Monday’s 9-1-1 found Maddie Buckley once again fighting for her life, this time against a group of thieving terrorists that seized control of the call center and took its dispatchers hostage.
Though Maddie is the one who ultimately stabbed the ringleader with an EpiPen, it was really a group effort, with everyone from Josh to Sue stepping up to take down the baddies and tip off the authorities. Thanks to their heroic contributions, the situation deescalated before any of the hostages were lost. Heck, they even managed to rescue the guy Maddie stabbed, which means the official Fox account can continue thirst-tweeting about him:
We checked in with Jennifer Love Hewitt to see how her character is holding up after surviving yet another living nightmare:
TVLINE | My first thought at the end of last week’s episode was, ‘Great, this is exactly what Maddie needs — another traumatic event.’
You and me both. This girl has really gone through it. It’s insane.
TVLINE | Is it bad that I’m glad the main bad guy survived? I know it was in self-defense, but I don’t think Maddie needed another death on her conscience.
We were actually joking off-camera that if the episode had continued, Maddie would have had to kill another person. I think she does have a trigger. Like, if you threaten her life and push her too far, you’re going to have to go out. So I was also very happy that it didn’t end that way this time, and that she isn’t just stacking up bodies.
TVLINE | Her last crisis was a domestic issue, then comes this one at work. She must be feeling like she isn’t safe anywhere anymore.
I like that you said that, and I also feel that way. In a two-year period, this is now the second time Maddie has found herself in a hostage situation where she ultimately has to ask herself, ‘Do they die or do we?’ I feel like where she is safe is with Chimney. The joy that they create for each other when they’re together, and the tribe of people she’s putting together, is where she’s starting to find her safety.
TVLINE | I appreciate that Maddie didn’t immediately return the L-bomb when Chimney said it. The show does a great job of honoring her past.
Me too, and I think that’s important. Early on, I told [showrunner Tim Minear] that I wanted Maddie to end up in a good relationship once all the Doug stuff was over. I wanted to show that you can be with the wrong person and all the wrong things can happen, but when you find the right person, all the right things can happen. I said I wanted Maddie to be with Chimney, and even though I think Tim was a little surprised, he made this beautiful relationship. I feel indebted to him forever, not only for really hearing me, but for being on the same wavelength about this story needing a great love. What I respect most about [Maddie and Chimney’s] relationship is that the show is giving it time to grow. It feels like a relationship that should be happening between two people in their forties who have been through everything they’ve been through. Their love feels well-earned, and I like that. I think it’s different from other things we’ve seen on TV. I do think that they rush relationships a lot.
TVLINE | And now that Albert is around, it’s like they have a full-grown son.
[Laughs] Well, yes. And Buck! We’re officially raising those people on the show. And now I have Josh, too.
TVLINE | Not that she isn’t helpful on the phone, but as we saw this week, Maddie continually proves herself to be valuable in the field. Do you think she’d ever want to get back in on the action?
Maddie was in the field as a nurse, so she already had that moment. Now, because of her past traumas, she finds safety in that chair. It allows her to emotionally connect with people, and as someone who has been through so many traumatic situations in her own life, she really can be there for people. She speaks from a place of truth.
Your thoughts on this week’s 9-1-1? Drop ’em in a comment below.
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