7 ‘9-1-1’ & ‘Lone Star’ Characters We’re Worried About Next Season
For the most part, the first responders of 9-1-1 and Lone Star ended the 2020-2021 season in a pretty good place.
On the original series, LAFD Captain Bobby Nash (Peter Krause) and Sergeant Athena Grant (Angela Bassett) were back on track after a blow-up that left us concerned about the future of their marriage. Firefighter Eddie Diaz (Ryan Guzman) survived a gunshot wound. Firefighter Hen Wilson (Aisha Hinds) and her wife, rocket scientist Karen (Tracie Thoms), discovered they’d be able to have the young girl they’d fostered, Nia, remain in their lives after she went back with her mother.
On the spinoff down in Texas, firefighter Judd Ryder (Jim Parrack) and 9-1-1 dispatcher Grace (Sierra McClain) survived their car accident and found out they’re having a baby. Mateo Chavez (Julian Works) is no longer a probie at the firehouse … though the season didn’t end happily for the 126 in general, with deputy chief-to-be Billy Tyson (Billy Burke) announcing he’s shutting it down.
But amidst that happiness are some ongoing storylines that have us worried about characters across both shows when they return in fall 2021 (9-1-1) and January 2022 (9-1-1: Lone Star). Scroll down to see which first responders and why.
9-1-1, Season 5, Fall 2021, Fox
9-1-1: Lone Star, Season 3, January 2022, Fox
Buck (Oliver Stark), 9-1-1
As Hen aptly put it when Buck put himself in danger in the finale, “Buck is going to Buck.” As the firefighter explained to his captain after, he didn’t want to lose anyone else, and we don’t see that changing going forward (even if Eddie tried to make sure he knows how valuable he is by naming him his son’s guardian). “We love Buck because of his impetuous, rush in where angels fear to tread attitude, but you should always be a little worried for Buck,” showrunner Tim Minear confirmed to TV Insider.
Hen (Aisha Hinds), 9-1-1
With Hen now, the concern is that she may be doing a bit too much. “Hen has a lot going on,” Minear acknowledged. After all, she’s still working at the 118, going to medical school, she and Karen are fostering, and she’s looking after her mom. If anyone could use a break, it’s Hen, but we doubt we’ll see her take one.
Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt), 9-1-1
In the finale, Maddie quit her job at the call center and admitted she’s been struggling ever since her daughter was born. Her postpartum depression is “a story that we’re gonna tell a little bit as we go into the next season,” Minear said. “We’re not just going to drop it.” And for those wondering what this means for her and Chimney (Kenneth Choi), all the showrunner would tease is, “I would definitely buckle up.” Uh-oh.
Albert (John Harlan Kim), 9-1-1
Albert has followed in his brother Chimney’s footsteps and joined the LAFD, and we can’t help but worry about him simply because he’s going to be a probie and we just watched him recover from a serious car accident.
Owen (Rob Lowe), 9-1-1: Lone Star
Owen may be in the best place health-wise he’s ever been after his most recent surgery, but we also watched him struggle a bit and feel “unmoored,” as Minear put it, after he found out his ex-wife Gwyneth (Lisa Edelstein) wasn’t having his baby and she left him.
“He’s got a little bit of a depression going on. I don’t think that that is just something that you magically wave away,” Minear continued. “But I think maybe one of the best things that could happen to Owen is going up against Billy and having to fight to put his team back together. That gives him a sense of purpose. That is the kind of thing that is going to bring out the best of him.” But considering that his reaction to hearing the 126 was being shut down was to punch Billy (though it’s not like he didn’t deserve it), we are a bit worried about how Owen will react to whatever comes next.
Tommy (Gina Torres), 9-1-1: Lone Star
In one of the most shocking moments of the season, Tommy’s husband Charles (Derek Webster) died (of an aneurysm). She didn’t allow herself to grieve that day; she had to be strong for their daughters and she was still waiting for a cause of death. As Torres told TV Insider, “the death of a spouse, the death of a family member has repercussions that go on beyond a day or two or a few weeks. It’s years of adjustments.” She’s still going to be grieving when Season 3 picks up. And Minear did say that Tommy is going to have a lot to figure out going forward, including being a working, single mom and a widow and if she wants to start dating again.
T.K. (Ronen Rubinstein), 9-1-1: Lone Star
Just because T.K. seems to be in a much better place — he’s sober, his and Carlos’ (Rafael Silva) relationship is going strong (and a wedding very well might be in their future), and he’s happy working as a paramedic now — doesn’t mean we can just forget that he is an addict. “When you’re an addict, the moment you start to get very comfortable and feel like you’ve got things under control is when things can be the most dangerous,” Minear pointed out. “There’s just a lot that can go on there. [T.K.’s] sobriety is something that he’s always going to have to protect.”
