Fox’s ‘9-1-1’ Is The Most Bonkers Show On Television

The era of peak TV has brought about some truly crazy shows. From STARZ’s sexy and shocking adaptation of American Gods to Netflix’s fake docu-series all about dicks, American Vandal, there has been no shortage of wild television moments to enjoy. However, one show stands head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to sheer insanity. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear ‘s new Fox show 9-1-1 is an equally warped and fun joy ride.

The delightful oddities of 9-1-1 don’t come from its premise but from its execution. The medical drama follows the lives of first responders, all of whom are dedicated to saving people’s lives but have little to no life of their own. Because it’s a Ryan Murphy show, it’s filled the kind of quippy dialogue and reference-filled mockery the creator has perfected. However, it’s the cases in 9-1-1 that transform this fairly by-the-numbers medical drama into something absolutely wild.

The best way to describe 9-1-1 is through example, which is an approach that applies to most of Murphy’s oddest work. In the Fox drama’s first episode, a team of firefighters are called out by a 20-something stoner who thinks there’s a baby trapped in his wall. Everyone initially dismisses him because the idea that a woman had a baby on the toilet and then flushed it is absolutely insane, except no, that’s exactly what happened. Our heroes are able to save the baby, but not without several images of the newborn stuck in a pipe. It’s as if the show itself knows audiences won’t believe what’s happening, so it has to prove itself.

Next up, a woman who is being strangled to death by one of her many pet snakes. After a brief argument from Hen (Aisha Hinds) about the importance of trying to save this animal’s life, the impulsive Buck (Oliver Stark) makes a last minute call and chops off the snake’s head with an ax. The snake owner is so relieved, she has sex with him. Last but not least is the most upsetting of these cases, a little girl who becomes trapped in her own home by a pair of robbers. Abby (Connie Britton), the 9-1-1 operator who tragically rarely knows whether or not the people on the other end of her phone make it out alive, talks the little girl through the situation and even negotiates with the robbers. In the end, everything turns out OK.

While all of this is going on,  LAPD Patrol Sergeant Athena Grant (Angela Bassett) has to deal with new family dynamics after her husband decides to come out as gay to their children. Abby has to deal with her mother’s dementia. Buck is fired then re-hired on the firefighting force for his possible sex addiction and habit of sleeping with the people he saves. LAFD Captain Bobby Nash (Peter Krause) goes to confession only to have his session interrupted by Katy Perry’s “Firework” playing from his priest’s phone. And of course, the entire episode ends with Queen’s “Under Pressure.” That’s right — all of this happens in one episode. 9-1-1 moves fast, and it never lets up.

It would be unfair to call 9-1-1 great television during a television landscape that features shows like The Crown, The Handmaid’s Tale, and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Likewise, it would be equally unfair to call it bad TV. The performances are good if not a little intentionally cheesy, and any show that stars both Angela Bassett and Connie Britton is already a blessing. Instead, 9-1-1 demonstrates something that Murphy and his team have perfected over the years with certain seasons and episodes of American Horror Story, Glee, and Scream Queens. It’s a fun roller-coaster of insanity, a metaphor that’s morbidly apt for this show. If you’re tired of too-serious TV and are in the mood for something that leans more on the soapy side, 9-1-1 is an excellent option.

New episodes of 9-1-1 premiere on Wednesdays at 9/8c on Fox.

Stream 9-1-1 on Hulu