9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 15 Review: Pick Your Poison

When it comes to 9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 15, “Pick Your Poison,” there are some definite hits here, but also some major misses. It’s a little frustrating that the issue that has persisted since the decision to kill off Bobby during 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 15, “Lab Rats,” continues into another storyline that could’ve been great if given the correct level of focus.

Yes, showing that major injuries can sometimes lead to opioid addictions is an important story to tell. However, what the writers here failed to do is depict that story with the time and attention it truly deserves. 

Then, on the other half of the episode we have Athena investigating a story that often falls into outlandish. It honestly ends up feeling like the story was created at the last moment to fill space in the episode.

Level Zero Reveals Hits and Misses

So, let’s start off with a situation that informs a great amount of the storytelling for this episode. The first responders are stuck in what is known as a Level Zero, which means all the ambulances are in use despite new emergencies continuing to happen.

It’s chaotic and messy, but it does well to serve the plot in general. We have Chim trying to navigate his team through this mess and get them back on the streets to serve the community.

Then, we get to see the hospital side of it all with Ian, the new nurse that May has started cozying up to. As an aside, it is funny to see Harry now try to help Ravi have a chance with May.

The addition of Ian as a character is working to push the narrative toward May becoming a nurse and still be a part of the central story of 9-1-1. This transition is going smoothly because the writers are giving the 118 more opportunities to interact with the hospital setting, which gives the general viewing audiences the chance to become excited about May’s future endeavors.

More importantly, there is something about this situation that raises a red flag for viewers and has this critic scratching their head a bit. In a situation like this, where they are standing around unnecessarily, shouldn’t it be easier to notice just how bad Buck looks?

I get they are all stressing because their emergent patients aren’t being admitted into the hospital right away, but that also means they are just standing around much more. You would think a group of first responders, whose job it is to be extremely aware of their surroundings, would notice their colleague looking like death warmed over.

And sure, Buck is doing his best to hide that he is struggling, shoutout to Oliver Stark for a stellar performance this whole episode, but he can’t mask the physical symptoms of withdrawals. And unfortunately, this is the moment where the whole addiction storyline veers away from being something done respectfully and accurately.

Buck’s Addiction Issues

As someone who has been covering this show since it began, I feel I can say with certainty that the 9-1-1 universe is notorious for not giving addiction the space and respect it deserves.

Starting way back in the beginning with Bobby’s alcoholism and then switching over to 9-1-1: Lone Star‘s lack of research for T.K.’s addiction, making it more a thing for drama than giving it the care and consideration people struggling with addiction deserve.

This universe has notoriously rushed through something that needs time to formulate and evolve. So, it shouldn’t come as any surprise to viewers that Buck’s struggles are being treated in the exact same way.

A story that should’ve evolved over the course of several episodes is now being squashed into a little over one. The best way to handle this story would’ve been to split up the different stages of it.

For this episode the focus should’ve been more on Buck realizing he’s in trouble and then going to his team for help. It shouldn’t have also tried to fit in his recovery week. Doing so cheapens the feel of it all.

Another major misstep the writers took with this story comes in his conversation with Chim and the surrounding implications. Buck tells Chim he never used on the job and was never a danger to the people they served.

That is a complete disregard to the effects drugs have on your life when you are knee deep in your addiction. People who are truly addicted might not use while on the clock, but the effects of that addiction are still being felt. 

Plus, Buck was on the clock going through withdrawal symptoms making him a complete liability to his team and the people he is sworn to protect. So, his comment that he has never been a danger and Chim just accepting that is not the story win it might seem to be.

On top of that, I go back to my earlier comment of, how did no one notice he looked like death? It wasn’t until Eddie looks at Buck in the rig and Chim is sitting with him during his confession that anyone says anything.

Chim even comments that he looks like he’s going through withdrawal. If that’s the case then, why didn’t he step up and ask questions?

Finally, while the montage of the whole 118, Maddie, and Athena coming to support Buck with smiles and compassion/sympathy is also extremely unrealistic and lessens the impact of the story. Realistically there is going to be at least one person in that firehouse who is going to be irritated at Buck for putting the lives of their patients at risk with his behavior.

I’m not saying Buck and addicts in general for that matter don’t deserve compassion and kindness. I am simply stating that not having at least one family member irritated at him for his actions makes this feelgood moment feel off. 

People can still help and support and addict through recovery while maintaining that they are upset with the addict for their actions. The fact that no one in the 118 is even a tiny bit upset is off-putting and takes me out of the moment entirely.

Athena Hunts a Killer

For the first time in a very long time, Athena’s role on 9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 15, “Pick Your Poison,” felt more like an excuse than a real plotline. It truly felt like the writers were scrambling to give her something to do and settled on a murder investigation.

First and foremost, she isn’t a detective and as harsh as it is to hear the detective who works with her on it, she shouldn’t be this involved. Especially because it isn’t someone she personally knows.

And sure, Athena is a compassionate and caring person. But, she is also someone who respects the roles within her job and doesn’t step on toes unless she feels she has a right to.

A stranger who chose her because she is a true hero, doesn’t fall into that exception. At least not in the way that we’ve come to expect from Athena.

At the end of the day, this plot itself could’ve been downgraded to something more compact and less time consuming. Though, I will concede that for the twist reveal that it was his son who poisoned him the time focused on the investigation helped make that work.

We love seeing Athena go rogue, it’s something she’s notorious for. However, in this case, the motivation to do so, putting her job on the line, doesn’t seem to pan out. The reward hardly outweighs the risk at hand.

No matter what, this story overall only served to take even further from the fumbled Buck addiction storyline.

Stray Thoughts

• Reminiscing about Bobby around the firepit in Buck’s backyard was a nice touch. I truly loved that.
• Eddie commenting positively about Ian’s physique had me chuckling, that closet door is getting more and more transparent with each passing episode.
• Chris asking Buck, “would you trust you?” is so gut-punching, but necessary.
• Oliver Stark deserves another mention for his outstanding performance as Buck throughout this whole episode. While the writing wasn’t there the way I would like, Stark killed it with how he portrayed a person at rock bottom and going through withdrawals.

 

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

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