9-1-1: Lone Star - Season 2

Under the leadership of New York's Owen Strand, a breath of fresh air is blowing through the 126 Fire Department barracks in Austin, Texas. The reports they receive, but also their private lives, are central to 9-1-1: Lone Star, a spin-off of 9-1-1. During the first season of 9-1-1: Lone Star, we saw how Owen Strand (Rob Lowe, Code Black) and his son T.K. (Ronen Rubinstein, Dead of Summer) moved to Texas from New York to revive Fire Station 126. This season was mainly an introduction of characters with Owen's health problems and Michelle Blake's (Liv Tyler, The Leftovers) search for her missing sister as a common thread. Although the plan was for Michelle to reprise her role for the second season, it later became clear that this would not be the case. Liv Tyler lives with her family in England and because of the pandemic, it was not possible for her to be in America during the recordings.

Since 9-1-1: Lone Star is a spin-off of 9-1-1, it was inevitable that there would be a crossover between the two series.

Season two is set in the midst of the current corona pandemic. Owen's ex Gwyneth (Lisa Edelstein, House M.D.), T.K.'s mother, has moved into their house during the lockdown, which has damaged both her relationships with Owen and T.K. has changed. We also meet Tommy Vega (Gina Torres, Pearson), Michelle Blake's replacement and new colleague at the barracks. After years of caring for her twins, she decides to go back to work now that her husband is no longer able to work due to the pandemic. Finding a balance between work and private life is difficult for her, but her family needs the money.

During season one we saw the necessary stereotypes during the reports that were made. The south of the US has a certain image and is very different from Los Angeles where the original 9-1-1 takes place. There was sometimes some criticism from the media, but I feel that the image that was painted was never over-the-top. This second season we see more of the other side of Texas. The reports are still different from those on the west coast, but still a lot more general than before.



Since 9-1-1: Lone Star is a spin-off of 9-1-1, it was inevitable that there would be a crossover between the two series. This is also the case at the beginning of season two. During big wildfires, part of the team from Los Angeles comes to Texas to assist them, resulting in a very good and fun meeting. It is clear that both series come from the same tube. Typical for 9-1-1 are sketch-like rescues that are regularly accompanied by the necessary humor and/or absurdity. Most stories have a beginning and an end and the private relationships of the main characters are a recurring part of the story.

During almost every episode I had to laugh out loud because of the situations the team ended up in again. Still, the emotional scenes are often very well portrayed. The last few episodes of the season are about arson and the search for the culprit. The idea of ​​this storyline is nice in itself. But personally, I thought it was too far-fetched and didn't really fit with the rest of the season. In retrospect, it seemed as if this theme was chosen purely to work toward the final episode in which the team of 126 is faced with a major shock.

Where many series with this theme can be heavy and emotional, this is not too bad with the 9-1-1 series and I think that is their greatest strength.

What I really like about the 9-1-1 world is that many 'controversial' themes are discussed in a not-too-heavy way. Thus, the homosexual relationship between T.K. and his police boyfriend Carlos (Rafael Silva) is told like any other love story. Is the transgender background of Paul Strickland (Brian Michael Smith, The L Word: Generation Q) not a daily topic of conversation? And the fact that Marjan Marwani (Natacha Karam, The Brave) is Muslim and Judd (Jim Parrack, True Blood) and Grace Ryder (Sierra Aylina McClain, Mindhunter) have an interracial relationship is also beautifully told. The topics are discussed, but in a respectful manner.

The ninth episode was one of my favorite episodes this season. It shows the history of Judd and Grace as they balance on the verge of death after an accident. For a change, there were no separate rescues, but it was really about these two main characters. With a smile and a tear we as viewers saw how they met each other and what problems they had endured together over the years. The scenes in which Tommy's home situation is central, towards the end of the season, were also impressive. The supporting role played by Billy Burke (Revolution) is also worth mentioning.

For me, season two was definitely a step up from season one. The acting was better, the stories had more depth and the cast seemed more attuned to each other. I did miss Liv Tyler every now and then and Gina Torres couldn't quite fill the gap she left behind. A fourth season of the show has already been announced and will start airing in 2023. Quite some catching up to do. As far as I'm concerned, 9-1-1: Lone Star is a fun series that is nice to watch if you want to escape reality for a while. They don't reach the level of ER, but they don't have to. Where many series with this theme can be heavy and emotional, this is not too bad with the 9-1-1 series and I think that is their greatest strength.