9-1-1 stars Peter Krause and Ryan Guzman have opened up about the season 7 finale’s massive shakeup to LAFD Station 118, and what it means for the series moving forward. The final episode featured emotional character storylines for Krause’s Bobby and Guzman’s Eddie, who both had to deal with personal struggles that resulted in life-changing events. For Bobby, one of the major twists in the episode was Gerard officially becoming captain of the 118, the biggest shakeup in the 9-1-1 season 7 finale.
Speaking with TVLine, Krause and Guzman reacted to Gerard taking over the 118, explaining what it might mean for 9-1-1 season 8. The actors each had different reactions to the team’s newfound circumstances, but both agreed it will impact their characters in possibly volatile ways. Check out what Krause and Guzman had to say below:
Guzman: I was just like, ‘Wait a second, we’re losing Bobby again? And to this a-hole?!’
Krause: I like them butting up against each other. I could see Gerard having a real grudge against Bobby for getting all this positive attention after he took over Gerard’s firehouse, and now we he wants it back. [I don’t know what] legitimate or illegitimate obstacles [Gerard has, but showrunner Tim Minear] has a plan that will be very satisfying.
Guzman: Eddie doesn’t really know Gerard yet, but from what he’s heard, he’s the worst parts of a human being. So is that going to propel Eddie to go back to what he came from — a ‘masculine’ man who doesn’t talk about his emotions? Is that going to make Eddie go back to a version of himself that didn’t lead him any anywhere healthy? Who knows. If you take that away, all kinds of chaos can happen.
How Gerard’s Captain Role Will Impact 9-1-1 Season 8
Gerard was first introduced in 9-1-1 season 2, where he questioned how well Hen could do her job in sexist and demeaning ways. Following this continued harassment, members of the LAFD banded together to have him removed from his station. While he’s still shown up occasionally since this conflict, his appearances in the show have been sparse. However, with him now the 118 captain moving forward, it seems he’ll be having his biggest role yet in the series. This will no doubt lead to plenty of conflict in season 8.
While not much is known about what direction 9-1-1 season 8 is going to go, Gerard’s involvement means it could heavily focus on workplace harassment and superiors taking advantage of their power. It puts a target on the backs of many people working at the LAFD, as it might make other firefighters feel free to take part in harassment, much like what Hen experienced in season 2. Given how close all the characters have gotten over the years, they’ll need to maintain strength in their relationships to make it through Gerard’s tenure.
Even though it’s still unclear what the future holds now that he’s in charge, the new 118 captain’s previous behavior doesn’t bode well for the team’s immediate future. There may even be a concentrated effort to get Gerard ousted from the LAFD again, an attempt that will no doubt cause even more conflict than it did previously. This makes the future of 9-1-1’s story uncertain, as anything could happen to anyone with Gerard in charge. It remains to be seen how his presence will impact team dynamics going forward.
