Every 9-1-1 Main Character Ranked Worst To Best

Ryan Murphy's Fox procedural "9-1-1" is billed as a show about heroes. More specifically, the show follows first responders — firefighters, 911 operators, and cops on the front lines of disasters. As such, the audience is always encouraged to root for the main characters as they face danger and emotional devastation to get the job done. That doesn't mean that every character in the show is endlessly lovable, of course. These first responders all have their demons to contend with — demons they must put aside while in the field.

If "9-1-1" were filled with totally unlikable characters, it wouldn't work. This is a show about selfless people who run toward the fire, not away from it. Nonetheless, while every character in the series gives 100 percent to the job, their personal lives are another matter. Some characters deal with their problems better than others, and that's what makes the show interesting. Nobody's perfect, not even someone who saves lives for a living.

"9-1-1" argues that people are inherently good and will come together to help one another in times of crisis. But whether or not someone makes a compelling character is a different matter. Read on for a rundown of every main character in "9-1-1," ranked from worst to best.

Josh Russo (Bryan Safi) is a reliable presence at the call center. He's always got a joke and a smile at the ready to cheer up the operators under his charge, and he's very good at his job. The main reason Josh doesn't top this list is that we don't know very much about him as a person. He remains pretty underdeveloped for most of the series. That doesn't give us much to go on.

Josh finally gets his own storyline in Season 3 when he has a first date that goes wrong. The following episodes are interesting, but they don't give us much insight into who he is, apart from the fact that he's lonely and gun-shy when it comes to dating. This isn't a particularly interesting fact, nor does it endear us to him, although it's probably one of the more relatable storylines in the series. (The fact that he finds dating difficult, not that his date turned out to be a criminal mastermind.)

Josh's jokes and pep talks also tend to be a bit corny, though that element of the series is not endemic to Josh alone. I don't harbor any ill will towards Josh, and he certainly would be able to talk me through an emergency, but he's not a character who keeps me coming back for more.

Athena Grant is "9-1-1's" only cop, which narratively puts her in a strange position. While the firefighters of the 118 are busy with team bonding and going out on emergency calls, Athena rides around in her squad car alone, responding to calls of a different variety. Athena saves the day several times on her own, but the contrast between what she does and what the firefighters do, like catching a kid who's been stealing cars vs. saving a dozen people from a burning building, for example, makes it hard to root for her sometimes. 

Athena is a very strong-willed person, and while this serves her well, it doesn't always help in her personal life. Athena can come on a little strong with her kids (especially her eldest, May) and sometimes forgets that they are their own people. No one can say that she doesn't care, but her son Harry's (Marcanthonee Reis) accusation that she sometimes focuses too much on work at the expense of her family isn't entirely off the mark.

The best thing about Athena is that she is played by none other than award-winning actress Angela Bassett. Frankly, it's somewhat bizarre that such an illustrious actor would star in a network procedural (as fun as it is). Still, it's a treat to watch Bassett deliver some of the silliest lines on the show with her indomitable gravitas.

May Grant (Corinne Massiah) is Athena's eldest child, and she's a formidable person — just like her mother. When we first meet May, she's a moody high school student who keeps her true feelings close to herself. Her parents are shocked when she attempts suicide because of a group of bullies at school. She never seemed all that upset.

May has grown a lot since we first met her, and as her mental health has improved, so has her sense of self and her confidence. May sometimes butts heads with her mother. That's unsurprising, considering Athena's heavy-handed parenting style. And it's hard not to take May's side during these arguments. Watching May gather up the courage to be openly critical of Athena's work as a police officer is refreshing, especially since people so rarely stand up against Athena and walk away in one piece.

May sticks to her guns when she decides to become a 911 operator against her mother's wishes. May is fundamentally a good person who wants to help people and make the world a better place. Through her work at the call center, she can live out this goal. May is also a surprisingly good 911 operator for someone so young, and it's exciting to see her impress her coworkers and take pride in making a difference. Like Maddie, May has already been through a terrifying emergency of her own, which makes her great at her job and a stronger person than she may appear.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

Initially, I didn't like Chimney all that much. He seemed to always be complaining about not getting to do the "cool" jobs, and the chip on his shoulder was pretty heavy. As the series has gone on, Chimney has matured as a person, and his backstory has aided in making him a much more interesting character.

We've since learned that Chimney has lost a lot in his life. As a teenager, he lost his mother and subsequently went to live with family friends, and his best friend (who was essentially his brother) died in the line of duty. Chimney also struggled to prove himself to an inhospitable crew, which explains his occasional bitterness.

One of the main things that allow Chimney to blossom as a character is his relationship with Maddie. Before meeting Maddie, Chimney is in an unfilling relationship with a woman with whom he was never really honest, but with Maddie, Chimney is finally able to be himself. What's more, Chimney proves himself to be a great partner for Maddie and never pushes her to move any quicker than she is comfortable with. Chimney loves his family and his job deeply, and while he sometimes struggles to balance these two things, he's committed to growing as a person and doesn't let his mistakes define him.

Without Bobby Nash, captain of the 118, everything would fall apart. This is true both in terms of the health of the fire station and the success of the show. Luckily, Bobby is a lovable guy, and that's a huge part of why the show is so watchable. Capt. Nash is the kind of fictional leader who is so inspirational and good at advising that it's hard to believe someone like him exists in the world. Thankfully, Bobby is not a perfect person. That makes him more interesting.

One of the biggest shockers is the secret of what happened to Bobby's family. As the story goes, Bobby struggles with alcoholism and unintentionally sets a fire in his apartment building, killings his wife and children. Bobby has lived with this guilt ever since, and at the start of the series, he is very serious and closed-off about his personal life. As Bobby opens up to his team more, it deepens their bond and increases his effectiveness as a leader.

It's hard not to root for a character whose whole reason for existing is to inspire (think Coach Taylor from "Friday Night Lights"), and Bobby is no exception. Sure, he may come off as a stereotypical "good boss" at times, but Peter Krause always makes sure there's a twinkle in Bobby's eye to let us know he doesn't take himself too seriously.