The ‘9-1-1’ Halloween episode commits a human rights atrocity by putting the sweetest character in a dire situation

9-1-1 Season 8 has taken anxiety to a whole new level! I used to think nothing could top the heart-pounding moments of a tiger attacking an apartment landlord or a plane landing on the freeway. But then came the Halloween episode titled “Masks,” which left me—and many other fans—on the edge of our seats as we watched a beloved character face real danger.

Typically, Halloween is about candy, costumes, and fun. However, in this Ryan Murphy procedural, it turned into a nightmare for Karen (Tracie Thoms) and Hen (Aisha Hinds) when their son, Denny Wilson (Declan Pratt), got hurt in a terrifying incident. A driver, furious after some high school kids egged his house, chased them down but accidentally crashed into a home. When the 118 team arrived, they discovered Denny pinned between the wrecked house and the car. Fans needed to take to X (formerly Twitter) to process that shocking moment!

Fortunately, Denny survived, but does that make up for the sheer terror we felt? Not a chance! As a fan of 9-1-1, I know to expect some nail-biting moments, given the dangerous nature of first responders’ jobs. Still, seeing Denny’s life in jeopardy was not what I signed up for.

After the intense emotional rollercoaster of Season 8, Episode 4, “No Place Like Home,” where a cheerleader’s injury had an almost impossible twist, I was not ready to witness another near-death experience involving Denny. Can we just agree that nobody should die on this show? The 118 is always out there helping the people of L.A., and you’d think that means they’d be shielded from personal tragedies, right? I get that life doesn’t work that way, but it should! And let’s extend that hope to the new 9-1-1 spinoff—let’s keep the characters safe!

One fan on X pointed out how cruel this storyline is, especially since Karen and Hen just reunited with Mara Driskell (Askyler Bell) in episode 4, only to have Denny face this terrifying ordeal in episode 5. Aisha Hinds echoed this sentiment in an interview with TV Line, saying they “literally didn’t even get one episode off to be happy.”

Watching Denny, who is sweet, innocent, and young, suffer an injury and end up in the hospital was painful. Like Mara, Denny has faced his share of hardships, including his mom Eva (Abby Brammell) serving time in prison and then moving away. He deserves a fun, stress-free Halloween—along with many other joyful moments!

Tim Minear, the showrunner of 9-1-1, shared with Parade that while editing Denny’s blood transfusion scene, he genuinely thought the character might die. He understands the frustration viewers feel when their favorite characters are in peril, noting, “Fans are probably like, ‘Boy, will you ever give them a break?!’” And while it’s true that we enjoy intense storylines, we just want to see Denny, Mara, Hen, Karen, and the entire 118 crew stay safe!

While I know that drama keeps things exciting, I join other fans in hoping for some peaceful, normal family moments for Karen and Hen. How about a cozy Thanksgiving dinner, just for a change? That sounds like a plan!