Performer of the Week: Kenneth Choi
THE PERFORMER | Kenneth Choi
More from TVLine
THE SHOW | 9-1-1
THE EPISODE | “There Goes the Groom” (May 2, 2024)
THE PERFORMANCE | To be a character in the 9-1-1 universe is to exist in a constant state of fight or flight. The first-responder procedural comes with its own built-in wheel of fate, and while the characters hope it never lands on them (as it almost always involves a brush with death), the actors portraying those characters can’t wait for their next opportunity.
That’s where Kenneth Choi found himself this week, as his character — karaoke bartender-turned-firefighter Howard “Chimney” Hahn — fought to overcome a series of physical and mental obstacles on the day of his wedding. It was the result of an undiagnosed case of viral encephalitis, which led to brain swelling and memory loss, causing him to completely forget about his bride-to-be.
The acting requirements of Chimney’s affliction — making his amnesia believable, conversing with hallucinations, tapping into the emotion behind his confusion, etc. — could have easily gone south in the hands of a lesser performer. It could have fallen flat, or even worse, come off cringey and unwatchable.
Fortunately, it wasn’t in the hands of a lesser performer, and Choi navigated every curve of Chimney’s journey with finesse and heart — from his dramatic confrontation with Doug, to his bittersweet reunion with Kevin and, of course, to his beautiful speech to Maddie about not wanting to wait another minute to become husband and wife.
We still may not know the meaning behind his character’s nickname, but we do know how much Choi’s consistently grounded, nuanced performance means to the show: everything.
Scroll down to see who scored Honorable Mention shout-outs this week…
HONORABLE MENTION: Melissa Benoist
On this week’s The Girls on the Bus, Melissa Benoist‘s Sadie was dealt a big blow when her editor Bruce (played by Griffin Dunne) unexpectedly died. But Bruce was more than just Sadie’s boss. He was also a mentor and friend to her, and Benoist conveyed that in the depth of Sadie’s grief. The actress was brimming with anger and shock and sadness over the loss while talking to an imaginary version of journalist Hunter S. Thompson, proclaiming through sobs, “He protected me, looked out for me, unlike you.” When Sadie could no longer contain her tears, she sent “Thompson” away and broke down on a park bench. Through Benoist’s emotional performance, we could feel the magnitude of Sadie’s heartache in that challenging moment. — Vlada Gelman
HONORABLE MENTION: Tyler James Williams
We’re still giggling about Tyler James Williams‘ sublimely silly work on Abbott Elementary this week, as Gregory got flustered when he thought he spotted Janine out on a date with Manny. Gregory tried to appear unbothered, but he was in fact very bothered, and Williams cracked us up with his eyes conspicuously darting over to Janine’s booth, even mistaking a ketchup bottle for his beer at one point. A drunken Gregory ranted about Manny’s “date beard” before abruptly shouting at them across the room, boiling over with jealousy as Williams allowed us to see just how much he cares about Janine. It was all a misunderstanding in the end, and the slow burn between Janine and Gregory continues, but we appreciate Williams showing us how emotionally turbulent Gregory can get underneath his cool-as-a-cucumber persona. — Dave Nemetz
HONORABLE MENTION: Brad Dourif
As the voice of Chucky‘s titular killer doll, we’ve been listening to Brad Dourif‘s chilling vocals for the last three seasons (and 36 years!), but nothing quite compared to watching him work in the flesh in the Season 3 finale. As Charles Lee Ray regaled Jake with a horrific tour through the spirit realm, the actor delivered lines with gusto, his mere presence evoking sheer power and evil. While the character intimidated Jake with a theatrical presentation of his greatest kills (“Welcome to the dollhouse, baby!”), Dourif unleashed his signature maniacal cackle that’s almost as classic as the doll itself. His long-awaited (physical) return felt so heavy and significant on screen, and yet, Dourif delivered a knock-out performance with ease, almost as if it was some form of child’s play. — Nick Caruso
Which performance(s) knocked your socks off this week? Tell us in the comments!
Best of TVLine
The Best Streaming Services in 2024: Disney+, Hulu, Max and More
What's New on Netflix in January — Plus: Disney+, Hulu, Amazon and Others
Get more from TVLine.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
