9-1-1’s Season 8 opener on the 2024 TV schedule put Peter Krause’s Bobby and Angela Bassett’s Athena through the wringer (once again). Athena was truly in danger, as she was on a plane that was crashing and had to land it. Bobby, on the other hand, was on the ground and worried as ever, but he managed to clear a highway so she could land. After the craziness of those first few episodes, one of the show's executive producers shared some comforting words about them, but I’m still worried about another character.
It's no secret that both Bobby and Athena have been through a lot in the first six seasons and even more at the beginning of Season 7. Between Athena losing her fiancé and Bobby losing his wife and kids, both of them have had near-death experiences on more than one occasion. (Also, seemingly every mode of travel is cursed for them, based on the plan and the cruise ship situation.) If you ask me, they deserve nothing but happiness moving forward. Luckily, co-creator Tim Minear told Entertainment Weekly that the fire captain and police sergeant will be dealing with a lot less stress, at least for now:
Well, what I like to do is to tell stories that illuminate their characters, and the strength of their bond, and their heroics. Bobby got to deal with his trauma last season, so it's a slightly lighter Bobby. And it gives Peter an opportunity to play more of the comedy, which he really loves to [do]. And then, through the plane escapade, Athena got to let go of a significant wound that she'd carried with her for decades. So I think for Bobby and Athena, they can breathe a sigh of relief for a moment. One of the next big pieces is really Eddie.
Considering everything the couple has been through, I am definitely relieved to know that, for the time being, they should be okay and not knocking on Death’s Door. 9-1-1 is truly unpredictable so, while it's likely that they'll run into more issues at some point, this period of time should serve as a solid reprieve for Athena and Bobby.
Nevertheless, while Tim Minear’s sentiments are making me feel better when it comes to the couple, I'm still not so sure about Ryan Guzman’s Eddie Diaz. Eddie still isn't feeling 100% after his son, Christopher (Gavin McHugh), opted to leave him at the end of Season 7 to stay with his grandparents in Texas. Minear spoke to Diaz's mental state amid his chat with EW:
Eddie is just floundering a little bit with his identity. His identity has been wrapped up in being a father. He's also a soldier and a firefighter, but really everything, whether it's the job or his relationships, have all really been about Christopher. And the fact that Christopher has absented himself from Eddie's life right now has thrown Eddie into a little bit of a.... He's not on solid ground right now.
As a fan, it's been hard seeing the impact that Christopher's departure has had on Eddie. So far, he's even tried to video call Christopher for his birthday and, while he does talk to him, Christopher still does not want to chat much after Eddie’s shocking decision to pursue romance with a doppelganger of his dead wife. Calls involving children and their parents have also been affecting Eddie as of late, and it’s certainly been heartbreaking to witness While Eddie’s situation may not be life or death like Athena and Bobby's, it still hurts, and I remain concerned about what might lie ahead for him.
Since it’s still early in Season 8, it’s hard to say how Eddie's storyline will progress, but I have a feeling he's headed for a rough patch. It’s been clear since he first joined the 118 that Christopher is his whole world and, the longer he’s away, the harder it's going to be for Eddie. Considering everything he's been through, I'd peg Eddie as an emotional time bomb, and it's difficult to say what might happen when he goes off. Tim Minear is playing coy on what lies ahead for Eddie but did tease that we'll learn what prompted him to grow that mustache.
My concerns for Eddie and Christopher are likely to persist as 9-1-1 Season 8 continues. Still, I'lll also try to dwell on the positive fact that Athena and Bobby are in the clear for a little while. Of course, fellow fans who want to see how everything pans out for all of the characters will just have to tune in to new non-Beenado episodes of the show on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.