9-1-1 season 2, episode 16 recap: Bobby Begins Again

9-1-1 explains Bobby’s backstory and leaves us questioning his future at the LAFD.

9-1-1 has been giving us some solid episodes in its second season, namely the ones focused on a character’s backstory. Bobby’s story is one that I’ve been waiting for especially since we learned that his family died in a tragic fire. The focus is on Bobby after last week’s reveal that an investigation has opened looking into him.

Back in 2014, Captain Bobby was a member of the Fire Department in St. Paul, Minnesota. One unfortunate night, Bobby was intoxicated because of pills and alcohol and wasn’t around to save his family that died in a fire that broke out in the apartment building.

What does all this have to do with Bobby in the present? Well, it turns out that he fibbed a little bit when applying for the LAFD. It all began when Bobby started drinking again after losing his family and took all the blame for what happened the night of the fire. But let’s be honest, that building was a death trap long before the fire.

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Bobby eventually joins Alcoholics Anonymous and six months later, he feels ready to go back to work. However, while he may be ready, his fellow coworkers aren’t so much so Bobby is transferred to Los Angeles as a result.

It took some time but Bobby eventually finds his footing in the LAFD on his first day. Did he go out and celebrate sans alcohol that night? Nope. He went straight to the bar because he didn’t feel deserving of a good day, not everything he feels he has done.

After losing his sobriety streak, Bobby tries to find some solace in church and discusses his dilemma with the priest. When he tries to give away his sober chip, the priest suggests that he keep it and do his best to earn it back. The dynamic for Bobby shifts after this encounter as well as after a restaurant fire when one of his men went against his orders.

Bobby ends up firing him in front of the squad which leaves everyone to wonder why he would take such a negative step. But don’t worry 9-1-1 fans, this is Captain Bobby Nash we’re talking about. While writing away in his notebook, Hen asks him what he’s writing about. He doesn’t share, of course, but it’s the start of a list that will have the names of all the people he’s saved. Hen may not know what the Cap is writing, but she learns just how big his heart is. It turns out he didn’t fire the insubordinate firefighter, but rather just suspended him and then set up a transfer to another station.

Cap gets in the good graces of his team and goes out for a non-alcoholic nightcap later that night. But something prompts Bobby to get up and go back to the restaurant from earlier in the episode. Something feels off about the whole thing, and it looks like Athena has the same idea. They figure out that the fire was staged by the owner who was trying to get money to help his family.

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This is a difficult situation for Bobby who has to turn this guy in but feels hypocritical doing so because of his own situation. While talking to the priest once again, Bobby confesses that he got the job in the LAFD because his application was tweaked to hide his truth.

The whole ordeal, however, was the start of many good things for Bobby including starting a tradition with the station. We even see the day Buck came to the station for his first day. It’s all very sweet and reassuring because of what is going on in the present.

At the end of the episode, 9-1-1 brings us to the present where the Captain informs the team that as of now, he is suspended from his duties due to an ongoing investigation. The team knows about Bobby’s past and is frustrated that they’re holding him accountable for something that shouldn’t matter after all he’s done at the LAFD. Honestly, I agree. Can’t they just let it go?

9-1-1 airs every Monday on Fox at 9 PM EST!