It's been a minute since we got an overstuffed hour of 9-1-1.

While some of the character's personal journeys have taken center stage recently, 9-1-1 Season 6 Episode 13 was a sort of return to form, as everyone got a little time, and they sprinkled some emergencies throughout.

It wasn't all fun and games, but it was a good time and a nice change of pace from some of the heavier material.

That's not to say the more serious content isn't great because there have been many strengths during 9-1-1 Season 6, which overall has been very enjoyable, with solid arcs that reminded me of some of the earlier 9-1-1 seasons.

"Mixed Feelings" was a return to form as it leaned into absurdity at times and gave us all the feel-good and funny moments we've come to love.

That's not to say it's perfect, but we'll get into everything.

Maddie and Chimney's transition into the murder house has been pretty seamless. Granted, with the time jump, we didn't see much of the process, but everything appears to be going well.

So when a neighbor showed up unannounced and sweetly bullied her way into their house, it got Maddie's attention real quick.

Moving into a new neighborhood can come with its own stress, namely the fact that you're like the new kid in school. You don't know anyone and feel judged from the outside, whether it's happening or not.

Are you cutting your lawn the right way, making sure your trash cans are in the appropriate spot? Do your decorations clash with the rest of the street's aesthetic?

These are serious concerns nowadays!

Carol popping up with a few welcome muffins should have been a nice gesture, but there was something off about the woman as soon as she opened her mouth. She jumped into the house without an invitation and stayed planted on the floor as if Maddie wasn't very clearly trying to get out of there.

It was like she was on a mission during that brief exchange.

With so much going on, this mystery played out slowly, and I couldn't help but bounce back and forth between thinking everyone was overreacting and also thinking something deeper was going on.

Even once we realized that Carol wasn't actually Carol, I wondered if perhaps she was just a lonely woman looking for a friend. 9-1-1 can be intense at times, but it's not the kind of show where you need to always assume the worst about everyone.

Bringing in Bobby and Athena, the best damn investigative duo on the show, was an excellent way to get the two couples together for what feels like the first time ever.

Side note, when Bobby and Athena retire, they should consider opening a private investigation firm. Even if they don't actively get out in the field, they could train others and step in when necessary for the bigger cases. I see the vision.

The two couples worked together to figure out what fake Carol was up to, even going so far as to set a trap for the woman, whose street smarts disappeared in her desperation to get what she was after.

Has anyone heard of coupon forgery? I can't say I'm too familiar with the crime, but it was fake Carol's livelihood. The lady got out of jail and began impersonating people while dragging her nephew around to get her money.

It's a weird world we live in these days.

I'm starting a petition for more wine nights and crime-fighting with Bathena and Madney. This story twisted unexpectedly, but I loved seeing them all come together, however briefly.

We rarely see Maddie outside of dispatch or her home, and while she was once again mostly relegated to her house, at least she had some company that wasn't related to her.

Another couple was having a much different time, as Hen and Karen finally found out Denny's been lying to them for months.

Honestly, it's shocking that he's kept things a secret for that long. He's only a child, and Hen and Karen seem to run a tight ship, although there seems to be some leeway with Denny because he's a responsible kid they've never had a reason to doubt.

But finding out he wasn't on the bus home from school and then seeing him standing at the hospital seriously shocked Hen's system.

Hen and Karen were understandably scared for numerous reasons. Once they were assured he was fine physically, their confusion and anger took over. And while it was directed at Denny because he was the one in front of them, you could tell they also have a lot to say to Nathaniel.

It's a tricky situation because, on the surface, Denny just wanted to know his dad. That's not a crime. But lying to Hen and Karen and starting this relationship with someone he doesn't know could have put him into harmful situations.

Because not only does Denny not know Nathaniel, but neither do they.

Sherrie's mom: Maybe this wouldn't have happened if she felt like she could talk to me.
Hen: You can't do that to yourself. Kids are utterly unpredictable when they're trying to figure out who they are. The best we can do is show up for them when they need us.

Permalink: You can't do that to yourself. Kids are utterly unpredictable when they're trying to figure...

His dad isn't a stranger in the traditional sense, but he isn't a known entity either. Denny can feel connected to him, but he was a stranger when they first met.

Obviously, Denny should have never gone behind their back and contacted Nathaniel, but the minute Denny showed up on his doorstep, Nathaniel should have brought him inside and called Hen and Karen. He's the adult in this situation and shouldn't let a child dictate the terms of anything.

I can understand Nathaniel's desire to know Denny, and I feel for him, but he has to do better. He has to realize that he's dealing with a child, and other factors are at play beyond his desire to get to know his son.

He was the adult; things should have never gotten as far as they did.

Bringing Toni in as a middleman was smart because she could see both sides and bridge the gap between Denny and his moms. It was a situation where you could see where Henren was coming from, and you could see where Denny was coming from as well.

Denny never set out to hurt anyone, which is a big reason why he lied. But even so, Hen and Karen had every right to be upset about the fact their young child had been, God knows where, many times over the last few months, and they had no idea.

There are no bad guys in all of this, but there were a lot of poor decisions being made left and right. But with everything out in the open, figuring out what came next was the most important thing.

It would have been difficult and cruel to take Nathaniel away again, but putting strict rules and boundaries in place was necessary. There shouldn't be any more instances where they don't know where Denny is and what Denny is doing.

Having Toni be the drop-off person or even tag along to their outings if she can isn't the worse decision, at least until emotions have settled some and everyone gets used to this new reality.

When children are involved, you have to be both thoughtful in your decisions and deliberate.

It was couple-central during this hour, with everyone paired up, so naturally, we got a side plot with Buck and Eddie trying to scam their way across Los Angeles using Buck's newly acquired human calculator skills.

Buck's been through a lot this season when you think about it. It started with him feeling shafted by Bobby in not getting the interim captain position, followed by his desire to open himself up to new possibilities, and then agreeing to be the sperm donor for an old buddy and a wife he'd never met.

Then he died for three minutes (and seventeen seconds, as Eddie so kindly pointed out).

In the aftermath of the lightning accident, we've seen Buck unsettled and trying to adjust to life after almost dying. It hasn't been easy for him, as you can see every time someone brings up the accident. A discomfort creeps into his shoulders when he's reminded of that particular trauma.

Well, I should say that discomfort comes when it's discussed outside of his inner circle. Because when he's talking to Eddie and Christopher about the strike and his new "powers," he's perfectly comfortable.

Eddie: Well, according to this, you can get new cognitive abilities after a serious injury to the central nervous system.
Buck: Oh, which I definitely had.
Eddie: But some doctors are saying it's not a real thing.
Buck: Uh, you think I secretly know the square root of 162 all these years and just been holding out? No, come on. It has to be the lightning.
Eddie: Fair point.

Permalink: Eddie: Fair point.

The 9-1-1 Gods must have heard my plea and decided to give us some Buckley-Diaz moments, which will make even the most sullen of individuals smile.

There's something wholly comforting about knowing you'll get a snarky Christopher comment that only Gavin McHugh can deliver or a soft smile from Eddie at the cuteness of his child and his most important relationships, and the overall happiness of Buck, which overflows when he's with his family.

Suddenly being the man with the answers feels good to Buck because if the man who always wants to fix things suddenly has the means to do so, that's a rather exciting prospect, isn't it?

Eddie Diaz, you sneaky man. Who knew he was out playing poker with the Chief when he wasn't being the dad of the year?

The poker game was a nice little montage of Buck having fun for the first time since the accident -- once he got past those first few minutes where he was reminded that he died for three minutes and seventeen seconds.

Buck desperately needed a breather, and the poker scene did not disappoint. Dress up the boys and let them forget about the world for a few hours with beers, dim lighting, and good company. You can't beat it.

I love the idea of Eddie using poker night as a warm-up to taking Buck's talents to Las Vegas, but he should have warned the guy not to win every single hand. Buck got a little giddy and went way too hard, but it was good to see him laughing again and enjoying himself.

Vegas may not be in the cards (they'd sniff him out in a minute, and Buck would cave even faster), but hey, they got dinner locked down for the Buckley-Diaz family.

Imagine a standalone episode with just Buck and Eddie going to Vegas on a mission to make bank, where they run into emergency after emergency at the casino, helping with various small-scale mishaps, never getting a chance to actually sit down at the poker table.

Then they would decide to cut their losses and head back to LA, understanding that the real luck and the real skills are in their abilities to help their fellow man.

I'm kidding. But Buddie takes Las Vegas? Give me that and make it two hours, please.

We've been deprived of Buck and Eddie content this season, but we got two episodes in a row to see the layers of their relationship, once on 9-1-1 Season 6 Episode 12 in a very thought-provoking moment and now in a much more lighthearted way.

And adding Christopher into the mix is just the icing on the cake. More, please!

The emergencies were all on the small side, with the most notable being the couple who found their romantic evening taking a rough turn when something meant to bring pleasure brought a lot of pain. And isn't that something we can all relate to?

As fun as the huge, over-the-top emergencies can be, sometimes you need less intensity to help fill an excellent (mostly) lighthearted hour.

Loose Ends

Buck helped Christopher make cookies for his class. Could they be any cuter?

Buck calling up old conquests to ask them if they were satisfied when they were together was so weird. It was thrown in as a funny thing, but I found it so bizarre.

Chimney and Denny's talk was lovely, and I liked the acknowledgment that those two would have a relationship.

A water allergy is wild. You can really be allergic to anything, huh?

Everyone looked so good at the poker game. They put everyone in their perfect color and hit all the right angles.

Bobby and Athena are forever couple goals. When you've got it, you've got it. And they made their two little cute, flirty scenes COUNT.

That was a terrific hour of the series, with lots to enjoy. So please drop me a line in the comment section and let me know what you liked.

We've got a handful of episodes left this season, so let's start making some end-of-the-season predictions, too. What do you think the series has in store for us?

Before you make those predictions, watch 9-1-1 online so you can join us!