9-1-1's Wendell Mystery Finally Solved: Peter Krause Breaks Down Heroic Hour, Looks to Bobby's Future With the 118
Bobby’s investigation into Wendell’s death reached a fiery conclusion on Monday’s 9-1-1, a bittersweet hour that also highlighted on the importance of support in recovery.
With Tamara filling in some crucial blanks in the story, Bobby learned that Wendell was on the cusp of exposing Winding Path’s abusive practices when he — in an attempt to save Tamara — agreed to receive an injection from Carrie that ended up killing him on the spot.
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Fortunately, Wendell had installed a hidden camera in the room where it happened, one that even managed to survive a fire when Carrie and Trey decided to burn Winding Path to the ground. The con couple tried to blame the blaze on Bobby, but that footage, coupled with a damning testimony from Tamara, was enough to clear the captain’s good name.
Below, Peter Krause discusses Bobby’s life-changing episode, ponders a potential second act for his character, and reveals his and Angela Bassett’s unofficial on-set titles:
TVLINE | Before we jump into this week’s episode, I really enjoyed the version of Bobby that we got last week in Buck’s coma dream. Was that a fun shift for you?
Absolutely. It was nice to get out of the more reserved, in-control Bobby behaviors and have some fun. We used to do that in Six Feet Under a lot, where we’d go into someone’s mind and get a glimpse of what they were thinking in a very artistic, exaggerated way. Oliver [Stark] also did a beautiful job.
TVLINE | I’m proud of how much Buck has grown, but do you ever miss those early days when he was basically Bobby’s puppy?
I think we’ll always have that to an extent. Their relationship is what it is. Life does go on and people do grow, and even though Buck has grown, I think that dynamic will always exist between Buck and Bobby.
TVLINE | And then we have this week’s episode, which was just wild.
It’s a really strong episode. I enjoy the action-packed episodes as well as the ones with humor in them. This is also an important episode when it comes to addiction and sobriety and the support that people need. Whether you’re struggling with something like that or not, we all need each other, and that’s something that’s always been part of Bobby’s arc. He can’t go it alone. He needs his firehouse family, he needs Athena and her family. Bobby, I think more than anyone on the show, would be lost if he was alone. It could kill him. With the guilt and pain he still carries from the past, it would be too much for him to bear if he didn’t have other people around him.
TVLINE | I feel like we’ve heard about how important Wendell was to Bobby, but it was nice to finally see it in those flashbacks.
Yes, I was glad that everyone got to know the relationship between Wendell and Bobby a lot more. He kind of came out of nowhere for the audience, I think. He hadn’t been established in the past as Bobby’s new sponsor in Los Angeles. It was nice to see that Wendell was integral in Bobby and Athena coming together, and also just in Bobby letting go of some of his guilt when he can.
TVLINE | This episode reminds us that Bobby is a hero, in and out of uniform. Did it give you a deeper appreciation for who he is as a person?
I like that you said that, because this is Bobby as himself, not as Captain Nash. He’s heroic in this episode, but he’s in his civilian clothes and it’s a deeply personal episode for Bobby. Human nature can infect any organization, and it’s a shame that this can happen at a rehabilitation center. This is a story that’s ripped from the headlines, so this is an opportunity — in a fictionalized way — to address the misdeeds of some who were more in it for the money than for helping patients.
TVLINE | Bobby has always been a natural mentor, but seeing him play the Wendell role to that man at the AA meeting had me wondering — could Bobby have a next act as a counselor?
That’s an interesting question. I wouldn’t mind seeing Bobby play that role on the show some more, to move on from his own addiction and pain to helping others with theirs. That would be very full-circle, honoring Wendell and the other people in his life who have kept him moving forward.
TVLINE | How do you see Bobby’s future as a firefighter? Is he riding this thing until the wheels fall off, or might he consider retirement at some point?
I think he’d like to [stay]. That’s his family, and I think he would like to remain there as their father figure. I think I can speak for both Angela and I when I say that it’s been fun for both of us to be mom and dad on this show. It really is a terrific bunch. This is a difficult show to make, and without everyone working together, it would be really, really hard. We all have each other’s back behind the scenes.
TVLINE | Is that how you and Angela are seen, as the parents?
Yeah, behind the scenes I would say that Angela and I are both like-minded in that we both want to set a good tone on set. We have a good worth ethic. I hope that that’s appreciated, because we try to keep a happy, smooth-running set as much as possible. It’s a very ambitious and difficult show to make.
TVLINE | I feel like we’ve explored every nook and cranny of Bobby’s life over the past six seasons. Is there anything you want to know about him at this point?
I wouldn’t mind recalling his blood donation and his fear of needles. That’s a fun thing we haven’t revisited.
Your thoughts on this week’s 9-1-1? Thoughts on Bobby’s journey in general? Whatever’s on your mind, drop it in a comment below.
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