While everyone else is thrilled about sweaters and pumpkin spice lattes and football season, there’s one specific reason why I love September: all the best TV dramas are returning. That includes the wise, funny, and sweet Fox show 9-1-1… and the season 8 promo promises a particularly shocking season opener!
As a radio reporter says “We got clear skies, a pleasant 68 degrees… what a day to live in L.A.!” swarms of bees begin appearing onscreen, prompting a chaotic mess that the first responders of Station 118 will have to clean up.
If you haven’t heard of a “bee-nado” before, I haven’t either, but I definitely never hope I encounter it! This disaster doesn’t actually seem to be a real thing, although some people have been extremely unlucky around bees in the past. A woman in California was stung by a massive group of bees in 2018 and Ryan Wilson, a firefighter, described it as “almost like a tornado, like bees in a big plume.”
While 9-1-1 is all about everyday moments turned surprisingly dangerous, like the season 3 storyline when a TV chef hurt himself with a can of whipped cream. a terrifying swarm of bees making its way around Los Angeles is particularly horrifying. But it sounds about right for the drama by Ryan Murphy.
According to Entertainment Weekly, Josh (Bryan Safi) says 44,000 people could die from the bees and there are 22 million of them. (I’m sorry, what?!)
Just how dangerous is it to get stung by a bee? While most people will be uncomfortable and in pain, they’ll be able to survive what might become a funny story to tell friends and family. But if you’re allergic, it’s no laughing matter. As The Mayo Clinic points out, your body can respond severely to the venom even if you aren’t allergic, particularly if you are stung more than once; you could lose consciousness, experience vertigo, suffer from a fever, and throw up. If you’re allergic, however, bee stings can carry a serious risk of anaphylaxis.
I’m guessing that the residents of Los Angeles on 9-1-1 are going to be stung several times and it will be a life or death situation for several, judging by the fact that the show is calling this a “bee-nado.” This storyline will likely give every main character the perfect opportunity to showcase their strength and compassion. I’m still upset about Bobby Nash losing his position as captain in the 9-1-1 season 7 finale, but the promise of a horror movie-esque plotline about killer bees is enough to get me excited (and scared). Fingers crossed at least one of the 118 members gets totally freaked out by bees, or maybe embrace the situation and wear a rakish beard of bees, because that would be priceless to watch.
I’m eager to watch the 9-1-1 season 8 premiere and learn exactly where all these bees came from and to see Chimney (Kenneth Choi) and my other fave characters save the day. Since Peter Krause is still on the popular show, I bet Bobby will help out. I’m shuddering already. You better bee-lieve I’m ready for September 26th.