Interview: Anirudh Pisharody on the Tenth Season of ‘9-1-1’ and Ravi’s Relationship with May

9-1-1 came in hot for its tenth season opener with a volcanic eruption and a river of lava, which reaches its epic conclusion in the upcoming third episode. Anirudh Pisharody returns as Ravi Panikkar, who quickly became a fan favorite after joining the drama in season 4.

Despite the life-or-death experiences that the 118 constantly deal with, there are still small moments of real human connection added in for the characters, like when Ravi saved his captain in the premiere.

“I mean, obviously, we always have that with the people that we’re rescuing, and that’s a big part of the episode, but you’re right in that the inter-team dialogue, it’s mostly oftentimes quips; it’s us talking about the issue at hand rather than putting the attention on each other. And I think it’s almost vulnerable, in a sense, to see that in these high-octane situations,” he explained. “So, it’s a welcome relish every time something like that is written, because it’s something we don’t get to experience that often.”

As for what’s next with Ravi and May (Corinne Massiah)? Pisharody chose harmony to describe their story’s theme moving forward. “That’s, I think, what they really want to focus on. Harmony or synchronicity, to feel like they’re in lockstep with each other. I think they’ve had a couple of missteps, and there’s been a sense of like, okay, you’re doing your thing, I’m doing mine. But I’d really love to see them really come together and connect.”

Watch Awards Radar’s exclusive video interview with the actor below, where we discuss season 10’s three-part opener, the BTS process of filming the action sequences, all of the significant moments in Ravi and May’s relationship so far, further exploring their dynamic, and much more.

New episodes of 9-1-1 air Thursdays at 8 PM ET on ABC and stream on Hulu.