911: 5 Big Developments in the Season Premier

In the 2-part season premier of Fox’s 911 the team is under pressure, and just when the pressure lets up, bam! Earthquake. Amidst all the pressure and drama we saw a couple big developments and a few nice moments that have me excited about the show’s return.

New Faces

Jennifer Love Hewitt has joined the show as Buck’s sister, Maddie, and it looks like she’ll also be replacing Connie Britton’s Abby as the voice of the show and a 911 operator. Maddie is hiding from an abusive husband, who we all know is going to appear later this season. The character is shaken and a little frail from being in a bad marriage, but we know that the ladies on this show don’t stay down for long, so she’ll be saving the day in no time, I’m sure.

There’s also a new face in the firehouse. Ryan Guzman has joined as Eddie Diaz, no nickname yet. Diaz is a smoking hot single dad that Buck initially sees as a rival. We’re still learning about Diaz, but we all know there’s got to be more to his story, given his military background and his son’s missing mom. Plus, he has the most adorable son ever, so I definitely hope we see more of him.

Athena and Bobby

Athena and Bobby’s spark seems to be building into a real flame, but Athena is afraid to let it burn. But, her Michael, her ex, talks her through it and it looks like the two are headed towards happiness. I love the way Michael and Athena are making it work as parents in a changing family dynamic, especially how it looks like Athena is finding peace at home and happiness in her heart. Also, I love that she loves Claws as much as I do. Do you watch Claws like she does? I know I do.

Chimney’s a Real Hero

One of the best developments we’ve seen in the characters has been in Chimney. It wasn’t a major storyline like some of the others, but over the course of last season, the 2^nd cutest firefighter (behind Henrietta, who is undeniably the cutest) became a much more likeable character. In an effort to make the characters more real, I think the show erred a little in making the characters a little too unlikeable at times in the first season, so I’m glad to see them all redeemed and headed in healthier directions going into season 2. But, I’m especially glad to see Chimney leave behind the shallowness and inauthenticity we saw in season 1. He put it best, we don’t often get to see firefighters that look like him, so I’m glad they’ve made him a lot easier to love.

Earthquake Cliffhanger

The big news was the earthquake, leaving us in suspense with Henrietta in a bad situation and the city still reeling. The fire rescue crew is in the midst of pulling folks from a collapsing building when aftershocks hit, leaving Hen trapped and desperate. Diaz and Buck are also mid rescue when the aftershocks hit, and Diaz still doesn’t know the status of his son at school. Athena is out on the street pulling folks from danger, but those aftershocks are sure to pull down the rest of the overpass she’s working near. Do you all think she’s going to find a way to let the red-headed thief stay out of trouble? Maddie’s training quickly becomes the real thing when she and the other 911 trainee operators get thrown into the mix when it’s all hands on deck after the earthquake.

We’ll have to see what happens next week when the show returns, but the previews for next week show Henrietta making some emotional phone calls to her wife, which definitely make it seem like her situation is grim.

911 airs Mondays at 9/8c on Fox.