9-1-1 Season 8 Time Jump is the Perfect Fix for That Season 7 Cliffhanger

Summary

• 9-1-1 ended Season 7 by bringing back an unsavory character.
• How long he stays at Station 118 depends on the choices Bobby Nash (Peter Krause) makes.
• The writers could use a time jump to give Bobby time to rehabilitate and spare other first responders who might fall victim to the returning character.

After two months, 9-1-1 Season 7 has come to an end, the first season for a procedural drama that premiered on ABC instead of Fox. According to Nielsen, ratings for this season were down slightly compared to previous seasons, but that can easily be attributed to the move to a new home — 9-1-1 became the most-watched scripted show on the network, indicating that viewers are still eager to see what's in store for Los Angeles' first responders.

And what's in store for them appears to be more drama, picking up where the Season 7 finale left off. None of the fans or the staff of the 118 expected the return of one unpleasant character, who was the major source of conflict in the early seasons. A difficult time has come for Station 118, and fans are curious, even anxious, to see how the writers will resolve this unnerving cliffhanger.

We think a great solution is not to pick up the story where it left off, but to make a moderate time jump. Let's find out why this cliffhanger is so significant and how it can be resolved.

Season 7 Cliffhanger Explained

We're talking about the return of Vincent Gerrard (Brian Thompson), of course. After Bobby (Peter Krause) returned from the hospital, both his colleagues and fans of the show were shocked by the sudden revelation.

Still feeling the burden of guilt over the tragic fire in Minnesota, he decided to resign in the ninth episode of Season 7. And so, Captain Gerrard, who had caused a lot of trouble for the characters in the second season, took over as chief of Station 118.

It All Depends on Bobby's Decision

But back to the question of how the script could continue this storyline in a way that doesn't frustrate the audience. First of all, it's worth noting that it all depends on whether Peter Krause's Bobby Nash leaves 9-1-1 or stays on the show. ABC hasn't made any official announcements, but the storyline so far suggests that the character will remain on the show for at least a while.

If Bobby doesn't go anywhere, he will have to recover from his coma, presumably both physically and mentally.

'I don't know exactly what is in store, but I'm assuming that Bobby will have to go through some things to regain his captainship,' Krause told People. 'What those things are, I don't know. Could it be a physical? A cardio test? I don't know.'

Why Time Jump Can Be a Great Solution

Let us not forget that Gerrard is despised by fans and first responders alike for his homophobic, misogynistic, and racist views — Chimney and Hen were victimized by him in season two, and now Buck, who has just begun to embrace his sexuality, may be under threat of being fired.

Conflict is always a source of good drama, but it's likely that Tim Minear and co understand viewers would hardly be happy to see blatantly discriminatory rhetoric throughout the whole season. So it's safe to assume that Gerrard won't last long as chief of Station 188, and will be quickly replaced by Bobby (or someone else).

In this context, a time jump could be a great solution to the situation. They could always show flashbacks of the events right after Season 7, but with the main timeline picking up a few months later. By then, Bobby will have recovered and Station 118 will have had enough of Gerrard's antics.

All seven seasons of 9-1-1 can be streamed on Hulu.

Source: People.