9-1-1 may follow the high-stakes adventures of LA-based first responders, but the ABC procedural includes its fair share of wholesome moments. To balance out the dangerous rescues and visibly stressful scenarios, showrunner Tim Minear sporadically adds in more positive moments, like when 9-1-1 season 8 utilized Ryan Guzman’s (Eddie Diaz) dancing skills. The mix of upbeat scenes and emotionally-charged sucker punches is precisely what makes 9-1-1 such a compelling modern procedural that breathes new life into the genre.
With the series so impressively toeing the line between drama and comedy, it’s no surprise that 9-1-1 has become a franchise with multiple spinoffs. Of course, 9-1-1 will always be remembered as the blueprint for any subsequent spinoffs, with the devout following it’s garnered since its 2018 premiere speaking for itself. Although the high-octane disasters and adrenaline-pumping close calls are a core part of the show, 9-1-1’s heartwarming moments are just as crucial to the procedural’s identity— and, admittedly, a welcome reprieve from the harm that continually befalls the characters.
10. A Neighborhood Bands Together To Power A Child’s Ventilator
Although the city-wide blackout in the 9-1-1 season 5 premiere event may not be regarded as one of the most intense 9-1-1 disasters, the power outage was responsible for some hard-hitting calls. When May Grant (Corinne Massiah) answered a 9-1-1 call from a mother whose son’s ventilator was quickly running out of battery, the child’s health seemed on the brink of an irreparable nosedive. With resources so limited and help unlikely to reach the house in time, May had to get creative.
May called nearby citizens to bring power to the ventilator, with the entire neighborhood connecting cords over fences to save the 12-year-old boy’s life. Aside from the mother’s emotional response, the scene was a touching display of community and stands out as one of 9-1-1’s sweetest moments (which ironically didn’t involve any of the main characters). Although May’s run at the 9-1-1 dispatch center was temporary, her problem-solving skills left an impact on the show, leaving Maddie Buckley-Han (Jennifer Love Hewitt) with unexpectedly large shoes to fill upon her return.
9. Members Of The Public Come Together To Lift An Engine Off Of Buck
Oliver Stark’s Evan “Buck” Buckley is undeniably one of the most traumatized characters in the series. Buck has had so many near-death experiences in 9-1-1, it seems as if a season can’t pass without something disastrous happening to him or someone he loves. After a scorned young man targets Bobby Nash (Peter Krause) to avenge his father in the climactic 9-1-1 season 2 finale, a fire engine ends up pinning Buck to the ground with his leg caught beneath the weight of the truck.
Despite the painful experience, 9-1-1 saved Buck with an emotional group effort after members of the public rushed to the scene and worked together to lift the extremely heavy engine up enough for Buck to be moved to safety. The experience wasn’t without complications in future 9-1-1 episodes, but a horde of citizens rushing to help the first responder was a beautiful gesture nonetheless. Even characters who weren’t on the scene, like Maddie, watched the spectacle on the news with understandably misty eyes.
8. Athena & Buck Remind Bobby Of His Christmas Spirit
In one of 9-1-1’s classic holiday-themed episodes, everyone’s titular Christmas spirit seems to be low. Bobby is still dealing with the aftermath of his radiation poisoning and, in an act of pure hopelessness, condemns the 118’s Christmas dinner to be Chinese takeout rather than a home-cooked meal. The majority of the ensemble cast independently express their disappointment over working during the holidays, so Athena Grant (Angela Bassett) and Buck conspire to bring Christmas to the firehouse.
Athena and Buck take Bobby by surprise as 9-1-1’s ensemble cast and their families rush in with Santa hats and smiles. The 118 pass out gifts, the table is filled with homemade food, and Christmas cheer permeates from every corner of the room. In an especially sweet detail, characters from the episode’s holiday-themed calls attend as well. The sweet gesture also puts Buck and Bobby’s father-s on relationship dynamic in 9-1-1 on full display.
7. Hen & Karen Regain Custody Of Mara
Karen (Tracie Thoms) and Henrietta “Hen” Wilson (Aisha Hinds) were a 9-1-1 power couple from the pilot season onwards, but 9-1-1 season 8 put them through the wringer when a corrupt congresswoman targeted Hen. In revenge for her son dying on a call, the congresswoman conspired for Hen and Karen to lose their foster daughter, Mara (Askyler Bell). The pair tried to fight for their parental rights, but their family seemed like they’d be torn apart permanently.
Ironically, 9-1-1’s villainous Captain Gerrard (Brian Thompson) was the final piece in the puzzle that solved Karen and Hen’s custody battle. After Gerrard clandestinely recorded the congresswoman admitting her meddling, Hen brought the evidence to a public meeting and finally had the last laugh. With swelling emotional music underscoring the scene, Mara was reunited with her foster family in 9-1-1 season 8, episode 4. Just as the title suggests, the young girl was finally home.
6. Maddie Shows Buck She Saved His Postcards
When Jennifer Love Hewitt joined the 9-1-1 cast in season 2 as Buck’s older sister, little was known about their background. Over the years, 9-1-1 explored the complicated relationship Buck and Maddie had with their parents, their hometown, and each other. In 9-1-1 season 4, Buck’s parents dropped the bombshell that he had another sibling: an older brother named Daniel who had a terminal illness. Buck discovers proof of his late brother accidentally after finding a picture of Daniel in Maddie’s baby box.
Maddie and Buck’s sibling bond is one of the best parts of 9-1-1, and this simple scene proves Maddie was more than a sister to Buck— in many ways, she was his true mother figure.
In “Buck Begins”, 9-1-1 shows how Buck left home at a young age, traveling across the world and sending Maddie postcards every time he temporarily settled down. Back in the future, after approaching Maddie to learn more about Daniel, Buck jokes about not having a baby box. In response, Maddie shows him the collection of postcards she saved throughout the years. Maddie and Buck’s sibling bond is one of the best parts of 9-1-1, and this simple scene proves Maddie was more than a sister to Buck— in many ways, she was his true mother figure.
5. Eddie Makes Buck Christopher’s Legal Guardian In His Will
Buck and Eddie’s relationship includes one of the most intimate bonds in all of 9-1-1, even if they aren’t explicitly anything more than platonic. After Eddie is targeted by a sniper at the end of 9-1-1 season 4, he’s forced to reevaluate his life. When Buck visits him in the hospital, Eddie sits his best friend down for a serious conversation where Eddie reveals he added Buck to his will. In the event that Eddie ever has another dangerous experience that he doesn’t make it out of, he entrusts Buck to be his son Christopher’s legal guardian.
This scene may be one of the most memorable in the entire series, as it made a possible Buck and Eddie romance in 9-1-1 seem more likely than ever. Yet, without any remotely romantic undertones, the scene is still heartwarming. After all Buck and Eddie have been through together, Eddie’s big will decision in 9-1-1 season 4 legally made them family in a sense. Eddie and Buck both often display their love for Chris, and the hospital scene corroborates that Buck’s commitment to their unconventional family unit didn’t go unnoticed.
4. Buck Sets Up A Hero’s Send-Off For Red
In “The One That Got Away,” Buck makes an unlikely connection with a retired fire captain named Red (Jack McGee). After helping Red reconnect with a woman he once loved, Buck discovers that Red is in poor health. Since Buck was optimistic to a fault throughout 9-1-1’s earlier seasons, he tried unsuccessfully to convince Red to fight his illness, suggesting experimental trials and risky procedures. Eventually, Buck comes to respect Red’s decision to let his life naturally run its course.
After Red ends up in a hospital, Buck arrives to take him home. As they approach the exit, Buck tells Red it just won’t be “in [his] car.” The doors open to reveal lines of first responders saluting, with engines seen in the background flashing their lights. As Buck wheels Red to the front, the 118 greets him and Bobby insists Red ride in the captain’s chair. The ceremony was a lovely tribute to Red’s career and, though the episode’s end was bittersweet, 9-1-1 handled Red’s story with surprisingly delicacy and respect.
3. Maddie & Jee “Propose” To Chimney
Maddie and Howard “Chimney” Han’s (Kenneth Choi) relationship in 9-1-1 ran a convoluted course, but there’s no denying that their love story laid the foundation for some of 9-1-1’s best story arcs. Following Maddie and Chimney’s stirring break in 9-1-1 season 5, the couple finally settled into some sense of normalcy when Maddie returned to the series. Years after the characters initially met, it was clear both were ready to take their relationship to the next level.
After Maddie finds an engagement ring misplaced in their daughter Jee-Yun’s dollhouse, she realizes Chimney was planning on proposing. The ring gets stuck on her finger in one of 9-1-1’s most ridiculous conflicts, and Chimney starts spiraling, wondering if losing the ring was a sign to not get married. The two independently realize the risk is worth taking, but when Chimney goes to confront Maddie about his lost ring, she has the diamond on her finger. Maddie brings Jee in, asking: “Will you marry us?” The rest, including their wedding of comedic errors, is history.
2. Hen & Karen Renew Their Vows
Though Hen and Karen have been through their own trials and tribulations, they remain one of the best couples in the 9-1-1 franchise. 9-1-1 season 5 delved into Hen’s complicated relationship with her mother, culminating in the season finale where she assumes her mother will remarry. When Hen arrives, her colleagues from the 118 are there dressed to the nines. As Hen quickly gathers, her mother isn’t having her own wedding; rather, Hen and Karen renew their vows in an intimate backyard ceremony.
After her mother reentered her life to make amends, Hen finally got the ceremony she deserved, surrounded by her countless loved ones.
Aside from the scene being a beautiful celebration of Hen and Karen’s love, there was a deeper significance to 9-1-1’s surprise vow renewal. At their first wedding, Hen’s parents weren’t there to support her as she married Karen. After her mother reentered her life to make amends, Hen finally got the ceremony she deserved, surrounded by her countless loved ones.
- May Calls Bobby Her Dad For The First Time
Bobby and Athena’s relationship in 9-1-1 was a surprising treat that began to pick up steam in season 2, but Bobby’s complicated past prevented him from truly feeling like a part of the Grant family. After the dispatch center is engulfed in flames while May is trapped inside, Bobby abandons protocol to rescue her. Though they both run into potentially fatal near-misses, Bobby and May eventually make it out of the building relatively unscathed. As a paramedic tries to keep May and Bobby separate, May assures her it’s okay, insisting “that’s [her] dad.”
Bobby initially writes it off, telling May she didn’t have to lie just to see him. May doubles down, explicitly telling Bobby she’s come to see him as a father. Bobby’s traumatic experiences constantly fill him with Survivor’s Guilt in 9-1-1, and marrying Athena was a big step for him moving on. May not only accepting Bobby in her life but cherishing him as a second father is one of 9-1-1’s most emotional moments, and it was a glimpse into the reassurance that the heroic fire captain deserves.
