User Reviews

I will say if I didn't know this was supposed to be a season finale, I wouldn't have known, it felt like any other episode to me.

Definitely had some pacing issues, the calls took up way too much time and some of the main character stories felt rushed. They spent a lot of money on pushing a firetruck off a cliff just for it to not have any impact on the storyline whatsoever. That ate up a good 15 min of screentime. Then the couple that was in the car accident actually was overall cute but their backstory montage probably didn't need to be included as that ate up another 10 or so min. The hair salon call was just completely unnecessary and unoriginal imo, maggots are nothing this show hasn't done before. If there was one episode we didn't need an abundance of calls it was this one.

Dissecting the character story wrap ups: -Madney: Overall done well, they're not ready to get back together but eventually they will. I look forward to seeing them working on their relationship next season.

-Henren: Really good, I love that Toni apologized to Karen and made things right by giving her the family wedding ceremony she never got. Super short scene though I would've liked to see more of it.

-BuckTaylor: Done and over, FINALLY. This was definitely a dead in the water relationship and their breakup was long overdue. So glad Buck was the one to do it. Don't understand the point of the cheating since the breakup was all about their incompatible moral views in the end. Big mistake there.

-Speaking of Lucy: Quite obvious they want her to stay but I think they're undecided since the fans and general audience still don't really like her/care about her.

-Eddie is in a much better place for himself and his conversation with Bobby was so needed and great, if not a little rushed. Bobby scared himself by almost relapsing and I really hope they don't go down a relapse route for him.

-Maddie back at dispatch. I think they definitely missed an opportunity for her to talk with Eddie, they have a lot in common and share a close link in Buck.

-Chimney back to his normal self. He still seems to have some animosity towards Buck which I hope they explore more next season. Good to see him teasing Albert and funny reference to John Harlan Kim joining LA Law

-Ravi was great as always

-Bathena honeymoon cruise that almost certainly will end in disaster next season

-And can I just say there were some pretty pointed Buddie references in this episode... "You're the guy who likes to fix things" reference while patching up Eddie's wall, Buck's conversation with Maddie sounded an awful lot like he was describing his relationship with Eddie, Ravi saying what we all want in a partner is someone who has our back, which is what Buck and Eddie said to each other after their first call together way back in season 2. They definitely are doing it on purpose and I just hope they come to their senses and realize it's the best possible option

Overall a somewhat lackluster episode but the mains are all definitely ready to start anew and there's a clean slate which I think was sorely needed.

First of all let me talk specifically about the episode.

I think the one episode they didn't need to stuff us with calls that we've been lacking from 5A, was this one... Like they did a bunch of short calls (means they didn't lose the touch I guess, so idk why they kept making them longer in previous episodes) and then there was the couple one... I honestly found cute and it connected to the theme of the episode, but I don't feel like using screentime for their bg in the season finale was well placed. We had lot going on in that episode, with too much to pack it up so in most part of the bg was like: "so when we're going back to the mains closure?" and I couldn't enjoy it fully.

Other than that, the episode felt a bit all over the place. Too much calls eating screentime. The May and Eddie big decisions hinted on the sinopsis? Done off-screen. Bobby's breakdown from the preview. Even being the most interesting part, was mostly secondary in an episode with too much content for short time.

I do appreciate Buck finally was the one to step back from a relationship, rather than being left behind. He is realizing he should not accept less or push aside his needs to make the relationship work. But in the end making him cheat was for nothing, since this did not play a thing in his break up with Taylor.

Now. I think the best thing coming from this episode was the Eddie and Bobby heart to heart.

It's the perfect example of things coming full circle. Bobby was there to try help Eddie, even if he didn't recognize he did need help at the time and now we see a Eddie in a good place, being able to help Bobby in ways he probably will never know, but means a lot. The most interesting part is that the main reason behind Eddie noticing Bobby might have been needing someone, was because he was at that dark place recently. If Eddie didn't go through all that he might not have been able to be there for Bobby when he most needed. This scene felt like a "God put his hands there" moment and I really love it. Also the acting on the scene was great too, specially Peter, who I personally could feel every emotion through his face from the dialogue with Eddie to the moment he threw away the alcohol in that bottle after Eddie left.

Eddie is finally back on the team where he belongs. He went through a lot this season and I'm glad to see he is in a much more good place right now.

Eddie's arc is definitely the high point of this season, together with Maddie's PPD and Bobby's arc that was coming from surface since the beginning of the season, peaking on "May Day". Those for me were the stronger arcs in the season, and I particularly love how they all were related to mental health too.

Anyways, It wasn't the best episode, but not the worst either. I'm excited to what will come from S6.

Overall a fulfilling end to a season which gave us so much whiplash. For a 911 finale, this was very relaxed overall but I didn't actually mind because it's been quite the journey to get here. The theme of starting over was very much needed.

GOODBYE bucktaylor. I am not sorry to say you won't be missed. What a dragged out relationship, am so glad to see Buck was mature enough to finally end it. I am still totally confused why he had to kiss Lucy and why Taylor was so okay with that, but then had words for Lucy in May Day (?)...but whatever, we finally got to the inevitable downfall.

And HOW FASCINATING that there were several call backs to lines whereby you want your partner to "have your back" and having you and your partner see each other at their worst but still wanting to make it work. To the writers and showrunners, season 6 is certainly time to come to the table and harvest the seeds you have planted across 4 seasons for the also inevitable Buck and Eddie relationship. These are not coincidences and your audience is ready. Sometimes your best friend is the person you are meant to be with, it doesn't diminish the ideals of friendships so don't get bogged down by that....

I'm glad Bobby and Eddie had that moment, it's nice to think they saved each other in ways they can't fully understand. It was a nice full circle moment for Eddie's journey this half of the season. Eddie Diaz has been the highlight this season and I can't wait to see where he goes in season 6.

It was also so satisfying to see Maddie and Chim still being each other's person, giving us hope for their future and for Karen and Hen to have their moment. And Bobby and Athena vacation sounds fun (albeit since it is 911 it will no doubt lead to some kind of peril). So all the core couples are in good places and buck and eddie are once again single at the same time, and are reunited as partners. I call that right person, right time (finally).

The negatives were pacing and some key moments happening off screen - i wanted to see Chris and Eddie discuss his return - probably unavoidable with trying to tie off so many things, but again, some of the rescues and patients didn't need to take that much screen time in a finale, as sweet as the story may be. It always feels like everything important happens in the last 10 minutes and therefore not every thing that should be given a moment, has time for that to happen. This is where the show always seems to have a struggle, in balancing the character work with the calls.

I am at least feeling good for season 6. I hope the showrunners formulate and craft really good stories, and I hope it continues to go back to the 911 we loved. Focus on your core characters, please. The cast you have already are brilliant when you give them the right opportunities !! Ryan this season has been an absolute testament to that fact. It will be so nice to see the core 118 back together again.

Nothing happened in like the first 50 minutes of the show. The emergencies were all underwhelming and they have already happened before, you would think they'll take advantage of a finale and try to be creative but instead they brought the maggots out again.

It was not necessary to hearse minutes on extras when some of your mains hadn't even appeared in a scene yet.

The only good thing was Bobby's arc and May and Eddie trying to help him, it's lovely seeing them as a family. This kind of scene have been severely lacking this season and that's part of the reason why it was so bad.

Even the wedding/vow renewal was a let down. Did they really have to have Lucy there? Once we finally gotten rid of one misogynistic female character we need to bring the next one. This is just so boring and this telenovela needs to stop.

Kristen Reidel really thought she would save this season by writing and directing the finale and she was capable of creating the most boring finale of the whole franchise.

It was a light, fun-filled, yet heartfelt end to a dark and sometimes uncomfortable season. Hen and karen's vow renewal and bobby pulling himself back from the brink of relapse after eddie inadvertently saves him were the highlights of the episode. With all the main characters back where they should be, season 6 should do even better!

Majority of this review will contain rant, so apology in advance and beware.

Kristen Reidel wants a "lighter" finale where everything is calm and everyone gets to have fun. However, it felt like she mistook "calm" as "monotonous and boring."

* This episode has multiple emergencies. People love multiple emergencies in one episode and some of the finale certainly has used this format, Season 2 comes to mind. However, we have three emergencies in this episodes and only one of them is remotely interesting and/or relevant to the episode title. The cliffisde truck emergency ends on a weirdly underwhelming note considering the slot it has on the advertisement; no injury to the 118 crew, no clear resolution, nothing? If they want to pull some sort of metaphor with it, at least make it look interesting for casual viewers. That maggot emergency... Looks like Kristen has weird maggot fascination considering she was the one giving idea to the botfly emergency in Season 2 finale. It's fascinating the first time, it loses its charm on the second. The pregnant lady emergency is cute and heartwarming, but the show gives too much time for the couple's flashback. We have something similar in "Buck, Actually"'s elderly gay couple Thomas and Mitchell and both of these emergencies lead to Buck's love epiphany, but the flashback on "Buck, Actually" is more fitting since they're telling a love story that spans decades, not seven (I think they say the amnesia couple has been married for seven years, but the point still stands).

* Eddie and May's arc for the season ends on a whimper in this episode. Given that they made sure to mention them making a decision for the future in the synopsis, at the very least the show could do is allowing them to make the decision onscreen. Instead, we first hear about May's on a passing when someone tries to derail a conversation and Eddie's decision is depicted on him sliding down the fireman's pole on a wide shot where he's at the back of the group. This is frustrating since May's arc is at the center of this season's best episode (May Day) and Eddie's arc is arguably THE best arc of the entire season. No another heart-to-heart discussion between May and Athena about May finally trusting Athena and Bobby to be safe with their work? No Eddie telling Buck he's coming back to the 118 soon and Buck's overjoyed reaction as they patch Eddie's wall? No long-overdue 118 group hug after all their core members are officially back? No mention of the team not named Bobby and Buck acknowledging and knowing what Eddie went through? That small talk with Christopher is cute, however.

* I like the concept of Hen and Karen's vow renewal, even though it's yet another "kids having to forgive their parents for something terrible said parents did" kind of story (Toni admitting being wrong for not coming at all is still good). The crew seemed to be having fun with the amount of behind-the-scene contents they posted after the episode aired, but the actual product could've been longer. Slow dancing, hearing the actual vow, people congratulating on their vow renewal, surprise emergency, so much content could've fit this scene. Instead we get like 45 seconds of it.

* Buck and Taylor's breakup feels anticlimactic after a full season of agony watching two people who are not romantically compatible together. What's funny is that Eddie and Buck's breakups with their respective girlfriends were supposed to be written by Kristen, yet the quality can't be more different. Sure there are some interesting parallel between the two like how both of them are staying in the relationship because they felt like they had to, the characters having blue and green clothing, Buck and Eddie barely reacting to their exes trying to give comforting touches, and the breakup showcasing the girls' negative trait (Ana's ignorance regarding disability and Taylor's unethical journalism and her unapologetic behavior about it) yet it feels different in a bad way. Eddie and Ana's breakup is more well-acted, well-directed, and emotional, which is a huge feat to accomplish for a relationship so skeletal in storytelling. It almost feels like Buck and Taylor's is allegedly a cheap attempt at copying it. Also, the amicable shot at the end when Taylor put the place where Buck works on in a huge inconvenience? Undeserved.

* I know people are tired of talking about it, but Lucy's overall addition to the show is a waste of production cost. Her hyped up role as someone who made Buck felt alive is a huge flop even for Facebook fans her scenes had to be cut because none of the things Arielle teased would be coming exist. What we got as a consequence of that is NOT a "Breath of Fresh Air" since either it's a trait someone already has (the first emergency in "Fear-o-phobia" has her act like Buck with the random trivia) or it's a storyline that fit someone else's story better (The rescue at "Dumb Luck" befits Ravi's more as a probie). The forced confrontation with Taylor about Buck is cringeworthy because of the missing context, although the context and that whole story line should've never made it outside the writers' room in the first place but I digress. The teased story about being a firefighter in a family of cops has a huge potential as a letdown since "Desperate Measure" shows a bias toward cops that feels insensitive after what's been happening with the force lately in real life, although a more serious version of Red vs Blue where Lucy's family as the representation for cops are finally portrayed in a bad light for covering for to cover Lucy's crime (as her exit from the show) may be interesting to be explored next season. At the end, Chimney's comment as the writer's representation about the 118 loving Lucy does not match what the viewers have seen about the character thus making it feel very hollow and unearned. To be frank, I don't want her back.

Season 5 for some parts felt very underwhelming. Some character's storyline was unimpressive for majority of the part (Especially Buck's storyline that doesn't include Eddie and/or Christopher. Seriously, that relationship is such a painful thing to go through, the way they tried to spice things up with a pseudo love triangle crashes and burns in the most horrible way, that conflict with Chimney is so unsatisfying the way they made them talk it out offscreen, where's the "Fun Buck," Oliver?!), some have interesting concept but needs better execution (Maddie and Chimney's, although it's more of the production trying to accommodate her absence for pregnancy and post-pregnancy but Chimney missing for half of the first half of the season feels so wrong), while some has good execution and concept but lacks a feeling of closure (the way they put May's decision to go for college from offhand comment and no fanfare for the 118 finally being complete now that Eddie officially rejoins the team and Chimney's back from bringing Maddie home? Really?) the only one with decent and interesting screentime being Hen despite some hiccups (his advice toward Buck kissing another woman is baaaaad). The weakest part is that majority of the emergencies lack the surprise factor the show used to have and the setup for the one-off characters are too long for something to be interesting (the spider emergency for example spends too much time with the pet sitter and the spiders).

The show needs to let go of their sense of complacency and make an effort to be better. One of the first things I suggest is to demote Kristen from the co-showrunner seat and put someone more competent to replace her. She may have written some good episodes, but her run as a co-showrunner has been... less than stellar for the past 2 seasons. Yes, she's been taking some portions of the showrunning in Season 4 and yes, while we have some good episodes in that season it still feels like a downgrade Season 5 only takes that further downhill.

So i finally had to force myself to watch the season finale and as expected it was a let down just like the entire Season 5. The only good thing this season was Eddie's arc, but the rest was simple forgettable. I think as long as Kristen Reidel calls the shots all hope for a good Season 6 is gone. What has this woman against Eddie? He barely was part of the finale and i'm still annoyed that there wasn't even a conversation about what eddie wanted to do with his future. Another offscreen moment, like so many this season. The episode was called STARTING OVER. Maybe Kristen Reidel should do this as well and move on to another show or project. I absolutely hated the 118 scene in the firetruck. What was that? I also won't ever accept Lucy as part of the 118. It was a good thing that almost every scene of her did get cut, but the ones with her were awful to watch. I just don't know why we needed this person again? She ruins the special dynamic of the team and i hate every moment with her. So that was it for me, as long as Kristen Reidel works for the show i won't come back for Season 6. It's not worth it.

And oh before i forget, yay Taylor Kelly is finally gone. We could have had this 7 episodes ago.