Notes on ‘9-1-1’ Season 8 Episode 14: "Sick Day"
On the beginning of 9-1-1: Contagion and putting the 118's found family in danger
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9-1-1 goes back to its roots — multi-episode, life-threatening emergencies — with Season 8 Episode 14, “Sick Day,” and it’s gripping from start to finish.
Given that the show’s Bee-nado (Yes, you read that right — gosh, I love this show) transfers its buzz to Sergeant Athena Grant Nash landing a plane in the season’s opening episodes, it’s no wonder that 9-1-1 circles back to the staple.
Usually, these emergencies (earthquake, bomber, tsunami, train derailment, dam break, sniper, blackout, overpass collapse, capsized cruise ship) happen at the beginning and/or end of 9-1-1’s seasons. I like that “Sick Day” switches that up.
Is any of it all that realistic? I don’t know, honestly! But that doesn’t matter all that much to me because the show makes the threat seem real enough. It puts my favorite characters in danger while enforcing their unwavering found family. That pattern is something 9-1-1 has become very familiar with and good at over the last eight seasons. After all, no matter how intense they are, the emergencies will never translate to me if the characters and their relationships don’t matter.
Rightfully, “Sick Day” starts with such a casual and sweet reminder of what’s at stake before it ever introduces the virus that endangers the characters.
I love this opening scene so much. Anyone who knows me (or follows me on social media) knows that I am Maddie Han’s biggest fan, and I am Maddie and Chimney Han’s biggest supporter. I love them and their relationship, and I really love how 9-1-1 seamlessly represents that Hen and Karen Wilson and their children Denny and Mara are a part of their family. There is never a doubt!
But also, from a character standpoint, I appreciate that “Sick Day” gives Maddie, Chimney, and their adorable daughter Jee-Yun a chance to celebrate their new baby in a less traumatic way than in 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 10, “Voices.”
Likewise, I like the continuity of Hen reacting to a pile-up accident involving a bus after 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13, “Invisible.” It’s so small and almost entirely inconsequential, but that verbal continuity — or even Maddie’s wound on her neck still healing — breathes life and time into the show’s world.
As TV series and their seasons get shorter, I relish the time I get to spend with my favorite characters. It is not lost upon me how incredibly lucky it is to have so much time with Grey’s Anatomy. It’s what makes the big swings have an impact.
There’s one of those before the deadly virus becomes a thing. The few seconds when Buck and the rest of the 118 think that Bobby doesn’t make it out of that explosion is too much for me. But I do love that Peter Krause gets that superhero moment when Bobby walks through the smoke to reunite a mother with her baby.
Beyond ABC promoting it as the beginning of 9-1-1: Contagion, I knew that “Sick Day” was going to have some major twists when I saw Bridget Regan.
I know (and, if I’m honest, love) Regan as one of the best TV villains in my recent memory. I’m talking about the Sin Rostro on The CW’s Jane the Virgin.
As soon as 9-1-1 revealed Regan’s character as the mastermind behind the emergency, I knew the antiviral wouldn’t be where it was supposed to be to save Chimney by the end of “Sick Day.” I didn’t figure as much anyway because that flicker of lost hope made for a good, emotional cliffhanger until next week.
It could easily become exhausting to watch Chimney face death once again. I mean, this edit (Fans who make edits are so incredibly talented, and I’ll never stop saying it) puts into perspective how many times Howard “Chimney” Han has had his life threatened over the last eight seasons. And, still, “Sick Day” made my eyes well up with tears because I thought, even for a second, that this may be it.
Of course, that comes down to everyone in front of and behind the camera. Every person who makes 9-1-1 works hard to bring great TV to viewers every week.
But I have to give a special shout-out to the amazing Kenneth Choi. The way he tries to infuse humor into Chimney’s demeanor, even when he is visibly terrified of what’s happening to him, is such a heartbreaking but realistic depiction of this character. “Sick Day” cutting to Maddie in dispatch, just holding back tears, breaks my heart. Jennifer Love Hewitt, you are absolutely amazing.
It’s live-wire emotions exasperated by Hen trying not to break eye contact with her best friend after Chimney, who is isolated from the team, walked Bobby through a surgery on Hen. Not to mention, Buck is on the outside, having already tried to do everything but claw at the walls to get to his team — his family.
Oliver Stark has such a deep understanding of this character that every choice he makes to express Buck’s fear and desperation feels honest. It’s the kind of performance that stops me in my tracks and makes me forget that I’m watching TV. I love it when TV can do that, especially because I so often use the storytelling medium as a form of comfort and catharsis, enjoyment and escape.
It’s also no secret that one of my absolute favorite dynamics on this show is Buck and Maddie’s sibling dynamic. I find it so lived-in and wonderful to watch, and it shines in “Sick Day.” Even when they’re not in the same room but communicating over a radio, the professionalism slips away as Maddie tries to keep her little brother safe from what’s infecting her husband. It’s brutal.
I like that 9-1-1 pokes holes in that tension with heroic moments that make me want to rally (even more) around the 118. This team has such unwavering loyalty to helping each other that they are willing to risk serious charges to save Chimney. Even though, as I mentioned, the antiviral isn’t there, I am so glad Ravi gets that moment to keep going, like Buck encourages him to do earlier.
That scene feels so distant from the “this virus could kill Chimney, the rest of the 118, and potentially more people” storyline, but I like it for Ravi and Buck.
The more time that 9-1-1 spends with Ravi, the more I hope he gets to stick around forever. These scenes that build a stronger rapport and a real friendship between Ravi and Buck are crucial to that. So is something like Bobby telling Ravi to step aside so Bobby will take the legal consequences of getting the antiviral. Even Chimney’s “Atta boy, Rav” when Ravi does what’s best to save his life matters. It feels less like Ravi is here for a short time but a long time.
After all, even though “Sick Day” doesn’t touch base with Eddie in Texas, this episode doesn’t shy away from the fact that a member of the 118 family is missing. Buck saying, “No one else is quitting this month,” is simple yet incredibly effective.
It’s probably for the best that Eddie isn’t here at the moment. All this team needs is for another person to be exposed to a deadly virus. Nevertheless, I can’t help but wonder how things would unfold if Eddie was by Buck’s side — how Eddie would help Maddie calm Buck down so that Buck makes better choices.
But if Eddie was around for “Sick Day,” there may have been less of an opportunity for Athena and Buck to team up to save the 118 family. I think about Athena pulling over Buck in 9-1-1 Season 3 Episode 14, “The Taking of the Dispatch,” all the time, so it’s exponentially exciting to see them team up again.
I’m so certain that Athena (Her telling a colonel, “You’re dealing with me,” when he suggested he should deal with someone else because she’s so closely related to the people inside the lab!) and Buck will find Moira with that antiviral to save Chimney next week. Unfortunately, I’m equally sure that 9-1-1 will put the characters through the wringer all over again. However, as much as 9-1-1 pulls viewers into its dicier moments through a point-of-view shot in Bobby’s breather, it does the same with happier moments through Hen’s iPhone.
That balance and this family are what keep me tuning in every single week.
If you want to see what’s next in 9-1-1: Contagion, brace yourself before watching the promo video for 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 15, “Lab Rats.”
♡ Scribbled in the Margins:
“Sick Day” was written by Lyndsey Beaulieu & Taylor Wong and directed by Karla Braun.
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Until next time,
💌 Shelby