‘9-1-1’: Firefighter in Danger & More Burning Questions for Season 6’s Spring Return
Thanks to the first promo for 9-1-1‘s spring return, we know it’s getting off to a shocking start.
In the March 6 premiere, a dry thunderstorm rolls over Los Angeles, bringing in a series of lightning strikes emergencies for the 118 all over the city. But the first responders will also be busy off the clock as well. Bobby (Peter Krause) sends Athena (Angela Bassett) and May (Corinne Massiah) undercover at the rehab facility he’s investigating following his AA sponsor’s death. Plus, Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) dreads her parents’ visit, while Chimney (Kenneth Choi) is surprised when Albert (John Harlan Kim) shows up.
With that in mind, as well as where the Fox drama left off for Buck (Oliver Stark), Hen (Aisha Hinds), and others, scroll down for a look at our burning questions for its return.
9-1-1, Midseason Return, Monday, March 6, 8/7c, Fox
How seriously will Buck be injured?
The promo shows Buck in the lightning storm. “One of our people will get caught up in [the storm] and we’ll deal with the fallout and aftermath of that,” executive producer Kristen Reidel told TV Insider in November. Could we see him out of commission for a few episodes? And how might this affect what he wants in his personal life (more about that in a bit)?
Where will Bobby's investigation take him?
Before the midseason break, Bobby’s sponsor died, and the firefighter began looking into the rehab facility near where his body was found. We’re picking up with him “pretty deep into” his investigation, Reidel said, and his family has his back. “What they’re finding is it’s actually a very difficult place to take down: They’ve had complaints, they’ve had other deaths, and the place is still going.” We’ll also learn more about Wendell and his relationship with Bobby. But where might this investigation lead? Should we be worried about him, Athena, or May?
What are Buck's next steps when it comes to his personal life?
Before the break, Buck became a sperm donor for his friends and found out they’re now having a baby. There is now the question of the role he’ll have in the child’s life but also the matter of what that means for what he wants in his own life. “The question this season is how does Buck see Buck? Who does he want to be? [He’s] putting aside what everybody else thinks and getting into a place where he feels like ‘I know who I am and I’m good with that,'” according to Reidel.
What will Denny seeking out his biological father mean for Hen and Karen's family?
In the winter finale, Denny (Declan Pratt) had questions about his biological mother, but what Hen (Aisha Hinds) and Karen (Tracie Thoms) don’t know is he went to see his biological father (Troy Winbush) at the end of it. It’s something that Karen has been expecting, meaning she’s better prepared, Reidel noted, adding, “it’s definitely going to be a difficult time, as part of Denny’s journey of wanting to know who he is and where he comes from, but the two of them can band together and help him on that journey.”
Is marriage in Maddie and Chimney's future?
It’s a step they could very well take, after moving in together, though we could also see them not wanting to tempt fate given their history. But it’s also that past that makes us think that having them get married would be the perfect setting for something to go horribly wrong (again) for the couple. “It’s definitely a question that is raised in the back half of the season. Where it ends up, you’ll have to tune in and find out. But it does certainly seem like they are gradually kind of settling into this life and it’s like, what is the next step?” the EP agreed, promising “some good stuff with them in the back half.”
Could there be a new romance for Buck or Eddie?
As part of Buck figuring himself out, it’s been good that he’s been single, but we can’t help but think of all the drama that a new relationship could bring just as he’s figuring out his role in the life of the child he’s helping his friends have. “He’s always been a person that sort of defines himself by how others see him,” Reidel pointed out.
As for the other single series regular, “the next logical step for Eddie [Ryan Guzman] is, is he ready to start looking for a new romantic relationship? Is it time for him to start dating? [That] is something that honestly, he didn’t really do after Shannon died,” she said. “Then he met Ana [Gabrielle Walsh] and then they kind of got very serious very fast. But I think it might be time for Eddie to dip his toe into the dating waters.”
Will there be a crossover with 9-1-1: Lone Star?
Nothing major has been set thus far, though Lone Star‘s Natacha Karam did tell us that the idea of Marjan possibly ending up in Los Angeles on her road trip of self-discovery did come up. And there’s still time for a crossover of any kind to happen.
