5 Essential 9-1-1 Episodes Everyone Should Watch At Least Once

Whether you're a devoted fan who's been riding shotgun with the 118 since Day 1, or you're just a casual TV viewer who rolls their eyes at each ridiculous new promo, we can all agree that there's nothing else quite like "9-1-1" on TV. 

Yes, there are practically countless first responder shows on TV, from the #OneChicago franchise to the "Law & Order"-verse and everything in between. But when "9-1-1" joined the party back in 2018, it broke (nay, shattered!) the network TV procedural mold, delivering some of the most what-did-I-just-watch moments we've ever seen on television while also creating a small-screen family with whom we couldn't wait to spend more time.

To that end, TVLine has put together a list of five must-watch episodes of "9-1-1," whether you're a newbie looking to dip your toe into the procedural's dangerous waters for the first time or you're simply looking to revisit the show's biggest and best moments.

All nine seasons of "9-1-1" are currently available to stream on Hulu, or on Disney+ with the Hulu bundle. Read on to see our picks for the show's five essential episodes (including a two-parter we couldn't resist), then drop a comment with your own picks below. Did we leave any of your favorites off our list?

Some TV shows take a minute to find their rhythm, but "9-1-1" wasn't one of them. Just 10 minutes into its first episode, the show delivers (so to speak) an iconic emergency that still makes the rounds on TikTok to this day: the 118 successfully rescues a newborn baby from within the walls of an apartment building after its mother flushes it down the toilet. It's shocking, it's enthralling and it instantly establishes that this isn't going to be like any TV procedural you've seen before. If you aren't tearing up by the end of that unimaginable rescue, you're officially a monster. 

The pilot also establishes some of the show's most enduring relationships, particularly the father-son dynamic between Bobby and Buck. If you're a "9-1-1" fan who hasn't revisited the pilot in a while, you're in for an emotional trip down memory lane. And if you're new to the party, welcome, you're going to love it here.

"9-1-1" really shakes things up in Season 2, first by introducing several new characters (hello, Maddie and Eddie!), then by... well, literally shaking things up. As the title suggests, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake rocks Los Angeles in this episode, which finds the members of the 118 having to make some of the most difficult decisions — and daring rescues — of their lives, with new threats constantly emerging as the effects of the quake are felt across the city. It's high drama, high action and, honestly, you might feel plain high by the end of it. But don't worry, that's just your cortisol flowing. Though this episode is technically part of a multi-episode arc, we feel that you can enjoy this hour on its own, even with the literal cliffhanger ending. (Don't worry, they save her!)

As a bonus for those "9-1-1" fans who are rewatching the series, this episode also features a guest appearance by Julian Works, who would go on to play a different character, Mateo Chavez, on the spinoff "9-1-1: Lone Star."

Jennifer Love Hewitt delivers the performance of her career in this harrowing episode, which finds Maddie fighting for her life against her abusive ex-husband Doug. The fact that Doug is played by Hewitt's real-life husband Brian Hallisay gives both actors a sense of security, freeing them to go all-out on camera — and they do. That same chemistry also serves them well in flashbacks to happier (or at least less abusive times) for Maddie and Doug, telling their story from start to bloody finish in a single hour. It's like a Lifetime movie on crack, which we mean in the absolute best way possible. You'll cry, you'll cheer and, most importantly, you'll wonder why Hewitt doesn't get more credit for her dramatic chops. This episode serves as a strong reminder that, while "9-1-1" enjoys reveling in the wacky and ridiculous, it's also capable of tackling some of life's darkest realities.

"9-1-1" has given us a handful of natural disasters over the years — everything from a tornado of bees (aka a beenado) to a geomagnetic storm that hit Athena and Hen... in outer space — but none will ever top the show's multi-episode tsunami arc that kicks off Season 3. It's a showcase episode for Buck, who's enjoying a day at the Santa Monica Pier with Eddie's young son Christopher when a wave of pure destruction begins to swallow Los Angeles whole. From start to agonizing finish, it feels like a classic '90s disaster movie, buoyed by strong chemistry between actors Oliver Stark and Gavin Hugh. It's actually a great action episode for the entire cast overall, as the 118 has to get creative in its rescues while being quite literally out of its depth.

(We realize that this is technically two episodes. But what are you going to do, not watch the conclusion to find out of Christopher survived? That's sick. You're sick.)

One of the show's most powerful episodes finds Athena going rogue to track down the man who killed her fiancé Emmett in the '90s, with a series of flashbacks — featuring the "9-1-1" debut of the incredible Pepi Sonuga as Young Athena — filling in any necessary blanks. You want to talk performances? Bassett is at her absolute best in this episode, fueled by Athena's thirst for justice and desperate desire for closure. And it cannot be said enough how much Sonuga brings to the table, not only perfectly capturing Athena's essence but also steering an emotional story of loss and hope. We still get chills just thinking about the episode's incredible closing sequence, set to Andra Day's "Rise Up." Any of the origin stories in the "9-1-1" catalogue are worth your time, but in the interest of narrowing this list down to the best of the best, "Athena Begins" is queen.