9-1-1 – Pay It Forward Recap/Review
9-1-1 – “Pay It Forward” aired Monday, May 15th on FOX. “Pay It Forward” is the 18th episode of the 6th season. This is the season finale. The series explores the high-pressure experiences of first responders who are forced into the most terrifying, shocking, and heartbreaking circumstances.
9-1-1 will be switching from FOX to ABC next season.
In “Pay It Forward”, a series of freeway car accidents leads to a catastrophic overpass collapse that endangers the lives of civilians and members of the 118. Below is our recap/review of 9-1-1, “Pay It Forward”.
Warning: This article contains spoilers from Monday night’s “Pay It Forward” episode. Read at your own risk!
The episode begins as Lucy (Arielle Kebbel), from Air Fire Rescue, calls in a Mayday to dispatch that the entire 118 is down. They were on a highway bridge when it collapsed. Three hours earlier. Bobby (Peter Krause) gathers the entire team as they congratulate Chimney (Kenneth Choi) on his engagement, Bobby issues tasks for everyone.
There was a small accident on the Bridgeway interchange involving a camper van that flipped over. The 118 arrived and worked together to rescue the victims. Chimney called in an Air Ambulance for one of the victims who had a spinal injury. Just as the Air Ambulance left, a semi-truck driver fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a bridge pillar, causing the bridge to collapse. As the chaos unfolded, Hen (Aisha Hinds) and Chimney were in the ambulance with a victim, Buck (Oliver Stark) narrowly avoided being hit by a fire truck, Bubby slid down the bridge, and Eddie (Ryan Guzman) was in the camper van that slid down with the ambulance. The only person not affected was Ravi (Anirudh Pisharody).
Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) takes the Mayday call from Lucy at dispatch, sending in multiple units to the scene. Buck wakes up, he landed on top of the ambulance and calls out for 118 head count. Eddie is stuck inside the camper van that is being crushed by the ambulance. As Ravi sends down rope and gear, Buck checks in Hen who is in the driver seat of the ambulance. The only member of the team who hasn’t radioed in yet was Bobby. Chimney is pinned down in the ambulance and asks the victim, Jo (Abbie Cobb) to help him as he is injured and bleeding out.
“I need a head count.” – Evan ‘Buck’ Buckley (Oliver Stark)
Bobby wakes up and tries to radio for help, but his radio is broken. Maddie is in charge at the dispatch center. Athena arrives and radios for the captain, but is told Hen is acting captain. Ravi and Buck are working together to help their team. Once Hen is out of the ambulance and helping Chimney and Jo, while Buck is getting Eddie.
While Athena is digging people out of the rubble, a civilian hears something, causing Athena to find Bobby. The vehicles shift; Chimney ended up dangling from the ambulance, moving quickly Buck was able to rescue him to safety. Athena radios over that they have found Bobby and needs help. The remaining members of the 118 arrive at the scene while Maddie calls for the bridge construction workers who are already at the scene to assist in removing the vehicle that is pinning Bobby down.
“It takes a special kind of crazy to want to live this life.” – Athena Grant (Angela Bassett)
As they are loading Bobby into the ambulance, Athena brings over the civilian who helped save Bobby, who turns out to be someone the team has saved in the past. The team arrives at the hospital; Chimney suffering from an abdominal punctured wound, Eddie with a couple of broken ribs, Bobby with a couple of lacerations and bone bruises, and Hen needs a CT scan.
Chimney arrives at the station for his shift and finds the team on the roof doing a new exercise – meditation. Each member is thinking of positive moments in their lives. Deep in meditation; Chimney is planning his wedding with Maddie, Eddie is asking Marisol out, Hen is possibly adopting a little girl, Buck is getting a new sofa with Natalia, and Bobby and Athena are finally going on their honeymoon.
Overall Thoughts
Hearing Lucy’s Mayday call, brought chills to my entire body. Then when it showed the damage, she was witnessing only intensified the feeling. Not going to lie, but I had to rewatch the entire collapse a few times. Besides it being an intense moment, the shot itself was beautiful and smooth. Everything just had to move in the right position at the right time. In all honesty, I’m surprised Buck did not have a concussion after being slammed into the ambulance window. Though the guy was just struck by lightning a few episodes ago, I guess that makes up that not getting injured this time.
Overall, I think this is my favorite episode of the season. With stunning production and writing, the dramatics were in full effect. It was perfect. This was a phenomenal season finale and the last episode to air on FOX; I can’t wait to see how ABC changes things up for season 7. With the show moving networks, my fingers are now crossed for some crossovers with some of ABC’s hit shows.
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You can watch all previous episodes and seasons on Hulu.
