9-1-1: Lone Star Season 3 Episode 4 Review: Push
Jasmine Blu
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And with that, the ice storm concluded, and we got a happy ending.
They wrapped up the long in the tooth ice storm saga with 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 3 Episode 4, and we got the 126 back!
The hour also served as a bit of a reset, an exciting prospect for the rest of the season.
The hour managed to give us so many things we wanted just occasionally in a frustrating manner. Simultaneously, you're enthralled, emotional, and slightly annoyed because you want to make some tweaks of your own.
Much of the hour felt like that where we got some of the best things we could've wanted and hoped for, from T.K. waking up and he and Carlos reuniting, to the birth of the Ryder baby, Owen's return to the 126, and the house getting saved, too.
And it's enough to make you positively giddy, as you love these characters and the directions that they'll continue to go. But then the minor things bug you, or the execution is so odd that it's distracting.
A majority of the ice storm had that effect. The final chapter picked back up with the drama as we waited with bated breath for T.K. to wake up, but again, the stakes were never high enough. We knew he'd wake up. The drama of it all was in how he'd wake up and what would happen when he did.
Because we knew T.K. would survive this, the other threads to this storyline are what one looked forward to most. You wanted to see what would happen when they finally got to Owen and told him the truth. You ached for Carlos as he grappled with the pain of possibly losing the love of his life when they were no longer together.
You wondered how the rest of the crew would react to this news, and so forth. And there were many aspects of this arc that they handled beautifully and others that fell short when there was no need for it.
T.K.: Mom, am I dead?
Gwyn: You're not dead.
T.K.: Are you?
Gwyn: I'm not even here.
T.K.: How am I talking to you then?
Gwyn: Because you need me to be the person to tell you this.
T.K.: Tell you what?
Gwyn: Stop it.
T.K.: Stop what?
Gwyn: Dying.
For T.K.'s dreamscape, Gwyn's presence had us wondering why exactly she was there and what it was about her that kept T.K. there rather than waking up. Traditionally, that's how many works depict these moments. An exciting and shocking twist would've been if we found out that Gwyn died during the time jump.
Since the early moments of T.K. in the dreamscape consisted of him unaware that he should've been battling for his life, it made you wonder what he thought he was getting out of it that he lacked in the real world. But then we learn that Gwyn's purpose was to tell him that he needed to stop dying so much.
Yeah, a tip of the hat to the series for knowing that they've done this bit too much in such a short period with the same character. I love their self-awareness.
Gwyn is someone who understands T.K. most, and she's someone whose words carry weight for him.
When she tells him that he needs to quit with this always dying business, presumably, he'll take it to heart. Their scenes was such an improvement on the lack of exploration of their dynamic during 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 2 .
Look, I don't know if I can fix the world in time for my boy to wake up, but when he does, I want him to see that he's not the only Strand that's still fighting.
Owen
Because of that, Gwyn's presence probably made more sense to T.K. than it did to viewers, but of course, there's always room for Lisa Edelstein.
It led to some compelling moments between the two when they dropped all the cryptic cookie talk and dived into what was happening. Gwyn is aware of her son's penchant for self-sabotaging relationships and his commitmentphobia.
She's aware that he's someone who is always waiting for the other shoe to drop and questions happiness to the point of blowing things up to beat life to the punch. And she was able to call him out on it during the dreamscape, where we finally got to the bottom of what happened between him and Carlos.
Edelstein and Rubenstein were great when we got to those moments of the dreamscape where that conversation took place.
One of the most striking physical (and directorial) aspects was how the two managed to mirror each other when they talked things over, sighing similarly and simultaneously, sitting the same way, and so forth. The synchronization was remarkable.
T.K.: I hurt him so bad, mom. What if he doesn't want to take me back?
Gwyn: There's only one way to find out. You need to wake up!
I don't know if it served as a reminder that Gwyn was T.K.'s subconscious or a subtle hint that T.K. is very much like his mother and got some of those issues from her. Either way, those scenes were great.
Even the way it was filmed where they discussed Carlos and how angry he was as Carlos sat there, merging the dreamscape with the hospital room, was visually stunning.
But for the undercurrent message as it pertains to Carlos and T.K.'s issues in relationships, it would've been interesting if an ex-boyfriend from T.K.'s past is who he spent time within the dreamscape as the personification of those issues that T.K. had to work on to reunite with Carlos.
It would better justify why a foggy T.K. would stick around in the dreamscape longer than necessary.
It also would prompt him to unpack those same issues with someone who knew what it was like to be in Carlos' position loving a man who's constantly afraid that he isn't deserving of it.
However, what made Gwyn's presence engaging was her connecting T.K. to his faith and heritage. We saw T.K. reciting the Kaddish prayer while freezing, and in the dreamscape, Gwyn inquires about T.K.'s relationship with his faith and urges him to get back in touch with it.
You can even toss in the exchange between Nancy and Carlos, where she pointed out that he incorporated Yiddish into his vocabulary that he learned from T.K as a notable reference.
Carlos: Why do you say that? That he loves me?
Nancy: Because it's true.
Carlos: You've been by his side all this time. Does he ever talk about me?
Nancy: Honestly, not much.
Carlos: I didn't think so.
Nancy: But, he does bite off my head anytime I bring up your name.
Carlos: That makes me feel so much better.
Nancy: You should you big dummy. He doesn't want to hear it because it's too painful for him, which means he still has it bad for you. It's obvious. The dude loves you.
Carlos: If he loves me so much, then why did he break my heart?
It could be an intriguing potential arc for T.K. if he explores his faith as a Jewish man this season. It's something we haven't seen from him yet, and the prospects of that could be promising.
The only slight downside to the dreamscape scene with T.K. and Gwyn watching Carlos is that it focused on T.K.'s perspective and eventually drowned Carlos out. I would've loved to hear what Carlos was saying, ironically, after his own mother encouraged him to express himself.
While it was sensible this time, given the circumstances, once again, the narrative shifted to T.K.'s perspective, and there's nothing inherently wrong with that, but it'd simply be nice if we got Carlos' more consistently. Silva shows us why it's worthwhile when we do. Fortunately, we did spend a decent amount of time with him, and he had incredible scenes.
Hey, T.K., it's me. I've been here for a while now. I don't even know if you want that, but I guess you're not in any position to walk out this time. And even if you can't even hear it, Mom's right. I just need to say it. I'm so mad at you right now. And you know what the worst part of this is if this is goodbye, I can't even hold your hand, or run my fingers through your hair, or kiss your head. Not without it feeling like it's some kind of violation. Believe people when they tell you who they really are. Just believe them, right?
Carlos
Rafael Silva is one of the more underrated actors on this series, and it's something you cannot help but reflect upon when he gets something meaty and you get to see him work.
Perhaps that was why it was so jarring when he was ready to give us another tour de force performance, and it shifted to T.K. and Gwyn, though it remained a beautiful scene nonetheless. I was so transfixed by Carlos, I didn't want to redirect my attention just yet.
His scene with Nancy did wonders in further establishing the bond between the two. Brianna Baker is a scene-stealer, and it's such a thrill that she's been upped to series regular and utilized more. But that scene provided some context for how conflicted Carlos felt and why.
He loved T.K. so much, but he almost didn't feel entitled to his anger because of the situation. The crestfallen expression he delivered when those wretched, unprofessional nurses who deserved to have their asses kicked said all those things about T.K. was a gut punch.
And his scenes with his mother were among the most emotional of the hour. I loved the parallel between both T.K. and Carlos talking to their moms and getting the encouragement they needed to face their relationship. Carlos was angry and hurt, and it turns out he had every right to be once we learned the truth.
He thought they were starting their life together, and he made such a romantic gesture that only showed how much he loved T.K. and wanted to please him by making an offer on that place and putting T.K.'s name on the deed.
Welcome home, T.K.
Carlos
Not only did he want to make T.K. happy with this home that they initially thought was out of their price range, but he was smart enough to know he should guarantee they both had equal ownership of it, so T.K. didn't ever feel as if the place belonged to only Carlos.
And T.K. walked away from him because of it. It's hurtful beyond measure that something that innocuous could lead to them not speaking to each other for six months. It's scary to know that T.K. has that much of a hold on Carlos that he could break his heart that way.
They say that "Love is giving someone the ability to destroy you and trusting that they won't." It's hurtful that T.K. walked away, and his past bad habits reared their head at Carlos' expense -- thatT.K. still sabotaes his happiness he doesn't think he's worthy of it.
And on top of that, Carlos wouldn't even confide in his parents about it because he was so relieved that they accepted him and T.K.'s relationship that he thought telling his mother the truth would somehow undo all of that.
Mrs. Reyes showed up to be there for her son, pray over T.K., and tell Carlito that she was proud of him no matter what -- beautiful scenes, indeed.
Mrs: Reyes: What did the doctors say?
Carlos: That he's headed in the wrong direction
Mrs. Reyes: Well, doctors don't know everything. This boy is a fighter, and he's got something to fight for. He's got the love of his life sitting right here waiting for him.
Carlos: We broke up.
Mrs. Reyes: What? When?
Carlos: A few months ago.
Mrs. Reyes: Why didn't you say anything?
Carlos: I wanted to, but it was so amazing how you and dad supported us, I just didn't want to let you down.
Mrs. Reyes: Carlos, there is nothing you can do to let us down. Your father and I are so proud of the man you are, you have no idea how proud.
Carlos: Thank you.
Mrs. Reyes: And we love, TK, too, and when this boy wakes up, we're going to have a little conversation.
Carlos: A little conversation about what?
Mrs. Reyes: About how he thought he could break my baby's heart and get away with it.
Carlos needed to hear that, and as much as her threat to give T.K. a talking to about breaking her baby's heart lightened the mood, it also let Carlos know that his parents' acceptance and love are unconditional and aren't going away. She'll have his back no matter what.
Carlos even got some comfort from Owen, but the Owen portion of this was bizarre. It took forever for him to find out about T.K. Somehow, Tommy managed to track him down, brave the conditions, and tell him, but they cut away before we got his reaction to it.
Suddenly, Owen was at the hospital, but they cut the scene of him with T.K. one on one, and instead, we get him announcing that T.K.'s life hanging in the balance was a wake-up call where he had to make things right.
I get why Owen would need to stay busy to get through his worry, but the buildup to Owen learning about his son was underwhelming when he didn't actually have a scene with him until the flash forward. We got Owen singing Car Karaoke, but not him stroking his son's hair by his bedside or something. Make it make sense!
You don't have to ask for my forgiveness because you already have it. No matter what happens, I can't think of anyone I would have rather had my son serve under than you.
Owen
It's like we missed out on some delicious, angsty, father-son moments, and there's no question that Lowe and Rubenstein would've delivered with them. It was one of many instances where it felt as if the show jumped past those little scenes we would've wanted to see.
After keeping Owen and T.K. apart for so long, it was puzzling whether it was the same day or two days later; time was an illusion during this storm. Lowe still put in the work during subtle moments such as when he left the hospital and his brief moment in the snow with Tommy after Charlie was born.
And it was also puzzling that Tommy felt compelled to apologize to Owen, and he forgave her. Why exactly did he need to forgive her in the first place?
Owen's whole point of venturing back into the ice storm was to find Billy and give him the apology letter, but as far as we know, that never actually happened, and they didn't exchange words until the end of the hour after the time jump. We missed out on their reconciliation or whatever else you want to call it.
Billy's back to the gruff guy at ease with the rest of the 126, but it simply happened. Not one discussion took place that eased us into him atoning or others forgiving him. They just handwaved past it.
As annoying as Billy was, he did whatever it took to keep Grace safe and look after her. He couldn't resist a few unspoken, "I told you so's." But the quest to bring Charlie Ryder into the world was an adventure.
It's no surprise that Billy knows how to hotwire a car, or in this case, a tour bus, or siphon gas. And genuine kudos to Sierra McClain and Billy Burke. One of the many perks this season is their continued exploration of different dynamics.
McClain and Burke had such fun chemistry, and the constant bickering and snark had amusing sibling vibes. They turned out to be quite a comedic duo throughout this ordeal. Not too many people can piss off Grace and elicit her wrath, so it's hilarious that Billy can, and we see that side of her.
God, I've never been this cold in my life. And I know I got myself here because I was headstrong and I was reckless. I was filled with wrath, even though I kinda hope you overlook that last part because this is Billy Tyson we're talking about. I'm scared now. I'm asking that you please deliver me out of this, not for me, but because this child deserves a chance to meet her father. Please, God.
Grace
It also filled out the background, as it reminded you of how close Billy was to both Ryders. It wasn't solely Judd; therefore, his betrayal impacted how Grace interacted with him, too.
It was generally fun to have Grace interacting with other people, even though I would've thrown things if Billy delivered the baby without Judd there. Fortunately, the powers that be know the fandom enough to get we would've lost our minds if that happened.
Owen and Tommy somehow managed to ping Billy's phone (?) to the Ryder's house, and piecing together that she went into labor was as ridiculous as them venturing into a storm where they should've had a travel ban to hand Billy a piece of paper.
But if it's what it took to get Judd to his wife in time for the delivery, then so be it. Grace is a badass for delivering a child in subzero temperatures in the middle of an ice storm. But that aside, she seemed to have an easy birth.
Judd getting there in time for his girls made your heart melt, but just as soon as we could say, "aww," they whisked us into a time jump before they gave the moment and the immediate ones after time to breathe. Perhaps that's the biggest criticism here -- the genuinely great moments deserved time to breathe a bit to be more impactful.
As suspected, they chose to name the child Charlie, and Tommy's reaction to that was priceless. It's such a beautiful way of honoring Charles. And like Tommy, Charlie can have a badass unisex name.
It also wasn't a surprise that Lindsey's parents gave them enough money to save the 126. Heaven knows how much storm damage happened in the city, but he ensured they got their state of the line firehouse back.
I get why they opted for another time jump, but it felt like a cop-out not to follow up on so many things. For example, I'm happy T.K. woke up and, after his dream, determined that he wanted Carlos, but Carlos didn't know that.
Did I swoon and squeal when T.K. reached for him and Carlos said, "Hey, baby?" Yes! Did they earn it at that moment? I'm not sure.
Tommy: Now, have y'all decided what y'all are going to name this miracle baby?
Grace: Tommy, we wanted to name her Charlie. We just wanted to honor him, T. We don't want to overstep in any way.
Judd: Yeah, if it's uncomfortable or anything, you know, we ain't married to it, so.
Tommy: I like it. Do you like it? I like it very much.
We fast-forwarded to their apartment. Carlos already moved T.K. in after I imagine an extended stay at the hospital, though we bypassed his healing journey, too.
We didn't get to see the conversation they should've had after both of their realizations, nor the apology that Carlos deserved. They broke up offscreen and reunited much the same without witnessing those moments; what was the point? Even for us angst junkies, it's still a legitimate question.
Whisking past crucial points of the Ryders getting to know their baby felt the same way. We waited so long for Charlie's birth, and we got shortchanged on the early moments. What's that first sleepless night like, or Judd sharing the news with the rest of the 126 or their families?
Marjan's minimal reaction to Paul almost dying when he's her best friend is another way they shortchanged us on a great character moment.
126 is a family. These uniforms bind us tighter than blood. Like family, we argue, screw up, let each other down. But as long as we keep fighting for one another there is no challenge cannot rise to, there is no crisis that we cannot overcome. This building stands today not because of its bricks and mortar, but because of the heart and soul of the family inside of it. 126, and so it shall always be.
Owen
The push ceremony was a highlight of the hour. Owen's speech was enough to give you goosebumps, and I love the tradition of pushing the vehicles into the station with the help of the firefighters/ paramedics and the community. They all looked absolutely fabulous in their full dress uniforms.
Again, it gave you goosebumps, and how could you not smile at Marjan's beaming face?
They had something worth celebrating. The final moments with the new house, Owen in charge and placing his 9/11 memorial plaque on his desk, and everyone where they belonged, it felt like a reset.
If the season hadn't have started, you would've thought this was a season finale instead of the close of a particular event.
It's the close of a chapter, making the prospects exciting for the rest of the season. One can't wait to get back to the firefighting and new calls every installment, but also, the winter event set up some of the characters' personal lives nicely, and it'll be fun to see them delve into each of them more. I'm already clamoring for the next installment now!
Billy: Well, you did it, New York.
Owen: With your help, Texas.
Billy: All I did was get the hell out of the way.
Owen: That's all you had to do.
It also feels like the family aspect of this series is stronger than it's ever been, which brings me such immense joy. Finally, they're all so intertwined with each and won't take each other for granted. There is a renewed energy, enthusiasm, and cohesiveness within the show and its characters. It's exciting!
Additional Notes:
- Oh, this episode definitely belonged to T.K. and Grace, and Rubenstein and McClain did their thing.
- Rafael Silva had the best performance of the hour; man, that kid kills it! Gut-wrenching work during those hospital scenes, my goodness.
- Thank goodness Lone Star didn't do any of the fake baby abominations we've been seeing. Also, that little cutie looks a little like both actors, so can we give it up for casting? One thing we're going to do as a fandom is protect baby Ryder at all costs; I will fight!
- Are we back to accepting Billy as an extended part of 126 now? Is he "Uncle Billy" and Charlie's godfather now?Billy's nervousness over whether or not she would hate him was rather cute.
- Was Billy, a trained professional and firefighter, really going to let Grace deliver the baby herself? I know he probably didn't want to risk getting punched out by Grace or Judd for looking anywhere near her hoo-ha but given the circumstances and all, he probably should've checked to see if the baby was crowning. Man up!
- No lie, I could watch an entire side show of Grace and Billy doing literally anything. I did not anticipate those two being that entertaining together, and McClain and Burke added some levity to the hour and have such unexpectedly good chemistry that I would love to see them interact more.
Grace: Billy, if you are on your way to an, "I told you so," I will rip your weasel tongue out, stick it to that windshield just to watch it freeze.
Billy: You conjure quite an image.
- Also, if he could hotwire an abandoned tour bus, why not a car that could maneuver through to the hospital? This Northerner will begrudgingly cut these Southerners some slack, but man did they have a girl shouting at the TV.
- The lack of professionalism and human decency those nurses showed in that hospital room was enraging. Even if they thought they were right, who says all of that in front of the patient who can likely still hear you? And they didn't even apologize to Carlos after he heard them.
- It took the combined efforts of Tarlos' moms and a near-death experience to get those two back together even though their breakup was contrived. It's too bad the moms couldn't meet or something. Need it. Want it. Gotta have it.
- Marjan just showing up at the station, however long later, and not even telling them about what happened and them never showing an ounce of concern about how long she was gone is too much.
- Can we please have more Owen and Marjan? They play off each other well!
- I'm not going to lie; I will miss Owen's rugged look. Lumberjack Lowe is hot.
- Is that the end of Julie Benz? If so, what was the point?
- Gwyn's showing up with the baby months later -- Oh, Lone Star!
- Again, why did so much happen offscreen? They had ample time to show so many of these developments and just opted not to for some reason. Release everything that got cut out, I beg of thee!
- The editing of this episode was frustrating. The entire event had that issue. In hindsight, the winter event could've been two-three installments tops if the opener was an hour and a half. They could've cut out the Owen/migrant storyline entirely and focused on rescuing Paul, Grace's labor, and T.K.
There is a lot to unpack with this one, so hit those comments below! Did you love the ice storm saga? Does it feel like a reset?
You can watch 9-1-1: Lone Star online here via TV Fanatic.
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.
