9-1-1 Virtually Gave Peter Krause’s Bobby Nash A A lot Darker Exit

Should you’re pleasant with a fan of the community tv procedural “9-1-1,” give them just a little further area this week. The sequence — created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear — simply slammed a few torpedoes into the hearts of its viewers by unexpectedly killing off Peter Krause’s LAFD Captain Bobby Nash on the finish of the season 8 episode “Lab Rats.” Nash, alongside together with his spouse Athena Grant-Nash (Angela Bassett), has been the sequence’ emotional ballast. He is the steadying affect who retains the younger bucks from faltering of their obligation (as a lot as doable). Additionally, as a result of it is Krause, a tv favourite as a result of his memorable roles on “Six Ft Beneath,” “Sports activities Night time,” and “Parenthood,” the shock is especially profound. How does the present, this hidebound to narrative conference (in a obligatory method), go on with out its dramatic safety blanket?

Commercial

This query will likely be addressed over the following two episodes (the season finale airs on Might 8, nevertheless it will not be actually answered till additional down the road. There is no cause to consider this present cannot work with out Krause’s Nash, however that is nonetheless a helluva factor to spring on a viewership this deep into the run of a present the place major solid members have survived quite a few gnarly conditions. It took a extremely contagious, Ebola-type illness weaponized in a lab to take out Bobby, and it wasn’t fairly. He was coughing up blood as he bid farewell to Athena, which, whereas noble and delightful, reminded us that his inner organs had been quickly liquifying. On the plus aspect, Nash’s demise was swift, and the present left followers with a last shot that movingly underscored his heroism.

Commercial

And they need to be glad about that shot as a result of, initially, the episode was supposed to finish with a decidedly extra brutal picture.

In an interview with TV Insider, “9-1-1” showrunner Tim Minear – who, having written for geek faves like “The X-Information,” “Angel” and “Firefly,” is aware of from triggering fan outrage – was requested if the “Lab Rats” episode was all the time supposed to finish on that shot of Nash’s LAFD helmet. His reply would possibly shock you.

Commercial

In line with Minear, “Initially, it was simply going to be the physique bag.”

Yikes. Simply Bobby zipped up in plastic like Joe Gideon in “All That Jazz.” That will’ve been a roundhouse kick to the temple of anybody who’s been invested in “9-1-1” since its 2018 premiere. The interviewer responded with a terse “Oof,” to which Minear replied:

“And I do know, precisely, the response that you simply’re having is the response that I used to be going for. Folks didn’t appear to love that, which is why I knew it was in all probability proper. However after we had been modifying the episode, we discovered that shot [of the helmet], and I am identical to, ‘Put it on the finish.'”

So take into account this, followers of “9-1-1”: when you felt gutted on the finish of this episode, simply know that Minear wished you to really feel even worse. I suppose you possibly can take solace within the information that they by no means toyed with a coffin-drop sendoff to Nash, however perhaps hold your guard up. His funeral is predicted to be the focus of the following episode.

Commercial