The repercussions of Bobby Nash’s shocking death are still developing, but9-1-1season 9 could avoid the brunt of it with one divisive move. The fall of Peter Krause’s beloved fire captain is themost tragic death in9-1-1history, but the bold season 8 storyline promises long-lasting consequences for the series as a whole.

Although there will be typical character-centric episodes andover-the-top emergencies in9-1-1season 9, the very foundation of LAFD station 118 is gone. There’s no telling how— if at all— the core team of firefighters will function without their fearless leader. Nevertheless,the loose ends from Bobby’s death may not be resolved at allin9-1-1season 9.

Buck (Oliver Stark) and Eddie (Ryan Guzman) at Bobby’s funeral in 9-1-1 season 8, episode 16.

9-1-1 Season 9 Starting With A Time-Jump Allows Them To Move Past Grief Storylines

Rather Than Explore It Fully, 9-1-1 Can Skip The Aftermath Altogether

Despite the manyunanswered questions left behind by9-1-1season 8’s finale, the long-running procedural may opt to bulldoze past its unfinished plots entirely. Rather than pick up where the controversial eighth season left off,9-1-1season 9 could begin after a significant time-jump. Whereas seasons are typically separated by a few weeks,9-1-1could dramatically progress the timeline.

Alongside his leading role, Peter Krause was an executive producer throughout9-1-1’s first eight seasons.

Peter Krause under a harsh spotlight as Bobby Nash in 9-1-1 season 8.

By skipping months into the future,9-1-1season 9 would help the show move on from Bobby Nash. The first-responder drama could forgo the realistic aftermath of a major loss by delegating the ensemble’s mourning to off-screen development. Depending on the time-jump,9-1-1season 9 would have no reason to bring up Bobbyor the devastating impact of his death.

How A 9-1-1 Season 9 Time-Jump Skips Critical Character Development For 118

Pivotal Storylines Were Just Beginning In The Season 8 Finale

While a significant time-jump would allow9-1-1to sidestep the complications from Bobby’s death, it would come at the expense of many other storylines. Eddie Diaz (Ryan Guzman) planned to move back to Texas with his son, Christopher (Gavin McHugh), until the season 8 finale suddenly changed his mind. Nevertheless,Eddie and Christopher’s plot in9-1-1is nowhere near finished.

All episodes of9-1-1are streaming on Hulu.

Similarly, though Howard “Chimney” Han (Kenneth Choi) was able to forgive himself for Bobby’s death, the vacant captaincy looms. If Chimney is trulyBobby’s replacement in9-1-1season 9, it would feel like a cop-out to fast-forward to a point where Chimney is fully acclimated to his new position.9-1-1simply skipping ahead would rob viewers of critical character development.

Is There A Better Way To Deal With The Aftermath Of Bobby’s Death In 9-1-1 Season 9?

9-1-1 Could Face The Ugly Truth

Without question,9-1-1season 9 must move on from Bobby’s death. The incessant backlash following the character’s departure shows no sign of slowing down, andhow9-1-1handles Bobby’s legacy could make or break the series. Yet, utilizing a time-jump may make matters worse.

The alternative would be tolean into Bobby’s death and give the characters time to grieve. In a way, that would let the audience grieve as well, hopefully giving9-1-1a fighting chance to recuperate its formerly-avid fan-base. Unfortunately,9-1-1season 9 will most likely fall in between, avoiding Bobby’s death without the time-jump to make it feel earned.

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