This marks the first death of a main character in 9-1-1, which is devastating because Nash left a profound impact on the other characters as a husband, leader, and father figure. Nash's death established the character's selflessness as a firefighter captain who didn't hesitate to sacrifice himself to save his crew, including fellow firefighter and paramedic Chimney, who nearly died from the virus. But considering Nash's lasting impact on the show for nearly eight seasons, he deserved a better outing.

5 There Was No Real Narrative Reason For Killing Bobby

There Should've Been A Stronger Story To End Nash's Run In 9-1-1

According to 9-1-1 showrunner Tim Minear, he states that Bobby's tragic death was a creative decision that was necessary to shake things up for the 118 fire team. For Minear, it's about raising the stakes for the other characters in the show, including Nash's wife Athena, Buck, and Chimney, in order to see how they navigate their lives and jobs without Nash leading the way. 9-1-1 isn't known for its dramatic shake-ups or killing off major characters, but Nash's death is a tonal shift for the hit drama.

While the creative decision to give Nash a dramatic and sudden death is a bold move and an homage to the sacrifices made by first responders in real life, Nash's death lacks narrative purpose. Bobby has been a significant character ever since the show's inception, and he deserved a send-off that would've been better served for a season finale. Nash's ing is particularly upsetting because, after all the personal struggles he went through and transforming his career with his family and colleagues, his conclusion is too abrupt.

4 Bobby's Death Timing Is Bad

Nash Still Had A Lot Going For His Character

Nash's death couldn't have come at a bad time because he still had a lot of things to look forward to, especially in his personal life. For instance, after Bobby and Athena got married, they never got to spend much time together for a proper honeymoon, since they had to deal with a pirate takeover during their cruise vacation in the season 7 premiere. Nash and Athena's new house also hasn't been built yet, which would've been a great opportunity for the couple to expand their family.

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Firefighter Edmundo "Eddie" Diaz notably wasn't present during Nash's death, since he was in Texas spending time with his son Christopher. Eddie's absence during Nash's final moments is a letdown because both characters have similar arcs. Like Bobby, Eddie also went through his own personal obstacles, including a troubled marriage and a strained relationship with his parents, so he moved to Los Angeles to get a fresh start. Bobby and Eddie develop a father-son relationship over the course of the show, with Bobby ing Eddie after he loses his wife, and Eddie learning from Nash's mentorship.

3 Bobby’s Manner Of Death Undermines His Arc As Someone Who Struggled With Suicidal Ideation

Nash's ing Is irable But Unfulfilling Of His Redemption Story

Nash's death may have been noble and emotionally impactful because of his duties as a firefighter captain who was fearless when facing danger head-on and sacrificing himself to protect his team. However, Bobby's sudden ing undermines his transformative and redemptive arc as a man who built a career for himself with the LAFD and made the 118 one of the best and most durable firehouses in Los Angeles. Without Bobby, the 118 has a serious void that's challenging to replace.

Nash also went a long way when it came to his recovery from alcoholism and suicidal depression, which were in large part due to the guilt he felt after losing his wife, children, and 145 other civilians in a devastating apartment fire years ago, leading to his move to L.A. After losing his own family, he found a new family with his colleagues in the 118 who had looked up to Bobby because of his strong leadership, comion, and understanding towards his peers.

2 Bobby’s Death Twist Was Poorly Executed

The Leaked Photos Of Bobby's Coffin Ruins The Momentum Of His Fate

While Nash's death is by far the most shocking moment during 9-1-1's tenure, it was also poorly executed because, prior to the "Lab Rats" episode, there were leaked photos from Bobby's funeral procession. This led many spectators to believe that these images proved Nash's death was inevitable, while others believed that the photos were just an April Fool's Day prank and that Bobby was just trapped alive in a coffin.

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The fact that these photos were leaked ruins the momentum leading up to Bobby's death. According to Minear, he didn't know where the leaked photos came from, including one in which Oliver Stark, who plays Buck, is holding a script in regard to Bobby in a coffin. The showrunner also revealed that Bobby will make at least another appearance this season, most likely in flashbacks, which feels anticlimactic given Bobby's ing, further showing why Nash's demise was premature.

1 9-1-1 Is Better With Bobby Nash In It

Nash Is A Leader Who Will Be Missed By Everyone On The ABC Drama

Bobby Nash's death, particularly episodes before the end of the season, is unusual for a main character of a show for eight years. Now that Nash is gone, and his peers have to move forward without him, the tone of the show will be more somber towards the end of this season and likely the next. Nash makes 9-1-1 better thanks to his commanding presence, his expertise as a firefighter, and his romance with Athena.

Bobby's emotional arc and his relationships with Buck, Chimney, and his fellow firefighters will be sorely missed on 9-1-1 because he was always the heart and soul of the show who kept everyone in unison. Nash's ability to connect and help others was among his greatest qualities. With Bobby's absence, the 118 fire team won't be the same and will have to make a difficult transition in finding a new leader.

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9-1-1

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8.9/10

Release Date

January 3, 2018

Network

ABC, FOX

Showrunner

Tim Minear

Cast

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• 
  Angela Bassett

  Athena Grant
• 
  Peter Krause

  Robert 'Bobby' Nash

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9-1-1 is a television series that explores the intense experiences of police officers, paramedics, and firefighters. Premiered in 2018, it follows these emergency responders as they navigate high-pressure situations and attempt to balance their demanding work with personal challenges in their own lives.

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

Seasons

8

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