‘9-1-1’ Season 6 Premiere Recap: Who’s Interim Captain? Where Do Chimney & Maddie Stand?

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[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the 9-1-1 Season 6 premiere “Let the Games Begin.”]

There’s a new captain at the 118 in 9-1-1 Season 6 — temporarily, at least.

With Bobby (Peter Krause) and Athena (Angela Bassett) going on a cruise, someone has to take over the captain’s duties for his time away. Bobby had planned to ask Lucy (Arielle Kebbel), but she’s sidelined for a few weeks with an ankle injury. Buck (Oliver Stark) argues she hasn’t been there that long, but she does have nearly 10 years of experience as a firefighter, Bobby points out. (Kenneth Choi’s Chimney is strictly in the “never again” camp.)

Eddie (Ryan Guzman) doesn’t care, though he is the one to listen to Buck’s rant over dinner with Christopher (Gavin McHugh), who points out he doesn’t even have a couch. Buck’s last few couches came with girlfriends, he explains. But Taylor moved out four months ago, so why hasn’t he replaced the couch? Maybe Buck doesn’t want to pick the wrong couch again, he argues. Eddie suggests that’s how Bobby feels about interim captain.

And so Buck spends the rest of the episode trying to prove himself to Bobby that he can be captain: trying to step up during calls (though the blimp disaster is very much Athena’s time to shine, saving a young girl with an artificial heart), even take over at scenes, and make suggestions about the ambulance’s organization to Hen (Aisha Hinds). That prompts her to turn to Bobby about officially naming his replacement so Buck stops trying to prove himself.

Bobby wanted to pick Hen — she’s smart, dedicated, compassionate, decisive, and a great leader — but knows how much she has going on outside work (her family, medical school) and didn’t want to overburden her. Hen argues she’s already there and has paperwork, plus it would only be for three shifts since he’ll be gone a week. And so it’s official: Hen’s interim captain!

Jack Zeman /FOX

Bobby then talks to Buck. He’ll make a great captain, “someday,” he says. “You’re a great firefighter. When you’re all in, nobody goes harder than you. But being a good leader is about more than just the work. It’s also about life experience. I think you need some more of that before you’re ready.” Buck wonders if it’s because he doesn’t have a couch, which, understandably, confuses Bobby. When Buck explains he’s worried about making a mistake again, Bobby offers some advice he got in AA: You take inventory of your life and admit shortcomings so that one day, you can be at peace. Buck will know when he is. And so the episode ends with Buck moving his lounge chair to where a couch used to be in his apartment.

Meanwhile, Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Jee-Yun stay with Chimney after she finds a leak in her kitchen. He refuses to let her stay in a hotel. “You’re still family. That’s what we do. We look out for each other,” he reminds her.

But it’s not like that between them anymore, she insists when Josh (Bryan Safi) brings it up at work. “Why not? You clearly still love each other. Just get back together already,” he says what everyone’s thinking. “What if he’s not ready for that? I know that he loves me, I just don’t know if he want to be with me,” Maddie worries. Talk to him, Josh recommends.

Jack Zeman /FOX

But rather than do that, Maddie and Chimney talk around the issue after she falls asleep during a movie. She doesn’t have patience for rom-coms anymore, she explains. “Two people meet, you know that they’re going to end up together, then you have to watch them bumble their way through stupid misunderstandings for two hours. It’s kind of annoying.” (Their friends and 9-1-1 fans can relate.) She’d rather see two people overcome real problems and still get their happy ending. And then they kiss, one things leads to another… and she wakes up in bed alone the next morning.

Chimney went into work two hours early to avoid the awkward morning after, he explains to the rest of the 118. Bobby’s confused since he thought this is what he wanted and points out he only delayed the conversation. “I had a one night stand with my ex. I don’t know what the rules are,” Chimney says.

Fortunately, Maddie’s waiting for him when he gets home. “I’m not leaving,” she promises. “This family. That’s what you called this and that’s what I want. The three of us together.” He’s on the same page: “That’s what I want, too.” She realized that, when she was gone, he probably felt as sad as she did when she woke up alone. But they’re past apologies for last year. “This is a promise. I’m not going anywhere. I’m done running,” she says. And with that, Maddie and Jee-Yun move back in with Chimney!

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The premiere also offers an update on Michael (Rockmond Dunbar), David (La Monde Byrd), and Harry (Marcanthonee Jon Reis). Athena suggests Hen call David for some advice, since he’s been where she is with med school. They’re not coming back from Haiti anytime soon, but rather have set up a home base in Miami and David’s commuting.

And while the Fox first responder drama may not kick off its new season with a multi-episode disaster as it has in the past, it does end on a cliffhanger that will require a call to 9-1-1: Athena and Bobby can only listen and watch over FaceTime as her father drives the car into the house — right where her mom was standing!

9-1-1, Mondays, 8/7c, Fox