9-1-1 Review: Blindsided (Season 4 Episode 9)

It’s a matter of life and death on 9-1-1 Season 4 Episode 9, “Blindsided.” This is one of the most harrowing episodes in the show’s history.

From start to finish the emotions are running high between joy at Maddie and Chim’s soon-to-be parenthood and terror with a multi-car pile-up. The show has had issues in the past with giving viewers the right level of high-stakes anxiety but not with “Blindsided.”

As we watch the little boy freak out on the phone with 9-1-1 our hearts break, hoping our biggest fear won’t be realized. The real possibility of the child dying is there every step of the way and the fast-paced danger of the accident keeps it present.

In all 4 seasons, 9-1-1 has tried too hard to rush through high-tension situations and not give it the depth it needs. On “Blindsided,” each element is given its due to ensure our emotional connection is there.

There is that sigh of relief for a moment’s reprieve from all the terror when the story shifts to Maddie. It’s nice to see Chim and Maddie happy and carefree for the first time in weeks. 

Using To Build a Home by The Cinematic Orchestra really helps to enhance the emotions being paralleled between Maddie’s delivery and the team realizing Albert is in the crash. 

To be honest, I am not regularly brought to tears by TV moments but hearing Albert flatline as Maddie give birth broke even me. It has us terrified for all of two minutes as we wait to see if Chim will become a father the day his brother dies. 

It doesn’t help that the song evokes negative and bittersweet emotions in viewers, depending on what they associate the song with. The sound department chose wisely if they were aiming to collectively make viewers lose their minds and hearts. 

As if that isn’t enough, then Chim has to go to Albert’s bedside and sob his way through a speech about waking up. Kenneth Choi manages to worm his way under our skin with his words and emotions in a way that is stronger than the previous song-filled scenes.

Choi is an actor who is often overlooked in favor of the other characters, which is a crying shame. He does emotional, from the heart moments better than anyone else on the show. 

Maybe now, others will start to see just how integral Choi is to the bigger picture of the show and give Chim a bit more love. After all, Chim has been through more life-threatening experiences than anyone else on the show and still manages to find the positive in every situation.

While I have advocated for 9-1-1 to kill off a character in the past, I am glad it didn’t go that route with Albert. In this case, killing him would just add another tragedy to the life of Howard Han and that’s unfair. 

Yes, life is unfair sometimes. However, Chim deserves a win for once, and having to share his daughter’s birthday with his brother’s death day isn’t a win. 

Killing Albert isn’t productive to the plot. In fact, it would do more harm than good. It would honestly have turned this die-hard fan from continuing to watch the series.

Not to mention Albert is a fan favorite and the positive ray of sunshine of the group. Losing him is like putting out the last match during a storm. 

Without Albert, 9-1-1 loses its levity from all the heavy emergencies the first responders face every day.

It’s going to be interesting to see how the show moves forward from this moment when highlighting Albert’s recovery. 

In such a short time, he has become one of the components holding the Han/Buckley family together. Also, I need to see Uncle Albert enjoy time with his new niece — it better come sooner rather than later.

Minor Emergencies:

• The writers really want us heartbroken by the episode’s story when it chooses to return Nia to her birth mother. I just want to wrap Hen up in a huge hug.
• It’s great to see the approach to Bobby’s past alcoholism, which hasn’t really been referenced in a long while. 

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What did you think of this episode of 9-1-1? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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9-1-1 airs Mondays at 8/7c on FOX.

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