GayTV Recap: 9-1-1 (Episode 2x8)

This week's new episode of the FOX drama 9-1-1 featured multiple gay storylines. Written by supervising producer Matthew Hodgson (Glee), the episode found leading lady Athena (played by Angela Bassett) feeling uncomfortable opening her home to her ex-husband Michael (played by Rockmond Dunbar) and his new boyfriend Glenn (played by Reggie Austin). She told her new love, leading man Bobby (played by Peter Krause), about how she shouldn't be expected to pretend to be happy about how strange their new family dynamic has become. She was urged by her daughter May to give Glenn a chance. She put on a smile and warmly greeted the couple.

Over dinner, Athena & Bobby told the family about one of their wild cases from the day as they dealt with a woman stopping highway traffic with a gun, seeking attention from her love, Norman. While Michael and Bobby agreed that there was something romantic about the woman putting it all out there for love, Athena held tight to the law, knowing the situation could have spun out of control quickly. When Glenn agreed with her, citing how much could have gone wrong, Athena warmed up to him, ending the night on a happy note.

Later in the episode, significant screentime was given to a new case for the first responders. It told the story of Thomas (played by Francis Xavier McCarthy) and Mitchell (played by Lawrence Pressman), an elderly gay couple celebrating their 5th wedding anniversary. Thomas put together a scrapbook of memories as a gift. His memories came to life through flashbacks showing how the duo met and fell in love, via their younger selves, played by Chris Patrickson and Thomas Winchester.

The scrapbook chronicled the two men's lives together, as they moved into their first apartment, their first home and celebrated milestone birthdays, culminating in their late-in-life wedding. Back in the present, they set out for their latest adventure, but when Thomas forgot helmets for their bike ride he returned to the house. Mitchell, having left the car in neutral, was pinned against their security gate after being struck by the car.

Thomas called 9-1-1, leading the first responders to arrive. Main character Buck (played by Oliver Stark) consoled Thomas, as his husband was pronounced dead at the scene. Thomas told him about Mitchell's adventurous spirit and how he followed wherever he went, because it's what their love was all about. Feeling down about his own romantic situation, Buck took his words to heart.

Thomas asked for a moment alone with Mitchell. Buck left them to pick up the pieces of the ruined scrapbook, only to return to find Thomas passed away at Mitchell's side, hand-in-hand. Buck and his team attempted to resuscitate Thomas but he was gone. Buck took their interaction to heart, leading him to open himself back up to finding love again.