debris and is not doing well. He tells Hen that his pelvis is fractured, and he has a flail chest. He’s not going to make it out of there alive, but Hen is going to try. Hen gives Russell some pain medication to keep him comfortable. He asks her if she’s married. She tells him about Karen. He tells her he used to have a wife. He was so afraid of not making it back home to her at the end of the day that he just stopped coming home altogether. Hen tells Russell that her team is right above them, but her words are for naught. Russell succumbs to his injuries.
Over at Athena’s, Michael is trying to stay busy while May and Harry are watching the news. Michael chastises them for not cleaning up the mess in the living room. Harry, our little sociopath who was celebrating his school getting wrecked by the earthquake, accuses his dad of not caring about their mom. Michael looks angry but doesn’t lash out at Harry. He tells the kids to grab their coats and the earthquake kits and get in the car. Speaking of Athena, our resident sergeant arrives at a convenience store where an angry mob has formed. She pushes her way through the crowd and heads inside. Turns out, the owner whose name is Herve (played by Michael Ray Escamilla) fired a gun which is why the crowd outside is in such an uproar. Athena notices something’s not right about the situation and asks him how much he’s charging for water. Herve tells her $14.99 which is highway robbery if you asked me. A woman from outside peeks her head inside and says he’s lying. Herve is charging $100 for a case of water. Athena quickly cites a penal code and tells him about the anti-price gouging law. She threatens to write him up if he continues his shady business practices. Herve says he can off 50-percent off everything in the store. Athena approves of his idea. She announces to the crowd outside that everything in the store is half price.
We head back over to the dispatch center where Maddie is asking an LAFD Liaison named Bill Jenks (played by Matthew Jayson Cwern) if he’s heard anything about the 118. He tells her he hasn’t heard anything but assures her he will find her if he gets any new information. Over at the hotel, Buck, Eddie and Ali are still navigating their way towards getting out of the building. They hear someone calling for help in one of the hotel rooms. They investigate and find a hotel worker named Batari (played by Kevin Teh) trapped under fallen furniture. Buck and Eddie work quickly to move the furniture out of the way while the latter checks for injuries. The hotel worker apologizes for soiling himself as Eddie tries to get him to wiggle his toes. Eddie tells Buck he believes the man has a spinal injury. They brainstorm a way to transport Batari out of the building and Ali suggests using an ironing board. Eddie wonders how they will transport him via the stairwell. Buck thinks they should use the elevator. The three of them peek inside the elevator shaft and see the car is above them.
Down in the parking garage, Hen works hard to free herself but isn’t making any progress. She takes out her phone and records a goodbye message for Karen in case she doesn’t get out. She tells Karen that she wants her to know she fought hard to get back home to her and Denny. When she finishes recording, goes back to chipping away at the debris she’s trapped behind. She creates a space in the wall and the mean rich lady’s dog – Paisley – comes running out to her. Paisley runs off and Hen goes after her. Meanwhile, Michael takes Harry and May to their church so they can be a service to their community. They are greeted by another member of the church, Ms. Lorna (played by Kimleigh Smith) who puts them to work. While May hands out water, Harry notices a young man sitting under a table. When Harry asks the guy what he’s doing under the table, he tells Harry that his mom told him to go to church if something bad happens. Harry tells him he will have an easier time seeing his mom if he gets out from under the table.
Back at the hotel, Buck and Ali watch as Eddie repels down the elevator shaft with Batari. Buck then helps Ali harness up so they can repel down, too. Another aftershock hits, sending the elevator car crashing down. The four of them manage to get out of the elevator shaft without getting crushed. Meanwhile, down in the parking lot, a firefighter tells Bobby and Chimney he can see movement on the other side of the wall. They’ve found Hen. The only issue is there is a lot of concrete separating them from her. On the other side of the wall, Hen manages to find Kat. Outside the hotel, Captain Williams radios Bobby and tells him a collapse is eminent. She gives a direct order to evacuate. Bobby and Chimney defy orders and go looking for Hen. They see several floors of the parking garage and have collapsed onto each other. Bobby gets an idea to use one of the cars that hasn’t been crushed to pull one of the crushed cars out of the way thus creating a space for them to get to Hen. Chimney spots a huge pickup truck and decides it would be better to pull the car. The chain snaps just before they manage to remove the car. Buck and Eddie show up along with several other firefighters and Captain Williams to assist Bobby and Chimney. They all manage to create a space large enough in the wall for Hen, Kat and Paisley to crawl through.
Over at dispatch, Maddie gets a call from a woman asking if something else happened. She says she sees a glowing cloud in the sky. Maddie asks the woman if she has power and she says no. There’s not a light for miles. Maddie smiles and tells the woman she’s seeing the Milky Way. Los Angeles is usually too lit up at night for people to see it. We head back over to what’s left of the Hollywood Palm Hotel and we get a montage. Kat reunites with her family. Bobby shakes hands with Captain Williams while Buck talks with Ali. Chimney checks Hen out to make sure she doesn’t have a concussion. Kat’s mom mouths a silent thank-you to Hen. The basketball coach is leading his team in prayer. Hen stands at attention as Russell Byrd’s body is taken out of the rubble and loaded into an ambulance. Buck gets a text from Maddie asking if he’s okay and he messages her back saying he is fine. We then head over to the hospital where Drew and a conscious Ainsley are celebrating the birth of their baby. Athena makes it home to her kids and Michael. We see all the basketball players signing Jeff’s leg cast. Hen arrives home with Paisley in tow. Buck drives Eddie to Christopher’s school. The two are so happy to see each other.
We end the episode at Athena’s. The kids are putting things back on the shelf while Michael cooks dinner. Athena gets a call from Bobby asking her to come outside. Athena goes out front and sees Bobby standing in the driveway. The two embrace, happy to see each other. Happy they both survived the day. Michael comes outside and invites Bobby inside for dinner. Bobby politely declines but Michael tells him he’s already made a place setting for him. He tells Bobby the kids are excited to see him. Athena takes Bobby’s hand and leads him into her home.
Observations
Maddie is remarkably more confident since the last episode.
We will see Drew and Ainsley Hudson again later this season in the episode “Careful What You Wish For”
The death of Firefighter Russell Byrd marks the first on-screen death of first responder
While I don’t agree with the convenience store owner hiking prices during a state of emergency, Athena’s interaction with him is yet another moment that makes me uncomfortable. I’m not sure how I feel about her using her power to threaten someone. I love Athena but at the end of the day, she’s still a cop and sometimes cops engage in problematic behavior.
Buck accidentally refers to Ali as “Abby”.
At the end of the episode, Hen, Karen and Denny become the proud owners of Paisley the dog whose owner was crushed during the earthquake.
Poor Christopher! What a traumatic first day of school!
A lot of people misinterpret Buck’s look at the end of the episode as him displaying romantic affection for Eddie. I think at this moment Buck is in awe of seeing a father and son embrace each other. Knowing Buck’s personal history, I’m guessing he didn’t get a lot of hugs from his dad.
Michael is so supportive of Athena dating again and is so welcoming to Bobby.
We have reached the conclusion of our first disaster story on 9-1-1 and there are many more left to discuss. The last episode was packed full of action while most of this episode leaned more towards dramatic moments. I loved seeing Buck and Eddie work side by side. They work well together, and they have come a long way since their initial meeting which was only two episodes ago. My favorite part of the episode is the final scene. This show does a great job of showcasing the different dynamics shared between our main characters. I love Athena and Michael’s relationship and how it has evolved since the first episode of the series. They may not be together anymore, but they are very much still family and that’s what this show is all about. Families come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it’s an older sister living with her much younger brother. Sometimes it’s a lesbian couple and their adopted son and a dog. Sometimes family is a woman, her gay ex-husband, her new boyfriend and her kids. These families may not look familiar, but they should feel familiar because love is the unifying factor. Okay, let me get out of my feelings and end this reaction! I hope you enjoyed this adventure we’ve been on and I look forward to discussing another disaster tomorrow. Until next time …
This is the final part of the earthquake disaster and there is so much to like in this episode, with everyone getting a little piece of the action and a time to shine in the spotlight.
Hands down, the best part of the episode was Hen's side plot. Her desperation in trying to save her fellow firefighter as he lay dying, her despair as she left a voice mail to Karen in case she didn't make it out, and her soft, motherly manner when she found the missing girl - a whole range of emotions and Aisha played them perfectly. Side note though: what happens to the dog Hen brings home? Do they explain it's disappearance in a future episode or is it one of those storylines the show forgets about? I guess I'll find out sooner or later.
While Athena impressed me last episode with her heroics, this episode had me (once again) a bit uncomfortable with her policing methods. Yes, the shop owner was extorting the customers. But to then essentially say "well, I won't arrest you if you make everything in your store 50% off" ALSO feels like extortion. She went from refusing to let go the guy she arrested last week - a guy who literally helped her save a man's life - because "that's the law" to then allowing this man's crime to slide, a man who was extorting and then threatening his customers with a shotgun to deter them from entering his shop. And to top it off, Athena then bought a chocolate bar (or whatever it was was) for the "discounted" price, essentially profiting off her pressuring the shopkeeper. I love Athena as a character outside of her work, but as a cop she often has me side-eyeing her decisions.
On the other side of the Grant family tree, the kids are worried about Athena so to keep their minds occupied, Michael takes them to a church to help out victims of the earthquake. Seeing the way Harry helped and looked out for the guy waiting for his mum was so heart-warming - such a kind, generous soul at such a young age.
Continuing with the Grant's, at the end Bobby comes to her house to see Athena. They figure its probably not a good time to "meet" the kids but Michael proves otherwise and insists he come in. One of the things I have loved so far in the rewatch is Athena and Michael's relationship (or at least how it evolved once Athena moved past her heartbreak), and this was another example of that - the way Michael willingly brought Bobby into the fold of their family in a show of support for Athena had me excited for the Michael/Bobby friendship I know is to come.
Speaking of Bobby, earlier at the building collapse, he and Chim ignore orders to evacuate to continue to try find Hen, and they got to show off their smarts by figuring out how to get through a crushed car blockade with only the two of them and no heavy equipment. But though it was fun to see them attempt car pile jenga, the highlight of the scene was seeing the rest of the firefighters return to risk their lives to help save one of their own.
Before they showed up at the last minute search for Hen, Buck and Eddie's storyline for the episode was basically them sliding around floors (which looked like fun) as they still try to escape the building, but the writers did manage to slip a few little personal things in there. The show still manages to remind the audience about Buck's continuing personal dramas with a single line - he refers to Ali as Abby, reminding us that storyline is still going on. (See show, it doesn't take much time to keep an ongoing storyline in the minds of the audience instead of dropping it and picking it up weeks later.) As for Eddie, he gets to finally pick up Chris who is, no surprise there, like Buck insisted, perfectly fine and safe waiting for him at school. (And do they have one hell of an after school care program or what, because it was pitch back by the time they picked him up.)
And last, but not least, seeing Maddie find her place as a dispatcher was great. Overwhelmed, sure - who wouldn't be after a mad first day like that - but she finds her place. After last week where she was struggling to move past reading from her notes, this week she was able to use some out of the box thinking to help someone who otherwise would have been a casualty of the chaos.
