There’s been some magic in the air during 9-1-1 Season 9.
While the series has always delivered powerful, relevant, and captivating stories since its inception, the current season has pushed boundaries, challenging both its characters and its viewers in different ways.
It’s been bold and even more ambitious, resulting in a wildly popular season that’s hit every metric.
With only a few hours to go, it felt right to talk to the core four members of the 118 firehouse while they gathered for Creation Entertainment’s RescueVerse: A Salute to TV’s First Responders in New Jersey.
And it’s worth checking out our piece specifically about the wonderful Fan Convention Event and the 9-1-1 Cast’s gratitude to fans for the experience. You can catch that here, including a special note from Stark himself.
As for the season itself, while the early part of the season saw Athena and Hen take a trip into space, which went about as well as you’d expect for this crew, the season slowed down from there.
It often lets the emotional weight of its stories settle in and do the heavy lifting, creating a season filled with some truly beautiful character work.
From Chimney’s ascension to the captaincy of the 118, to Eddie losing his grandmother during 9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 5, to Harry’s journey toward joining the 118, and the always looming specter of Bobby’s death, the season triumphed when it mattered.
What’s On Kenneth Choi & Aisha Hinds’ 9-1-1 Season 10 Wish List?
Amid the fun of the convention, I stole a few minutes with Kenneth Choi and Aisha Hinds, fan favorites and on-screen best friends Chimney and Hen, whose characters have been through their fair share of ups and downs this season.
It’s unclear where the final two episodes will find the pair, but they did have some thoughts about what they’d like to see next season.
While Hinds misses having Choi beside her in the ambulance, the pair agreed that a musical episode would be something they’d both be game for.
“I keep saying it and saying it. I want to see just a musical episode,” Choi said.
With several cast members having musical backgrounds, maybe the powers that be should take Choi’s suggestion to heart.
See more of what was on the lively pair’s wish list below.
Oliver Stark On New Layers of Buck
Each new season means peeling back additional layers of the core characters. While it’s a surprise for audiences to see different sides of beloved characters, the actors themselves are also learning new things about them.
Every season, it’s fascinating to check in with actors to see what interesting quirks or unexpected traits they’ve discovered about their characters after the season ends, as the story pushes and pulls them in different ways.
After the events of 9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 13, Buck developed a dependency on painkillers. And after initially keeping his struggles to himself, he sought help from his family, something Stark saw as a “new facet of his character.”
Hear what else Stark had to say about the new dimensions of Buck he got to know through this storyline.
Ryan Guzman On Eddie Finding His Peace
Much like Stark, there were certain traits about Eddie that Guzman discovered, such as his lack of competitiveness during the 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Nashville crossover.
“I thought he was going to be a little bit more competitive in the Nashville games, to be honest. I thought he was going to be more like Buck, but it fits now that I look back,” Guzman said.
He was also surprised to learn that Eddie’s “got a closet full of cowboy hats.”
At this point in Eddie’s story, he’s reached a place that excites Guzman, as Eddie’s found a “form of peace.” Guzman now believes he’s in the right space for what he hopes comes next for Eddie: love.
Hear what else Guzman had to say about Eddie’s current mindset below.
Oliver Stark On The Season Finale Emergency, and Buck Moving Forward
9-1-1 is often known for its splashy opening emergencies, but many a season has ended with a disaster that may not be as high-profile as a natural disaster or a sinking ocean liner, yet is still effective.
But Stark said that there is a “big emergency” in the final hours, and it’s one “where people end up in different situations.”
As for where the events of the finale will lead Buck into next season?
Stark shared an intriguing hint with me that you can hear below.
Ryan Guzman Talks Eddie In The Final Episodes of The Season
Heading into the last two episodes of the season, the team is coming off a heartbreaking case in which they helped rescue migrants from an apartment building during 9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 16.
During Stark and Guzman’s joint panel at the convention, Guzman mentioned that he had conversations with showrunner Tim Minear about an upcoming story that the showrunner eventually rewrote, resulting in a completely new direction for Eddie to close out the season.
While Guzman couldn’t reveal much, he did offer a bit of insight into what’s ahead.
You can hear what he had to say about Eddie’s end-of-season arc below.
You can watch 9-1-1 on Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.
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