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9-1-1: First Responders, Found Family & Feelings

• Barbara & Teja Arboleda • Episode 82

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Sound the alarm for how much we love 9-1-1. From high-stakes rescues to heart-squeezing emotional arcs, this show delivers everything we crave in a first-responder drama. And don’t get us started on the cast chemistry, because wow. Every character feels essential, and the ensemble clicks like a well-oiled fire truck.

We talk about that unforgettable scene between Athena and Chimney (no spoilers, promise) and how it showed just how powerful this show can be, thanks to two actors who absolutely crushed it.

Find us on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok: @loidunk


👨‍🚒 If you love heroic chaos with a side of emotional depth, this one’s for you.

#911onFOX #911onabc  #FirstResponderDrama #TVShowsWeLove #AthenaGrant #Chimney #FoundFamily #CharacterChemistry #EmergencyTV #BingeWorthyTV #NoSpoilers

SPEAKER_01:

Okay.

SPEAKER_03:

How long have you been watching first responder shows?

SPEAKER_02:

So like ambulance cars.

SPEAKER_03:

Ambulances, firefighters.

SPEAKER_02:

Dating shows.

SPEAKER_03:

Be like, me, pick me. Pick me.

SPEAKER_02:

Wouldn't it be great? Like an emergency dating show.

SPEAKER_03:

I need a date. That's like. Oh, who are you? That's like half the rom-coms out there.

SPEAKER_02:

We'll do rom-coms. We are gonna do rom-coms. You're local in Texas. What's that?

SPEAKER_03:

We're gonna do rom-coms. Oh, sure.

SPEAKER_02:

Absolutely, absolutely we will. Uh not uh first responder shows. I I you know I didn't really watch first responder shows until we we started watching them together.

SPEAKER_03:

Really? Yes, I I I wasn't really why I have been watching first responder shows since I was probably about ten years old. I was so in love with the shows Adam Twelve and Emergency.

SPEAKER_01:

Adam Twelve was what?

SPEAKER_03:

Cop show.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay. Why is it called Adam Twelve?

SPEAKER_03:

Because their car had A twelve on it, and you know, the Adam was a little bit of a Adam Twelve, okay.

SPEAKER_01:

And Y twelve?

SPEAKER_03:

Because that was the car number of other people we were following.

SPEAKER_02:

Sometimes it's metaphoric.

SPEAKER_03:

I was ten. All I knew was that they were cute.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay. All right.

SPEAKER_03:

That's it.

SPEAKER_02:

All right, all right. Cleanse.

SPEAKER_03:

And then emergency was about some people on a rescue squad attached to a fire department, but it was really about the rescue squad.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay.

SPEAKER_03:

Chips.

SPEAKER_02:

Chips.

SPEAKER_03:

Classic. California California Highway Patrol.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay.

SPEAKER_03:

Um later on became Hill Street Blues.

SPEAKER_02:

Something I watched with my dad.

SPEAKER_03:

And then I it kind of went fallow for a while.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, what happened?

SPEAKER_03:

Oh and then streaming. And I discovered a world of first responder shows.

SPEAKER_02:

How many cute guys and women on these shows?

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Huh?

SPEAKER_02:

I said.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh, yeah. No.

SPEAKER_02:

Look at that.

SPEAKER_03:

They're good st oh good stories.

SPEAKER_02:

Barley.

SPEAKER_03:

Yes, if you can find the barley episode.

SPEAKER_02:

Interesting. The kernel of truth. Oh.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh.

SPEAKER_02:

Anyway, um, what was the question?

SPEAKER_03:

You asked me.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, I don't remember what I think.

SPEAKER_03:

But how about so how about you? What is your attraction now to first responder shows?

SPEAKER_02:

I love them.

SPEAKER_03:

Aren't they great?

SPEAKER_02:

They are really great. They're like everything has to happen now. I think because there are a lot of hot women on these shows. Although there might be. Angela Bassett is like.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah. Because that's what we're talking about 911 today.

SPEAKER_02:

You just gotta like, I mean, you know, first of all, you just don't want to tick her off.

unknown:

No.

SPEAKER_02:

No. She's gorgeous and she is powerful.

SPEAKER_03:

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Much but Godzilla.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah. Wait. Have Angela Bassett and Godzilla met? Ever been in the scene in the same room together?

SPEAKER_02:

Hmm. Q music.

SPEAKER_03:

Things that you ask when you've got nothing else to do. No, um, 911. Yes. It's a good show.

SPEAKER_02:

I really like 9-1 for so many reasons. And uh, I've come to really respect first responder shows ever since we started watching them.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

I didn't see some of the older ones. I don't think I'd be interested.

SPEAKER_03:

Well, they were very kitschy.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Now they try to get this like slice of life thing in there. Um with varying degrees of success.

SPEAKER_02:

Sure. There's trauma dumping.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah. Well, 911 really is very character-based.

SPEAKER_04:

Right? True.

SPEAKER_03:

I mean, the the adventures are big and real, but I think the the fire fighting to me doesn't look quite as what I would expect connected to reality as say Chicago fire.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, it's not real fire.

SPEAKER_03:

Well, just saying, you know, because I think that would be beyond the union contractor for SAG AFTRA.

SPEAKER_02:

Definitely would be.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

But you know, you want to make it real. Um bring on the fire.

SPEAKER_03:

Um, well, you're you're in SAG AFTRA.

SPEAKER_02:

I mean, would you want to no I if I was in a first responder show and I had to fight fires, I would not want it to be a real fire.

SPEAKER_03:

No, exactly. No, exactly. Yeah, yeah. But but no, what I'm saying is like 911. All right. So if any of you are watching, we love you. We love you dearly, but stop taking your masks off, your breathing apparatus in in environments where you can't breathe. You're like in the middle of a fire. I'm gonna go in without my mask. They want the close-up, you know, like you just take the bat, you just walk into any situation.

SPEAKER_02:

How else do you get, you know, your they manage it with Chicago Fire Nation?

SPEAKER_03:

They manage it with Chicago Fire, where every time they go into something that's not safe, they're suited up.

SPEAKER_02:

Hmm.

SPEAKER_03:

Like fully suited up.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, but that means at half the show they'd be wearing masks, and that wouldn't make for good television.

SPEAKER_03:

But it works on the other show.

SPEAKER_02:

Unless you're in a first responder where you're scuba divers, then you'd have to. You wouldn't be able to swim and breathe underwater.

SPEAKER_03:

Well, they'd find a way.

SPEAKER_02:

Although they would find a way.

SPEAKER_03:

That would be so cool. I'm just going to. They would get a whole show. Uh oh, we're gonna get people ideas. Oh, you okay there? You're making it.

SPEAKER_00:

The microphone was slipping and was forming a third.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh. Cool.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes.

SPEAKER_03:

You alright now? Yeah, I'm I'm okay.

SPEAKER_02:

Apparently. I think they are.

SPEAKER_03:

Okay. Yes. Alright, just checking. Just checking.

SPEAKER_02:

I mean, you could call 911.

SPEAKER_03:

We could, but you know, then because we don't have an emergency, we'd be arrested.

SPEAKER_02:

Arrested by some cute okay.

SPEAKER_03:

Alright. Okay, so tell me about tell me more about what you love about 911. Well, I'm done, I'm done dishing them and just advising advising them on future.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, no, I really love the characters. Yes. I I'm I you know, I as an actor, I I look for opportunities to explore, you know, you know, the whole character study stuff. And when you're in a a TV series, the opportunity to really get to know your character and make sure it's consistent over time takes more work than the actual filming itself.

SPEAKER_03:

Well, I know, I mean, they're going into season, I've got IMDB open here. They're going into season nine, which is coming this fall.

SPEAKER_02:

And you gotta keep it consistent.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

And what happens when you're in a long-running TV series is that you as a person change. You you you physically change, you mentally change, you be, but your character is supposed to remain according to the story arc of that character. So you have as much work to do.

SPEAKER_03:

Right.

SPEAKER_02:

Right?

SPEAKER_03:

But the character is evolving too.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, exactly. Yeah. Right. So you're you're running in tandem with your own life and your character life, and you spend more time on set or memorizing your lines than you do actually, who you are outside of that.

SPEAKER_03:

Especially so are you saying that they like show up at a firehouse in their neighborhood and be like, hey, I'm ready.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, I'm ready.

SPEAKER_03:

Hey, do I'm all set, I'm all set. By the way, I don't wear face masks, and yeah, I yeah, I'll be fine.

SPEAKER_02:

I'm special, I'm a celebrity. Um, but the these characters are so well defined.

SPEAKER_03:

Well, yeah, each one has its thing, right?

SPEAKER_02:

Even um Gavin McHugh, who pray uh who plays Christopher D. Uh uh Diaz, who's the the son of uh the uh what's his name? This kid, you see him growing up. I think at first he was like six or seven, and then he became a teenager through these years. But he also has a learning disability, and I just I was thinking about that this morning actually.

SPEAKER_03:

Well, but he doesn't have he that's the thing, he doesn't have a learning disability. It appears, and I think the actor uh himself also has cerebral palsy, so he has a physical disability, but that's a lot, you know, then part of that story arc is how he like continues to prove himself and continues to like make friends and try to make friends and have traveling.

SPEAKER_02:

I really respect that, I respect that so much that that authenticity uh for me really makes it.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

You know, uh understanding where you are supposed to come from is is for me, it's it's it's half the story.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Um, but I can't remember how to do that. Yeah, I love his character, Eddie is the character. Uh Eddie, that's right.

SPEAKER_03:

Right.

SPEAKER_02:

The father, right?

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Um, it's just so so interesting, and and and how they they they keep falling and they they raise each other up again, they keep falling, they raise each other. I mean, it's an allegory for what it must be like to a certain extent, you know, being a firefighter.

SPEAKER_03:

Right. Well, and Eddie and Christopher, you know, the father-son relationship that is close, but then has some problems and then pulls away and then comes back together. Like, I feel like all of that is just very real. Yeah, you know, in the same way when we were talking about Equalizer and like that relationship between the girl and the mom, and and it's just like, you know, that's where it really pulls into, I think, those real moments.

SPEAKER_02:

I think that a couple weeks ago I was thinking about how prevalent these first responder shows are, whether it's uh in a hospital or firefighters or police or you know, something like that. The I was thinking about why is that why is it so popular? Excuse me. And you know, it's exciting to a certain extent, but it's also that uh insight that you get a little bit as to what it must be like to be at the service of others, and to be a hero, I think.

SPEAKER_03:

I think that's the little bit of the because there's always like everything's important, everything's critical, and therefore none of these small little things we're dealing with on a daily basis matter, right? Because what's happening right now, the earthquake or the fire or the virus escape, and I'm so mad at them. Or I we should do no spoilers, right? In case people haven't seen the end of season eight, but grr. That's all I have to say. Gr.

SPEAKER_02:

When I was in my car accident in the early 90s, uh the ambulance came, and uh I remember most of it. Uh the knowing that I was being taken care of so quickly by by professionals essentially saved my life. And that whole experience is something that I carry and often think about when uh accidents happen in these shows. Like, oh, I've been there, I understand this. Um how little recognition first responders often get. When you you during COVID.

SPEAKER_03:

Well, during COVID, I was reassigned to the ER and like got a whole different perspective on the hospital because I usually don't spend a lot of time there, and then I ended up spending a lot of time there, and in the middle of all that chaos, you were still getting the car accidents and the strokes and the and the cardiac arrests and and all of that, you know, and they just had to like keep going, yeah, you know. But you know, I was in that car accident last year, right? And this guy crosses the line, plows right into his car, causes a four-car accident. There just happened to be a fire truck about four cars behind in traffic. So even by the time I managed to realize what had happened, because I got hit head on, and get myself out of the car, um, and just walk out to this carnage. Like the the firefighters were already fanned out, knew exactly what they were doing. You know, they're looking at they got like all four cars already figured out. There's a dog on the loose from the guy who had the problem. They had it covered.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Before I even I didn't even get, I barely got out of my car. And they were like, boom.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. Well, well trained.

SPEAKER_03:

You know, but yeah, and I think that you know, we we like this kind of story. We like something like that.

SPEAKER_02:

And it's also it's also what I also like is the is the maximum efficiency, generally speaking, of uh how things need to work in a critical moment. Right? So if you're in the teamwork. And in the teamwork, right. Yeah. Everyone knows well, most people, there's some characters who are designed to be the ones who are the roadblock, you know, or who are the uh the anomaly, but right, like in rookie. Yeah, exactly. But you know, you you you get over that hump, or or you don't, or you leave the show, whatever.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Um no, I 911 is is is just one of many.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, but I know what you really want to talk about.

SPEAKER_02:

What's that?

SPEAKER_03:

Angela Bassett.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh. She's she's she's pretty amazing.

SPEAKER_03:

Yes, she's amazing.

SPEAKER_02:

She's pretty amazing. She um she she has this energy about her that you wouldn't expect to be um the uh the police was it was her role in the um I think she I think she's pretty sure she's a sergeant. She's a sergeant, that's right. Yeah. And having a black female sergeant in Los Angeles today is very different from, let's say, an attempt to have played that kind of role, let's say 20 years ago, when she was much younger. There's something about the maturity of her as an actress and the notoriety and the look on her face when you know she's gonna not just throw a slipper at you, but she's gonna remove your heart.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, she's scary.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, no, she's yeah, I mean, as a serious person, but she's also very lovable.

SPEAKER_03:

Well, yeah, because then she's all that, and then all of a sudden she's like Athena Grant.

SPEAKER_02:

And you do not mess with it.

SPEAKER_03:

There's Athena Grand, and then there's Athena Grit. Do not know. And just the fact that they named her Athena is just like whoa.

SPEAKER_02:

See? Metaphor. Metaphor.

SPEAKER_03:

Yes.

SPEAKER_02:

911. So um when did they see 911? When was that implemented in the United States?

SPEAKER_03:

Ooh, I don't remember. Look it up.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_03:

Take notes! No, take notes.

SPEAKER_02:

When was one of our favorite 911 created in the US? Uh, February 16, 1968. It was initially announced by ATT in January of that year, with the first 911 call made in Helyville, Alabama on February 16th, 1960.

SPEAKER_03:

What's our reference for this?

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, it's AI.

SPEAKER_03:

It's AI overview, but they're linking to something.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, there you go. So uh Fayette County.

SPEAKER_03:

Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

The 911 Communications History of Fayette County.

SPEAKER_03:

Okay. And then Iridell County and Sarpee County. That's what it's uh quoting for AI overview. We must quote our sources.

SPEAKER_02:

Quote our sources.

SPEAKER_03:

Yes, exactly. It's very important.

SPEAKER_02:

That'd be a cool song, quote our sources.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

And you'd have to quote the sources for that song. No, that would I don't know.

SPEAKER_03:

That would get a little bit rough on the on the lyrical side. It might, yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Have like, you know.

SPEAKER_03:

Um yeah. So are we like excited for for season nine?

SPEAKER_00:

1-1.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh I am excited for season nine of 9-1-1.

SPEAKER_03:

Mm-hmm. Okay.

SPEAKER_02:

I'm also excited for season 10 of 9-1-1. I just keep going.

SPEAKER_03:

You never know how long they're gonna go. But after the way that season eight ended, wow. Come on. Come on, people. You buy into the characters and you know and then I know they do, they rip your heart up, but don't spoil it.

SPEAKER_02:

And then they say come back next season.

SPEAKER_03:

I know. Rip your heart up again. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, tear. Shall I call 9-11? I did.

SPEAKER_03:

I cried. I cried.

SPEAKER_02:

You should have called 911 and just said, I'm crying. Everything alright there? Yeah. Yeah. This is the last episode of 911. Oh, all of us here in the station are crying too.

SPEAKER_03:

It would be great. Both. So they answer like, can I help you? During that whole story arc.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes.

SPEAKER_03:

Angela Bassett and Kenneth Choi. Some of the best acting I've seen in a long time.

SPEAKER_02:

So Kenneth Choy's character. Kenneth Choice character. What's his name again? The character name Chim. Chimney, Chim. Kenneth Choi's character, Chim.

SPEAKER_03:

Goes through a lot.

SPEAKER_02:

Angela Bassett's character.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, but you can't give spoilers.

SPEAKER_02:

No, no, but they're they they had a they had a falling apart.

SPEAKER_03:

Because of this event.

SPEAKER_02:

Because of this particular event that you're gonna have to watch one more than one.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02:

And then this last episode, after this big thing that happened, another big thing that happened, they they step toward each other.

SPEAKER_04:

And they had this moment together.

SPEAKER_02:

They finally connect again. And you're like, oh god! God, it's so good. It's so good. It's so magnificent. So good.

SPEAKER_03:

It is right up there with the few memorable acts.

SPEAKER_02:

Every meal for the next week.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Just to watch that.

SPEAKER_03:

Yes.

SPEAKER_02:

Not sure why meals came in.

SPEAKER_03:

But you have to watch from the beginning, so I'm sorry, you're you're in for eight seasons. But if you haven't watched even one episode, you have until fall.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

So you just need Hulu.

SPEAKER_02:

And you should start.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Like now.

SPEAKER_02:

After you finish watching this episode.

SPEAKER_03:

Right, right. After this.

SPEAKER_02:

Not in the middle of us talking.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah. Rude.

SPEAKER_02:

After.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah. But Hulu, that's where you can watch it. Yes. Yeah. Go to Lulu. So uh, you know, you should have plenty of time between now and then. So just, you know, pace yourself. Pace yourself. And uh, you know, and and you can make it happen. I have faith in you. I do. I really do.

SPEAKER_02:

Wow, who are you talking to?

SPEAKER_03:

Our friends.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh yes.

SPEAKER_03:

Hi friends.

SPEAKER_02:

Hi friends.

SPEAKER_03:

Bye friends.

SPEAKER_02:

Bye friends.