Warning: SPOILERS for 9-1-1 season 8, episode 11. has near-death experiences and high-octane medical emergencies, sometimes the most important storylines involve the characters' lives outside of work.
Every member of the 118 has a nuanced backstory that explains what kind of person they are and how they ended up in the LAFD. Some found firefighting after extreme trauma, some stumbled into it, and some — like Bobby — were practically born into it. Yet, for all the intense disasters in 9-1-1, the toughest moments to watch throughout are sometimes understated, emotional plots related to a character's very personhood. Bobby especially has had a plethora of harrowing experiences throughout his life, but the relationship with his mother, Ann Hutchinson (Lesley Ann Warren), may be one of the most complicated.
Bobby's Relationship With His Mother In 9-1-1 Explained
We've Seen Ann Hutchinson Before
9-1-1 hinted at Bobby's familial conflict from the very beginning, but it wasn't until the end of 9-1-1 season 7 that viewers saw more of his childhood. Bobby grew up as the younger son of Captain Tim Nash (John Brotherton), a man revered in the community for his service but reviled for his substance abuse. Ann, driven by Tim's mistreatment, left in 1981 with her elder son, Charlie (Sean O'Bryan). Bobby — who was too young to understand the gravity of the situation — felt compelled to stay with his father, whom he idolized. Consequently, Ann and Bobby's relationship grew strained.
Bobby — who was too young to understand the gravity of the situation — felt compelled to stay with his father, whom he idolized.
Even after Tim's death, Ann never fully returned to Bobby's life. 9-1-1's first main character death, Ann resolutely keeps her distance until "Holy Mother of God."
Ann & Bobby's Reconciliation Continues Its Bad Parent Redemption Trend in 9-1-1
Every Member Of The 118 Prioritized Found Family For A Reason
Although Ann and Bobby are combative throughout 9-1-1 season 8, episode 11, the procedural forces Bobby to forgive his mother and even go so far as to apologize to her by the end. He could have realized the situation was nuanced and Ann didn't want to abandon him, but 9-1-1 should have allowed Bobby to stand his ground for how Ann treated him throughout his adulthood. Within the episode, Ann displays inexcusable behavior, including making a snide remark about the death of Bobby's family. The reconciliation was meant to be a heartwarming moment in 9-1-1, but it just feels frustratingly unnecessary.
Actor |
9-1-1 Character |
|---|---|
Peter Krause |
Bobby Nash |
Angela Bassett |
Athena Grant-Nash |
Oliver Stark |
Evan "Buck" Buckley |
Ryan Guzman |
Eddie Diaz |
Aisha Hinds |
Hen Wilson |
Kenneth Choi |
Howard "Chimney" Han |
Jennifer Love Hewitt |
Maddie Han |
Anirudh Pisharody |
Ravi Panikkar |
What makes Ann's haphazard martyrdom worse is that she is merely one of many parents in 9-1-1 who is presented as an antagonist and then given a futile "redemption arc" that fails to truly redeem the character. Chimney's father neglected him in favor of his half-brother; 9-1-1's best episodes, but they also make the parents feel unforgivable, only to later force superfluous forgiveness.
Why 9-1-1 Needs To Start Holding Its Bad Parents able
Forgiveness Should Be Earned
Regardless of these storylines, the real family in 9-1-1 is the found family within the 118. By not following through on the bad parent arcs, 9-1-1 calls into question the sanctity of its found family and risks cheapening it by extending flimsy olive branches to every blood relative in the show. The best route 9-1-1 could take to deepen its characters and resolve their painful pasts is to have the 118 confront their parents or come to with their childhood, not forget the decades of hurt and bulldoze into unearned closure.
9-1-1 Season 8 Is Setting Up A Storyline That Would Be Worse Than Buck & Eddie Not Getting Together
Buck and Eddie's relationship has always been complicated in 9-1-1, but the ABC procedural may be setting up a devastating future storyline.
In fact, Eddie's exit in 9-1-1 season 8 presents the perfect opportunity for the procedural to hold some of its worst parents able for their actions. Ramon (George DelHoyo) taught Eddie toxic masculinity, while Helena (Paula Marshall) is emotionally manipulative, and both parents care less about Eddie's mental health than they do ing their grandson, Christopher (Gavin McHugh), as a second chance at parenting. Now that Eddie has moved to Texas, Ramon and Helena's ulterior motives could come to light if 9-1-1 would just commit to its characterizations. Not every character has to be a hero, and that's okay.
Enjoy ScreenRant's primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for our weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check "Network TV" in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.
- Directors
- Bradley Buecker, David Grossman, Brenna Malloy, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Jann Turner, Jennifer Lynch, Marita Grabiak, Sarah Boyd, John J. Gray, Barbara Brown, Robert M. Williams Jr., Kristen Reidel, Marcus Stokes, Tasha Smith, Millicent Shelton, Juan Carlos Coto, John Gray, Greg Sirota, Alonso Alvarez, James Wong, Kevin Hooks, Varda Bar-Kar, Shauna Duggins, Sharat Raju
- Writers
- Tim Minear, Andrew Meyers, Brad Falchuk, David Fury, Ryan Murphy, Christopher Monfette, Nadia Abass-Madden, Nicole Barraza Keim, Erica L. Anderson, Matthew Hodgson, Stacey R. Rose, Taylor Wong, Tonya Kong, Adam Penn
- Creator(s)
- Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Tim Minear
Your comment has not been saved