For the first time all season, Thursday's 9-1-1 didn't end on a completely insane note. No impending bee-nados. No crashing planes. No uncomfortably long embraces from He Whose Mustache Shall Not Be Named.
But that doesn't mean the episode was uneventful. Far from it. In fact, the 118 found itself in more trouble -- albeit of a different kind -- than it had all season, with the very future of the firehouse on the line. The dramatic hour also, thankfully, did a bit of course correcting, delivering several moments fans have been waiting for since last season's finale.
Let's start with the most important development: we're finally rid of Gerrard! If this was a musical episode, it would have ended with the 118 breaking out into "A Brand New Day" from The Wiz. Sadly it wasn't, so we'll just have to settle for Bobby triumphantly strutting back into the firehouse after executing a brilliant plan to get his old job back.
Bobby explained to Gerrard that Councilwoman Ortiz only assigned him to the 118 as part of her ongoing vendetta against Hen, and if there's one thing Gerrard doesn't like -- besides literally any type of minority -- it's being made to look foolish. So he agreed to have another chat with the councilwoman about their master plan, all while recording their incriminating conversation on the very body cam she made the 118 wear as part of her aforementioned vendetta. That's some poetic justice right there.
A hearing was arranged to determine whether the 118 should be closed for "budgetary" reasons, but once Gerrard's body cam footage hit the screen, the councilwoman's ship was sunk. Not only did the firehouse survive closure, but Hen and Karen's foster license was reinstated. (That's another major Season 8 problem now solved. We understand the need for drama, but can these women please enjoy a moment of happiness before having their lives blown up again? Please and thank you.)
Bobby also happily said goodbye to Hollywood, convincing Gerrard to take his job on Hotshots so he could get back doing what he does best: house shopping with Athena. Speaking of whom, did anyone else appreciate hearing that she called Michael to get the original blueprints for their house? We wouldn't mind Athena's ex paying her a visit this season.
In short, everyone is exactly where they belong: Bobby is back with the 118, Mara is home with Hen and Karen, and Gerrard is... on set, probably? Who knows. Honestly, we don't care what he does from now on as long as he remains far, far away.
Well, almost everyone is where they belong. Christopher is still in Texas with his grandparents, and Eddie's separation anxiety hit an all-time high this week when he got involved (perhaps too involved?) in the fraught relationship of a male cheerleader and his narrow-minded father. Professional boundaries aside, it was nice to see Eddie come to the teen's defense. "You think being a cheerleader makes your son weak?" he asked. "I know soldiers who couldn't have survived what your son did."