After the previous high quality episodes, 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13, titled “Invisible,” settles for rapidly written conflicts and less-than-engaging rescues. Which is disappointing, contemplating it’s a Hen-centric (Aisha Hinds) episode. Eddie carries the opposite a part of this episode to higher requirements, however in some methods, his story is missing as effectively.
It’s tv, so all conflicts and resolutions are technically manufactured. However they shouldn’t really feel manufactured. With eight seasons of historical past between these characters, battle ought to come up organically and based mostly on some stage of believability. Everybody, together with the 118, Hen’s mother, Hen’s youngsters, and her spouse Karen (Tracie Thoms), all overlook her birthday? Finest buddy Chimney (Kenneth Choi), too? Come on.
Probably the most head-scratching a part of that is that the episode units it up like they’re all going to shock Hen for her birthday, and their supposed forgetfulness is a ruse. However when it seems that everybody truly forgot, it’s an extremely disappointing flip of occasions. And one unfit of a Hen storyline. At the very least Athena (Angela Bassett) remembered, the present, for as soon as, remembering that Hen and Athena are buddies.
Hen’s birthday coincides with Archie’s horrible day of unhealthy luck. First, he will get fired, then he will get squashed by his personal mattress when his fiancée cheats on him along with his cousin, adopted by an unlucky assembly with a semi truck tire, which all culminates in his automobile being towed. The 118 rescues him in each state of affairs, however appears to overlook who he’s every time, taking part in into the episode’s title “Invisible.” The one one who doesn’t overlook him is Hen, who’s going via her personal “feeling invisible” second.
9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13 falls extremely flat.
Whereas the present is strongest when it may well thematically tie collectively the firefighters’ private storylines with their rescues, this episode makes a half-hearted try. Because the episode unfolds, it appears like a number of days cross, but it’s Hen’s birthday all the episode. It being solely sooner or later makes it much more unbelievable that the 118 wouldn’t bear in mind Archie both, contemplating he was in all probability the one calls they obtained all day. Paired with the unbelievability that everybody in Hen’s life besides Athena and Eddie (Ryan Guzman) would overlook her birthday, 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13 falls extremely flat.
Hen and Archie have some nice moments, together with Hen giving a number of transferring speeches about taking on house on this planet. And regardless of Archie taking a bus hostage, he’s a reasonably pleasant one-off character. However none of Hen’s story feels grounded within the present standing of the characters. Hen’s speech on this episode is a little bit harking back to her speech in “Hen Begins” from 9-1-1 Season 2.
There, confronted with the bigotry of a white and male-dominated firehouse, Hen proudly stands her floor, taking on house within the firehouse that’s her dwelling away from dwelling. In “Hen Begins,” it’s narratively grounded in telling the story of Hen’s journey to changing into a firefighter on the 118.
In 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13, all the pieces is all predicated on the truth that everybody forgets her birthday, a battle launched in the identical episode, and never wholly plausible. This stems from a bigger concern in 9-1-1 Season 8’s writing, the place the present doesn’t appear to be counting on the well-established character dynamics as a lot, and even exploring new dynamics. Everybody feels boxed in.
Eddie lastly reconciles with Chris.
Out in Texas, Eddie’s story to reconcile with Chris (Gavin McHugh) seemingly concludes. This was the extra dynamic a part of this episode, however whereas the scenes themselves had been participating—Guzman displaying a superb mixture of comedy, sincerity, and love for Chris on this efficiency — the crux of the difficulty that led him to Texas has seemingly been ignored. Shannon’s (Devin Kelley) dying in 9-1-1 Season 2 has been haunting Eddie ever since, resulting in a weird storyline in 9-1-1 Season 7 that brings again Kelley as a brand new character named Kim, in a homage to Hitchcock’s Vertigo.
Eddie, confronted with the mirror picture of his lifeless spouse, engages in an emotional affair along with her, caught up within the fantasy that his spouse continues to be alive. When Kim realizes why Eddie retains seeing her, she reveals up at his home dressed like Shannon. It’s right here that Eddie has what seems to be an emotional breakthrough concerning Shannon’s dying. After which Chris walks in.
Chris, upset at seeing somebody who appears to be like precisely like his mom, calls his grandparents. They take him to Texas, the place he’s stayed for all of 9-1-1 Season 8. Contemplating the catalyst for Chris going to Texas was the Kim state of affairs, and the catalyst for Eddie lastly going to Texas is Chris being there, it’s wild that neither Shannon nor Kim is introduced up in these reconciliation moments.
As a substitute, the Diaz dad and mom are made out to be the villains right here. And whereas they actually have their moments of not respecting Eddie’s needs or treating him like a child, it feels just like the present has sidestepped the actual concern and gone with a simple route for reconciliation.
9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 12 isn’t narratively satisfying in any respect.
Chris revealing that he doesn’t like chess and was solely taking part in it to appease his grandparents is definitely a compelling state of affairs and positively a common expertise. Eddie taking his son’s aspect and standing as much as his mom about this was additionally a beautiful second. It reveals a bit extra about Eddie’s childhood as effectively. However once more, one thing is lacking right here. Eddie declares that Chris is transferring again in with him.
In response, Chris asks Eddie if he’s able to be his dad once more, a really emotionally candy second between the 2 that gives a bit extra perception into how Chris has felt in regards to the state of affairs the entire time. However as a result of the causation for this example has not been introduced up, it feels too straightforward. Eddie and Chris drive off collectively, a tidy little bow on the entire thing.
It’s not narratively satisfying in any respect. Each most important plots in 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13 come off like little thought was given to both of them. Which is unlucky, contemplating each Hen and Eddie have felt short-changed this season of their respective story-focused episodes.
Subsequent up, a uncommon mid-to-late season two-part emergency titled 9-1-1: Contagion begins subsequent week, which appears to be like promising. Hopefully, these character dynamics and stakes that had been lacking in 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13 return to type.
9-1-1 airs new episodes each Thursday on ABC and Hulu.
Earlier Episode | Subsequent Episode
9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13 — “Invisible”
5/10
TL;DR
Each most important plots in 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13 come off like little thought was given to both of them.
After the previous high quality episodes, 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13, titled “Invisible,” settles for rapidly written conflicts and less-than-engaging rescues. Which is disappointing, contemplating it’s a Hen-centric (Aisha Hinds) episode. Eddie carries the opposite a part of this episode to higher requirements, however in some methods, his story is missing as effectively.
It’s tv, so all conflicts and resolutions are technically manufactured. However they shouldn’t really feel manufactured. With eight seasons of historical past between these characters, battle ought to come up organically and based mostly on some stage of believability. Everybody, together with the 118, Hen’s mother, Hen’s youngsters, and her spouse Karen (Tracie Thoms), all overlook her birthday? Finest buddy Chimney (Kenneth Choi), too? Come on.
Probably the most head-scratching a part of that is that the episode units it up like they’re all going to shock Hen for her birthday, and their supposed forgetfulness is a ruse. However when it seems that everybody truly forgot, it’s an extremely disappointing flip of occasions. And one unfit of a Hen storyline. At the very least Athena (Angela Bassett) remembered, the present, for as soon as, remembering that Hen and Athena are buddies.
Hen’s birthday coincides with Archie’s horrible day of unhealthy luck. First, he will get fired, then he will get squashed by his personal mattress when his fiancée cheats on him along with his cousin, adopted by an unlucky assembly with a semi truck tire, which all culminates in his automobile being towed. The 118 rescues him in each state of affairs, however appears to overlook who he’s every time, taking part in into the episode’s title “Invisible.” The one one who doesn’t overlook him is Hen, who’s going via her personal “feeling invisible” second.
9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13 falls extremely flat.
Whereas the present is strongest when it may well thematically tie collectively the firefighters’ private storylines with their rescues, this episode makes a half-hearted try. Because the episode unfolds, it appears like a number of days cross, but it’s Hen’s birthday all the episode. It being solely sooner or later makes it much more unbelievable that the 118 wouldn’t bear in mind Archie both, contemplating he was in all probability the one calls they obtained all day. Paired with the unbelievability that everybody in Hen’s life besides Athena and Eddie (Ryan Guzman) would overlook her birthday, 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13 falls extremely flat.
Hen and Archie have some nice moments, together with Hen giving a number of transferring speeches about taking on house on this planet. And regardless of Archie taking a bus hostage, he’s a reasonably pleasant one-off character. However none of Hen’s story feels grounded within the present standing of the characters. Hen’s speech on this episode is a little bit harking back to her speech in “Hen Begins” from 9-1-1 Season 2.
There, confronted with the bigotry of a white and male-dominated firehouse, Hen proudly stands her floor, taking on house within the firehouse that’s her dwelling away from dwelling. In “Hen Begins,” it’s narratively grounded in telling the story of Hen’s journey to changing into a firefighter on the 118.
In 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13, all the pieces is all predicated on the truth that everybody forgets her birthday, a battle launched in the identical episode, and never wholly plausible. This stems from a bigger concern in 9-1-1 Season 8’s writing, the place the present doesn’t appear to be counting on the well-established character dynamics as a lot, and even exploring new dynamics. Everybody feels boxed in.
Eddie lastly reconciles with Chris.
Out in Texas, Eddie’s story to reconcile with Chris (Gavin McHugh) seemingly concludes. This was the extra dynamic a part of this episode, however whereas the scenes themselves had been participating—Guzman displaying a superb mixture of comedy, sincerity, and love for Chris on this efficiency — the crux of the difficulty that led him to Texas has seemingly been ignored. Shannon’s (Devin Kelley) dying in 9-1-1 Season 2 has been haunting Eddie ever since, resulting in a weird storyline in 9-1-1 Season 7 that brings again Kelley as a brand new character named Kim, in a homage to Hitchcock’s Vertigo.
Eddie, confronted with the mirror picture of his lifeless spouse, engages in an emotional affair along with her, caught up within the fantasy that his spouse continues to be alive. When Kim realizes why Eddie retains seeing her, she reveals up at his home dressed like Shannon. It’s right here that Eddie has what seems to be an emotional breakthrough concerning Shannon’s dying. After which Chris walks in.
Chris, upset at seeing somebody who appears to be like precisely like his mom, calls his grandparents. They take him to Texas, the place he’s stayed for all of 9-1-1 Season 8. Contemplating the catalyst for Chris going to Texas was the Kim state of affairs, and the catalyst for Eddie lastly going to Texas is Chris being there, it’s wild that neither Shannon nor Kim is introduced up in these reconciliation moments.
As a substitute, the Diaz dad and mom are made out to be the villains right here. And whereas they actually have their moments of not respecting Eddie’s needs or treating him like a child, it feels just like the present has sidestepped the actual concern and gone with a simple route for reconciliation.
9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 12 isn’t narratively satisfying in any respect.
Chris revealing that he doesn’t like chess and was solely taking part in it to appease his grandparents is definitely a compelling state of affairs and positively a common expertise. Eddie taking his son’s aspect and standing as much as his mom about this was additionally a beautiful second. It reveals a bit extra about Eddie’s childhood as effectively. However once more, one thing is lacking right here. Eddie declares that Chris is transferring again in with him.
In response, Chris asks Eddie if he’s able to be his dad once more, a really emotionally candy second between the 2 that gives a bit extra perception into how Chris has felt in regards to the state of affairs the entire time. However as a result of the causation for this example has not been introduced up, it feels too straightforward. Eddie and Chris drive off collectively, a tidy little bow on the entire thing.
It’s not narratively satisfying in any respect. Each most important plots in 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13 come off like little thought was given to both of them. Which is unlucky, contemplating each Hen and Eddie have felt short-changed this season of their respective story-focused episodes.
Subsequent up, a uncommon mid-to-late season two-part emergency titled 9-1-1: Contagion begins subsequent week, which appears to be like promising. Hopefully, these character dynamics and stakes that had been lacking in 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13 return to type.
9-1-1 airs new episodes each Thursday on ABC and Hulu.
Earlier Episode | Subsequent Episode
9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13 — “Invisible”
5/10
TL;DR
Each most important plots in 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13 come off like little thought was given to both of them.
