9-1-1 has charted the highs and lows of the 118 since its 2018 premiere, but the firefighter drama recently faced a big hurdle in the form of a truncated season 7 episode order. 9-1-1 season 7 was one of many broadcast series affected by the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. In response, ABC ordered 10 episodes, down from the 18 episode orders the show typically runs. A reduced episode order made sense based on the situation, but it had major impacts on the season’s biggest storylines, including how the show set up 9-1-1 season 8.
Overall, 9-1-1 season 7’s ending could have been far more interesting, but the season as a whole had its issues. 9-1-1 has a large cast of series regulars, meaning there’s always a challenge in giving each character the screentime they deserve. Instead of scaling things back, the show devoted its first three episodes to a cruise ship disaster. The decisions had a domino effect on the rest of the season when it came to focus, proving the shortened season was never going to be fully satisfying for several reasons.
Buck Was Sidelined In 9-1-1 Season 7’s Final Episodes
Ultimately, Buck’s arc is one of the many that was pushed aside in favor of cleaning the canvas ahead of 9-1-1 season 8.
Buck has been prominent throughout some of 9-1-1’s best episodes and storylines, and his presence in the second half of season 7 should have been more prominent. Buck exploring his sexuality with Tommy was a surprising storyline because it came out of the left field, but the series had the opportunity to develop their relationship in the season’s final episodes.
Thanks to the shortened episode order, it felt like the writers struggled to pay off the storylines that started earlier in the season. As a result, Buck goes from one of the most important characters to a plot device used to prop up Eddie in 9-1-1 season 7, episode 10. It’s not out of character for Buck to help his best friend, but it would have been far more satisfying had Buck still been navigating his career and his own life at the same time.
Ultimately, Buck’s arc is one of the many that was pushed aside in favor of cleaning the canvas ahead of 9-1-1 season 8. 9-1-1 season 7’s focus on the cruise ship disaster was a massive flaw, but in hindsight, the season didn’t need a disaster because so much was happening elsewhere. Perhaps it would have been best saved for 9-1-1 season 8.
Several 9-1-1 Season 7 Storylines Were Rushed
Contractual obligations come with being a series regular, including actors having a guaranteed number of episodes each season. This is likely the cause of the disjointed nature of the various plots. At some points, characters felt shoehorned into other character’s storylines, such as Buck with Eddie. Although they are great friends, the writers struggled to find creative ways to have them cross paths. Eddie’s story arc imploded pretty quickly because of the show’s attempt to make him self-sabotage over a short period of time.
For example, Eddie’s emotional affair with Kim should have lasted more than a few episodes because there were plenty of storylines to mine from their complicated dynamic. It didn’t have to end in 9-1-1 season 7, and Christopher and Marisol learning the truth would have been a far better cliffhanger than Eddie being left alone in Los Angeles. Then there was Maddie and Chimney’s wedding. They’re two beloved characters, so their big day deserved a momentous episode. Having them not make it down the aisle and get married with Chimney in the hospital was an unsatisfying direction.
There Were Few Emergencies That Didn’t Involve The 9-1-1 Characters
9-1-1 has long focused on the characters being called to emergencies. These breaks from the main storylines are typically interesting because they give the characters time to evaluate what’s going on in their personal lives while helping people who need medical attention. Sadly, the emergencies that featured the main characters in danger were few and far between on 9-1-1 season 7, changing the series’ tone considerably. Understandably, they were scaled back to give more time to the arcs the writers felt needed to happen in a condensed timeline.
