The characters in9-1-1have endured their share oftraumatic and painful experiences, but the death of 118 captain Bobby Nash (Peter Krause) has left them in uncharted emotional territory. As a captain, husband, stepfather, friend, and mentor, Bobby was the steady center of the team, andhis loss will hit everyone differently.In a show that has never shied away from exploring the emotional tollof being a first responder, the most powerful way forward might be to revisit an often-overlooked figure: Frank, the therapist who has guided several main characters through their most vulnerable moments. Played with warmth and empathy byEddie McGee, Frank hasn’t appeared since Season 7’s “Rock the Boat,” but his return in Season 9 could give both the characters, and the audience,a meaningful way to process the grief of losing Bobby.
Frank the Therapist Should Return to ‘9-1-1’ in Season 9
While Frank has only appeared in a handful of episodes over9-1-1’s eight-year run,his impact has been significant. He forces the main characters to look inward and confront what they’re dealing with. Frank first appeared in Season 3’s “Fallout,” a pivotal episode that saw Hen (Aisha Hinds) struggling with the aftermath of an ambulance accident, Eddie (Ryan Guzman) grappling with unprocessed trauma, and Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt), unable to move past Doug’s death.
Frank was the one who encouraged Maddie to return to Big Bear to confront what Doug had done to her, accompanying her on the trip and helping her realize she had truly survived him, which wasa pivotal moment in her character arc. He later guided Eddie, who resisted therapy and neglected his own needs while spending all his time managing other people’s pain. Their sessions sometimes clashed,but Frank eventually broke through, urging Eddie to reconnect with people he had served with in the Army, only for Eddie to realize they had all died. It was a devastating revelation, but alsoa key turning point in Eddie’s journeytoward confronting and healing his trauma.The last time we sawFrank was in the first two episodes of Season 7, “Abandon ‘Ships” and “Rock the Boat,” which featured flashbacks to both Athena (Angela Bassett) and Bobby in therapy sessions with him before their long-delayed honeymoon cruise. Athena’s scene was a mix of humor and insight, with her tying her fears about the trip toThe Poseidon Adventure— and Frank quickly seeing through it — while alsoincluding a sly nodto Bassett not winning the Oscar forBlack Panther.Bobby’s session in the following episode focused on his own anxieties about the trip, which ultimately became a pivotal moment in their relationship and solidified them as a couple.
Since those brief moments with Frank, he didn’t appear again in Season 7 or at all in Season 8. While the series has plenty of characters and storylines to juggle,bringing Frank back would be an effective way to spark important conversations,especially in the wake of Bobby’s death. His presence could once againgive the characters a safe spaceto be raw and honest about their grief while encouraging them to find ways to cope. And in a show like9-1-1, that kind of emotional honesty is just as important to show on TV as the high-stakes rescues.
Season 9 Is the Perfect Time for ‘9-1-1’ To Deepen Its Portrayal of Grief and Healing
9-1-1has always excelled at showing both thephysical and emotional toll that being a first responder can take. These characters may run toward danger for a living, but that doesn’t make them immune to the pain and trauma that can linger long after the job is done. Many shows have a tendency to gloss over grief or skip past therapy, but9-1-1has never shied away from either. Bringing Frank back in Season 9 would give the charactersa chance to process Bobby’s deathin ways that feel authentic, whether through quiet reflection, angry venting, or tearful confession. It’s not about fixing the pain, but learning to live with it, and the show understands that difference.
Two characters in particular could benefit from that on-screen space. Buck (Oliver Stark) has called Bobby a father figure, yet we haven’t seen him unpack what Bobby meant to him or how he’s coping without him. Chimney (Kenneth Choi) is another character who hasn’t sat down on-screen with Frank yet. While it’s all but confirmed he’ll step into Bobby’s role as the new captain of the 118, he’ll also begrappling with the survivor’s guiltof being alive when Bobby chose to sacrifice himself. On top of that, with a new baby at home with Maddie,he’ll likely have even more emotional weight to carry.
Frank Is a Necessary Addition to Season 9 of ‘9-1-1’
As the show has often reminded us,first responders need to be mentally healthy to do their jobs, especially as people who risk their lives to save others.9-1-1has done an excellent job depicting that reality, and a character like Frank adds valuable context to the choices these characters make in the field or at homeas they struggle to copewith what they’ve endured. Eddie McGee brings a grounded warmth to the role, paired with a willingness to challenge the characters in ways that feel honest and refreshing.
As9-1-1heads intoSeason 9 without Bobby, Frank’s return would be a powerful way to tell an honest, resonant story about grief, resilience, and the importance of asking for help. Bringing him back could honor Bobby’s memory, give the characters the tools to carry on, and reaffirm one of the show’s most enduring messages that even heroes need someone to talk to.Frank’s presence fits seamlessly with9-1-1’s tone, reminding us that real survival often happens off the clock, in quiet rooms, and far from the action.
All episodes of9-1-1are available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.
