For all the twists and turns 9-1-1 has taken fans on since its debut season in 2018, there has at least been one constant in the form of Peter Krause’s Robert “Bobby” Nash.
The actor has portrayed the Los Angeles Fire Department’s Station 118 captain since 9-1-1’s inception, but the current seventh season of the procedural drama has cast doubt over his future on the show.
For starters, Bobby narrowly avoided death in an earlier season seven episode when he and his wife, patrol sergeant Athena Grant-Nash (played by Angela Bassett) escaped a sinking cruise ship during their honeymoon. Now, fans are yet again concerned about Bobby’s fate following the penultimate episode of season seven, in which his life is in danger yet again.
What all of it points to is the potential departure of Peter Krause from 9-1-1, but do we know yet whether this is the case?
Is Peter Krause leaving 9-1-1?
While viewers will have to wait until the season seven finale — which airs on May 30, 2024 — to know for sure, a few moments from the penultimate episode might spell Peter Krause’s departure from 9-1-1. The most recent episode, titled “Ashes, Ashes,” elaborates on the backstory that led to Bobby’s current issues with alcohol, revealing that the 118 captain had accidentally set a fire that killed 148 people in his apartment complex in 2018.
Riddled with guilt, Krause revealed to Athena his plans to take his own life after saving 148 people during his time in the LAFD — fulfilling some sort of karmic debt — and also makes plans to retire from the department altogether. This plan angers Athena, and the two get into a heated argument before Bobby goes to sleep. It’s here that viewers get even more insight into Bobby’s backstory, as he gets lost in a dream that centers on his alcoholic father, and confronts the demons of his past.
After waking up, Bobby realises his own house is on fire, and races to save Athena before passing out, leaving the penultimate episode on a cliffhanger. Previews for the finale episode show Bobby hospitalised and intubated, and even feature the sound of a heart monitor flatlining — again causing speculation around Bobby’s survival. Of course, we won’t know the full extent of Bobby’s fate until the finale, but a few fans seem certain that Peter Krause is to exit 9-1-1.
For starters, Bobby’s resignation gives him little to do in season eight of 9-1-1, since the show focuses on emergency responders. Adding to this, Bobby’s plans to take his own life might have been somewhat fulfilled by the fire in his house, with Athena being the final person he saves before fulfilling his karmic debt. Other fans have pointed to budgets as the reason for Peter’s departure, since he is among the highest-paid actors on the cast and 9-1-1 was cancelled on it’s previous home of FOX due to its high cost.
In March 2024, showrunner 9-1-1 showrunner Tim Minear admitted that no main characters on the show are “unkillable”, and said that the inevitable episode when one of the core characters dies will be a “sad” day. However, in his own interview, Krause said he still had “a few more seasons” in him, so the future of his character still remains a mystery. The only way to know for sure will be to tune in when 9-1-1’s season seven finale — titled “All Fall Down” — airs on ABC on May 30.