9-1-1: Lone Star Review: Monster Inside (Season 1 Episode 8)
Emotions run high and rampant as 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 1 Episode 8, “Monster Inside,” explores love and loss. Between the Strands and Michelle, it’s hard to say who is to blame for our current emotional distress.
It’s always fun to see shows explore such heavy themes from many different angles. 9-1-1: Lone Star definitely takes the idea and runs with it.
At first glance, one tragedy seems enough to carry an episode, but on this show, one is never enough. Which isn’t always a bad thing — in this case it’s a spectacular take on our emotional threshold.
First and foremost, we are dealing with Michelle and her crusade to find out what happened to her sister. It’s hard enough that we find out her sister’s blood and bracelet are inside the crashed truck, but that’s not all.
Just when Michelle is resigned to accepting her sister’s death, we see that her sister is in fact alive. While it’s heartbreaking that Michelle still doesn’t know, it’s a phenomenal use of foreshadowing.
As mentioned in our review of 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 1 Episode 7, “Bum Steer,” we think the purple tent has some connection to Iris. On “Monster Inside,” we discover what Michelle does not — Iris is in fact the inhabitant of the purple tent.
It’s a bittersweet victory for those of us with a keen enough eye to pick up on the detail and make that connection. If only Michelle could’ve turned around one more time and seen her sister.
However, it becomes the perfect set up for a big reveal in the season finale and what a reveal that is going to be. Michelle has so much guilt and regret attached to the assumed demise of her sister that her reaction to finding her alive can go many ways — all of them heavily emotional.
A great continuation of this story would be for 9-1-1: Lone Star to have Michelle use a reunion with her sister to actually do what she regrets not doing three years ago — saving her, helping her. The signs all point toward that conclusion to their story.
This episode is heavily laid with Michelle’s flashbacks with Iris and now noticing her mental spiral. They say hindsight is 20/20 and Michelle is really feeling that right about now.
Michelle has devoted so much of who she is toward making up for what she couldn’t do for her sister. Hopefully, this won’t fall away once she realizes she has a second chance with Iris.
She has already lost so much, it’s high time Michelle gets the opportunity to show Iris just how much she loves her and wants what is best for her.
If a sister’s love is compelling and tear-inducing, then the love between a father and a son can just break your heart in two.
All season long, the real heart of the show has been TK and Owen. Their bond inspires those around them and allows people to really trust in what Owen is spelling out for them.
It’s no secret TK immediately got to work helping his father fight cancer, but what about his true emotions on the subject? Who expects a dog to be just the catalyst needed to open up that floodgate?
Owen does.
Point blank, Owen is as close to perfect as one man can get without it crossing over into unrealistic. He not only sees his son for all that he is, but he also loves him without judgment or conditions.
This really comes into play when TK tells him that he doesn’t hate the dog, he just can’t fall in love with something else he could lose. Now that is a heavy statement on the simplest of terms.
However, Owen knows better, and when he digs in deeper for the hidden meaning behind his son’s words, that is when the show really hits us where it hurts. He could simply take it to mean it’s only about him, but instead, he replies in a way that also includes TK’s possible connection to Carlos.
That is what makes Owen not just a good dad, but a great one. Well, that and him stepping away from his son’s bedside to allow Carlos some time alone with him, but more on that later.
The greatest thing about the TK, Owen, and Buttercup scene isn’t the connection it has to all that encompasses these characters and their struggles. The greatest thing is that their words can be applied to any situation where someone is losing someone they love.
When shows make that human connection they always win. This will go down as one of the top moments of 9-1-1: Lone Star overall.
All season long we have been worried about losing Captain Strand, but now 9-1-1: Lone Star manages to hit us with a changeup — it’s TK whose life/livelihood is on the line.
Even more heartbreaking is that Carlos cares for TK on a level no one else really has before and they’ve not managed to really hash it out yet. His fear and concern are tangible as he stands in the doorway, silently asking for permission and then again when he strokes TK’s hair.
Our shipper hearts don’t want anything truly awful to happen to TK because it would break Carlos’ — and our — heart. However, I’m all for a bit of rehabilitation where Carlos gets the chance to help TK heal and rebuild.
It definitely makes for intense emotions from everyone as we head into the finale, but ultimately there is an air of hope surrounding it. Surely, a character this well-loved and respected is going to be just fine.
This show has always been about family and after “Monster Inside,” it’s blatantly obvious that this family is going to need more than a tragedy like TK’s to break them. They are going to come out of this situation stronger and more united than ever before.
9-1-1: Lone Star sure knows how to bring us into the bookend of their first season with their message of love and strength even in times of crisis. It’s been stellar episode after stellar episode so far this season, and “Monster Inside” is no different.
There is a visceral reality to each and every moment brought forth from the character development displayed throughout. To be quite honest, I don’t really know what to expect from the coming finale and that is the way I love it.
Further Thoughts:
- Carlos and Michelle’s friendship is so special. I just wish we could see quite a bit more of it this season.
- The large number of snakes on that one call, NO THANK YOU! Goodbye!
- As heartbreaking as it is that the kid shot TK, it is a moment many see coming. He is terrified and the gun is within his reach. It’s a recipe for disaster.
- The man with the sword and the dead mom is giving me super icky Norman Bates vibes…minus the killing.
What did you think of this episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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9-1-1: Lone Star 2-hour season finale airs Monday, March 9th at 8/7c on FOX.
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Mads Misasi
Mads is a part-time entertainment journalist and full-time marketing content creator. They love any and all TV Dramas with a few sitcoms mixed in. Join in the fun talking about TV by following them on Twitter: @dorothynyc89.