The 118th episode of 911 truly felt like a love letter to two characters who we were introduced to in season 2 and quickly became fan favorites. Focusing on Maddie Buckley Han and Eddie Diaz, episode 12 of season 8 saw how they both struggled in their own ways as they forged a new path in their lives.
Maddie went to work for the first time since she was abducted and almost killed by Detective Amber Braeburn. She had been having night terrors and told her husband, Chimney, she wanted to go back to work to see if she could confront those feelings.
Even though she had only been off work for five weeks, she was ready to get back to it. Something she has in common with her brother, Buck, who never likes to take it easy when he is injured.
When Maddie got to work, she took a call from a young boy who was in danger from a fire as his father was passed out in bed. But as Maddie took the call, her voice began to weaken until Josh had to take over the call for her.
How did Maddie overcome losing her voice on 911 season 8, episode 12?
Chimney and Maddie tried to find a medical reason for why she lost her voice, but for all intents and purposes, she just needed to practice gaining her voice back. However, the thought of not being able to go back to work was difficult for her. A visit from Athena helped Maddie a little bit. It’s always a treat to see the characters interact, especially these two.
Maddie’s voice eventually did come back in a big way. She was at the park with Jee when she glanced down at her phone, momentarily losing sight of her. Panicking, Maddie called her name until her voice broke through and she shouted for her daughter. Luckily, Jee was fine on the playground, but this was a huge moment for Maddie. She had been afraid of losing her voice, but her little girl brought it back.
This was an amazing episode for Maddie and we loved getting to see her battle the demons left behind in the wake of her abduction. But with her husband, daughter, and family, she overcame this hurdle so she could go back to the job she loved.
Eddie finds himself in another career as he settles in El Paso
As for Eddie, he was trying to make it in El Paso but he was having difficulties. Not only did his house need major repairs, but the firefighting job he tried to get was unavailable. Despite getting the interview with Bobby’s recommendation, they were in the middle of a hiring freeze.
At first, Eddie contemplated going back to LA, but Buck told him he needed to focus on being Chris’s dad. So far it hadn’t been easy, especially since Eddie had splurged to buy him a Ps5 and then sold his truck to get a different, smaller vehicle. It was difficult to see Eddie give up something he loved, but he was doing it for an important reason.
Because he found out that Christopher had been bragging about his dad being a firefighter, Eddie didn’t want to admit he couldn’t find a job and tell his son. Instead, he began driving for Uber, although it was awkward to watch since he was very talkative and most of his passengers were not.
Chris did discover his new job, though, and Eddie felt horrible for lying. After getting some good advice from Buck to talk to Chris, he reached out to his son. Unfortunately, Christopher didn’t respond. However, he had his own way to reach his dad.
He got an uber to his dad’s new place and told Eddie that while he wanted the Ps5, he didn’t want his dad to splurge when he needed the money. Eddie apologized for lying and the two shared a long-awaited hug. Even though Eddie had been in Texas for a few weeks now, this was the first time they had a chance to really bond just the two of them.
With Eddie now seeming to settle in Texas, it does look like they might be making moves to stay there. However, is this really what is going to happen? Or will Eddie and Christopher eventually make their way back to LA?
It did look like even though Helena was trying to bridge the gap between Eddie and Chris, we know Eddie needs to have a talk with her about a lot of things, especially if he wants to make amends with his son and get back to it being the two of them without any other obstacles.
This really was a well done episode and deeply focused on the core of who Maddie and Eddie are as people. It was a great tribute to their characters and showed how the love for their children allowed them to overcome the obstacles they needed to forge ahead.
The preview for the next episode, titled “Invisible,” showed Hen in danger on board a bus where a man with a knife is holding people hostage. If 8B has shown us so far, we’re in for another exciting episode!
Highlights:
- Athena and Maddie together is such a wonderful treat. We love their relationship and bond so much.
- While Buck was on the phone, we spied a champagne bottle in his refrigerator. Is this the same one Tommy left in the freezer at the end of the previous episode? Will it be important later? Time will tell!
- Eddie as an Uber driver may have been cringy but at least he got to try some energy drinks!
- Chimney Han is the ultimate father and husband.
911 airs Thursdays on ABC at 8/7c. You can catch up on previous episodes on Hulu.
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