“It’s Going There”: Star & Director Aisha Hinds Unpacks 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 11 & Teases What’s Next
Hinds was in the pool of directors for the season and was unsure which episode she’d be assigned. The star couldn’t be more excited that “Holy Mother of God” served as her debut, sharing that it allowed the cast to move through “intimate” and “emotional” spaces. With Bobby, Buck, and Maddie all on their own complicated journeys, Hinds enjoyed the opportunity to address some of the more tender aspects of the show.
ScreenRant interviews Aisha Hinds about Ravi’s return, directing Bobby’s healing journey with his mother, and Buck and Maddie’s conversation about Eddie. She also teases an upcoming storyline for the Wilson family and hints at what fans can expect as 9-1-1 season 8 continues.
Hinds Is Grateful For The Storylines She Got To Unpack In 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 11
“I was glad that I had the kind of episode that allows us to move through those intimate spaces—those interior emotional spaces.”
ScreenRant: What about 811 made you most excited to direct it?
Aisha Hinds: You know what? I can’t even say that I chose 811. 811 chose me. I was just in the pool of directors for the season, and they assign you where they see fit. But I was so grateful that 811 chose me, and I was grateful for the storylines that I got to unpack and peel back. I was happy to explore Bobby and his family, a family that we haven’t seen in quite a number of seasons, and so to revisit their story and to have the incomparable Lesley Ann Warren embody his mom, Ann Nash, and his brother, Sean, who plays Charlie, they were an incredible trio together.
It was such an intense connection shared but also complex, and that dynamic was palpable in the room. And so it was beautiful to see them take the journey scene by scene of unpacking where they had been and where they are now, and what is basically at the forefront and what is urgent right now. And it was really nice that Ann reentered the world and Bobby’s life through this emergency, but also through the realm of faith, which for me, my life is deeply steeped in my own faith walk. And so it was nice to be moving through a narrative that felt familiar in some ways for me.
I was really excited about doing the location scouts and looking for the church. But ultimately, it was really great working with these veteran actors and telling this great story. And Pete, who plays Bobby, was so wonderful. It’s wonderful to watch him and the nuanced responses that he has to Ann as she’s talking to or about him was really wonderful to watch take after take. Then you see the dynamic between Angela and Pete, and you see the impact that it has on their marriage. Like, “Hey, wait a minute. How do I not know that your mom is not dead? We’ve been married for so long and this doesn’t even come up.”
So we unpack how and why something like that could happen, but then all of a sudden, here we are as one big happy or unhappy family. And so I’m glad that we had this episode to take the journey of it being this complicated reunion to a place where there is some actual healing in a way that is meaningful for Bobby, for Ann, and for Charlie. And so while she is rolling around the world in her tour bus with her big face on the side healing everyone else, she forgot that there needed to be some healing at home, and so I’m glad that this episode could take the time to do that.
And the same for Buck. He’s dealing with his own broken heart after the breakup of Tommy and then his best friend leaving town—there are some broken pieces. Then for Maddie, as we saw last episode, she went through quite a bit of trauma. So we just take this episode to address some of the things that we need to tend to in a more tender way, in a more intimate way. And so I was glad that I had the kind of episode that allows us to move through those intimate spaces, those interior emotional spaces.
9-1-1 Wants To Be Mindful Of Buck’s Emotional Journey, Says Hinds
“Jennifer asked the question that a lot of the fans have always been implying or saying: ‘Are you in love with Eddie?'”
Going off of that, this episode is a bit of a switch-up because Eddie isn’t there, but Tommy and Ravi return. What was it like having those characters back while also leaning into Eddie’s absence?
Aisha Hinds: I loved it. I really loved getting to see the dynamic of Buck and Ravi, a relationship that we only get to see if someone is out of the equation. You know what I mean? We never really got to see that dynamic at work. And it kind of lends itself to ask the question, like, as Ravi says in the episode, “Hey, I am a cool guy.” [Laughs]
I think there’s a lot of our audience that really, really appreciate and loves Ravi, and so we get to see that he is somebody who is lovable and deserves some friendship as well. And so it’s great to have them go out and have a good time, or at least what seems like a one-sided time because Buck is there just going on and on and on about missing his best friend.
I particularly enjoyed being able to have some of our cast who aren’t always with us—I got to kind of play with them a little bit closer. And so it was nice to have Ravi, played by Anirudh Pisharody, and also Tommy in the episode. I definitely did miss my Eddie, played by Ryan Guzman, but it was nice to have some other players to play with.
This episode pretty explicitly opened the door for a discussion about Buck and Eddie, which is a beloved storyline for fans. When Buck has that talk with Maddie in the kitchen, what were you asking for from Oliver [Stark] and Jennifer [Love Hewitt]?
Aisha Hinds: Does it open the door or does it close the door? I feel like the words on the page speak directly to, I think, a conversation that has been happening amongst fans. And so I think that Jennifer asked the questions that a lot of the fans have always been implying or saying: “Are you in love with Eddie?”
And so she asked the question, and Buck pointedly answers, no, that he’s his best friend. And so the idea, in talking to our showrunner, is that, “Listen, we’re going to address this. We’re going to speak directly to this situation and to this question and to this conversation, and the fans can do with that as they will.”
But I think, ultimately, we do want to just be mindful to take care of Buck’s heart and his love life that he’s kind of been navigating and exploring since season 1 of the show. So it will be great to see where it goes from here and what they will do in terms of honoring Buck’s exploration and his journey as he looks for love. Or maybe he’ll take his sister’s advice and just spend some time alone.
The Entire Wilson Family Will Appear In 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 12
“You’ll see the entire Wilson family, which will be really nice. Or it won’t be.”
We haven’t touched base with Hen and Karen in a few episodes. Is there anything you can tease about what’s upcoming for them?
Aisha Hinds: In the next episode, you’ll see Hen and Karen again, and not just Hen and Karen, you’ll see the entire Wilson family, which will be really nice. Or it won’t be. [Laughs] We’ll see. I’ve said too much already. Hen and Karen is coming down the line.
What upcoming episode of season 8 do you think will excite fans the most?
Aisha Hinds: Oh boy. This season is going there. It’s going there. I would say this season is just getting started, so just buckle up and hang on. Season 8 is a doozy.
Enjoy ScreenRant’s primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for our weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check “Network TV” in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.
About 9-1-1 Season 8 On ABC
Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, & Tim Minear Reimagine The Procedural Drama
Check out our other 9-1-1 season 8 interviews, as well:
- Oliver Stark
- Ryan Guzman
- Tim Minear
