Like the mothership 9-1-1, which ended its run on Fox last year after six seasons, the cancellation of 9-1-1: Lone Star is a product of the changing economics of the television business.
Unlike 9-1-1, Lone Star is not expected to go to ABC, the new sister network of the 9-1-1 franchise's producer, 20th TV, which has renewed the flagship through season eight. But 9-1-1 could get another spinoff on ABC in a new location, with Las Vegas among the possible cities that Los Angeles (9-1-1) and Austin (9-1-1: Lone Star) could follow up.
The End of 9-1-1: Lone Star gives Fox a marketing opportunity to promote season five as a farewell to the series, something the network couldn't do with 9-1-1 due to its move to ABC.
“From the start, fans have followed the heroic and deeply moving stories of the men and women who make up Austin’s 126, so a huge thanks to one of the greatest creative teams in all of television — Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear — for creating one of the most action-packed dramas anywhere,” Fox TV Network President Michael Thorn said.
“Now in our final season of the show, we’re set to give it the high-stakes send-off it deserves, complete with breathless rescues, insurmountable odds and relatable personal struggles, thanks to our incomparable, stellar cast led by Rob Lowe and Gina Torres.”
This is not a sudden development. As reported in June, most of the cast had been under the impression that 9-1-1: Lone Star would end with season five since late last year, after two failed attempts at contract renegotiations. After the most recent attempt, original cast member Sierra McClain left the series, while several other actors were given the opportunity to read [scripts], meet and audition for other projects months ago.
