8 Burning Questions for ‘9-1-1’ Season 4
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the Season 3 finale of 9-1-1, “What’s Next?”]
9-1-1 is one of the shows that had fortunately finished production on its current season before everything shut down, so it ended Season 3 with the intended finale. And while there wasn’t a cliffhanger, it did leave a few questions up in the air for the already picked up fourth season.
“What’s Next?” ended with both happy — Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Chimney (Kenneth Choi) are going to be parents! Michael (Rockmond Dunbar) got good news about his health and reconnected with the doctor he previously met in the elevator! — and not so happy — Buck (Oliver Stark) reunited with Abby (Connie Britton), but she’s engaged — news.
Plus, Hen (Aisha Hinds) seems to have a major decision to make about her future — which could affect the 118 and especially her best friend Chimney — going forward.
Scroll down to see the major questions we need answered when Season 4 premieres in the midseason.
9-1-1, Season 4, Midseason, Fox
How will 9-1-1 handle the real-world pandemic?
“What I don’t want to do is ignore it, but I also don’t want the show to become about that,” executive producer Tim Minear said. “Probably what you’ll find is when we come back, our characters will have been through what our audience has been through. They will have been through this period of quarantine.”
That’s something that has to be taken into account when it comes to how much time will have passed between seasons and what the characters have been up professionally and personally.
How will Maddie and Chimney be as parents?
Depending on how much time passes between seasons, it’s possible we might not even see Maddie pregnant in Season 4 and instead pick up after she’s given birth. How will the two handle raising a baby with their jobs? What will it mean for their relationship? Where will they live?
Will Athena return to the job?
Athena didn’t want to see herself as a victim, but while Jeffery didn’t rape her as he did the others, it was assault and she was a victim. And it’s possible that she doesn’t get back to work in the same capacity in the immediate future. Minear confirmed that she will “struggle” with the fact that she’s “not invulnerable.”
He also teased that she’ll end up in “a different place, but a very satisfying place” and he hopes to bring Brooke Shields back as Dr. Sandford.
Is there a career change of some sort in Athena’s future?
How will his reunion with Abby and subsequent closure affect Buck?
Buck’s been doing a bit of soul-searching as of late, especially after running into a retired firefighter whose life he worried could be his future. His reunion with Abby didn’t go as well as he’d hoped, considering she’s engaged, but he did get the closure he needed. How might this affect him?
Minear teased “the next phase of Buck in Season 4.” Will he take her words to heart about her life revolving around those she helped and Bobby’s about running into risky situations and perhaps adapt? Might he have some better luck with love after closing the door on his and Abby’s relationship?
Will Hen go to med school?
While it is reassuring that Minear assured us, “I don’t see the show without Aisha Hinds,” her career path could be taking her away from the 118. However, her plans could change as a result of the quarantine she’ll likely have gone through between seasons.
What's next for Michael in terms of his health and love life?
Michael got good news — his tumor shrunk by almost 30%! — and ran into the doctor he met on the elevator during the blackout. Fortunately, his future looks bright on both fronts. And if things do continue to go well with that doctor, might we see how he fits in with the family?
What did May want to talk to Maddie about?
While discussing her college plans at her graduation party, May told Maddie she had something she wanted to talk to her about. Plus, earlier in the season, we saw May step in and try to help an injured woman during the tsunami. Could she be thinking about becoming a nurse? Minear wouldn’t say and only laughed, “she’s definitely got something up her sleeve.”
What will crossovers with 9-1-1: Lone Star look like?
Lone Star acknowledged the original with a mention of Chimney and Pepper on a call, but with both series renewed, we’re likely to see bigger crossovers next season. What could they look like? Will a character or two do a bit of traveling? Will there be some disaster that affects both L.A. and Texas?
