‘The Writing Was On The Wall’: 9-1-1: Lone Star EP Gets Honest About The Fox Cancellation

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'The Writing Was On The Wall': 9-1-1: Lone Star EP Gets Honest About The Fox Cancellation

As a long-time fan of 9-1-1: Lone Star, I must admit that I was taken aback by the news of its final season. Much like how Judd and Grace’s relationship seemed to unravel too quickly, the cancellation came as a bit of a shock. However, after reading Rashad Raisani’s candid interview, it seems that the writing was indeed on the wall.

The fifth and concluding season of “9-1-1: Lone Star” premiered on Fox in the 2024 TV lineup, following a one-year time leap, an actor’s departure, and an impending disaster involving a train derailment. Unlike the sudden network switch for the original series when it was canceled and then revived by ABC, it appears that there will be no such reprieve for this Texas-based spinoff. TopMob interviewed Rashad Raisani, co-showrunner and executive producer of “Lone Star”, who candidly discussed receiving the cancellation notice.

As a dedicated gamer, I’m eagerly anticipating Season 5 for Tarlos, but it looks like we’ll have to squeeze in some challenges within just twelve episodes. That’s right, folks, the final season of 9-1-1: Lone Star is coming to a close. Recently, I had a chat with Raisani about Grace leaving Judd and he admitted it was a tough sell. When I asked where we were in the season when they received the news that this was the end, here’s what he shared:

Frankly speaking, it wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago that I saw a trailer on Fox announcing ‘the final season.’ This is when it became official for me. However, from the production side, we had already wrapped up before this announcement. In essence, that’s the formal confirmation. On a more intuitive note, the signs were already there even before the strikes. As we completed Season 4, we knew we were embarking on our final season under our contract between Disney and Fox.

It’s clear that the Season 5 finale wasn’t initially intended to be the final episode, as the show was already wrapped up before the official announcement of its cancellation. However, it’s important to note that the upcoming end of Lone Star wasn’t a sudden decision for the team following the Writers Guild of America (WGA) writers strike and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) actors strike in late 2023. The executive producer further explained:

Given our understanding that a series like ours, boasting a substantial budget in today’s economic climate due to its large-scale action and extensive cast, we recognized that the task of reviving it could be formidable, even seemingly impossible. Given our ownership by Disney and airing on Fox, from a strictly financial and business perspective, it seemed unlikely for these two entities to collaborate and find a means to keep this happening.

The TV series, “9-1-1: Lone Star“, indeed boasts a sizable group of characters. Sierra McClain’s departure didn’t significantly reduce the number of actors. In fact, Wyatt’s role has been expanded in the Season 5 premiere (which is available for streaming with a Hulu subscription). Moreover, Parker Young, known for his role in “Suburgatory“, has joined the cast to portray a character integral to Carlos’ narrative.

Additionally, episodes wouldn’t have the cinematic feel, as put by Rob Lowe, without substantial financial backing. Unfortunately, the budgetary alignment between Disney and Fox wasn’t feasible for a sixth season of Lone Star. Rashad Raisani pointed out that the business environment was distinct when the series was being developed in 2019, explaining:

If we had been part of the same studio network as when the series initially began – prior to the Disney merger, when it was envisioned as a 20th Century Fox show – perhaps we would have had a clearer route to navigate the situation if we found ourselves in that position.

The series “9-1-1: Lone Star” first aired in early 2020, mere months before the entertainment industry largely halted operations due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Remarkably, this occurred less than a year after Disney’s merger with 21st Century Fox was finalized. Despite encountering significant challenges such as COVID-19 and strikes, the show has persevered impressively.

Rashad Raisani expressed great pride in the completed Season 5 of 9-1-1: Lone Star, hinting that the upcoming episodes promise an exhilarating conclusion. Catch up on the fate of the characters as the final season unfolds every Monday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox, followed by the debut of Rescue: HI-Surf at 9 p.m. ET. If you’d like to revisit previous seasons of Lone Star, they are now available for streaming on Hulu.

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2024-09-30 10:07