9-1-1′s Jennifer Love Hewitt Reacts to Midseason Premiere’s Twist Ending, Previews ‘Torturous’ Part 2
When ABC started running promos for 9-1-1‘s two-part midseason premiere, revealing that Maddie was going to be kidnapped, we were surprised the network would give away such a big twist up front. You’d think we’d know by now that a far more shocking development was waiting in the wings.
Thursday’s episode introduced Abigail Spencer as Detective Amber Braeburn, who worked with Maddie and Athena to catch a serial kidnapper linked to the disappearances of several young girls over the course of a decade.
But before we dive into that, this isn’t the first time Spencer has shared the screen with Jennifer Love-Hewitt; she previously guest-starred on an episode of CBS’ Ghost Whisperer in 2007.
“The first thing I said to her was, ‘Oh my God, the last time I saw you was 20-something years ago when you were a sexy mechanic with a ghost attached to you!'” Hewitt tells TVLine, adding that she was “very excited for [Spencer] to come and play on 9-1-1. She’s phenomenal, and she had quite the job to do.”
Maddie received multiple calls from the kidnapper throughout the harrowing hour. Constantly crying, he kept insisting that he didn’t “want” to keep hurting these kids. He saw himself as a monster, unable to stop himself from committing heinous acts. All of their conversations were tense, but things took an especially dark turn when he mentioned Maddie’s daughter Jee-Yun.
“The reason that line is in there is because I asked the director, the writer and [showrunner Tim Minear] if we could add it on the day we were doing it,” Hewitt says. “For me, it felt like that was the thing that makes [what happened next] OK. It’s that mama bear trigger. It’s that thing of like, ‘Oh, now you’ve crossed over and you’ve brought out who I really am.’”
What happened next was indeed shocking. When it became apparent that the kidnapper was about to shoot his young victim, Maddie coaxed him into shooting himself instead, framing it as the only way he could kill the monster inside of him.
Not only was that a “surprising” turn of events for Hewitt, but she says she was actually “nervous” about how the fans would react. “I’m game for going crazy and doing all the things, but I never want to compromise Maddie’s goodness,” she explains. “This is a moment where I feel like you could go, ‘Oh, that’s not who I want her to be.'”
“I think fans will forgive Maddie for it once they see [next week’s episode] and all that she’s put through, but this was definitely the first time playing Maddie where I was like, ‘Oh gosh, are they going to forgive me for this?’ Because it’s a crazy thing to do, but I really do think that in that moment it’s all she can do to save other people. That’s how I wrapped my head around it.”
Speaking of people not being who we want them to be, the episode ended with Maddie back at home, where she read Jee-Yun a bedtime story before doing the dishes. A figure appeared behind her in the kitchen, one she assumed was Chimney… until that person knocked her out from behind. As Maddie drifted in and out of consciousness, she caught a glimpse of her assailant, who removed her mask to reveal… Detective Braeburn?! The whole time?!
“You made me do this,” she said as Maddie faded out. “You’re going to be so mad at me.” In regards to this even-bigger twist, Hewitt had a lot of feelings: “I was like, ‘Wait, what? No way!’ But also, ‘Yes way!’ Let’s have a drop dead gorgeous terrible person on TV. I love this!”
Despite being “shocked,” Hewitt was equally thrilled. “I was really happy because I knew what was coming up and where the rest of the story was going to go,” she says. “I knew that I would be with a safe partner in crime for all the things that were coming, and that we were going to get to be together was really nice.”
“As actresses who have been in this town for a really long time, but also as people who had known each other before, we were able to be like, ‘Are you good?’ ‘I’m good.’ ‘I’ve got you and you’ve got me, so let’s just let all of it go and be crazy and do all that’s required.’ It was very freeing and fun to do, even though it was also awful and torturous.”
Though Maddie has found herself up against several enemies over the years, from her abusive ex-husband to the terrorists who took over the call center, this one promises to be an even more intense experience for one simple reason — she’s escaping for two now!
“Maddie desperately wants this pregnancy to be different than the other one,” Hewitt says. “She went through so much chemically in her brain that she could not help last time, so there’s fighting on all angles. She’s fighting to get out of this situation, to make it through, to get back to her family and to have this baby. Her being pregnant adds to the vulnerability of her situation and what’s at stake for her.”
OK, let’s talk: Did you see that final twist coming? And what did you think of the 9-1-1 midseason premiere overall? Grade it in our poll below, then drop a comment with your full review.
I didn’t see that one coming!
Probably going to get thumbs’ed down to heck but I hope Ryan Guzman is officially leaving the show next week. I still feel gross about the whole “ex-wife doppelgänger” thing, and on top of that? Based on what he’s posted on his Instagram, Ryan Guzman is at the LEAST misogynistic and racist, and very likely voted for the Cheeto Felon. Someone like that has no place on a show like this. Hope very much to be posting something along the lines of “thanks for 6.5 seasons but I’m not sad to see the back of you” next week.
Watch this interview and tell me if you still think of him that way: https://youtu.be/GasRvJKbHzk?si=adIC7DcUbzUxjhq-.
Seems like a thoughtful and considered person to me.
I’ll be glad to see him go. But not because of the actor’s instagram (I had no idea about that), but his character is just so freakin’ boring. Never liked Eddie from the start.
surprised they showed who kidnapped her so fast
This is a 2 Parter. This is a gimmick that the show uses to get people to tune in. The plot usually resolves the story in no time at all & then it goes back to normal. It’s a shame that they have been reduced to using gimmicks for people to watch. However, the show continues to be fun in spite of this.
The show continues to be wacky fun & that’s all it is really.
I yelled WTH out loud twice during this episode. Made me wait forever for the show to return but it was worth it.
WTF. Not WTH. Just to clarify
I suspected the detective, mainly because I felt like they wouldn’t use Abigail Spencer unless it was a meaty role? I also thought that the kidnapper sounded female. Poor Maddie and Chimney, ugh..JLH has to be one of the best criers that I’ve ever seen on TV.
that’s like SVU and it’s usually the big name actor who do it
I figured the guy that died wasn’t the actual serial killer but I didn’t expect Detective Braeburn to be the real killer. Clever twist.
I figured he wasn’t the actual killer when he “shot himself” as i saw the promos and knew Maddie was getting kidnapped…but did NOT expect the actual killer to be her! So I’m guessing he didn’t shoot himself she shot him..next week we will see if I’m right about that hopefully
I certainly suspected a twist like this. I figure when you have a very familiar face like Abigail Spencer guest start in a staple show like 9-1-1 she is likely to be a villain (I call it the Law & Order rule). I didnt think she would just be a detective who didn’t even solve the case herself.
I don’t know why Maddie was crying over a murderer committing suicide. He was an evil man and she saved the taxpayers money as our judicial system would have put him in prison for life!
This dog 🐶❤️
Speaking of the dog…
It sure got adopted fast. Did the shelter even do anything to locate the owner? It had a collar, so obviously it was someone’s lost pet, and the shelter just gives it to someone else right away. Was it chipped?
Meh, I cared more about Buck & the dog.
The second that the detective said that Maddie was going to put her out of a job, I knew that she was connected in some way.
This show is so ridiculously ridiculous in the best way. Maddie is the new Kelly Taylor from 90210.
Isn’t this like the third time Maddie has been kidnaped on this show? Get a new plot people.
Also, why are they making Buck so insufferably annoying these days?
I did not see that coming! It was Detective Braeburn!?
Why is Maddie always the victim? Could they not have traumatized someone else for a change? It’s just so boring when it’s always her.
I kind of saw it coming. The whole episode I thought she was involved in the kidnappings. But after Richard died, I thought I guess she isn’t involved. So at the end I was surprised but not really.
Good episode even though no 911 operator could get away with telling him to kill himself. Waiting to see how this detective is involved. The story could have ended after first show and been an excellent show.