9-1-1 Season 10: What I’d Like to See From the Characters

We still have a ways to go before 9-1-1 returns for its tenth season, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t started thinking about what I need to see.

The opening emergency may be a mystery right now. Still, we all know that after the dust settles from whatever wild adventure throws the universe into chaos, we’ll jump right back into the character stories that have always been, and always will be, at the center of it all.

And maybe this is the season we let the characters breathe.

Athena Nash-Grant

9-1-1 Season 9 was an emotional rollercoaster for Athena, as she dealt with life without Bobby Nash and ultimately made a big career change at the end of the season.

While emergencies dominate the series, Athena’s investigations have always been fun, and with her now taking on the role of detective, we should get more time with her as she solves both wacky and emotional cases.

A long-form detective case that spans a few episodes, interspersed with weekly adventures, would be a great way to ease us into this transition.

And if they wanted to bring Detective Romero back as a semi-regular partner for Athena, I would NOT be complaining.

In terms of life outside of the job, the continued exploration of family dynamics with May and Harry would be nice, especially as the two venture into new professions.

As many people know, no matter how old you get, sometimes your parents’ advice is invaluable.

Balancing work, home, and her friendships will be a welcome sight in a character who has been through so much.

Evan Buckley

Buck had a rough last season, and he’s heading into 9-1-1 Season 10 with Theo in his care, though it’s still not completely clear what that will look like.

Will he be fostering Theo? If it comes to it, will he be fighting for custody with Kameron and Connor’s families?

It remains to be seen what will happen with Theo, but it’s safe to assume that will be Buck’s primary storyline outside of the 118.

I’d love to see a real, nuanced look at this situation and its ramifications for both Buck and Theo as they adjust to the reality of their circumstances, including their grief.

On the job, it’d be nice to see Buck’s self-confidence continue to flourish with less self-doubt, as he’s proven himself to be such a capable firefighter.

And that should always extend into his relationships as well.

He’s a wonderful brother, uncle, best friend, and confidant, and the show is always better when it remembers how far Buck has come and allows him the space to be perfectly imperfect.

Maddie Han

I won’t lie; it didn’t feel like Maddie had a whole lot going on during 9-1-1 Season 9, and that’s a shame because she’s such an intriguing character.

Yes, there are always opportunities to place Maddie into all kinds of interesting predicaments via calls or even within the dispatch, and that should continue, but further exploration into motherhood and even her and Chimney’s relationship would be nice.

It sometimes feels like television shows don’t know what to do with couples once they are established, other than pushing drama onto them.

But why can’t we see some fun things for Maddie and Chimney as they balance being working parents with young kids?

Maybe they can’t find time for just the two of them and have to work that out, or maybe they have some opposing views on certain aspects of parenting that create some fun situations for them.

Maddie has been through a lot, which is a common theme with the main characters of this show, but she’s fought for the life she has.

Character development doesn’t just have to be about characters overcoming challenges; it can also be about them figuring out how to enjoy the life they have.

I’d love to see that with Maddie.

Hen Wilson

Much like I’d love to see Maddie and Chimney get some fun storylines centered around being parents in love, I’d love the same for Hen and Karen because there is no such thing as too much Henren.

The OG 9-1-1 couple rarely gets time to breathe before the next disaster is at their doorstep, and if there’s one couple who deserves a break, it would be these two, so give it to us!

As Denny and Mara grow up, the pair could adjust to their kids getting older and all that it entails.

An overarching theme for Hen has always been maintaining work-life balance, and there are still more ways to explore it.

On the job, it’s time for the show to lean further into Hen and Eddie’s paramedic partnership, which didn’t get much exploration last season due to Hen’s illness.

The two have such a fun brother/sister vibe that it’ll be great to see on calls and in their personal relationship as well. There are a plethora of great pairings on the show, and this is a seriously underrated one.

Hen could really use a season where she gets to play a little bit and actually enjoy herself without the story immediately throwing another crisis her way.

Chimney Han

Last season, Chimney took the biggest professional leap when he became the captain of the 118. While there was some trepidation on his part at first, he accepted the role, and then that was kind of it.

There were, of course, struggles at times, like when he had to deal with Hen’s illness and Buck’s dependency issues.

But I always thought the series could have done more to explore Chimney’s transition from peer to supervisor, as it relates to some of his best friends.

As much as I wish everyone more happiness, Chimney encountering some growing pains on the job would make sense, as he’s still adjusting to and coming to understand his role.

It would allow Kenneth Choi to show off his incredible range.

Maybe Chimney struggles at times with his leadership or has on-the-job issues that prompt serious soul-searching and a push to become an even better captain than he’s already becoming.

My hopes for Chimney and Maddie have already been discussed, but again, the show is only better when they actually give the romantic couples opportunities to be romantic.

Send them on a weekend getaway that goes wrong in all the funniest ways possible! Or maybe a trip that sends them on an unexpected investigation.

The possibilities are endless with these two, and I’d like to see it!                              

Eddie Diaz

Eddie, Eddie, Eddie.

I could write an overly long essay about everything I want to see from him, but this is not that kind of list, unfortunately.

It’s felt like since we met Eddie in 9-1-1 Season 2, he’s been on a perpetual journey toward healing from his childhood and different traumas. Seeing him continue to heal and move closer to happiness and fulfillment would be at the top of my wish list.

That also includes building a future rather than just surviving his past — whether that’s finding something he genuinely enjoys beyond work or entering a romantic relationship (which he hasn’t been in for some time now).

Ryan Guzman thinks Eddie is ready to take that step in his love life, and I say hear, hear!

Finding new ways to explore Eddie and Christopher’s dynamic will always be something to look forward to.

There are several situations involving a single father and his teenage son that haven’t been explored yet.

Ultimately, what I don’t need is for Eddie to endure another season of suffering to have a compelling story. I’d much rather see him finally start figuring out what unbridled joy looks like when he’s letting himself fully feel it and not waiting for the next catastrophe to hit.

May Grant

Give us more May Grant! Give us more May Grant!

The list could end right there, honestly, because we never seem to get enough May Grant.

With May now heading into a new profession as a nurse, here’s hoping they continue expanding at the hospital while also giving her opportunities to still interact with the 118 so it doesn’t feel as if she’s out on her own island.

May leaning on her mother and brother is a given.

However, now that she has Ravi, it would behoove the show to highlight this relationship more, since we didn’t get to see much of the early stages of their coupling.

Ah, young love.

Figuring one another out, all while obsessively stressing out about minute details and trying to decide if you’ve truly met your other half? Give me all of that and then some.

Mostly, just give me more May Grant.

Harry Grant

Harry having the opportunity for growth at the 118 is at the top of my list.

As a full-fledged firefighter, it’s naïve to think he won’t run into challenges and maybe even some setbacks.

Seeing how he faces those and leans on his brothers and sisters within the 118 could usher in some of the sweeter moments.

But outside of the 118, let’s dig into who Harry is now.

He’s the youngest, so maybe he can get his own set of friends, and we can sporadically see those dynamics and get to know him in a way that isn’t just tied to his profession and family.

I realize there is only so much time and there are a lot of characters, but giving Harry chances throughout the season to engage in scenarios and situations with new people could be a great opportunity to develop him.

Of course, we still need our dose of Harry and May.

Although they should seriously think about giving us more scenes with Harry with others as well, like Eddie.

The series shouldn’t be afraid to let Harry fly free.

Ravi Panikkar

The fans yearn for more Ravi; in fact, in many ways they demand it. So, why not give us a little bit more?

Obviously, we want to see the progression of May and Ravi’s relationship onscreen, but let’s get some emergencies centered on Ravi, perhaps even solo rescues like we’ve seen other characters have over the years.

In that vein, let’s get greater insight into Ravi through his family and friends.

Maybe they could come for a visit and then spin it into an interesting storyline for Ravi that could tie into the emergencies in that episode, or even set him up for something bigger.

Fans constantly ask for more Ravi for a reason, and there’s no better time than now for him to shine both professionally and personally.

Over to you, 9-1-1- Fanatics. What do you want to see for your favorite characters? Share with us below!

9-1-1 premieres on October 15th at 8/7c on ABC.