Has 911 finally run out of ideas? For a disaster-based series entering its ninth season, it seems like maybe the Ryan Murphy-produced show jumped the shark a few seasons ago. Yet, a literal representation of "eat the rich" coming to fruition through a sad excuse for a billionaire tech expert being swallowed by a whale, only to be saved by the 118 Fire Department, may be a step too far, even when the plot line is led by a familiar face from Riverdale. The opening episodes to season 9 have not been a "whale of a good time," and instead have heavily suggested that perhaps it is time for 911's final alarm bells to ring at the conclusion of the season.
911 made a bold move to kill off Bobby Nash toward the conclusion of season 8. Yet, had 911 had the exact same storylines with Bobby alive, he still could not have saved this troublesome season-opener. Because Athena Grant landing an airplane in the middle of the Los Angeles highway was not a big enough season-opener, and more than enough proof that her feet should remain firmly on the ground, 911 kicked it up a notch by sending her and Hen to space, because why not when you have done almost literally everything else. The opening episodes are strained, leaning on occasional humor from Athena and Hen, who are the only genuinely fun parts of the season's first four episodes.
Otherwise, season 9's opening comes across as if the show may have lost its way. Bobby's ghost still looms over the 118 six months following his death, and there is no real reason that Chimney is pushing off becoming Captain full-time other than the drama of his not taking the role. Meanwhile, the fourth episode is mostly split in half between the present-day space story and yet another Athena Grant flashback, one that, in the midst of this being a few episodes into season 9 during a catastrophe, is completely unnecessary.
Anyone who has watched the series the last few seasons, if not from the series premiere, knows all the reasons why Athena Grant would be considered a hero, and nearly all of those explanations are far more interesting than the time-consuming flashbacks that once again shows Athena in some sort of police-based drama that doesn't feel like it will ultimately be of any relevance to the plot moving forward. Instead, it stops momentum and feels more like this storyline is present because the show could not come up with anything for the 118 Fire Department to do, and the show needed a storyline to fill time because the space plot was too simple to take up the time of a full episode.
911's opening episodes are lost without Bobby, and not just because of Athena's remaining grief. It is like 911 wanted to make a big splash but had no plans for what to do after the execution was performed. Bobby is dead....now what? Does the show go back to normal? If season 4's opening episodes are any indication as to what the rest of the season looks like, 911, which had been so beloved by its fan base, is better off ending sooner rather than later, as most of the show's heart and soul have been stripped from its 4-episode-long premiere storyline.