9-1-1 Review: Let Go (Season 1 Episode 2)

Guilt. So easy to gain; even harder to let go. On 9-1-1 Season 1 Episode 2, “Let Go,” guilt is an underlying current. Especially with Evan Buckley.

Athena: When we take the uniform off at the end of the day it signals letting go of all the sad, crazy, inhuman things we see.

Evan Buckley is new to this game, and to be honest, it shows. On 9-1-1, the story can turn on a dime. You never know what to expect.

Honestly, I thought that I knew what to expect from Buck this episode just from his reaction to the events in the beginning. Then, he surprises us by not surprising us at all.

He uses sex to mask his feelings. Why does it feel like this isn’t anything new? Because it isn’t.

Buck: I just had sex with my therapist.

9-1-1 is already showing us that we can expect the unexpected. Why should Buck be any different?

He’s feeling guilty about his first ever death on the job. He doesn’t know how to handle that.

He is hoping that sex will solve everything like it always has. However, he’s learned a few things by being on the job. One thing he’s learned is that he needs to work through his issues if he wants to be a firefighter because his best asset is his compassion and care.

Buck: I love this job because I get to be the tough guy but I also get to help people.

Buck’s one true saving grace is that he does want to help himself. He wants to be saved, unlike the guy on the coaster.

Acknowledging that he feels guilt about what happened at the fair is Buck’s first step towards healing. Talking to Bobby also bonds him more deeply to his mentor. In that moment, you see Bobby connect with the younger man.

It’s then that we realize just how much Bobby believes in him. He wants him to get help. He wants him to succeed and he believes he can do it.

I said it before, and I will probably say it a few more times by the end of the season, Bobby Nash is truly deserving of his leadership role. He gives love, even when it’s the tough love variety.

The fact that Buck is turning to him time and time again shows that he trusts him. Even when Bobby tells him things he doesn’t want to hear. Bobby is the father of 9-1-1. Tough but fair.

Transversely, Bobby trusts Buck to get the job done. That faith is what moves this show. He could have let Han take the reigns on the window washer call, instead he gives it to Buck. Complete faith.

Likewise, if Bobby is the father then Abby is the mother. (Not that she would ever want to admit to it.)

She looks out for everyone, whether they be on the phone in an emergency or they be one of the first responders. It may be because she doesn’t get much mothering from her own mother any more. She has to become that role at home and it bleeds over into her job. She especially has a soft spot for Buck.

Abby’s role in Buck’s dealing of his guilt is heartwarming to say the least. This is definitely a relationship we didn’t see coming, but we love it just the same.

The ease in which they feed off of each other is catching. Abby knows exactly what Buck is thinking because she’s been listening and observing from the sideline for years. She knows a thing or two about guilt.

She has faith in Buck because he has faith in her. He is the first person to ever tell her she is a hero too. For Abby that means more than gold.

I think she feels romantically about him, but isn’t ready to really act on it without an outside push. I’m glad Carla is that push.

I’m not opposed to the coupling. Many might gawk at the age difference, but if it ends up being what both characters need then by all means BRING IT ON!

 Buck: I won’t go out with you because I like you.

This moment surprises us all and shows that Buck is willing to work on himself. He is willing to change. In the past he would have jumped right on that opportunity for not only a date but, sex.

Ultimately, I think that Buck and Abby will be good for each other. It’s clear that they care for one another. It’s even more amazing considering they have only ever spoken over the phone. Abby may know what Buck looks like but, he has no idea who she is beyond her name.

She is a motherly figure who could potentially be more than that, but for now she is a confidante for a very mixed up firefighter. Who knows maybe Abby will be able to gain the confidence she needs in her own life through her connection to Buck.

I want to close with a powerful quote from the wonderful Abby herself.

Abby: The right kind of no is better than the wrong kind of yes.

Other thoughts:

• Athena and Hen! I love this Girl Power duo!
• Athena is going to break my heart in the coming episodes with her struggles romantically as well as dealing with her daughter’s suicide attempt.
• Carla is the best addition to this show. I hope she stays! She is a wonderful relief from all the tension and sadness.

What did you think of this episode of 9-1-1? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below, and be sure to check out our review of 9-1-1 Season 1 Episode 1, “Pilot” right here!

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9-1-1 airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on FOX.

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