When the writers reference previously established character traits, it shows that they remember elements of their storytelling that they’ve already established. This is one of the first references to Buck’s past sex addiction we have seen since Season 1, so it’s nice to see that the writers haven’t forgotten that element of Buck’s character. In a conversation about therapy, Chim talks about a female therapist he saw after he was stabbed in Season 2 - a comment that prompts Buck to ask if it was the one he slept with. It’s nice to see this episode hint at some of the problems from the past as a way to allow these first responders to look to the future. Sometimes, shows need time to really bring together thoughts that come across from season to season, and it helps if fans have patience and allow that growth and connection to happen. We don’t really think about it, but everything that has happened this season is a direct result of the trauma caused by the events of last season’s finale and the tsunami in the season opener. In fact, this theme of trauma and recovery is a nice connector between all of the episodes from the first half of this season and beyond. While this quote comes as the bookend quote of the episode, it rings true for the overall theme. Hen: It’s not the trauma that defines us.

9-1-1: L-R: Ryan Guzman, Oliver Stark, Peter Krause and Kenneth Choi © 2019 FOX MEDIA LLC. The focus on first responders and mental health is a nice segue into the real issue at stake, which is the cohesiveness of the 118. However, with “Fallout,” it sets out to prove us all wrong. After 9-1-1 Season 3 Episode 8, “Malfunction,” it appeared that the show wouldn’t be able to ever top the emotionality of the final moments.

Now, the writers are hitting it out of the park episode after episode.

This season has proven again and again that 9-1-1 really just needed a bit of time to really hit its stride. With 9-1-1 Season 3 Episode 9, “Fallout,” the show continues its trend of stellar cohesiveness from moment to moment.

Wandavision episode 9 quotes