It’s about time 9-1-1 returned to its roots, and it does in 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 12. There’s something about this back half of 9-1-1 Season 8 that has continuously put out strong episodes, and that’s because of a refocus on what matters — characters not named Brad.

In all seriousness, 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 12, titled “Disconnected,” centers on the character drama more than anything, and that’s what makes it work well. Some of that character drama varies in quality, but the rescues make up for it. Most likely because the show found “God” with Rob Benedict in a guest role. (Sorry, but me and the millions of Supernatural fans will get it.)

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9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 12 also successfully dips into its horror elements. The episode begins with an expertly edited and acted nightmare sequence in which Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) returns to work. She answers a call like any normal day, but there’s something weird about it. What sounded like a stranger’s voice on the other end became Maddie’s voice, calling for help. It’s a creepy realization, one that the audience and Maddie make at the same time. Her neck starts bleeding profusely, then she wakes up gasping. In the morning, she tells Chimney (Kenneth Choi) that her night terrors are telling her she needs to go back to work.

At work, her first call is from a boy stuck in a tall apartment fire whose dad is unconscious. Throughout this call, Maddie’s voice increasingly gets rougher until, in a critical moment to save the boy and his father, she loses her voice entirely. The gradual loss of her voice is well played by Hewitt and expertly paced in the writing and editing. Watching Maddie lose her voice doing a job she loves and is excellent at is a wonderful way to show the continued fallout from her kidnapping.

9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 12 pays homage to Jennifer Love Hewitt’s horror roots.

This kind of storytelling was critically missing from the first half of 9-1-1 Season 8. Many character arcs didn’t seem to flow from episode to episode or even from scene to scene. Seeing Maddie’s recovery continue two episodes later, even after a quick check-in in 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 11, showcases more authentic and well-rounded characters, emphasizing that what happens to them actually matters.

In this particular case, the longevity of 9-1-1 also helps. Maddie and Chimney have been through a lot during the course of 9-1-1. Having them acknowledge many of those past traumas, like Doug and Maddie’s postpartum depression, lends credence to Maddie’s growth at this stage and helps the audience understand what’s going on with her.

Chimney’s support goes a long way in the consultation with the doctor and his working through vocal exercises with Maddie. It’s also especially apparent in the Athena (Angela Bassett) and Maddie scene, in which Athena, drawing on her own experiences of past trauma, tells Maddie that they can’t change what monsters do. Still, they can work with their fear to move past it.

The resolution to Maddie’s voice loss comes in the form of her daughter. Maddie looks down to answer a text from Athena and when she looks up again, Jee has disappeared from the playground. As Maddie frantically searches for Jee, her voice gradually gets stronger until she’s able to shout a clear and resounding “Jee!” Maddie’s shout after her near-total silence in 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 12 is reminiscent of Buffy’s scream in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 4 Episode 10, “Hush.” Both moments come in the wake of being silenced by monsters, only to fight back and triumph with the thing they got taken away — their voices.

Eddie’s storyline receives some much-needed attention.

When Jee reappears and says, “Mom, you can talk,” it’s another moment that is best appreciated when considering Maddie’s 9-1-1 Season 5 arc, as well as her kidnapping arc just a few episodes ago. Maddie will always fight for her daughter, no matter the circumstance.

In another state, Eddie (Ryan Guzman) settles into El Paso. The house he bought instead of renting needs some fixing. The firehouse he applies to is on a hiring freeze, so he’s had no luck in the job market either. Dinners with Chris (Gavin McHugh) and his parents, Helena (Paula Marshall) and Ramón (George DelHoyo), are okay but awkward. Chris seems happy to have his dad there, even if he’s content living with his grandparents. Of course, that’s also for practical reasons since Eddie’s house is not suitable to live in yet.

But that house is a great metaphor for Eddie and his relationship with his son. As he works to fix things with Chris, he fixes up his house, though this could have been showcased more instead of the overly long ride share montage. But that montage lets Guzman demonstrate his comedic chops as he tries to be personable to every passenger until one of them teaches him the ways of making money doing ride share. This all goes south when one of Chris’ friends orders a ride, and Chris tags along. Eddie, having told Chris and his parents that he was hired by the fire station, is once again caught in a lie.

This reconciliation with Chris has been a long time coming. While Chris appeared on a couple of FaceTime calls in the first half of 9-1-1 Season 8, there was not a lot of forward movement in their relationship. Here, at least, Eddie actually apologizes to Chris and takes accountability for lying. It would have been nice to see a full reconciliation for the original fallout from the end of 9-1-1 Season 7, but Chris turning up to Eddie’s house to tell him he’s glad to have him in Texas is wonderful to see.

We also see follow-through on Buck’s storyline.

Throughout 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 12, Eddie talks to Buck (Oliver Stark) via FaceTime about his troubles with Chris and finding a job. This is another example of follow-through storytelling. In 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 11, Buck tells Maddie that he’ll call Eddie eventually. Here, they continue their friendship across states. Buck’s insistence to Eddie that he stay in Texas is also a huge indicator of his growth, considering the past three episodes featured his grief over his best friend moving.

While there’s certainly more to come with Eddie in Texas, his original goal for moving seems to be on the mend. How long he’s there for, it’s anyone’s guess. But considering Chris is content with having his father in Texas, it seems like Eddie’s in Texas for the foreseeable future.

The parking garage rescue with Rob Benedict’s character was particularly entertaining and might also be familiar to those who remember a similar case in the headlines a few years back. The rescue with the kid in the apartment also worked by connecting thematically, not just with Maddie’s story but Eddie’s as well.

9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 12 marries the character drama with great rescues, making it succeed. Let’s hope the rest of the season keeps the momentum going.

9-1-1 airs new episodes every Thursday on ABC and Hulu.

 

9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 12

• 8.5/10 Rating - 8.5/10

8.5/10

TL;DR

9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 12 marries the character drama with great rescues, making it succeed. Let’s hope the rest of the season keeps the momentum going.

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