9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13 Review: Invisible

Every once in a while, episodes like 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13, “Invisible,” manage to teach us a lesson or two without beating us over the head with it. 

For the first time in a long while, the emergencies of the day directly correlate with something one of the characters is going through. In this case, it is both Hen and, from a distance, Eddie.

It’s never fun to feel like no one sees you, even more so when you thought you mattered to those people. Such is the case with everyone forgetting Hen’s birthday and Eddie feeling shut out of Chris’ life by his own parents.

Everyone Loves Hen, Just Not on Her Birthday

Let’s start with Hen; after all, it is her birthday. Honestly, who hasn’t felt the sting of disappointment when a big event happens in your life, and the people closest to you barely notice or don’t notice at all?

It’s a common feeling, which ultimately puts Hen in an extra-giving mood for the man they help during the first emergency of the day. She might not say anything at first, but it’s evident that Hen knows what the man is going through.

Sure, we find out later that during Archie’s second emergency with the 118, Hen was only saying how she felt at Archie, not to him. However, it doesn’t make her words any less important for people to hear.

Henrietta Wilson: It’s okay to take up space in this world.

Despite all this disappointment, Hen never once stops doing her job in the best way she knows how. She continues to step up for Archie even after he’s put an entire bus of people in harm’s way.

It just goes to show that even when Hen feels invisible to her family, she makes sure that the people she serves always see her. When her family does come around and apologize or make it up to her, Hen shows she is willing to hold a grudge for a bit.

Buck Continues to Support Eddie From Afar

Eddie might be feeling a bit disconnected from his son right now, but Buck is always there to make him feel less alone. Their FaceTime calls during 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 12, “Disconnected,” and 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 13, “Invisible,” prove their bond isn’t one that distance will break.

This comes in handy as Eddie tries to earn back the trust he believes his son no longer has in him. But Buck is quick to point out that if Eddie never asks and Chris feels like he can’t ask, then that leaves them stuck.

In their first call of the episode, Buck clearly believes Eddie is catastrophizing his situation with Chris without any evidence to back him up. So, he naturally does what Buck always does: He encourages Eddie to be bold and step up, no matter the result.

When Eddie calls him again to tell him that his parents have hijacked Chris’ weekend without telling him, Buck is right there with a logical solution. This proves once and for all that the only person who knows Eddie better than himself is Buck.

After all, the end result of Eddie showing up to Chris’ chess tournament wouldn’t have happened if he’d not asked Buck for advice. As a longtime fan of the show, the writers continuing the close bond between Buck and Eddie despite the distance warms my very heart.

At the end of the day, Eddie telling Chris they’re going to live together again is all thanks to Buck’s sympathetic encouragement.

The Trouble with Eddie’s Parents, Specifically Helena

Okay, buckle in because now I’m about to get very heated about the elephant in the room of this episode, Eddie’s parents. 

In my review of 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 12, “Disconnected,” I commented on the negative vibe I got from Eddie’s mom at almost every turn regarding Chris. Now, I’m even more angry at her, and I didn’t think that was ever possible.

This is a woman who sees her son struggling, and instead of helping him, she swoops in and takes the one thing he cares about away. Chris might’ve asked to go stay with his grandparents at the start of all this, but I truly believe Helena is the reason he refused to talk to his dad for as long as he did.

Why, you ask? Well, let’s look at what we learned during this episode.

First, Helena casually mentions Chris’ chess tournament the moment Eddie implies he wants to spend time with Chris, alone. Then, she acts as if she told Eddie, and he just forgot, which, as fans, we know isn’t Eddie’s style as a dad. 

After that, we learn that Ramon is going with Chris to his tournament since only one parent can go per competitor. Instead of encouraging Eddie when he suggests taking Ramon’s place, she manipulates Eddie into backing down, stating Ramon would be so upset if he couldn’t go.

Finally, we learn that the people in Chris’ chess circle think Ramon is his father, and Chris admits that he thought Eddie stopped being his dad.

Eddie Should’ve Gotten Angrier

Now, why would Chris think Eddie wasn’t his dad anymore if what Helena had been telling Eddie this whole time was true? If Chris was mad at his dad this whole time, then why is it a shock to Chris that Eddie wants them to live together?

Hearing Chris say that he thinks he’ll be in trouble for quitting chess hurts my heart. Then, to add, “So, you’ll be my dad again,” on top of that, I want to do nothing but hug that boy for eternity.

It’s easy to see that these statements break Eddie’s heart, too. Especially because he knows exactly what his parents are like having been raised by them.

Eddie knows and respects his son, which is as clear as day during their conversation in the bathroom of the chess tournament. Instead of interrupting Chris or speaking for him, Eddie helps him get cleaned up and supports how Chris is feeling.

The major issue with how things end for Eddie and Christopher during this episode is that Eddie doesn’t give his parents a hard enough time. Sure, he gets a bit heated with his mom in Chris’ bedroom, but it isn’t nearly enough.

Helena Diaz: So, you’re going to disrupt his life, just like that?

Eddie Diaz: I’m not disrupting his life, I am his life!

After everything Chris admits to him at the tournament, you want us to believe Eddie didn’t go completely off on Helena? From day one the thing that has been extremely true about Eddie is that he will stand up for and with his son.

Nothing matters more to him than his son’s happiness. Which is why it took him so long to bite the bullet and move to El Paso. He thought he would be interrupting Chris’ happiness if he showed up.

Helena and Ramon both deserve so much pain for what they’ve been manipulating Chris and Eddie to believe for months now. On top of that, Helena deserves a special kind of pain for essentially ripping her grandson from the only parent he had left and insisting that she and Ramon were his parents now.

But I digress. Maybe more is to come regarding Eddie’s development with his parents. At least he and Chris are reunited and living together once more.

Stray Thoughts:

• I laugh at Hen milking Buck’s guilt for all its worth just so she can get free lawn care.
• Also, everyone should bow down to Athena for being the only real one. She remembered Hen’s birthday, I know that’s right.
• Can we talk about how domestic the first Buck/Eddie FaceTime is? Both of them are cooking…so cute.

 

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9-1-1 airs Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC.

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