The summer premiere of Emergency Call premieres Friday, June 4th on ABC. Hosted and executive produced by Luke Wilson, each episode showcases the quick decision making required by first responders. From the start of each call until help arrives, these heroes help panicked citizens remain calm and as safe as possible during one of the most stressful moments of their lives.
(ABC)
In the summer premiere, “Texting Trouble,” two teenage girls narrowly avoid being trafficked in Texas as the first call of the season. The episode’s title also applies to a group of deaf and hard-of-hearing hikers who text in their 911 emergency. Fans of the series will recognize call takers from Austin, New Orleans and Wasilla while new locations in this second half of the season include Waukesha, Wisconsin and Ogden, Utah, adding a few fresh faces to the series.
Emergency Call is dramatic more often than not, but occasionally a humorous call comes through and the editors try to even the pacing. Visually, animated maps and establishing shots help tell the story, but unlike shows like Cops, Emergency Call never enters the field. Just like the operators fielding calls, the audience is on a primarily auditory journey. For that reason, Emergency Call at times feels like a visual podcast.
Luke Wilson’s narrative moments add context for viewers, even educating you about the history of 911 and more recent technological advancements, like the ability to text in your emergency. As you watch operators take life-saving calls, you could find yourself learning new information that could help you in the event of a real emergency.
New episodes of Emergency Call air Fridays on ABC at 8/7c. Hulu subscribers can stream new episodes the next day, along with all previous episodes of the series.