I am...struggling with rating these episodes. I often have some fun as the episode is airing (an improvement over last season for sure) but often get to the end feeling hollow. I was looking back at the ratings this season and how low they are and was wondering why, when the episodes overall as a whole are FAR more enjoyable on initial viewing than last season. But I think that's because last season fans were giving the show some grace for Covid restrictions, and JLH being out. With that leading to Chim being gone and the team being separated through 5b, a lot of stuff was written off to the season being "darker" on "purpose" to show the distance and bleakness everyone was going though. But with everyone back, and the focus seemingly more on the main characters, Kristen has all the ingredients again to make banger episodes like we got in season 3, yet it's become clear now that something in the soul of the show is missing.
So first, lets talk about the good because the banter we got this episode was it's saving grace. Kenneth Choi remains an absolutely delightful presence on screen and him and Hen being so deep in the curse theory that even Bobby was cracking jokes was hilarious. I do love that we are seeing the characters interact more each other because Eddie and Chim are the comedy duo of the hour and so much fun to watch. Another unexpected and delightful surprise was Eddie and Athena having scenes together (now do Maddie and Eddie, we have been asking for YEARS!). That team up was so enjoyable to watch and seeing Eddie just casually having dinner with Athena and Bobby calls back to Buck and his dinners with them and I love that we are getting some glimpses of how much of a family the 118 really is, not just as a big group, but individually. We need more of that.
Now for the bad. Outside of the firefam banter, this episode was...kind of a mess, and trying so hard to be "Jinx" but without the heart that Jinx had where the emergencies were in a montage and there was far more focus on the 118 and their dynamics. This episode had WAY too much focus on the guest star, leaving the 118 as nothing more than the episode's comic relief. I thought we already talked about Chim (and the rest of the team this season honestly) being SO much more than that?
Speaking of the guest star, the language around her character was so confusing and definitely came across as a part written for a much older character (even the synopsis called her a "fading" star) slapped on a barely legal actress. The quip about having a stalker in '05 when this young lady would have been what? A toddler? Having a "bad decade" when she's barely in her 20s could work if she was a child star but there wasn't a single movie poster for a kids movie/show. Also, the storyline didn't make any sense! The set up was right there, that her assistant was working with the scammer to manufacture "bad luck" for the past decade to make the assistant "invaluable", but it turns out it WAS all bad luck except the last couple things the bracelet guy was involved in? Not to mention it's brought up multiple times that the actress was arrested and had friends (PLURAL) die of overdoses in her home yet her choices are never brought up as the reason for things with her life not going well, it's all played off as a "luck" thing?
There's also the thing with the assistant being horrified at the chandelier accident when it happens and frantic when the 118 arrives but for some reason her call to 911 is "I think HERstory just ended!"?? I said in another review, the show always used to treat the emergences with at least some amount of dignity because the people calling were actively in distress but that's another part of the soul of the show that's been chipped away, along with the voiceovers and the main characters getting to be deep and real with each other for more than a single 2 min conversation that's never brought up again.
The other BIG fail this episode is Buck's arc coming back, not as a serious sign of him spiraling trying to find happiness in sacrificing himself for others like he seemed to take away from Lev's death, but as a series of masturbation jokes, with him being accosted at work as the punchline. Not to mention the lack of research by the writers given they had Buck claim to be doing everything "right", when even a cursory look will tell you "keeping the tank full" actually works AGAINST sperm count. But good thing we get to know all about Buck's wanking struggles! And to make matters worse, this is supposed to drag out into 6b and possibly all season?? This is Taylor Kelly all over again, a relationship that should have ended in the same ethical conflict it did, just after the prison break freeing Buck up to be integral to Maddie and Eddie's stories which should have been the center of 5b. And just like the Taylor fiasco, and the Lucy fiasco, a storyline that could have been used to explore Buck spiraling and being self-destructive leading to FINALLY talking about things with at least his father figure Bobby and his best friend Eddie, is just dragging out and being used for laughs. Hen had a crisis about school in 6x02 that was brought up briefly in 6x04 and closed out in 6x06 but this sperm donor thing has to drag out for an entire season? It has never been more clear that Kristen does not know, not only WHAT to do with Buck's character, but WHO his character is and what fans love about him. He's looking for the right "couch", NO, he's looking for the secret of happiness outside of work, NO, he's trying to be a "parent" at any cost! Or is he spiraling and sacrificing himself when the universe is screaming at him not to. Who knows! It isn't the audience, that's for certain. And the donor reveal not even giving us a good Bobby/Buck father/son talk? No, we needed time for ANOTHER actress emergency. Eddie FINALLY bringing up the tsunami and not only is Buck not involved (or even anyone we actually care about), but he isn't even MENTIONED?! This is Frank telling Eddie to talk about his trauma with the ones he's shared it with and ultimately getting NOTHING in the way of Buck and Eddie talking about any of the stack of traumas the show refuses to let them talk about. The elephant in the room is just getting bigger and bigger and the more they ignore it, the less anything makes any sense.
The soft, deep, caring heart and soul of the show is never more obviously missing then here, where there is surface level fun but with absolutely NOTHING underneath. We are being given the illusion that things are "back to normal" with the firefam having their scenes together but where are the actual conversations? What is everyone else doing when the "character of the week" has "their episode"? What happened to everyone having something going on all the time? Where are the Madney/Maddie scenes? JLH may be working less as a new mom, but given she can film for dispatch calls all at once, why was she not the one on all the multiple calls and part of the group "mystery" about the curse? Does the episode have to be "about" one character for them to be even involved?
Where is the show that we knew and loved? The answer very clearly lies at the top with who is in charge, who is planning the arcs, and how many episode script writer's hands are in the pot (and who those people are. Kristen's "besties" to no one's surprise). Can the Kristen experiment be over now? This show, these character, ESPECIALLY Buck and Chim deserve better treatment.
Final note, Chris is getting TOO BIG and I need him to STOP IT. As always, Eddie, and Eddie/Chris scenes elevate the episode and add a little of the missing heart back into the mix.
Still not a word or mention of Ravi.
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