From fighting her abusive ex-husband to the death, to having her throat slashed (while pregnant!) by a deranged detective, “9-1-1” dispatcher Maddie Han has always been full of surprises. But going blonde? Now that’s a twist no one could have seen coming.
As the ABC procedural prepares to return for its milestone 10th season this fall, Jennifer Love Hewitt has revealed a dramatic new look for her character on Instagram. “Season 10 hair! Let’s go!” the actress captioned her post, which includes a video of Hewitt running her fingers through her newly dyed blonde locks.
This isn’t the first time Maddie has undergone a major makeover during her time on “9-1-1.” After debuting with long brown hair in Season 2, she switched to a darker, more blunt cut to coincide with the emergence of her inner fighter. (Doug never stood a chance.) Maddie has given us multiple lengths and colors in the years since, though never quite this dramatic a departure.
While it remains to be seen whether blondes really do have more fun, we can all agree that Maddie — whose recent escapades include having to outsmart and “kill” an evil AI program — could use a break from the madness of everyday life. Maybe this new look is her first step in a better, brighter direction.
Check out Maddie’s “Season 10 hair” below:
Jennifer Love Hewitt/Instagram
What can fans expect from 9-1-1 Season 10?
While ABC has yet to announce an exact premiere date, “9-1-1” will retain its spot on Thursdays at 8/7c this fall, once again followed by new episodes of recent spin-off “9-1-1: Nashville” and long-running medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy.”
As far as what we can expect from Season 10, TVLine has spoken with several of the show’s stars — Angela Bassett (Athena), Ryan Guzman (Eddie), and Oliver Stark (Buck) — about what the future holds for their characters.
“It wasn’t my idea,” Bassett tells TVLine of Athena’s promotion from sergeant to detective in the Season 9 finale. “They thought about it last year, but [it was] maybe just a little too soon. [They ] just wanted to get Athena still in these streets for one more season.”
Buck, of course, will have his hands full raising Theo, his biological son who reentered his life at the end of Season 9: “I don’t know if he’s a father yet,” Stark says. “He’s stepping in to be a caretaker, and we’ll see what that turns into. I think he sees a kid in need, one he obviously has a connection to, including a biological link, but I don’t think Buck sees himself as now being this kid’s dad.”
And Eddie will continue looking for love, though Guzman knows that any potential love interest is almost certain to face “backlash” from fans. His advice to Eddie’s next romantic partner? “Good luck!”
What are your hopes for “9-1-1” Season 10? And how do you feel about Maddie going blonde? Drop a comment with your thoughts below.