9-1-1: Lone Star Review: The Bird (Season 3 Episode 9)

What could have been a fantastic episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star gets bogged down in details that don’t matter and lack of focus on the ones that do.

First and foremost, 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 3 Episode 9, “The Bird,” seems to show that even the writers are tired of writing giant emergency after giant emergency. As such, the show has backed itself into a corner with Paul and his condition.

Paul’s Brugada Syndrome

It is one thing to give Paul a sort of heart condition that can be reversed or even managed. It’s another entirely to give him one where his only options are certain death and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator which prevents the person from ever doing strenuous activities ever again — i.e. being a firefighter.

While yes, the drama of Paul and Marjan going back and forth about his health, and his decision regarding it, is captivating. However, where does that end up leaving us?

If “The Bird” is anything to go on it leaves us with a fractured friendship and Paul out of the lineup at the 126. 

What is most disbelieving about all of this is how quickly everything plays out. Maybe if he had been having random nightmares thrown in throughout previous episodes that could lead up to this diagnosis.

Unfortunately, we are left with it showing up for the first time on this episode and then being resolved — disjointedly so — by the end of the episode.

Marjan and Paul on the Outs?

One of the things this episode could have stood to focus on is the strain this diagnosis is causing on Paul and Marjan’s bond. These two are truly the closest members of the 126, they are — as Marjan puts it — ride or die.

It might have been less jarring for their “breakup” to happen at the end of the episode if there had been a bit more strife between them beforehand. Yes, Marjan spent the episode pushing Paul to see a doctor and to make the right decision.

But, it isn’t until the final ten minutes or so that we really see Paul mad at her about it. Frustrated, yes. But full-on mad to the point of ignoring her? No. 

This friendship deserves better writing and build up than 9-1-1: Lone Star is giving them right now. It just seems a bit trite that Paul would completely dismiss her over all of this and so quickly.

Honestly, the episode should have ended Paul’s story on a cliffhanger to allow for more development of the strain between them in his hospital room.

Gwyn’s Bird Steals the Show

An inheritance bird should never have been the focus of this episode. There is no need to spend so much wasted time on Owen’s struggles with a bird who dislikes him and he dislikes it.

Especially, considering the bird dies at the end — what is the point of that? Yes, Owen’s grief over his ex-wife is important, but for it to overshadow TK facing his head on?

One of my biggest complaints about this show is the amount of focus it gives to Owen. This is an ensemble show, but the longer it goes on the more it seems to be Owen Strand and the 126, not just the 126. 

The bonding experience between TK and Tommy over their shared grief definitely could’ve been more in focus because it’s what we want to see the episode after a major death. Owen fighting with a bird? Not so much.

It could’ve been diminished down to one scene of Owen fighting with the bird in front of Catherine and her explaining the mindset of birds. Then have the one scene between Owen and the bird where they forgive each other.

No need for anything more because while Owen’s grief is also valid, it’s not the most important journey we should be focusing on.

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 airs Mondays at 8/7c on FOX.

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