Where do we even begin?

9-1-1 Season 6 Episode 4 had a lot going on, and usually, the busier the hour is, the more enjoyable it is. And I think it's safe to say this was another decent hour in a much-improved season.

Though, I must admit there is one storyline above all else that has me the most interested and concerned.

Every season it feels like Buck is looking for growth and understanding. That's kind of his M.O. at this point, and that's not even a knock on him because it's true to life. He's a man entering a new phase of his life, learning about himself and figuring out what he likes and what he doesn't like.

Breaking off a relationship and choosing himself was a big step in the right direction for him at the end of last season, and so far this season, he's been on a journey to discover what he wants out of life.

And he has no idea what that is, so he's diving into this idea of welcoming new possibilities, which sounds great on paper, but what about when unique opportunities actually come his way? Is he ready to just dive in, no questions asked, and see where it takes him?

Connor and Cameron seem like nice enough people, and while I can understand the thought process behind wanting Buck to be a sperm donor because he's Buck, the way they go about it is clunky and odd.

Buck has never even met Cameron before, doesn't talk to Connor anymore, and suddenly they ask him this massive question after detailing the last few years of their lives over salads?

It's also a bit worrisome that we don't get to see Buck have the conversation with them that he drunkenly has with Hen before he makes a decision.

Life-altering doesn't even begin to describe this scenario, and although the hour frames it as if Buck does think about it, it's not nearly enough. He jumps in without at all getting the full picture.

From Buck's perspective, deciding to talk with Hen instead of, say, Maddie about the decision was probably a good thing, and I love how emotionally raw their conversation is.

Hen asks important questions and forces Buck to see things from all possible angles, the main one being his readiness to father a child he won't have a relationship with.

Hen: The main thing to ask yourself is are you capable of doing this?
Buck: I think we both know I'm capable. That's why they asked-
Hen: Are you capable of being a father and walking away? Because that's what they're really asking you.
Buck: Donor. Not dad.
Hen: Exactly. You'd be changing their lives, but they're not necessarily inviting you to stick around and be apart of it.

• Permalink: Exactly. You'd be changing their lives, but they're not necessarily inviting you to stick...

Now, it's not explicitly clear that will be the case because we don't get any clarification here about the rules.

But it's still a valid question for which Buck doesn't really have an answer. And I have to imagine it would be tough for Buck, a man with so much love in his heart who just wants to be good enough for others.

It feels like that innate need to be good pushes him to say yes in a move that surprised me.

I can understand the desire to want to help someone in need, but this is a huge ask that requires a lot more talking between both parties. And because we don't get that here, I wonder if this will somehow fall apart in the end.

One thing that should happen is a talk between Buck and Eddie.

Listen, I adore Buck and Hen's friendship, but Hen doesn't know Buck like Eddie does.

Eddie knows Buck better than anyone and knows how difficult it will be for him to walk away from a child. He also knows the kind of father he can be because he sees it in his relationship with Christopher.

Buck cares about Christopher like he's his own, and would he ever be able to walk away from that?

A different circumstance, of course, but still one worth considering.

I need Eddie to remind him of that because it'll be incredibly difficult for him to have a child walking around this planet who doesn't get to experience the magic of Evan Buckley being their provider, caregiver, and protector.

If Buck is genuinely on the path to discovering what he wants out of life, he needs to recognize that while it's okay to help others, it's also okay to prioritize yourself and your needs. If he can honestly say he's done that and still wants to go through with it, then godspeed, but I'm not sure he has yet.

Whatever happens here, I just have a weird feeling it will go to a beautiful place for Buck's continued path toward discovering what he wants out of life (and what he already has), or it'll go somewhere else entirely. And that makes me nervous.

Enough about Buck, though! There was a lot of action elsewhere, including the end of Hen's reign as captain and Bobby's insistence that she take some time to decompress from the pressure cooker that her life had become.

Hen took the news of her medical school dreams crashing and burning pretty well, but it was nice for Bobby to come back and see that she needed to take a step back from the daily grind and be with herself for a bit. And that's easier said than done for someone like Hen, who's used to the hustle and bustle.

Karen's ultimatum to Hen during 9-1-1 Season 6 Episode 2 appears to be forgotten here because, after the drunken Buck hangout, Hen decides that she's not ready to give up on her dream just yet, which is commendable, but what about talking it over with Karen first?

I don't think Hen should quit, but I do believe this is a scenario where it's prudent to make sure that her support system is on the same page.

Hen really flamed out to the point where it could have been horrible for her. And now, she knows not to make those same mistakes twice, but it will still be another taxing year for her.

And if she gets this second chance, it's only delaying the inevitable when she will have to decide to step away from the 118 if she wants to commit to medicine full-time.

Back at dispatch and happy with Chimney, we haven't gotten a ton of Maddie this season, but her story here was personal when she got a call from a terrified little girl in the middle of a frightening ordeal.

What a whirlwind this call was, and just so terrifying. It was interesting when it got to the point where there was no way Claribelle would escape her father, and Maddie told her to go with him.

It was probably the right call at that moment, and that's all you have when you're on the other end of the line, a moment.

But I was screaming at her to get away, and luckily that's what ended up happening.

The Doug saga seems like it happened a million lifetimes ago, but the trauma and abuse Maddie endured in that relationship will last a lifetime for her.

You could see it in her face throughout the call as the gravity of the situation settled into her bones, and she was no doubt transported back to those memories.

Maddie fought back. Claribelle fought back.

Wrapping this story up with Maddie securing them an immigration lawyer was a lovely way to end a very dark call.

Elsewhere this hour, Eddie finally got a storyline! And it was all about that fabulous time parents go through when they realize their kids are no longer the babies who used to throw up on them and needed their diapers changed every other minute.

To be fair to Eddie, though, Christopher grew up overnight. I certainly didn't see it coming, so I'll also cut Eddie some slack here.

Lying to your parents is something most people have probably done, and it's usually not even done maliciously. Christopher wasn't skipping science club to hurt Eddie purposefully. He skipped because he wanted to be with his friends, point blank.

All kids reach an age where they want to separate from their parents. They want to be able to walk around the mall by themselves or go to the movies with their friends and not have their parents sitting in the same row. It's natural, but that doesn't mean it's easy for parents to take that step back.

Eddie's instinct is to protect Christopher, like any good father. But he has to realize that protecting doesn't mean coddling. And I love that they're following through with Eddie's arc from the end of 9-1-1 Season 5 and having Eddie reach out to his father for advice.

They promised to work on their relationship, and it's enormous growth for Eddie to ask for advice in this instance and recognize he doesn't know it all, so why not reach out to a man who may be able to help him?

Christopher: It's not fair. You never let me do anything on my own. I'm not a baby and you always treat me like one.
Eddie: I don't think you're a baby, but you sure are acting like one.
Christopher: And you're acting like a jerk.

• Permalink: And you're acting like a jerk.

Christopher and Eddie's mini-fight was just that, mini. It was just the culmination of Christopher's frustrations coming out in some yelling that quickly dissipated. And I appreciate Eddie understanding the moment and not letting his anger derail an excellent opportunity for Christopher to be honest with him.

He could have banished him to his bedroom for yelling and never let him try to work through his feelings. But instead, he chose to talk to his son, listen to his concerns, voice his own, and try to move forward positively.

I loved everything about the way Eddie handled this, and I have to imagine we may see more clashes between the two because that's just the reality of hormones and adolescence. Still, I hope they both continue to respect each other and hang onto each other like they always have.

Loose Ends

• The tree emergency was a good opening call, but the park ranger was creepy. I enjoyed him getting shot down and immediately laughed at by Buck and Eddie.

• The drunk driving call was all over the promotion and lived up to the hype. Kenneth Choi is so good in those kinds of slapsticky situations. Drunk driving is not a joke, and it's not funny, but they arrange the call in a way with the music and commentary that feels very 9-1-1.

• Can you imagine if Buck had gotten hit by that car? Talk about POSSIBILITIES.

• I'm not sure you can flunk a medical exam and then ask for a second chance, but what do I know!

• The sorority call was ridiculous, but Bobby and Athena getting a dog to take care of now that all the kids are out of the house? Sign me up for Athena's hating the idea at first and then eventually kicking Bobby out of bed because Hoover has a tummy ache, and she doesn't want him to sleep alone.

A fast-paced episode this was, and it ends on an intriguing note. I can't wait to hear what everyone thought about the hour, so please flood the comment sections with everything you want to say!

As always, you can watch 9-1-1 online via T.V. Fanatic if you need to catch up!

Whitney Evans is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is a lover of all things TV. Follow her on X.