Note: This story contains spoilers from “9-1-1: Nashville” Episode 5.
“9-1-1: Nashville” has kept Blue Bennings at the center of the drama from the start, and Episode 5 took his storyline to a fiery climax.
The ABC spinoff opened with Blue (Hunter McVey) introducing himself to Capt. Don Hart (Chris O’Donnell) as his son, which set off the family drama at the core of the Music City-set series. Episode 5, titled “Lost Children,” saw last week’s revelation that Don had always known about Blue getting into the aspiring cadet’s head and leading him to walk out just before finishing his firefighter test.
After a confrontation with Don and his mother Dixie (LeAnn Rimes), Blue considers leaving his firefighter aspirations behind and returning to his former job as a stripper — before a drunk driver rescue pushes him back into the line of fire and almost costs him his life.
“[This episode] shows how much Blue is meant to be where he’s at in this moment,” McVey told TheWrap. “He doesn’t think about the long-term consequences of sacrificing his mustang and possibly his life to save this drunk driver, as well as the children crossing the street … I don’t think there’s anything more important to him than helping people.”
Of course, Blue survived the drunk driver crashing into his mustang, with the 113 saving him from the flames in time to get him to a hospital.
“That was the first time where I’ve been on the other side of an accident … I was sitting there, pinned down and the smoke’s filling up. That’s one of those moments on set where you’re like, ‘Is this real life?’” he added. “You really feel it in the moment.”
Blue’s heroics help ease tensions with the fire captain, and he ends up passing his firefighting test and officially joining the 113, while also opening the door for a reconciliation with Don and Dixie. But that doesn’t mean things will be getting any less dramatic in next week’s fall finale and beyond.
“The fall finale came up quick! Only after six episodes but we still got another 12 in the tank,” McVey said. “I can’t give too many spoilers, but (expect) a lot of plot twists, a lot of crazy family dynamics, a lot of more self reflection for Blue of his purpose and a lot of interesting stuff between the brothers.”
The actor, a native of Franklin, Tenn., boasting “9-1-1: Nashville” as his first acting credit, said he’s relished getting to know Blue alongside the audience — “We had about five, six days before filming when I got the role.” With the show uncovering more about what makes him tick week after week, McVey said there’s much more to be revealed.
“I’m just hoping the audience is liking it half as much as I’m enjoying playing him,” McVey said.
“9-1-1: Nashville” airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.
