From creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear, 9-1-1 follows the lives of various first responders in the Los Angeles area from firefighters, paramedics, and dispatchers, to police officers. The high-stakes procedural drama series stars Angela Bassett, Peter Krause, Aisha Hinds, and Oliver Stark in layered and compelling roles. The show has demonstrated that it’s unlike any other throughout its eight seasons due to how it presents real-world disasters.
The 9-1-1 characters experience emergency after emergency with little time to recover, but the episode that really puts them to the test is Season 2, Episode 2, “7.1.” This entry features a major earthquake that affects the entire city. Whether you’re aware that Los Angeles is located near several fault lines or you follow a bunch of L.A. residents, you know that the city is prone to earthquakes. It not only showed how a city-wide emergency affects its citizens but the first responders as well. Along with being one of the most stressful 9-1-1 episodes to watch, the aftershocks went on to affect the rest of the series.
The ‘9-1-1’ Characters Put On a Brave Face During Major Catastrophes
An earthquake is a reminder that things aren’t as stable as they may seem. After establishing new characters, Maddie Buckley (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Edmundo “Eddie” Diaz (Ryan Guzman), in the 9-1-1 Season 2 premiere, they’re put through the wringer with this city-wide emergency. For Maddie, it’s her first day as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, and she has to separate major calls for help from minor ones to efficiently assist as many people as possible. This episode demonstrates the psychological toll a dispatcher experiences on a grand scale as she has to channel through different calls while worrying about the safety of her firefighter brother, Evan Buckley (Stark). Despite this, Maddie uses her quick thinking to assist more people by leading them towards the first responders who are already out in the field. This begins her character’s journey towards being one of the best dispatchers in the L.A. area.
As for Eddie, 9-1-1 Season 2, Episode 2 establishes that he has a young son, Christopher Diaz (Gavin McHugh), with cerebral palsy. When the earthquake hits, he worries about his son’s safety, but he puts those thoughts aside as Henrietta “Hen” Wilson (Hinds) mentions that, as a parent, she’d want a first responder to do everything they can to save her child. This is exactly what Eddie needs to hear to focus on saving lives as a firefighter. His time as an Army medic makes him one of the most experienced members of the L.A. Fire Department. Still, this reminder from Hen is the start of Eddie putting everything on the line as a first responder, especially for children.
“7.1” Was the Beginning of ‘9-1-1’s Multi-Episode Disasters
The earthquake in this 9-1-1 episode not only shakes the city to its core, but the series as well. It’s the first episode to feature a multi-episode disaster as a way to emphasize this isn’t an issue first responders can quickly solve. Not only does it provide the perspective of a first responder, but through Michael Grant (Rockmond Dunbar), May Grant (Corinne Massiah), and Harry Grant (Marcanthonee Jon Reis), “7.1” also shows what it’s like to be a family member of a first responder. The Grants worry if Athena Grant (Bassett) is safe as they watch the news while she’s unreachable dealing with the emergency. The series focuses on the lives of real-life heroes, but this episode is strengthened by showing it from the perspective of the responder’s loved ones.
9-1-1 Season 2, Episode 2 created aftershocks that would inspire later seasons to continue featuring major disasters, from blackouts to tsunamis and even a tornado of bees, as seen in Season 8. These episodes are some of the series’ best because they use the backdrop of a realistic emergency (ok, maybe not the bees) to further develop characters and feature meaningful stakes. Without this ongoing trend set by “7.1,” 9-1-1 would have been stuck in a rut and might not have made it to 100 episodes. But the inclusion of these large-scale disasters allows the creative team, the cast, and the characters to challenge themselves and prove they can make it through anything thrown their way.
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