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911 Maddie (1).jpg

'9-1-1' Recap: Let's Take Some Time Out Of Our Worry-About-Chim Schedule To Worry About Maddie

By Tori Preston | TV | April 2, 2019 |

By Tori Preston | TV | April 2, 2019 |


911 Maddie (1).jpg

Well, folks, it’s all been leading up to this: The conclusion to several episodes-worth of cliffhangers, with the fates of Chimney and Maddie hanging in the balance. And it was a satisfying resolution, too! Even if the process to get to it was absolutely absurd. So let’s get the big stuff out of the way first…

Buck comes home to find Chim in the courtyard outside of Maddie’s apartment, and calls 9-1-1 in the nick of time. Chim makes it to the hospital in rough shape, but ultimately wakes up and will recover. Which means I can continue to enjoy this series without feeling guilty about betraying my own standards! And Maddie, abducted by her estranged husband Doug, is able to keep her wits about her and find the right time to fight back. She’s injured, but survives — which is more than I can say for Doug (she kills his ass but good).

But this isn’t just any show — it’s 9-1-1! Which means no recap would be complete unless we unpacked some delicious weirdness. And as I mentioned, the episode was packed with absurdity even if it wasn’t packed with ripped-from-the-internet cases. So in lieu of tracing the historical basis for botched facelifts and freeway sharks, let me guide you through the unexpected oddities on offer in this week’s Very Special Episode.

Maddie’s Velvet Blazer Is My New Favorite Character

I chose my header image very carefully this week. Not because it represents the bruised-and-bloodied strength of Maddie, but because it shows off her wardrobe so clearly. LOOKIT THAT JACKET! It’s GORGEOUS. And look, this was a very good episode for Jennifer Love Hewitt in general. She nailed the watery-eyed fear and steely resolve of Maddie, demonstrating the growth of a woman who finally decided that the risk of running was preferable to the risk of staying, and leveraged every bit of crisis training she learned on the job to stay one step ahead of Doug.

But I gotta be honest — part of what made this a very good Maddie episode was how good she looked in it, running through the woods in a velvet blazer with a fireplace poker in her hands. Is that shallow? Sure. But on the whole, this episode was a turning point for me. I’m no longer looking at her and thinking “You’re no Connie Britton” — I’m thinking “You just might be good enough for my sweet precious unicorn baby, Chim.” Apparently, velvet blazer > ridiculously good hair in my book. Who knew!

THE REBAR JOKES

Never let it be said the writers don’t know exactly what it is that they’re doing. First Bobby makes several references to Chim’s previous life-threatening injury (the, uh, rebar through his skull), noting that it’s becoming something of an annual tradition at this point and then announcing, “I’m starting to think he’s invincible.” FROM YOUR LIPS TO THE PRODUCERS’ EARS, BOBBY!

But it was Chim who had the last laugh, informing a very worried and guilty Maddie that he’s fine because “This is much better than rebar — no coma!”

I don’t know if I should be outraged that 9-1-1 keeps us hooked by risking Chim’s life on a yearly basis, or proud that basing a ratings stunt around Chim each season proves how valuable he is to the show as a whole. Mostly, though, I just wanna know when he’ll be well enough to dance around the station again.

Who Decided To Blow The Production Budget On Aerial Shots?

Not that I’m complaining! I just feel like it should be pointed out that spending a ton of money hiring helicopters to shoot your snowy chase sequences from afar doesn’t automatically increase the dramatic tension. Though the shots of the red snow were a nice touch.

Christopher Is Still The Cutest
You know who has all the hottest hospital tips? THIS KID:

Angela Bassett Is Made For Live-Tweeting

Yes, yes, I’m sure live-tweeting the show is a contractual obligation, but dammit — Angela Bassett does it with class! It’s one of my weekly pleasures to follow along and see her cheering on the characters, or highlighting good dialogue, or pretending she doesn’t know how exactly it’s all gonna end.

But this week she took it to another level. You see, while Maddie is on the run with Doug, Athena teams up with Buck to help him track his sister down. She’s not doing it as a cop, choosing instead to let her colleagues worry about protocol while she acts as a concerned friend (and keeps Buck from doing anything TOO stupid). And it’s this unexpected pairing that I can only assume inspired her to tweet at co-star Oliver Stark, a.k.a. Buck… a.k.a. “Manchild”?

I don’t know what specific event she’s referring to, but “manchild” is the perfect descriptor for Buck and I like to think Angela and Athena are basically the same no-nonsense person and would both call it like they see it. This episode may have convinced me to root for Maddie, but it also convinced me that I’m not wrong in my Bassett obsession.

So, Uh, Is Any Of This Real?

It’s a known fact that the most dangerous time for victims of domestic violence is when they choose to leave their abuser, so using Maddie as an example of a woman who tried to stay with her husband, and eventually tried to leave him, was a chance for the show to explore that danger with some nuance. And, naturally, a whole lot of sensation. As for the kidnapping angle, that could just be for dramatic effect. I did find a story from last year, however, about a woman in California who shot and killed her kidnapper during a car chase with the police, in what the authorities described as a domestic violence case (the kidnapper and victim were in a relationship together). Though it didn’t end in a box-cutter/fireplace poker fight in the snow, so maybe I’m wrong?



Header Image Source: Fox