Lately, I haven't been interested in watching new television shows. I'm the type of person who binge-watches shows that have already ended over ten years ago, like Friends or Beverly Hills 90210. So when I see a commercial for a new show coming out, it really has to impress me to get me to watch the first episode. 9-1-1 didn't disappoint; when the screen read that Ryan Murphy was involved, a creator of one of my longtime favorite shows American Horror Story, I was already interested.
But the commercials didn't even match the level of intensity and action that 9-1-1 produces. The show revolves around the personal lives of the first responders in Los Angeles, including firefighters, police, paramedics and 9-11 dispatchers. Starring Angela Bassett and Connie Britton, two fan favorites of American Horror Story, I was excited to see their performances, as well as from other actors that I haven't recognized before. The cast proves to have a lot of chemistry and their performances leave me either laughing or crying with them. I get so caught up in their friendships and romances because the actors' amazing performances grab you and make you believe that their fictional lives are real, something that is difficult to find in many television shows.
For these reasons, I like how the show is realistic in its issues that the characters must go through. 9-1-1 shows an inside look at what many real people have to face: a balance between the stress from work and home.
The audience can identify with this and many of the other problems that arise in the show, whether they are first responders or not. For instance, some might relate to Bobby's loneliness and isolation in his personal life. Audiences can accept this, even relate to this, and understand that those around them have underlying issues behind the smile they put on. Yet fans of the show can also follow in Bobby's footsteps in becoming more comfortable with coworkers in times of trouble to seek comfort and advice. The show is great in this way: it connects audiences with the problems they face and shows them a lesson in how they can face them.
So if you're looking for a fun television show to watch, that happens to have a touch of action and is jam-packed with emotion, 9-1-1 is your best bet. But since the first season just ended, you'll have to binge-watch it for a few months until the next season comes out. Thank goodness for Hulu.
