Spoilers ahead for the March 13 episode of 9-1-1 on Fox, called "The Taking of Dispatch 9-1-1."
9-1-1 finally revealed what would happen after the Maddie-centric cliffhanger of the dispatch center being taken over by armed men, and the thrilling episode leaves me convinced that 9-1-1 really needs to give Maddie a break in Season 4. She had to kill her husband after a terrifying ordeal in Season 2, and now she could have died more than once in "The Taking of Dispatch 9-1-1." She ended the episode alive and physically well, but she has had enough trauma for the time being.
Maddie actually more than rose to the occasion in "The Taking of Dispatch 9-1-1," and innocent dispatchers might have died if she (and a couple of her other brave coworkers) hadn't taken action. In fact, the bad guys might have gotten away with the whole heist if Maddie hadn't thought quickly and tipped Chimney off by dropping those three little words. Her "I love you" was suspicious enough to Chimney that he brought in Buck and Athena, and they managed to eventually save the dispatchers and catch the thieves.
For all her heroics, Maddie clearly felt the impact of what was happening, and almost killing her captor after she jabbed him with an EpiPen brought back the trauma from her killing her husband. Fortunately for Maddie, the man survived, so she won't have to be haunted by his death, no matter how justifiable the EpiPen may have been in saving lives.
Honestly, "The Taking of Dispatch 9-1-1" might go down as one of my favorite episodes of the whole run of 9-1-1 to date, and Maddie had recovered from her trauma by the end of the episode at least enough to explain how the bad guys pulled off -- or almost pulled off -- their heist. Still, I say she deserves a break, especially after having her breakthrough with Chimney. Let the woman's biggest problem be deciding which of her shirts she should move into Chimney closet!
Jennifer Love Hewitt weighed in on the episode to TVLine, saying this about Maddie possibly not feeling safe anymore after her experiences with her husband and now with the dispatch takeover:
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.
The good news (other than 9-1-1's recent renewal) is that Maddie and Chimney's relationship seems to be going strong, with even Buck noting at the end of "The Taking of Dispatch 9-1-1" that she had everything she needed when she reunited with Chimney.
Given that Buck might soon have some problems of his own to deal with in an upcoming scene that hits too close to home and possible return of Connie Britton's Abby, I can only hope that Maddie will be there for her brother if he needs her. He doesn't quite have his own Chimney! Unless Eddie counts, of course.
The next new episode of 9-1-1 airs Monday, April 20 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Although many shows will be cut short due to production halts, there are still plenty that will hit the airwaves in the not-too-distant future.
