SPOILER ALERT:The story includes details about Episode 815 ofABCs9-1-1,Lab Rats.
Four Station 118 firefighters got trapped into a lab with a deadly virus on ABCs9-1-1.
Why is Peter Krause leaving9-1-1?
‘9-1-1’: “Lab Rats"Christopher Willard/Disney
Which one do we have here?
TIM MINEAR: Creative.
MINEAR: 100%
DEADLINE:When and why did you make that decision to kill off Bobby?
‘9-1-1”: Peter Krause in”Lab RatsDisney/Christopher Willard
There was only one man for the job, and it was Bobby.
Suddenly everything just felt weirdly more alive to me.
MINEAR: Peter is a friend of mine.
On a show about vampires, its a little different, they can always come back.
And it remains that way right now, very raw.
DEADLINE:Angela, did you have any inkling that something of this magnitude might be coming this season?
BASSETT: Absolutely not.
Not an inkling, not a word, not birdies, nothing.
This is near the end of the season.
Its like get it today, and were going to start filming it tomorrow.
So it was really a jaw-dropping moment when I read the script and saw that.
Well, initially it was a different character, the whole bio lab.
I remember Tim called.
He said, someones going to pass away.
I said, Is itme?
Self-preservation, you know.
DEADLINE:You mentioned that there was a different character that initially was supposed to die.
Did something change in the script?
Trust and believe, yeah.
BASSETT: I take a stab at always be honest and never lie.
Only after wed received the episode we had to be a little bit coy.
No, I cant imagine, thats true.
And even sitting here today, I cant imagine it.
This is the second husband that shes lost and the end of her and Peters tremendous bond.
Where is she going?
DEADLINE:As an actor, you see where this is probably going.
Athena was in a great place, building a new home with her husband.
BASSETT: Youre so right about that, I forgot about Emmett.
DEADLINE:It feels like the writers want Athena back in a rocky, dark, emotional state.
BASSETT: I think youre right, I think you might be on to something.
DEADLINE:This is a huge shock to the system of the entire team.
We saw Chimney who clearly has survivor guilt; I cant even imagine what Athena will go through.
Tim, can you talk about the impact of Bobbys death?
He is an inspiration to all of them.
He is seen as a husband.
He is Athenas childrens stepfather.
It just reaches every element of the show.
And as far as where were going to go with all that, the story will tell me.
DEADLINE:Will you be adding somebody to the cast in the wake of Peters exit?
Somebody needs to lead the 118.
MINEAR: There will be changes in the universe.
Im still working my way through what those changes will be.
Im definitely going to be adding to the fire family but not necessarily in the way you might think.
He finally reconciled with his mother, too.
MINEAR: Yes, a little bit actually.
Id really been thinking about it back during the first part of the season.
So that was me hinting a little bit about where I might be going.
DEADLINE:Was Peter involved in crafting Bobbys ending?
MINEAR: When I told him what was happening, like I said, he understood.
And then I laid out for him how I felt this sacrifice would present itself.
And if you want to talk about redemption, its the ultimate redemption.
We talked about every element of how we would accomplish it.
DEADLINE:Did Bobby die before his mother?
Will we find out if shes still alive?
MINEAR: Yes, youll see her at the funeral.
DEADLINE:I assume that will be the May 1 episode The Last Alarm?
Thefuneral scene leaks & that Bobby in a coffin script page
DEADLINE:Speaking of the funeral.
As videos from the location shoot hit social media, online sleuths quickly deducted that Bobby is probably dead.
I think Ive always been a little bit surprised by it.
I wanted the pageantry, I wanted the production value, I needed that.
And so we rolled the dice, and we shot it in public.
How did that come about?
MINEAR: As far as that page, I dont know where that came from.
Did you call him right away?
Were just like, didnt see this coming.
Its something thats coming but its slowly revealing itself.
Its a goodbye, but its taking time.
I guess it gave us all a chance to process and mourn.
And we did, because were an incredibly close cast, that team is very close.
I know, what are we gonna do?
How do you feel?
Knowing the end and still having the ending scene to do.
DEADLINE:Lets talk about that ending scene for Bobby and Athena at the lab.
Was this the last scene you two filmed?
BASSETT: No, fortunately, it wasnt the last scene.
Since we do everything out of order, I still had a few more scenes to do with him.
It was a heart-wrenching moment, and then thats the goodbye.
Cutting it off bit by bit, not a big chop as it were.
BASSETT: I actually enjoyed it.
Its like theres this barrier so youre really trying to break through the glass.
We did two different versions [of the final scene].
I was like, uh-uh.
I said, well, Ive done it now.
I cant cry every single scene.
I mean, you still have a funeral to go through.
Was any of that improvised?
It seems a bit like youre talking about you as actors not being on the show together anymore.
BASSETT: No, thats all Tim, those were the words.
DEADLINE:What about the touching of the hands through the glass, was all in the script too?
DEADLINE:Tim, you mentioned redemption earlier.
How did you come up with that ending?
MINEAR: That was Peter.
DEADLINE:Angela, how was it filming that?
Was that the hardest part of that whole sequence?
BASSETT: Again, we filmed two versions of this, and I think that was the hardest part.
And leaning in that moment still on his faith.
That it is a tough, impossible situation, but theres still his creator, theres still hope.
And I thought it was beautiful and touching.
He couldnt touch me, but he can still touch.
He can still be in communion with his creator.
So I love that.
So I appreciate what the version of it that I longed for was [chosen].
Even with the separation of the glass, theres a tremendous bond and respect.
And theyre vulnerable with each other.
DEADLINE:Who picked HoziersWork Songfor Bobbysfinal moments?
MINEAR: That was Kristen Reidel.
Bracing for fans wrath
DEADLINE:Tim, are you afraid of fans reaction to Bobbys death?
Are you going into witness protection?
MINEAR: I Ive been in witness protection ever since I stopped looking at social media.
Thats the way I protect myself, is I just dont look at that stuff.
Im definitely going out on a skinny branch in some way.
Well see what happens.
I fervently believe that it was the right move creatively for the show.
