Tonight on ABC their #1 drama 9-1-1 airs with an all-new Thursday, February 26, 2026, season 9 episode 12, “Dads and Cads” and we have your 9-1-1 recap below.
In tonight’s 9-1-1 season 9 episode 12 as per the ABC synopsis, “Maddie and Buck are blindsided by some unexpected news that turns their world upside down.
Meanwhile, Buck and Eddie head to Nashville when they are selected to participate in the national firefighting games.”
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A first date went horribly wrong. Viv K. waited for Joey R. He said he needed to run into the store real quick and it didn’t matter because she was driving. They were supposed to go to the movies right afterwards, but it turns out he robbed that store with a water gun. The water gun looked real. The store owner had been surprised and so he didn’t really look at the gun. Not that it stopped him from seeking revenge. He had a shotgun that he reached after Joey took off. He tried firing at their car.
Joey Rosato has a long rap sheet. Viv just met him that night. She didn’t know about the rap sheet or the robbery. Once she did, she got into it. She said at least he wasn’t bland. They took off and they were involved in a car chase because Athena was right behind them. Athena knew what Joey did. She told them to pull over and Viv didn’t comply. The car chase ended the second they hit into a truck full of concrete bricks. Joey was alright. There wasn’t a scratch on him. It was Viv that was bleeding out internally.
Hen saved Viv’s life in the field. You’d think Viv couldn’t wait to get away from her date only she asked to be his one phone call at jail. Athena felt bland was very much underrated. Buck later received some good news. He had been invited to participate in the 51st Annual American Firefighting Games. His name had to be submitted by a captain or higher. Chimney didn’t do it. It had to have been Bobby. These things have to be submitted a year in advance. Bobby had just enough time to do this. He also put in Eddie’s name.
Eddie wanted to be mad at first. He thought Buck did this. Then he thought Chimney. His friends confirmed it had been Bobby so he couldn’t be mad anymore. Nor could he let Bobby down. He decided on going to the games. He just didn’t like it. Chris was going to be staying with Hen. Buck also needed an excuse to leave town in a hurry. His parents were visiting. They drove their RV to LA. They were super judgy. Buck did everything possible to let them know they couldn’t stay with him. He was even coming up with cooking ideas at the firehouse just to stay there longer.
Buck’s parents eventually came clean about their unplanned trip. They tried to ease the kids into it by taking them to a fancy restaurant, but soon they just spat out that they were getting a divorce. It was unexpected. The couple have been through a lot together. They’ve buried a child. They were forced to rebuild their relationships with their children after their depression from losing said child. Now they’re getting a divorce. They’ve been married for forty-nine years. They were getting a gray divorce. Maddie and Buck looked it up in the car.
It’s when elderly people get a divorce because they realize they were still together for convenience. Not out of love. Buck understood it. Maddie didn’t. Maddie wanted an in-depth explanation. Buck was more going with the flow because he realized families fight to be with each other. Their parents never gave them that. Bobby gave them that with the 118 family. The same family that was at risk because harry found out Ravi slept with his sister. He was angry with his sister. He was angry with Ravi. He couldn’t believe they would cross that line.
Harry was still a probie. He was still the underdog. He didn’t want to deal with insinuations. He just wanted to become a part of the 118 family and he felt Mae had ruined that by sleeping with someone he’s supposed to rely on. What happens if it doesn’t work out between them? It would be Harry caught in the middle. He was considering that and so he was angry for Mae for not doing as well. Mae more saw it as she was an adult. She could do whatever she liked at her own apartment. She didn’t owe Harry any explanations.
Both siblings later realized they shouldn’t be mad at each other anymore. They apologized to each other. They still saw each other as kids and they’re both adults now. They chose to move on. Hopefully, this will be less weird at the station for Harry. Buck had an awkward conversation of his own with his dad. His dad finally apologized for being a terrible father. He asked about Bobby and the two finally discussed him. It wasn’t much only it was better than it had been in the past.
And then Buck and Eddie left for the games.
The End
