9-1-1 Review: Breaking Point (Season 4 Episode 8)

As far as mid-season finales go, 9-1-1 Season 4 Episode 8, “Breaking Point,” is very lackluster. The episode goes from one call to the next, not really adding any excitement or intrigue to the episode. 

Usually, shows go for a cliffhanger ending to get fans excited about coming back after a prolonged hiatus. However, while hopeful and wonderful to watch, 9-1-1‘s rescue of COVID-19 vaccines is hardly something to write home about. 

That’s not to say this entire episode is a wash. The personal stories definitely save this one from the bottom of the pile. 

The bond between Christopher and his father has always been one of 9-1-1‘s strongest points. These two steal the screen whenever they are together and with good reason — Eddie being the greatest father will melt anyone’s heart. 

Naturally, that means the show exploring Eddie moving on from Christopher’s mom is a great move for this father/son duo. If Christopher had openly accepted Eddie’s announcement about dating again I would have felt removed from the reality of their story. 

It’s fantastic to see Christopher’s anger and confusion occur so organically and develop at a normal pace for a kid his age. He runs away because that’s what kids do when they are scared of change.

Eddie’s announcement brings to light just how much Christopher has hidden from his feelings about all the pandemic changes in his life. This kid is still receiving help to process the loss of his mother and surviving a natural disaster. 

He doesn’t need any more trauma to be piled onto his plate, and yet that’s exactly what this pandemic has done. Christopher is one of the most social kids out there and he can’t see any of his friends besides Buck. 

On top of that, he lacks the language to really voice what he’s feeling. So, he lashes out when his father adds yet another thing to his plate of grown-up situations.

It turns out he’s not mad at Eddie, he’s mad that Eddie can move on from missing his mom when he can’t. Watching him reach the point where he can finally voice that is heartwarming. 

It’s made even better by becoming a moment between him and Buck. Buck has always been his go-to person when he can’t talk to his dad. So naturally, Buck would be the one to help him with this momentous event. 

Christopher: They go away and I miss them. I don’t wanna miss anyone else.

9-1-1 constantly walks a fine line between telling a natural story with Christopher and turning his life into inspiration porn. “Breaking Point” is a wonderful example of when the show does things right. 

It’s not about Christopher’s disability, it’s about Christopher’s emotional maturity making everything difficult to process. In short, this is a moment where the show really highlights that Christopher is a kid with a lot more on his shoulders than most realize — which is a real problem going on in the world with regards to the emotional effects of this pandemic on kids. 

Yes, this moment is clear when Buck realizes that he isn’t such a good friend to others from time to time, but it’s not overwhelmingly expressed as being a result of his conversation with Christopher. Basically, Buck’s conversation facilitates his own learning, but Christopher isn’t the full reason he reaches that conclusion. 

Buck needs more friends than romantic entanglements right now. So, him stepping up and being there for Taylor is a healthy, positive step for him.

Who knows, maybe their friendship will lead them toward something more. After all, they’ve only ever had a physical relationship, not an emotional one. 

Buck has grown so much over the years so I am glad he doesn’t just fall back into his self-destructive ways with Taylor. He is continuing down a path of healthy decisions and this is just the beginning.

The strong, emotional writing for the Diaz family, and Buck by extension, is what we tune in for with “Breaking Point.” It might not be a lot but it’s enough to keep us interested in what may come next.

Minor Emergencies:

• I need Maddie and Chim’s baby to be born already.
• The conversation between Maddie and Athena is iconic. These ladies deserve to share the screen more often.
• So, Karen and Hen have to give back Nia? Nope. I don’t accept that. 
• The old man pushing the criminal off his roof is supposed to be serious, but damn if laughing at that doesn’t cure our ills. 

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9-1-1 returns Monday, April 19th at 8/7c on FOX

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