9-1-1 Season 9, Episode 4 and 9-1-1: Nashville Season 1, Episode 4 Recap & Spoilers

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The season has come to a close, and while fans hoping for Bobby’s return as an alien or through a secret government project were disappointed, we did see glimpses of his daughter, Athena, in earlier scenes. Many viewers, myself included, were expecting the show’s space-themed episodes to be a distraction from the fact that Bobby was still alive. Honestly, rewatching older seasons recently, it’s clear how much Bobby added to the show. It’s okay for shows to let characters go, but 9-1-1 really needs to find a way to address the void his absence has created. Right now, that space feels completely empty.

The latest episode of 9-1-1: Nashville returns to typical emergency calls for the 113 and dispatch center, focusing on everyday situations in the city. Surprisingly, I enjoyed this episode even more than the three-part tornado storyline which was originally intended to attract new viewers. 9-1-1 has always excelled at handling smaller, even outlandish, emergencies. However, this episode feels like an odd one to truly showcase the show’s strengths, though that might be an exaggeration. I’m still unsure about storylines involving Blythe and Dixie’s amateur detective work and Don’s ongoing personal issues.

9-1-1 Ends Its Space Journey With High Stakes

The episode starts right after the geomagnetic storm, showing the aftermath both on Earth and in space. On Earth, the firehouse is busy with an influx of volunteers and people needing help, led by the determined May. We mainly follow the Earthlings’ responses to the temporary space visitors who are now trying to return home—and their journey back is a real struggle. That’s all we see of life on Earth in this episode.

Everyone on board the International Space Station felt better after the latest geomagnetic storm. Luckily, no one was injured, but scientists believe the next storm could destroy the station. The only way to survive is to modify the four-person escape pod to fit all six astronauts – Athena, Hen, Parker, Tricia, Lewis, and Stanton – and repair a system that will launch the pod back to Earth. Both Hen and Athena volunteer to do the necessary repairs, but Athena starts working on it first.

Hen and Athena share another powerfully acted scene where Hen tries to dissuade Athena from a dangerously reckless plan. Hen argues that risking her life won’t bring them closer, but Athena believes her children are old enough to cope if she were to die, unlike Hen, who would leave behind a wife and young children. Athena also expresses a deep sense of hopelessness, stating she has nothing to live for. Some viewers criticized this statement, understandably pointing out the devastating impact her death would have on her children. However, it’s important to remember that depression can distort one’s thinking and lead to incredibly painful and illogical beliefs.

Athena Meets Her Younger Self to Find the Strength to Live

While performing a spacewalk, Athena reflects on the meaning of heroism, still haunted by the murder of her former fiancé, Emmett, years ago. During a routine call with her partner, Officer Brogan McCluskey, they stumble upon a bank robbery that quickly escalates into a dangerous shootout with the police. McCluskey is shot while attempting to apprehend the robbers before reinforcements arrive, leaving him critically wounded and both officers in a perilous situation.

The situation becomes incredibly dangerous for Athena now: her suit is damaged during a fall, and she’s cut loose, causing her to lose oxygen and risk drifting into space. We also learn about a past injury – she was shot in the leg while trying to get an injured McClusky to medical help. Through an interview, it’s revealed this memory is actually a conversation between Athena in the present and her younger self. Young Athena questions the purpose of all her suffering and hints at wanting to quit. Present-day Athena responds by reaching out and reminding her younger self that as long as there’s a glimmer of hope, they must keep going.

Athena returned to the International Space Station right as the escape pod was preparing to launch. Unfortunately, the repaired pod could only hold five people. Lewis bravely volunteered to stay behind and control the Dextre robotic arm, allowing the others to escape. It was a very emotional moment! Lewis finally achieved his dream of going to space, and he did so as a hero. Thanks to his sacrifice, the pod landed safely on Earth, and those left behind were overjoyed with relief.

Athena and Hen are finally back with their families, bringing this storyline to a close. Harry shocks Athena and May by revealing he’s applied to become a firefighter with the LAFD. We see in flashbacks that Athena learned from a younger Rick Romero – they’ve known each other a long time! – that the criminals were connected to a string of unsolved robberies, but sadly, McClusky succumbed to his injuries. To pay tribute to McClusky and move forward, Athena shares her number with .

9-1-1: Nashville Puts Blue Through the Ringer

Let’s talk about 9-1-1: Nashville. Like the original show, this series frequently bends the rules and pushes boundaries. With Nashville recovering from recent tornadoes, the team tackles more everyday emergencies – though they quickly prove to be anything but ordinary. One incident involves a senior prank at a water park gone wrong, with too many people trying to fit on a waterslide. Blue steps up as a hero, rescuing a lifeguard and earning the nickname “Hot Tarzan” online. However, a video of the rescue causes problems for Don, as his actions clearly broke safety protocols, and the chief isn’t familiar with him.

Okay, let me tell you, watching 9-1-1: Nashville, I’m genuinely baffled by the decisions happening at this firehouse. The chief just fast-tracked the captain’s son, Blue, straight to the certification test – skipping all the academy training! Days to prepare to be someone’s lifeline? Seriously? It feels incredibly irresponsible, and frankly, unethical. And honestly, Blue doesn’t seem ready. He cracks under pressure – I mean, a trapped cam girl in a Murphy bed completely threw him! You have to wonder if the standard 26 weeks of training would have given him the confidence he desperately needs. The show keeps finding ways to shock me, but this… this is just frustrating to watch.

I’m struggling to understand why Don is pushing Blue to become a firefighter right now. Even if Blue goes to the academy, he’ll still be Don’s son afterward. Does Don have some strange belief that he can’t be a father unless he’s also training his child? He can still see Blue, Don! I understand that 9-1-1: Nashville needs Blue to be a firefighter, and maybe this was the only way to make it happen. But it feels like Don is going to extreme lengths for a goal that won’t change in just a few months.

Blue starts to feel more confident when he quickly figures out the cause of a strange fire at a sorority house – a neon green blaze caused by diborane gas that needs liquid nitrogen to be extinguished. While this shows Blue might be capable, I still think it’s strange that someone could become a certified firefighter after just a couple of weeks of training.

9-1-1: Nashville Puts Out Everyone’s Dirty Laundry

Blythe soon discovers that Blue isn’t as flawless as he seems, and she hires a private investigator to uncover Dixie’s true intentions. The investigation reveals that both Dixie and Blue have past criminal offenses, with Blue’s being a particularly serious case of extortion – he committed it to cover his friend’s medical expenses. I appreciate that the show doesn’t portray Blythe as simply wanting to find something wrong with her husband’s son and another woman. In fact, Blythe doesn’t want to find anything bad about Blue, and she’s willing to give him the benefit of the doubt even after learning about the extortion. However, asking Cammie to break the law by illegally searching for records related to Blue’s arrest is a step too far. It makes you wonder if anyone on this show has a strong moral compass when it comes to their work.

The Harts hosted Blue for brunch – a rather lavish meal, really – hoping he’d feel more comfortable with the family, something Dixie was likely very excited about. Don and Ryan cleverly convinced Blue to take a practice test for his upcoming exam, and surprisingly, he scored higher than Ryan did! While looking for the restroom, Blue discovered a photo album in Don’s office filled with pictures of his life over the years, which made him angry that his family hadn’t tried to connect with him before. Despite his feelings, he pretended everything was fine and played along with the family’s cheerful act when he joined them outside.

Katie’s 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Nashville Observations: What’s Your Emergency?

  • A simple Google search will tell you that in order to be a firefighter for the LAFD, you have to have a high school diploma, G.E.D., or California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) certificate. I guess in Harry’s case, another exception will be made, like with Blue. Oh, to be a nepo baby in the 9-1-1 universe.
  • My Walking Dead bell went off this episode! Officer Brogan McCluskey is played by Karl Makinen, who portrayed Richard in Season 7 of TWD.
  • I did not see Tricia and Parker getting together coming, but dumping Tripp for a younger tech genius is quite the revenge.
  • Now that we have Harry applying to be a firefighter, what’s next for May? I can’t see her being a main cast member without somehow being involved in the everyday first responder storylines. Can she please come back as a dispatcher?
  • We got a 9-1-1: Lone Star reference in Nashville: Marjan Marwani was the one who shared the Hot Tarzan video and made it go viral.
  • That was most definitely not Nashville hot chicken that the patient was eating. Anybody who’s had or made it knows that it should literally be a dark red color. You can’t fool me.
  • We learn that Blue has diabetes, which to my knowledge, doesn’t disqualify you from being a firefighter. But he’s hiding his condition and not treating it properly, which I expect will cause an issue on the field down the line.
  • I wonder if we’ll learn how Blythe’s older brother and Cammie’s husband died. It seems like a touchy subject, which is to be expected, but Blythe and Cammie’s reactions to the subject suggest that there’s something deeper (and possibly unresolved) there.

New episodes of 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Nashville premiere every Thursday on ABC.

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2025-10-31 20:14