This week of 9-1-1: Lone Star saw the AFD and APD duke it out in a softball game, among other things and Grace was introduced to new hotshot dispatcher, Dave. The end also involves T.K. getting a heartbreaking call that no one saw coming.
Keep reading to find out everything that happened in the newest episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star, “Red vs Blue.”
There’s a New Sergeant in Town
While the 126 is responding to a car wreck and Carlos catches them up, Sergeant O’Brien shows up to the scene and Carlos mentions that he’s not a big fan of firefighters. O’Brien tells Owen to move the trucks out of the way but he won’t move the truck until they’re done. O’Brien writes up a fine that Owen at first hesitates to sign, then rips it up as O’Brien walks away, and of course, the news gets it all on camera.
And a “New” Dispatcher in Town
At the Call Center, Grace is surprised to see a dispatcher at her usual desk, with toys and food cluttered all over it. Meet Dave, who usually works the graveyard shift and is filling in for another dispatcher. Grace sits down at another station, still not over what had just happened.
Dave is not getting on Grace’s good side, as he eats her potato salad that Judd made and even oversteps on a call that she was taking. She brings it up to Judd at home and she admits that it’s a good thing that Dave butt into the call since he did help save a child’s life. It’s not a bad thing but she would have gotten there on her own … eventually. Grace does have a competitive streak, but Judd thinks that if there’s someone in that Call Center that can give her a run for her money, then Austin’s in good hands.
Red vs Blue
Carlos shows up to the 126 and shows Marjan, Paul, Mateo and T.K. a video of Owen ripping up the ticket on the news. While Marjan, Paul and Mateo are more than happy that Cap made the news, T.K. and Carlos know how serious it is. The long-standing red vs blue tradition. While the 126 crew keep talking about how the cops don’t like firefighters, even with Carlos right there, he gives it to them right back. Judd says how cops are jealous but Carlos says that to a lot of cops, the firefighters seem a little lazy, and so on and so forth. Carlos mentions how O’Brien is going to have it out for all of them and even though the others just mock him, T.K. just looks lovingly, and sorry, at his boyfriend.
And the rivalry continues, as when Judd, Marjan, Paul and Mateo are out getting food, they come outside to find the firetruck getting towed, all thanks to Sergeant O’Brien. And again, gives them a fine. When the truck is being pulled back into the firehouse, the crew is not so happy, especially since there could have been an emergency, or worse. And to make matters worse, Mateo finds that someone keyed the rig.
“This is war.”
Owen Strand
Owen wakes the team up in the middle of the night and tells them they will play softball to get their revenge. He signed them up for the Interdepartmental Softball League, as it turns out that Sergeant O’Brien is the captain of the undefeated APD softball team. Still sleepy, the team is very confused so Owen tells them he already bought the shirts and leaves the bunk.
Play Ball
Owen and Tommy are spying on the APD softball team, and Sergeant O’Brien is definitely one for showing off. Owen suggests they burn down the firehouse again and tell them they lost their jerseys. Although it’s a somewhat good idea, Tommy has a better one that involves semi-cheating. Bring in a wringer.
The two captains bring in Pearce, the guy from season 2 who was hired as a paramedic but then quit since he didn’t want to be part of the 126’s “cowboy culture.” Owen and Tommy try to talk Pearce into coming back. They bring up his All-American career as a center fielder at Vanderbilt. Pearce has some conditions that Owen reluctantly gives into, knowing it won’t be for long. And the deal is made.
It’s finally game day but Pearce is nowhere in sight, even after Tommy has been calling and texting him. Sergeant O’Brien has called the news so they can witness it all go down.
O’Brien: Hey, Strand. I thought I’d give your friends a call. Ready to get your ass handed to you?
Owen: Hey man, we’re firefighters. We’re born ready, all right? If there’s gonna be any ass handing today, it’s gonna be my hand on your ass.
Game On
The game commences, but Team AFD is not doing the best, getting many strikes, whereas Team APD is killing it. The audience on the bleachers is completely into the game, including Carlos cheering on the AFD and his boyfriend. However, it’s a crime that Carlos isn’t playing and in an APD uniform.
When it’s Nancy’s turn, she admits she sucks, and she isn’t wrong. Just when all hope seems lost, Pearce shows up. He was pulled over for a rolling stop. They held him in the back of a police cruiser for an hour then let him go. It was definitely intentional on the APD’s part. The game really starts going now and AFD starts catching up. Nancy even proves to be worthy and hits a ball pretty far. She’s a powerhouse.
A fight soon ensues after someone on the APD team trips Nancy and gets her out. Owen and O’Brien have a little talk, and Owen being Owen, completely decks him, starting an all-out war between the AFD and APD. With it all being captured on the news.
Running for the Hills
Obviously following the fight, Pearce is upset and disappointed, but Owen and Tommy are not sorry, especially since Pearce went for the hills once the fight started. Owen won’t be calling him again, unless it’s coward.
A Call Hits Close to Home … Or Does It?
Dave takes a call from a guy, Matt, who took some sleeping pills. He tries to keep him talking until help arrives, and he tells Matt that he lost his dad when he was 10. He chose to leave on purpose. So he spends the rest of his life saving others, wondering why he wasn’t enough for his dad to stay. Grace, seeing what’s going on, tries to calm Dave down as he tries to reason with Matt. Dave, however, collapses and Grace figures he has a heart attack.
After paramedics are called for Dave and Joel tries to keep him alive, Grace does the same thing for Matt. Paramedics arrive on the scene and get Dave’s pulse back. Meanwhile, Grace tries to get Matt’s attention and Nancy picks up the phone, telling her he’ll be alright, but not his living room rug.
Grace, Bree and Joel visit Dave in the hospital and Grace tells him that Matt is expected to make a full recovery. She also tells him how sorry she is about his father, but Dave admits he made that up. He shares news that he is transferring to day shift full time since the graveyard shift is not good for his health.
The Fight Comes to an End
“There’s like, a fire, man. But don’t worry… it’s cool.”
The 126 arrive on the scene of an active warehouse fire, a warehouse that contains marijuana. When APD were called to the scene to serve a no-knock warrant, they threw in a flash grenade and started the fire. Judd notices some officers off to the side, who are high as a kite. Owen notices O’Brien’s bike, and one of the officers tells him that he was with them when they were inside.
Owen goes in and finds O’Brien, who is also high and amazed at the fire. He tells Owen that they are so brave to be going into fires like that every day. The two of them make it out, and everyone is relieved.
The team watches the news and their own Captain Strand, who made a statement earlier on the growing feud with red vs. blue. Owen said that like brothers and sisters, sometimes they fight, but they are family. They risked their lives for the cops, hopefully the cops will do the same. O’Brien visits the firehouse to thank them. The APD owes the 126 a debt of gratitude and they will honor that. They are all good, and Owen and O’Brien shake on it. O’Brien stays for dinner and all is right with the world. Red vs Blue has come to an end, at least for now.
A Family Emergency
We finally got a 126 hang at the Tarloft and it turns out to be a trophy ceremony for Nancy, who is declared the MVP. While the AFD didn’t win the game, neither did the APD. A double forfeit, a first in Austin history.
T.K. gets a call and his expression quickly changes. Carlos walks over to him and T.K. tells him it’s his mom. She’s dead.
WHAT?!
9-1-1: Lone Star airs on FOX on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Stay tuned for our continued coverage on the series, including episodic recaps and more!
