Long ago, even before the 9-1-1 emergency number was available across the country, there were television programs about the day-to-day activities of law enforcement and emergency services; shows like Dragnet, Adam 12 and Emergency. Sure, there were a lot more shows of the same genre, but those three shows were the most prominent for me. Although they had a fair amount of action, these shows were less about lights, sirens, and radio calls, but more of a procedural drama. These shows may seem dated today, but I still find them entertaining.
Lately, I’ve been wanting a modern version of this kind of show. A program that did not focus and tried to solve a case in less than an hour. I wanted a program that focused on first responders as they meet and interact with the people on the other end of those calls.
Could there be an answer?
Well maybe; the group behind American Horror Story and American Crime Story, has given us 9-1-1, a new series on the FOX network. This isn’t one of those types of shows that tackles a single case per episode that lasts for an hour. In this show, we are introduced to the characters and follow their lives as they answer individual 9-1-1 calls, from call center operators to first responders. Most calls are resolved successfully, but some end tragically.
For me, 9-1-1 is kind of a throwback to those early procedural shows, but with a modern, creative cinematic twist. As I already mentioned, the stories that unfold around the personal lives of the main characters are interspersed with various emergency calls of varying degrees. There is a definite rhythm to this show that intermingles the characters as they grapple with modern personal problems and their interaction with citizens who ask for help from their services. I feel like the rhythm is performed so well and successfully, it makes me want to see more.
Mix these story elements, along with the show’s writing, creative pacing, and stellar performances from Angela Bassett, Peter Krause, Connie Britton, Oliver Stark, Kenneth Choi, Aisha Hinds, and many others, I feel like Fox has a real winner. . in your hands and I am looking forward to seeing future episodes. I also hope that 9-1-1 is really successful, and this show goes beyond a ten-episode season.