Spoiler alert: Evan Buckley is in big trouble.
At least that’s how things are left as the end credits rolled during 9-1-1 Season 6 Episode 10. Unresponsive and headed to the hospital, Buck was in dire straits, and the 118 was working feverishly to bring him back to life.
With Buck’s life very literally hanging in the balance, 9-1-1 Season 6 Episode 11 looks to be a little break from the typical 9-1-1 hour. We’ll see Buck in a self-described fever dream, where he imagines a life in which he never became a firefighter. And it’s hard to fathom a world like that ever existing.
Buck’s identity is so intrinsically tied to his profession, so it’s odd to think of him doing anything else with his adult life.
But it’s a fascinating premise for an episode, and it allows the series to try something a little unorthodox as they continue to explore Buck’s journey this season.
We’ll also check in with the 118 as they visit Buck in the hospital, so it looks like a two-prong affair: one part dream and one part real-time agony.
Visitors Welcome
As we see in the promo, Buck makes it to the hospital, and the 118 have to watch him taken away as they wait for a miracle.
Buck is such a significant person to so many individuals, and it’s not surprising to see one of the most important people in his life pop up by his bedside.
The bond between Buck and Christopher can’t be summed up in words but more in the way Buck’s face lights up when he sees Christopher and the way Christopher has always leaned on Buck when he needed him without fear that he wouldn’t be there.
They have a connection all their own and seeing Christopher standing next to Buck already has us reaching for the tissues. There’s no doubt we’re in for a serious emotional rollercoaster watching this scene play out.
Family Sitting Bedside
The 118 is a family.
Family is love, unconditional support, trust, and care.
Bobby and Buck have a very close relationship, with Bobby often taking on a mentor and parental-like role in Buck’s life. And his injury has to be hitting Bobby particularly hard, not just as Buck’s boss, but as his family.
Seeing Bobby and Athena at the hospital in the promo, sitting at Buck’s bedside, shows how much they care about Buck and how vital found family truly is.
A Devastating Blow
Buck is connected to everyone on the series, and his situation will be devastating for everyone in potentially different ways. We know we’ll see Christopher visiting, and we expect a revolving door of friendly faces.
For Chimney, he’ll have to grapple with the knowledge that it very well could have been him up on that ladder.
As EP Kristen Reidel told us after 9-1-1 Season 6 Episode 10, “I think for Chimney especially, he could have just as easily been the guy on the ladder, right? He’s the only one not on the hospital bed because Buck says, “No, no, I got it.”
“I think for most people, but especially for first responders, you always understand that at any moment, something terrible can happen. But when it actually happens in front of your face, it’s different. And so I think it just kind of changes his perspective a little bit on what’s important to him and the situation with his dad and all of that.”
It’ll be interesting to see how Buck’s accident affects those in his life as they come to grips with potentially losing someone they love.
Hello Darkness, My Old Friend
This isn’t Buck’s first rodeo in the hospital, but it’s the first time we see him in such bad shape. Seeing him hooked up to machines and placed into a medically-induced coma is very tough.
If Buck is in a dreamlike state during parts of the hour and imagining a life where he’s not a firefighter, what does that look like? So many things in his life are directly connected to his job and the firehouse, and if he never joins, things could be drastically different for him and others.
As much as we should see Buck’s life seriously altered, others’ lives may also be as he travels through his dream. Because what is the Los Angeles Fire Department and those who inhabit it without Evan Buckley?
While Buck is in for the battle of his life, we’ll be seated for this next hour as we dive into an alternate world from the one we’re used to.
We’re very curious to see what a world without Firefighter Evan Buckley looks like. And we’re preparing for all the tears as the 118 and extended family face the aftermath of watching one of their heroes fall.
This is shaping up to be an hour we’ve never seen before, and we want to hear all your thoughts about what you hope to see.
So jump into the comment section and let us know what you’re expecting and where the story could potentially go from here!
Check out the promo below, and remember, 9-1-1 airs at 8/7c on FOX.
You can follow our reviews here for the rest of the season. And don’t forget to watch 9-1-1 online via TV Fanatic.
Whitney Evans is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
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