Spoilers for 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 15 – “Lab Rats” – are ahead! To catch up, you can stream the ABC drama with a Hulu subscription. New episodes of 9-1-1 return on Thursday, May 1 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
9-1-1 did the unthinkable in the latest episode on the 2025 TV schedule. It killed off a major character. It wasn’t just any major character, either; it was Peter Krause’s Captain Bobby Nash. Even though showrunner Tim Minear’s reasoning makes sense, it still stung a ton and made many watching upset. Fans weren’t the only ones outraged, as Kenneth Choi admitted to sobbing uncontrollably over it.
The actor, who has played Howard “Chimney” Han since the beginning of the first responder drama, opened up to Entertainment Weekly about Bobby’s shocking death. In a tear-filled interview, Choi recalled what it was like filming the end of Season 8, Episode 15, “Lab Rats.” The episode involved Bobby revealing he was exposed to a mutated version of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. It was devastating not only on-screen, but off-screen, as Choi explained:
I mean, I f---ing filmed it and I was still sobbing uncontrollably with my friend for like three or four minutes to the point where I started to laugh at myself, because it was uncontrollable sobbing. I was laughing at myself, saying, ‘I don't know what is happening! I know this isn’t real! Why am I acting like this?’ But it was devastating to me.
Even though Krause is obviously very much alive and well, and he will likely remain part of the 118 fam and hang out with the cast for years to come, it is still a devastating loss for 9-1-1. And I don’t blame Choi for being so heartbroken over it from an actor’s point of view. 9-1-1 has gone eight seasons without a major character death, and to have the first one be Bobby, who is basically the 118, it’s hard to put into words how truly heartbreaking it is, and it’s clear that fans are not the only ones who are feeling all the feelings.
Additionally, Chimney will probably endure more trauma and be feeling the brunt of Bobby's death in these remaining Season 8 episodes, since he was the one who was saved with the cure after being exposed to the virus.
Knowing that Choi was so torn up over Bobby’s death, it’s hard to imagine how he managed to film the funeral scene and anything else following this episode. But at least the feelings shown on screen were real, and there were fake tears needed.
It's still hard to believe that Bobby is dead, even despite photos and videos leaking from when his funeral was filmed and the fact that he's gone through many near-death experiences. With a Season 9 already announced, it should be interesting to see how 9-1-1 manages to move past this and how his death will affect everyone. Overall, I think it's safe to bet we'll all be shedding more tears.
9-1-1 will forever be changed by Bobby’s death, and not in a good way. I can't imagine how the characters will move on, however, I'm interested to see how the show continues without this vital character.
New episodes of 9-1-1 return on Thursday, May 1 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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