9-1-1 Review: Bobby Begins Again (Season 2 Episode 16)

Who is Bobby Nash? On 9-1-1 Season 2 Episode 16, “Bobby Begins Again,” that question finally gets a well-deserved complete answer.

While the viewers and his “family” already knew everything that could be told about Minnesota, apparently the LAFD didn’t. This puts Bobby’s job in danger and ultimately has him reflecting on his journey.

Going into this episode, fans thought they knew what was going to be said about Bobby’s character — especially considering Season 1 already broached that subject. However, there are so many more layers to Bobby that hadn’t been uncovered yet.

Bobby: I have to own this. I have to…

Minnesota boss: Punish yourself?

Bobby: Yes

Minnesota boss: Your punishment is you lived. Make it worth a damn.

It is nice to get a whole episode devoted to such a central character. Bobby is the heartbeat of 118 and without him, the house would be a much different place, as witnessed in Hen and Chimney’s episodes. 

One of the best moments of the entire episode is definitely when the firehouse is placing bets on how long Bobby will last considering he is coming from Minnesota to LA. To watch Peter Krause handle that scene with ease and humor is a treat to be had by all. 

It’s the 118’s first impression of Bobby and boy does he make a splash. Some of the guys easily show their willingness to jump in with him while a few others stay in the splash zone. 

The Bobby we have grown to know and love isn’t one to back down from a fight when a lesson is to be learned from it — i.e. Buck and the sex addiction in Season 1. “Bobby Begins Again” shows us that this character strength is present even when he is fresh off the boat. 

He “fires” Sal and the rest of the house uses it as a moment to realize he means business. I honestly thought it was Bobby trying to be a hardass and that his journey was going to be working towards the stern but loving Bobby we know now.

Never before have I been so happy to be wrong. In the subtlest of ways, 9-1-1 shows us that some characters really are as genuine and pure as we believed upon first meeting them, like Bobby.

From the Pilot episode, he has been a father figure on the show, and once again he shows that he comes about that quality naturally — it isn’t learned.

Another great thing this show does when they do decide to throw in a backstory or two, is they have throwbacks to things we know are true in the present. Case in point, the family dinners.

By showing viewers the origins of Bobby’s family dinners, we are being reminded that no matter what, these guys are a family. 

Buck: Is it always like this?

Hen: Always.

Chim: When Nash is in the Captain’s seat.

Buck: I think I’m in the right place.

That is a trait we need to hold onto as Bobby’s job is put on the line. While what Chimney said is true, it’s also false. All these years under Captain Nash’s guidance he has been building them up enough to be able to remain a family even without him.

We kind of saw it before when he admitted that his goal was to save 148 lives and then take his own. Even before he changed his trajectory on that journey he was setting his family up for a life without him.

It’s a poignant and powerful thought to make peace with, but it shows everyone that Bobby, despite his faults, is a genuinely good human. He was created for the job he is in, saving people and fighting fires.

Honestly, this introspective look at Bobby’s past and his journey gives more validation to the struggles of those suffering from addiction. Addicts aren’t always inherently bad people, they just have a problem that needs help maintaining. 

Father: You don’t have to tell them what you’ve done in order to show them who you are.

It’s my hope that Bobby coming clean will only aid them in giving him back his command. After all, his actions with the LAFD show who he is as a person and a man far more than the mistakes of his past. 

Bobby is the 118, he is a big-hearted man, and he has more than atoned for his actions in Minnesota. Let’s hope that at the most he will be made to ride a desk for a short while because of the lies on his application. 

Further thoughts:

• Hen is the star of the one-liners in this episode.
• So many great lines that mean so much more in the present timeline — i.e. Chim’s comment about being unscarred.
• Seeing Bobby confused and lost in LA when he first starts is a nice contrast to the current well put together Bobby.
• The Little Black Book made its debut and it got me wondering where it is now. 
• Bobby handing Athena that rooster during their first meeting and then just walking away is adorable to see. As is their crime-fighting duo in the restaurant fire case.

What did you think of this episode of 9-1-1? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Catch up with our review of 9-1-1 Season 2 Episode 15, “Ocean’s 9-1-1” right here!

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

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What to Watch on TV: Week of April 28th