9-1-1: Lone Star - Complete series

In the series 9-1-1: Lone Star we follow the emergency services of Austin, Texas, during their work and private lives. Sometimes with a laugh, sometimes with a tear, but always with the intention to help where they can. In 2020, the first 9-1-1 spin-off, called 9-1-1: Lone Star, premiered. This series ran for five seasons, but ended in early 2025. During no less than 72 episodes, we were able to follow the ins and outs of the emergency services in Austin, with new challenges and adventures on their way every season. The final season is currently airing on STAR channel, but the entire series can already be found on Disney+. Time to judge whether the cancellation of this show was justified and whether it is worth binge-watching.

Although this is a series that features an ensemble cast, Rob Lowe does have a sort of leading role in the whole thing, and he does it brilliantly.

9-1-1: Lone Star begins with the relocation of father Owen (Rob Lowe) and son TK (Ronen Rubinstein) to Austin, Texas. Owen Strand is a highly respected fire chief of a New York fire station when he is asked to assist the firefighters of the 126th in building their new fire station. A task that proves to be quite a challenge. TK wants to improve his life and follow in his father's footsteps, but has a number of personal problems that get in the way. The team that Owen must lead is a diverse group with very different backgrounds, consisting of Judd Ryder (Jim Parrack), Marjan Marwani (Natacha Karam), Paul Strickland (Brian Michael Smith) and Mateo Chavez (Julian Works).

Just like in 9-1-1, the stories in 9-1-1: Lone Star are told with a wink and the necessary humor. The cases that the emergency services have to deal with are very diverse and sometimes far-fetched, but often also nicely light-heartedly portrayed. This does not mean that there is no room for emotion and drama, on the contrary. Very controversial but also emotional subjects are addressed and presented in a beautiful way. An example of this are various LHBTIQ+ relationships that receive attention, the paralysis of a character and the shocking sudden death of several others.



In addition to the firefighters, all other emergency services in Austin are also featured. For example, Judd's wife Grace (Sierra McClain) works at the emergency service and regularly helps people during the most exciting moments of their lives. The police and ambulance teams also play a major role and work closely together in certain cases to bring them to a successful conclusion. The stories mainly revolve around the cases that the emergency services have to deal with, but in between, the private lives of the emergency services are delved into. Because not everyone gets the same amount of attention in every episode, it takes a little longer to build a bond with one person than with another. But in the end, the makers manage to create a large cast with a lot of depth.

Although this is a series that consists of an ensemble cast, Rob Lowe does have a kind of leading role in the whole, and he does this wonderfully. He is very convincing as the boss of the team and knows how to carry the show well during lesser moments. I also have to give my compliments to the rest of the cast. Although the level of acting is not equally strong in every episode, this did not bother me while watching. Because of the way of telling stories and the characters of the characters, 9-1-1: Lone Star was a nice series to watch that mainly offered relaxation and entertainment in a landscape full of similar series that still feel a lot heavier to watch.

Unfortunately, 9-1-1 Lone Star suffered from the writers and actors strikes that took place in 2023.

Unfortunately, 9-1-1: Lone Star suffered from the writers' and actors' strikes that took place in 2023. During that time, filming came to a complete standstill and when it started up again, it became clear that one of the main characters would not be returning. This had quite a few consequences for the final season. Although the creators did their best to fill this gap, they did not completely succeed and ultimately it was the downfall of the series. Personally, I found this a great shame because I would have liked to see more seasons of the series. At times I even thought 9-1-1: Lone Star was better than 9-1-1, but the final season somewhat ruined this feeling. It was not bad, but certainly not at the level I was used to.

Fans don't have to be sad because 9-1-1 is fortunately continuing and there is already a new spin-off in the making. Preparations are currently taking place for 9-1-1: Nashville, which will have to fill the gap left by 9-1-1: Lone Star. As I already indicated, I would have preferred more seasons than a new series, but I felt like the creativity had run out a bit towards the end. The makers didn't seem to have put as much effort into the last season, which caused the show to bleed to death a little. Still, I am happy with the final episode, which really feels like a final chapter. It's a shame that the show only lasted five years, but if you like series like 9-1-1 or The Rookie, it's definitely worth watching 9-1-1: Lone Star, even though it has now officially ended.