Dos & Don’ts of ‘9-1-1’ & ‘Lone Star’ Crossovers Next Season
The 118 of 9-1-1 and the 126 of spinoff Lone Star will meet in some capacity when both return for new seasons next year (currently set for 2021).
“There will definitely be crossovers. We’re kicking around some ideas now about how to accomplish that,” Tim Minear, showrunner for both series, told TV Insider after the original’s finale. “It’s time now that we can cross-pollinate those worlds a little bit.” At the time, he was considering “traditional crossover ideas” as well as “ways to have stories cross over between episodes that aren’t necessarily one cast guesting on the other episode.”
While we wait to hear details about how that might shape up in 2021, we’re taking a look below and what we do and don’t want to see when the first responders of Los Angeles and Austin cross paths.
9-1-1, Season 4, 2021, Fox
9-1-1: Lone Star, Season 2, 2021, Fox
Do... have another mention of the other firehouse
In the first season of Lone Star, the first responders mentioned hearing about the rebar through Chimney’s head (but not by name). Let’s get something else like that again before any real crossover happens, with or without a character being named.
Don't... go too big for the first major crossover
It’s inevitable that there will be a big event that brings together the two houses, but it doesn’t have to be something completely out there. Both series have had their fair share of crazy events — most recently the tsunami on 9-1-1 and the solar storm on Lone Star — and as long as it doesn’t get any wilder than that and there’s a good reason why the out-of-town team is present, it’ll be a must-watch.
Do... have another victim cross over
Both the 118 and the 126 have had some memorable calls, and both even encountered Pepper (Erin Karpluk), who’d left L.A. behind for Austin. It’s something fun that viewers can enjoy if they watch both shows without feeling out of the loop if they don’t.
Don't... plot any type of crossover with the assumption fans watch both shows
Yes, there will be people who watch both shows, but any crossover (including just in conversation) outside of a two-part event needs to be handled in such a way that those who don’t aren’t completely lost when it comes to a character or plot point. There are ways to reward fans of both without alienating fans of only one. (For example, look at how Lone Star mentioned Chimney.)
Do... have fun mixing it up when the two firehouses meet
Sure, we want to see how Captains Bobby Nash (Peter Krause) and Owen Strand (Rob Lowe) work together. Of course it’ll be great to see Henrietta “Hen” Wilson (Aisha Hinds) and chief paramedic Michelle Blake (Liv Tyler) interact, especially given the former’s interest in focusing on medicine (and thinking about med school). But let’s see what happens when Bobby and Judd Ryder (Jim Parrack) or Owen and Evan “Buck” Buckley (Oliver Stark) meet.
Don't... even suggest a crossover romance
Right now, we don’t know who will be on each team next season. (After all, we could get new characters on both shows.) And while a fling is one thing, realistically, a crossover romance just wouldn’t work in this franchise. It’s different for One Chicago and Grey’s Anatomy/Station 19; here, we’re talking about Los Angeles and Austin, and so far, none of the characters have an already established relationship across the shows. But a crossover could still have fun with the current relationships (above).
Do... give us some Maddie-Grace interactions
The 9-1-1 dispatchers rarely leave the call center. (Jennifer Love Hewitt’s Maddie even ended up in the middle of a call in hers.) Figure out some way to get a meaningful conversation between these two women.
Don't... forget the crossover happened as soon as it's over
But don’t suddenly make characters BFFs across the shows, either. It’s a tricky line to navigate since they can’t just get a beer at the local bar after shifts. Some characters can stay in touch, and it would be nice to hear that they have even if we don’t see it on screen.
