9-1-1 Seasons Ranked From Worst to Best
If you are trying to work out which 9-1-1 season deserves a rewatch first, or you need a clear answer for a debate with friends, this ranking was written for you. Nine seasons have finished airing, and they differ a lot in pace, tone and how well the characters are served.
Below, every finished season is ordered from worst at the top to best at the bottom, so the strongest season arrives last. Each entry explains what the season is about, gives analysis of the writing and performances, and says exactly why it sits where it does against the seasons above and below it. If you already have a favourite season, the reasons below will show where it lands and why.
9-1-1 follows first responders in Los Angeles, including police officers, firefighters, paramedics and dispatchers. Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk are credited as creators, and Tim Minear has worked as showrunner. The show mixes large emergencies with long-running personal stories, and that balance is the main thing this ranking measures.
The series premiered on Fox on January 3, 2018. It moved to ABC for Season 7, which premiered on March 14, 2024, and the seasons since have aired there. Across nine seasons, the cast has changed repeatedly, with departures and arrivals that shape how each season feels.
Season 10 premieres on ABC on October 15, 2026, according to Disney’s season guide. It is not part of this list. The ranking will be updated once Season 10 has enough episodes to judge the season fairly, and until then the order covers only the nine finished seasons.
A season ranking is harder than an episode list. A season has to build characters, deliver its main cases and leave room for the next year. Season 1 and Season 7 each ran 10 episodes, Season 4 ran 14, and most others ran 18. That difference affects pacing, so this list takes episode count into account when it judges how each season is paced.
How the ranking works: each season was judged on its storylines, how well its central conflicts move the characters forward, the quality of the writing and performances, and how it compares with the seasons beside it. Premiere dates and cast changes were checked against published sources, and where a detail could not be confirmed, this article leaves it out. Viewers who started with the Fox years and stayed through the ABC era will find the order reflects both.
Spoilers are kept to a minimum. The premises avoid major twists, although the ranking reasons name a few character outcomes, because the order only makes sense when readers know what happened. Cast changes also get attention, including Rockmond Dunbar’s exit and the arrival of Jennifer Love Hewitt, since they often explain why one season feels different from the next.
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9. Season 1
Season 1 premiered on Fox on January 3, 2018, and ran for 10 episodes until March 21, 2018. It follows 911 operator Abby Clark, played by Connie Britton, who is caring for her mother, who has Alzheimer’s, while taking calls across Los Angeles. The season also introduces the firehouse and police world around her, with Bobby Nash, Athena Grant, Buck, Hen Wilson and Chimney Han forming a team that the show builds its later stories around.
Season 1 is the clearest picture of a show finding its footing. Peter Krause gives Bobby a steady presence, and Britton anchors the dispatch scenes. Many storylines feel like setups rather than arcs, though.
Its comedy and drama mix is uneven, and several calls are resolved quickly, so the season does not yet stretch one case across a full run of episodes. Its strength is the loyalty it sets up between the characters.
Why it ranks here: Season 1 is the foundation, and it sits last because it has the least at stake of any season here. It sits one place below Season 5 because Season 5’s family storyline, built around Michael Grant’s farewell, gives its episodes emotional weight that Season 1 has not yet earned.
Who should watch: Viewers who want to see where the 118 began.
Where to watch: Aired on Fox in the US. Current series episodes stream on Hulu in the US, according to Disney, but this article could not confirm which service carries Season 1 in the UK.
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8. Season 5
Season 5 ran on Fox from September 20, 2021, to May 16, 2022, across 18 episodes. Its main story is a cast change: Rockmond Dunbar, who played Michael Grant, left after requesting medical and religious exemptions from a COVID-19 vaccine requirement, which were reportedly denied. In episode 8, Michael proposes to his boyfriend, Dr. David Hale, and then goes with him to Haiti for relief work. Arielle Kebbel joins the cast in a recurring role from February 2022.
The emotional build around Michael’s farewell is the season’s best material. In one episode, David refuses to leave a patient mid-surgery while Michael waits outside with a ring, which gives the family drama more weight than most of the surrounding cases. The procedural plots feel thinner, and the season spends much of its energy on departures.
Bobby’s steadiness in the hospital scenes helps the season hold together, but it cannot offset how many goodbyes the season carries. The strongest episodes keep the characters in the same room, which is where the writing is most confident.
Why it ranks here: Season 5 sits one place below Season 8 and one above Season 1. It beats Season 1 because it has a clear emotional payoff in Michael’s proposal and farewell. It trails Season 8 because Season 8’s central loss, Bobby’s death, drives every episode, while Season 5 depends on a single exit.
Who should watch: Viewers who follow the family relationships more than the emergencies.
Where to watch: Aired on Fox in the US. Current series episodes stream on Hulu in the US, but this article could not confirm which service carries Season 5 in the UK.
7. Season 8
Season 8 ran on ABC from September 26, 2024, to May 15, 2025, across 18 episodes. It opens with a bee-nado and builds toward a lab disaster in which Captain Bobby Nash, played by Peter Krause, is infected with a deadly virus and dies. The 118 keeps working while grieving, Chimney is saved through an antidote effort, and the finale ends with a building collapse that tests the team.
The season is strongest when grief drives the story. Athena selling the house she built with Bobby, Chimney’s finale speech calling the 118 Bobby’s legacy, and the decision to keep the team together give the cast concrete things to play. Krause’s absence is felt in each of those scenes.
The weakness is crowding. Eddie’s move to El Paso with his son Chris is set up and then reversed, and Buck’s transfer request is turned down by Chimney in the same finale that deals with several other plots. The lab episodes are tighter than the scattered subplots.
Why it ranks here: Season 8 sits one place below Season 7 and one above Season 5. It trails Season 7 because Season 7’s ABC relaunch keeps its focus on Buck, Chimney and Maddie, while Season 8 spreads its attention wider. It beats Season 5 because Bobby’s death is a larger, sustained loss than Season 5’s single exit.
Who should watch: Viewers who want the 118’s grief and a finale that tests the team.
Where to watch: Aired on ABC in the US. Current series episodes stream on Hulu in the US, but UK availability for this season was not confirmed.
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6. Season 7
Season 7 ran on ABC from March 14 to May 30, 2024, across 10 episodes, after Fox cancelled the series in May 2023 and ABC picked it up. Buck comes out as bisexual and starts dating firefighter Tommy, played by Lou Ferrigno Jr. Chimney and Maddie marry while Chimney is hospitalised with encephalitis and has lost his memory. Bobby revisits his guilt over the fire that killed his family, and Captain Gerrard, played by Brian Thompson, returns to lead the 118 at the end.
Buck’s storyline is the season’s most warmly handled thread, and the hospital-bedside wedding is a memorable image of loyalty. Karen and Hen losing their foster daughter Mara adds a family storyline that the 118 can share, and it keeps the emotional focus on the firehouse.
The weaker side is Eddie’s plot, which pulls him toward Kim while his girlfriend Marisol still lives with him. Bobby’s cartel storyline turns his arc into a run of crises that land within a short season, which limits how much room each one gets.
Why it ranks here: Season 7 sits one place above Season 8 and one below Season 6. It beats Season 8 because its ten episodes stay closer to a few central relationships, while Season 8 spreads its attention across too many plots. It trails Season 6 because Season 6’s romances get more room to develop, and the Season 7 relaunch crams its arcs into a short run.
Who should watch: Viewers who want a shorter season and the Buck and Tommy storyline.
Where to watch: Aired on ABC in the US after moving from Fox. Current series episodes stream on Hulu in the US, but UK availability was not confirmed.
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5. Season 6
Season 6 ran on Fox from September 19, 2022, to May 15, 2023, across 18 episodes. It was the last season on Fox before the move to ABC. Maddie and Chimney get engaged, and Maddie panics over the ring before the episode ends on a sweet note after a talk with Hen. Buck’s romance with Natalia becomes complicated when Lucy, who has moved to air support, reappears and reunites with him. Eddie searches for a meet-cute and bumps into Marisol at a hardware store.
The engagement arc is the season’s strongest stretch, because it lets Maddie’s anxiety play out honestly and gives Hen a real stake in the outcome. The romance scenes are sincere and grounded, and the season treats them as more than a break from the emergencies.
The season is at its weakest when it spreads attention across several romances at once. Its emergencies carry less weight than those in Seasons 4 and 9, and its strengths are real, but the stakes stay lower.
Why it ranks here: Season 6 sits one place above Season 7, because its romances are developed more fully than the Season 7 relaunch arcs. It sits one place below Season 9, because Season 9’s shooting of Athena and hospital siege create a higher pressure point than anything Season 6 reaches.
Who should watch: Viewers who want the Maddie and Chimney engagement and a lighter season.
Where to watch: Aired on Fox in the US. Current series episodes stream on Hulu in the US, but this article could not confirm Season 6 availability in the UK.
4. Season 9
Season 9 ran on ABC from October 9, 2025, to May 7, 2026, across 18 episodes. Bobby is no longer on the show, so the season builds around Athena. At the midseason point, Hooks, who had been working with the Castor brothers, shoots Athena, and the local hospital goes into lockdown while she is on life support. The finale ends with Eddie stabbed in an elevator, and he survives.
The hospital storyline is the season’s strongest material. Hen and Chimney work together to save a man Anatoly shot, and Buck and Harry’s rappel to cut the power shows the team working as a unit. One reviewer calls the finale a “fine finale” with a rushed wrap-up and rates it 4.2 out of 5.
The loose ends are the problem. Buck’s fostering of Theo is accepted without an explanation, the migrant storyline feels unfinished, and the review asks whether Sue returns to dispatch. The season is at its best in one hour and less certain elsewhere.
Why it ranks here: Season 9 sits one place below Season 4 and one above Season 7. Season 4 closes with Eddie’s shooting and Athena catching the sniper, which gives most threads a clear turn, while Season 9’s finale rushes its wrap-up. It beats Season 7 because its midseason shooting and hospital siege create more pressure than Season 7’s short ABC arcs.
Who should watch: Viewers who follow Athena’s arc after Bobby’s death and enjoy hospital-set emergencies.
Where to watch: Aired on ABC in the US. Current series episodes stream on Hulu in the US, but UK availability was not confirmed.
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3. Season 4
Season 4 ran on Fox from January 18 to May 24, 2021, across 14 episodes. Its biggest moment is a cliffhanger in which Eddie Diaz appears to be fatally shot, and Athena catches the sniper, a former LAPD SWAT member with a grudge. Maddie quits her job as a dispatcher after telling Chimney she is struggling, Athena and Bobby work to save their marriage, and Buck is named Christopher’s guardian in case of tragedy.
Season 4 gets the most from its ensemble. The shooting works because viewers have spent time with Eddie and Christopher, and the Athena and Bobby marriage plot has weight rather than decoration. Showrunner Tim Minear says Eddie’s feelings about Ana are unresolved, which leaves his story with a clear open question.
The flaws are real. Several plots, including Eddie’s romantic options, are left open for the following year, and the season leans on cliffhangers more than full closure. Still, the storytelling is more confident than in the early seasons, and Maddie’s departure from dispatch sets up a complication Minear says will matter in Season 5.
Why it ranks here: Season 4 sits one place below Season 2 and one above Season 9. It trails Season 2 because Season 2’s arrivals of Maddie and Eddie give the ensemble its shape, while Season 4 mostly pays off setups that already exist. It stays above Season 9 because its finale gives most character threads a clear turn, which Season 9’s rushed ending does not.
Who should watch: Viewers who want Eddie’s storyline at full strength and a season that mixes family drama with big emergencies.
Where to watch: Aired on Fox in the US. Current series episodes stream on Hulu in the US, but UK availability for Season 4 was not confirmed.
2. Season 2
Season 2 ran on Fox from September 23, 2018, to May 13, 2019, across 18 episodes. Connie Britton’s Abby Clark leaves the cast, and the season’s new arrivals are Jennifer Love Hewitt as Maddie Buckley and Ryan Guzman as Eddie Diaz. Buck spends much of the season working through his feelings about Abby, and the reporter Taylor arrives in the episode “Dosed” to infiltrate the firehouse.
Season 2 is where the show’s romantic and family threads start to form a structure. Buck’s struggle to move on is the emotional spine, and Oliver Stark plays the impulsive firefighter’s uncertainty with real conviction. Maddie’s arrival changes the chemistry on the dispatch floor and in the firehouse, and Hewitt gets a clear role that the series uses well.
The problem is consistency. Some cases are handled lightly and others are set up for later, and the reporter arc raises a media storyline the show does not fully follow through. Momentum builds in the back half, but the season is less tightly plotted than Season 3.
Why it ranks here: Season 2 sits one place below Season 3, the best season in the list. Season 3 finishes the relationship arcs that Season 2 starts, including Athena and Bobby’s marriage and Maddie and Chimney’s romance. Season 2 sits above Season 4 because its ensemble work is more balanced, while Season 4’s cliffhanger rests on one major event.
Who should watch: Viewers who enjoy a new cast finding its rhythm, and anyone who wants Buck’s arc after Abby.
Where to watch: Aired on Fox in the US. Current series episodes stream on Hulu in the US, but UK availability was not confirmed.
Before we reveal our No. 1 pick…
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1. Season 3
Season 3 ran on Fox from September 23, 2019, to May 11, 2020, across 18 episodes. Athena and Bobby’s relationship moves toward marriage, and the couple is married by the end of the season. Maddie and Chimney become an official couple and work through past relationship trauma, while Karen and Hen face strain over IVF and IUI. Buck is crushed by a fire truck, and Connie Britton returns briefly near the end of the season to help him move on from his unresolved feelings.
The season has the most complete set of arcs in the series so far. The review singles out Tara’s abuse storyline, Evelyn’s death and its effect on Hen, and the John “Red” Delacroix story as the strongest material, and a tsunami episode shows the show handling a larger scale.
It is not flawless. Eddie is less central than the original crew, Michael’s role is diminished by a tumour diagnosis, and the procedural format can make the season feel like more of the same. The review still rates it Positive, Watch This, and describes it as a set of minor improvements.
Why it ranks here: Season 3 is first because its story threads land more often than Season 2’s. Season 2 sets up Maddie and Eddie, while Season 3 turns Athena and Bobby’s marriage and Maddie and Chimney’s romance into outcomes. Season 2 is the closest challenger directly below, and Season 3’s Tara, Evelyn and Red storylines give it more scope than Season 2’s setup work.
Who should watch: Viewers who want the Athena and Bobby and Maddie and Chimney relationships paid off, and long-term fans who want a season that rewards them.
Where to watch: Aired on Fox in the US. Current series episodes stream on Hulu in the US, but UK availability was not confirmed.
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Final Thoughts
Looking across the nine finished seasons, the strongest choices share one quality: they give the characters a turn that changes how the rest of the show works. Season 3 finishes the relationship threads its predecessors built. Season 2 gives the ensemble the shape that makes those payoffs possible, and Season 4 turns a shooting into a cliffhanger that matters for the following year.
The lower seasons are not failures, but each leans on one device to carry the story. Season 1 is the foundation, Season 5 rests on a single exit, and Season 8 has a devastating loss that is weakened by a crowded finale.
Season 3 comes out on top because it does the most with the people already on screen. Season 2 is a strong second, and it gives the show the energy that Season 3 inherits. Season 3’s advantage is that its arcs land, and its Tara, Evelyn and Red storylines give the season a sense of scope the others lack.
Season 10 will test this order. It premieres on ABC on October 15, 2026, and the ranking will be revised once the season has enough episodes to judge it fairly.
Which season would you put first? Tell us your favourite, or the ranking you would make, and name the season you think is underrated.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many seasons of 9-1-1 have finished airing?
Nine seasons have finished airing, with Season 9 ending on May 7, 2026. Season 1 premiered on Fox on January 3, 2018, and Season 7 premiered on ABC on March 14, 2024, which is when the show changed networks. Season 1 and Season 7 each ran 10 episodes, Season 4 ran 14, and most of the others ran 18. Season 10 premieres on ABC on October 15, 2026, according to Disney, and it is not part of this ranking yet.
When does 9-1-1 Season 10 premiere?
Disney’s season guide gives October 15, 2026 as the Season 10 premiere date on ABC, with episodes streaming on Hulu the following day. Angela Bassett and Oliver Stark are listed as returning, and the premiere opens with a volcano emergency. Season 10 is not ranked in this article because it has not aired enough episodes to judge fairly. Check ABC and Hulu for the current schedule, since premiere dates can change.
Why did Connie Britton leave 9-1-1?
Connie Britton played Abby Clark, a 911 operator, in Season 1, and the Season 2 cast table lists her departure. Abby returns briefly near the end of Season 3 to help Buck move on from his unresolved feelings. A Season 3 review describes Britton as not extending her time on the show, so the return works as a goodbye. The sources used for this article do not give a detailed reason for her exit, so none is stated here.
Why did Rockmond Dunbar leave 9-1-1?
Rockmond Dunbar played Michael Grant, and he left after requesting medical and religious exemptions from a COVID-19 vaccine requirement. According to Deadline, reported by TV Insider, his employer denied those requests, and the studio, 20th Television, requires cast members to be vaccinated. The show wrote Michael’s exit in Season 5, with a proposal to David Hale and a move to Haiti for relief work. A return was reported as possible if the situation changes, but none has been confirmed.
How did Bobby Nash die on 9-1-1?
Peter Krause played Captain Bobby Nash, and in Season 8 Bobby was infected with a deadly virus during a lab disaster and died there. The Season 8 finale deals with the team’s grief, and Chimney’s speech calls the 118 Bobby’s legacy. Athena sells the house she built with Bobby, and Maddie and Chimney welcome a son named Robert Nash Han. Season 9 continues without Bobby. The sources do not state Peter Krause’s contract status, so this article says nothing about his future on the show.
Is Eddie Diaz still on 9-1-1?
Ryan Guzman plays Eddie Diaz, who appeared to be fatally shot in the Season 4 cliffhanger, survived, and was stabbed in the Season 9 finale but survived again. In Season 8 Eddie moved to El Paso with his son Chris, and by the end of that season he and Chris had moved back to Los Angeles. According to Disney’s Season 10 article, Eddie supports Buck as Buck becomes a foster parent to Theo. Check the current cast list before watching, because cast lists can change between seasons.
Where can I stream 9-1-1 in the US?
In the US the series airs on ABC, and new episodes stream on Hulu the day after they air, according to Disney’s Season 10 article. Seasons 1 through 6 aired on Fox. This article names only platforms it could confirm, so older seasons may be available through other services. Availability changes often, so check ABC and Hulu before you start a rewatch.
Is 9-1-1 on Netflix in the UK?
This article could not confirm a UK streaming service for 9-1-1, so it does not name one. Availability for US network dramas changes over time, so UK viewers should check their streaming services or a TV listings site before they watch. The series began on Fox in the US and moved to ABC for Season 7. UK broadcast dates may differ from US dates, so check the schedule for the country you live in.
Which 9-1-1 season is the best?
This ranking puts Season 3 first. Season 3 finishes relationship threads that Season 2 introduced, including Athena and Bobby’s marriage and Maddie and Chimney’s romance, and a review describes it as a set of minor improvements. Season 2 is the closest competitor. Readers who value a single emotional loss may rate Season 8 higher than this list does, because Bobby’s death is the season’s central story. The best season is partly a matter of taste, so use the reasons in each entry to decide.
Should I start 9-1-1 from Season 1?
Yes, if you have the time. The show depends on relationships that build across seasons, so starting at Season 1 makes the arcs of Buck, Eddie, Maddie, Athena and Bobby clearer. Season 1 ranks last here, but it introduces the cast and the tone the rest of the show relies on. If you want a shorter route, Season 3 gives the most payoff, but skipping ahead will leave gaps in Buck’s story and in the Abby Clark thread.
More Places to Find Great Movies and TV Shows
IMDb: episode lists, cast credits and crew details for 9-1-1 and most other series.
Rotten Tomatoes: critic and audience scores for series and individual seasons.
Metacritic: aggregated critic scores for television series and films.
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