What To Know
- 9-1-1 Season 10’s opening emergency, a volcano in L.A., concluded with the first responders having to get creative when it comes to the lava — and rescuing Athena.
- Eddie confronts Buck about Theo, which doesn’t go well.
The first responders take the fight to the lava … sort of … as 9-1-1 Season 10’s opening emergency, a volcano in the middle of Los Angeles, concludes in the third episode. But before everyone can take a breath and relax, Maddie’s (Jennifer Love Hewitt) plan puts Athena (Angela Bassett) — everyone finally realizes she’s in trouble — in serious danger. Warning: Spoilers for 9-1-1 Season 10 Episode 3 ahead!
For a while, all the 118 and other first responders can do is evacuate those in the lava’s path and get moving before it destroys everything like at a fire at a dorm, where Chimney (Kenneth Choi) refuses to let anyone go back in but handles the rescue of a young woman himself. But soon after they bring the latest victims to the hospital, Maddie calls to alert them that they may need to evacuate: The lava’s heading for them.
Well, at first it is. Maddie comes up with a plan to move the lava rather than the people, and working together, the LAFD and LAPD, using rails and accelerant, succeeds in doing just that, sending it to a seemingly abandoned train station … not realizing that’s exactly where Athena (Angela Bassett) and two city workers (including former officer Matthew Sparks) are, until it’s too late.
Disney/Christopher Willard
The 118 can’t beat the lava there, Maddie reports, but thanks to some tunnels under the city, the firefighters are able to rescue Athena and the others just in time.
Once everyone gets back to normal, Eddie (Ryan Guzman) stops by Buck’s (Oliver Stark) to talk to him about Theo… who’s making a volcano in the firefighter’s attempt to make it seem less scary.
“Sorry if I’m overstepping,” Eddie begins before pointing out that fear is a reasonable response to what just happened. He thinks that Buck should, instead, be letting Theo tell him what scares him and reassuring him that it’s normal. Buck argues that the kid deserves some jokes after what he’s been through, including losing both his parents, while Eddie points out he’s letting broken windows and noses and unplugged fridges just slide, which isn’t good for Theo.
But Buck doesn’t like that it sounds like his best friend is saying he doesn’t know what’s best for Theo. Eddie knows that being a parent isn’t easy, acknowledging that he’s made mistakes, too. “I know. I know that because I’ve been with you through most of them,” Buck says. (Ouch!)“Did I ever one time look down at you for those mistakes? … No, I didn’t because I’m your friend.”
Eddie argues, “I’m doing this because I am your friend, Buck, and I’m worried about you and Theo. I know you think you’re making it easier on him.”
Buck wonders what Eddie would advise him to do then, suggesting Theo needs a friend. “The kid needs a father,” Eddie corrects him. “And some boundaries. That actually makes him feel safe.”
Buck decides that Eddie was right when he said he might be overstepping. “You don’t like the way I’m handling things, Eddie, you know where the door is.” But when Eddie does leave, as Buck helps Theo with the mess he made of the volcano, Buck doesn’t look happy. Oh no!
Stark told TV Insider ahead of the season that this comes “from a place of care” with Eddie. He “wants the best for Buck and the best for Theo, and he does have some experience in raising a child single-handedly. So he’s definitely going to have some opinions. Some will go down better with Buck than others.”
Where do you stand in Buck and Eddie’s argument? Let us know in the comments section below.
9-1-1, Thursdays, 8/7c, ABC