9-1-1: Nashville Season 1 Episode 14 Review: Hard Knox

Blythe must rely on Dixie’s assistance on 9-1-1: Nashville Season 1 Episode 14, “Hard Knox.”

When the singer for her gala drops out at the last minute, Blythe has to suck up her pride and do what’s best for the event. That happens to be wrangling help from Dixie, leading to a newfound conflict between her and the Hart family.

Meanwhile, Ryan and Samantha are focusing on repairing their marriage by listening to their counselor and taking a vacation. But when you mix two work-addicted first responders with the word relax, it typically doesn’t end as expected.

An Almost Redemption

Dixie’s controversial actions take yet another turn on “Hard Knox,” even as she initially begins repairs to her strained relationship with Blythe.

Things begin on a positive note when Dixie agrees to perform at the gala and delivers a phenomenal show. That’s not all; her contribution to the event also leads them to raise more than they ever have. Overall, it’s a great night for Blythe’s foundation and everyone in attendance.

Where things take a dark turn is in the aftermath of the gala, when Blythe and Don decide to take Dixie back to the manor. It’s a sweet gesture that highlights just how far the relationship between the two women has come.

However, in the midst of her drunken stupor, Dixie starts to apologize for her past misdoings. Without thinking, she then lets it slip that she essentially trapped Don when they were younger by getting pregnant on purpose.

For fans who have long hoped for reconciliation between the two mothers, this is a devastating turn of events. Not only does it crush any hope of a friendship, but it’s sure to cause a rift between her and Blue as well.

Marriage Counseling Adventures

We are just four episodes away from the season 1 finale, and it’s safe to say that Ryan and Samantha’s marriage is one of the more boring storylines.

Compared with other couples across the 9-1-1 franchise, they might be the least interesting overall.

9-1-1: Nashville doesn’t spend enough time with these two characters together for fans to properly find an attachment to them. We get fleeting scenes that force the two to interact and address their marriage issues, but nothing concrete comes of their time on screen together.

Honestly, this outing for Ryan and Samantha is the most fascinating scenario we’ve seen between the two. Naturally, the two workaholics find it hard to shift their focus from helping others to their ongoing issues, but we see them make real attempts.

The two take the time to plan special outings for one another, but end up failing to ignore the incessant calls from their jobs.

Thankfully, though, they find an activity they can both get behind: guessing emergencies based on the response dispatch pushes through. It leads to Ryan and Samantha making a thrilling save when a hiker is pushed off a cliff.

As it turns out, the people in trouble are the couple that the two ran into earlier in the episode. When the husband starts explaining what happened, Ryan quickly realizes something is off, leading him to realize the hiker’s husband was the one who pushed her.

Without their response, the woman would have surely died at the hands of her husband. That’s not the only good thing to come of the situation. Finding an outlet that aligns with their hobbies, the two sign up for the Tennessee search and rescue.

It’s unlikely we’ll get to see them partake in any real saves before the end of the season, but if not, I’d love to spend an episode or two on them helping out in season 2.

As a whole, the central message behind “Hard Knox” is to stop taking life so seriously and focus on doing things that bring you happiness.

Stray Thoughts:

• The little scraps the series continues to throw us when it comes to LGBTQ+ representation are abysmal. Spending less than 30 seconds on Roxie and her date at the gala, while simultaneously shifting the focus to Blue and Taylor, is downright disrespectful.
• 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star both have/had such great representation, leading to questions as to why we are getting nothing from 9-1-1: Nashville.
• Where the series excels is in building momentum in high-octane, jarring emergency scenarios. From a nose completely ripped off of someone’s face two episodes ago to this outing, where we encounter a decaying body that bursts as it falls to the floor, the series is upping the ante.

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

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