After an agonizing three-month hiatus, the time for 9-1-1 fans to blast Europe’s iconic 80’s jam has finally arrived. Why? Because it’s “The Final Countdown,” people!

Since ABC’s hit first responder drama went on hiatus back in November 2024, fans have been anxiously awaiting the show’s 2025 return. And we’re pleased to report that the wait is almost over!

That’s right, folks. We a Bobby (Peter Krause), Athena (Angela Bassett), Hen (Aisha Hinds), Karen (Tracie Thoms), Chimney (Kenneth Choi), Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt), Buck (Oliver Stark), Eddie (Ryan Guzman), and hopefully Christopher (Gavin McHugh) reunion is imminent. So be sure your calendar is marked for 9-1-1‘s Season 8, Episode 9 premiere date.

Per ABC, 9-1-1‘s next new episode is called “Sob Stories” and the official synopsis is as follows: “The 118 responds to a fire at a local animal shelter and races to evacuate all the animals. Meanwhile, Maddie takes a 9-1-1 call that sets her on a quest for answers.”

Showrunner and co-creator Tim Minear told TV Guide Magazine that the two-episode return is based on a true-crime story: the 1980 case of Minnesota’s Weepy-Voiced Killer.

“A guy calls Maddie and she realizes he hasn’t just killed someone. He’s about to [again, because] he abducted someone,” Minear explained. “There’s some twists and turns that I hope you won’t see coming…And it’s not going to be readily apparent that she’s taken.”

Curious when 9-1-1 returns with new Season 8 episodes? Wondering how to watch new and existing episodes live or online? And what showrunner Tim Minear and the cast have in store for fans?

Here’s everything to know about 9-1-1‘s return date, time, streaming info, and what to expect from the rest of Season 8. We even have some exciting teases from Minear, Guzman, and Hewitt below!

Sadly, a new episode of 9-1-1 doesn’t premiere on ABC tonight, February 27. But the series returns soon, we promise!

After its midseason finale aired on November 21, 9-1-1 went on hiatus for several months, but 9-1-1 makes its anticipated return on Thursday, March 6, 2025. Only one week left!

9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 9 will premiere on ABC in its typical time slot: 8:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 6, 2025.

Curious what’s on in 9-1-1‘s place this Thursday, February 27, ABC’s schedule shows a new episode of Shifting Gears on at 8:00 p.m. ET.

During Tim Minear’s midseason finale interview with Decider, the showrunner teased some of that drama along with his distressing goal for the second half of Season 8: “To blow it all the hell apart.”

When we last left Eddie in Season 8, he was considering a move to Texas to be closer to his son Christopher. Minear confirmed Eddie’s life will still be “in flux” when the show returns, and though it’s hard to imagine one of 9-1-1‘s core character relocating long-term, Minear assured Decider that “Eddie is dead serious about doing whatever he has to do to repair that relationship, so if that means moving to Texas, maybe that’s what he has to do.”  (A BTS TikTok essentially confirmed that the move is happening, so get your tissues ready when 9-1-1 returns.)

In an interview with Forbes, Guzman said, “There are going to be some big changes in Eddie’s life. Big, big changes in Eddie’s life. Much like myself, Eddie is always thinking about his children and what he will do for his child. There’s nothing he won’t do, but that will incur some massive changes. In the next couple episodes when we come back, you’re going to understand what that means.”

Naturally, Eddie’s best friend Buck won’t want Eddie to leave — especially since he’s still reeling from his recent breakup. So Minear said fans expect a major spiral from Stark’s character as well. “Buck is going to be spinning like a top by the time we come back. [He’s] not wanting to be a bad friend, and not wanting to be selfish. There’s just no way he’s not going to spiral about this,” the showrunner explained, noting that Stark’s character will eventually find a sort of distraction, though that may also be short-lived. “He’s going to have to find something to latch onto to keep from completely spinning out of control. And he will find that. He will find that when we come back. And we’ll see about that and how long that lasts — these relationships don’t tend to last all that long.”

When asked if there’s one special episode Minear excited for fans to see, he confidently replied, “All of them, actually. As far as the ones that I have worked out and the ones that we’ve shot, I’m really excited for Episode 9. There’s a great story that starts in there. We’ll also get to see Buck dealing with his abandonment issues. And then Episode 10 is just going to be thrilling. It’s going to be a thriller. And by the end of Episode 10, everybody’s life is changed.”

As for other personal storylines, Minear said, “[Maddie’s] pregnancy story will factor in not insignificantly in the first two episodes when we come back. And the Bobby and Athena building a new house story, we’ll hit that pretty hard in Episode 11. We’re going to get to everything.”

During a recent interview on I’ve Never Said This Before With Tommy DiDario, Hewitt described Maddie’s upcoming Season 8 arc as, “The craziest thing I’ve ever done on 9-1-1. The audience is not ready. I was not ready.” Based on the teaser trailer, it looks like Maddie gets kidnapped and held hostage by a serial killer. Hewitt said she lost her voice after filming and had no idea the “wild” and “fun” storyline was coming. So buckle up!

If you want to catch up on 9-1-1, you’ll need to be a Hulu subscriber in order to watch existing episodes and new episodes of 9-1-1 Season 8 the day after they air on ABC. The good news is you’ll have access to the episode with any version of the streaming service. The streamer’s least expensive ad-supported plan costs $7.99 a month (or $79.99 a year), while its ad-free option is $17.99 a month. If you choose to add Live TV to your plan you can select an ad-supported Hulu + Live TV now with Disney+ and ESPN+ bundle for $76.99 a month or go ad-free for $89.99 a month.

Want to watch 9-1-1 live when it returns? If you have a cable subscription that includes ABC, you can watch 9-1-1 live by setting your TV to the proper channel at 8:00 p.m. ET. You can also use your cable username and password to watch live ABC episodes live on ABC.com or with the ABC app. And if your cable package includes a DVR, you can always record live episodes for later viewing.

No cable? No worries! There are several other live viewing options, such as live TV skinny bundles, which give you access to networks without cable. YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and fuboTV, all come with ABC. And if you don’t have cable or a live TV skinny bundle, you can always stream episodes of 9-1-1 the following day on Hulu.