As 9-1-1 Season 8 nears its midseason finale, things are finally looking up for Bobby Nash (Peter Krause) again. Last season put Bobby in a particularly difficult position with the introduction of Amir Casey (Malcolm-Jamal Warner). Bobby had to relive the greatest tragedy of his life, and he was so overcome with guilt that he quit his job at the 118. Season 8 opened with Bobby working on a firefighter TV show called Hotshots as the on-set firefighting consultant.
The show has since brought Bobby back to the 118, with Vincent Gerrard (Brian Thompson) switching places with him and joining Hotshots. That looked like it was the end of the Hotshots plotline, but 9-1-1’s latest episode, “Hotshots,” brings back the show-within-a-show. At the center of it all is Hotshot s’ star, Brad Torrence (Callum Blue), who is set on bringing Bobby back to Hotshots. This plotline leads 9-1-1 to show a completely new side of Bobby, and it is an absolute delight.
What Happened at Bobby and Brad’s Dinner in ‘9-1-1’s Latest Episode?
When Brad endangers a stunt double on set, the 118 is called to help out. Brad then goes above Bobby’s head to try to get him back on Hotshots in Gerrard’s place, leading Bobby to take Brad out to dinner to change his mind. It is here that 9-1-1 pulls a twist that is entertaining although ultimately not that surprising. Brad has been previously shown to be self-centered and arrogant, but generally friendly and well-meaning. While out to dinner with Bobby, though, Brad throws a massive tantrum over a single olive.
Bobby starts the dinner by advocating for Gerrard to continue working on the set of Hotshot s. Immediately after Bobby tells Brad that he can’t leave the 118, their waitress brings out the drinks. Brad starts berating the waitress for giving him four olives instead of three, even though she was just trying to be nice by giving him a bonus olive. At Bobby’s encouragement, Brad goes to fish the fourth olive out of his drink. When Brad sees the pitted olive, though, he starts screaming in the middle of the restaurant.
“Hotshots” Presents Bobby Nash in a New Light
When Brad causes the server to run off crying, he still doesn’t let up, and that’s when Bobby reaches his breaking point. After trying to reason with Brad and get him to back down, Bobby tells Brad that he owes the waitress an apology, and calls him an entitled man-child. When Brad pushes back at Bobby’s insistence to apologize with, “Or what?” Bobby says, “Or I’m gonna kick your blimey ass!” It’s a side of Bobby that 9-1-1 hasn’t really shown before. Bobby is a gentle, rational person who solves problems with his words, so it is surprising to see him threaten to fight Brad if he doesn’t apologize.
That being said, this is not out of character for Bobby at all. Bobby is a protector of others, not just as a firefighter, but as a person. When Bobby sees a customer service worker being treated badly, he steps in, even if in a surprisingly hilarious way. Even better are Buck’s (Oliver Stark), Eddie’s (Ryan Guzman), and Hen’s (Aisha Hinds) reactions at work the next day. They’re delighted to see the video, and so surprised that Eddie suggests that it might be a deepfake. It’s a hilarious moment and easily the highlight of the episode, as Bobby stands up for what is right.
This is not the end for Brad Torrence on 9-1-1, though. He comes to the 118 the next day to thank Bobby for his “truth enema,” declaring that Bobby’s bluntness got rid of his entitlement. Brad has decided to cling to Bobby by shadowing him, as allowed by the chief. Knowing 9-1-1, this will not end well, especially with the promise of a mid-season finale disaster on the way. Either way, Captain Bobby Nash will be on top of it.
