Lone Star

The use of "Lone Star" in the name associates it with Texas, the "Lone Star State". It was created for Fox by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear. The series is a spin-off of the television series 9-1-1, and was ordered by Fox in May 2019. It premiered on January 19, 2020.

9-1-1: Lone Star
Genre	Procedural drama Action
Created by	Ryan Murphy Brad Falchuk Tim Minear
Starring	Rob Lowe Liv Tyler Ronen Rubinstein Sierra McClain Jim Parrack Natacha Karam Brian Michael Smith Rafael L. Silva Julian Works Gina Torres Brianna Baker Kelsey Yates Skyler Yates
Composers	Mac Quayle Todd Haberman Justin Burnett
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	60 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Ryan Murphy Brad Falchuk Tim Minear Rob Lowe Angela Bassett Bradley Buecker John J. Gray Rashad Raisani Alexis Martin Woodall Trey Callaway
Cinematography	Andrew Strahorn
Running time	42–48 minutes
Production companies	ReamWorks Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision Ryan Murphy Television 20th Television
Original release
Network	Fox
Release	January 19, 2020 (2020-01-19) – present (present)
Related
9-1-1

Fox renewed the show for a fourth season in May 2022, which premiered on January 24, 2023. In May 2023, the series was renewed for a fifth season, with the premiere delayed until the fall of 2024 due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.

From 9-1-1 co-creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear, 9-1-1: Lone Star follows a sophisticated New York firefighter who, along with his son, relocates from Manhattan, New York to Austin, Texas. He must try to balance the duties of saving those who are at their most vulnerable and solving the problems in his own life. He is joined by other firefighters as well as members of the police department and emergency medical services. Series star Rob Lowe serves as co-executive producer.

Main

• Rob Lowe as Owen Marshal Strand, firefighter captain from New York City and TK's father. He was diagnosed with lung cancer as a result of being a first responder to the September 11 attacks, in which he also lost his entire firehouse. Having rebuilt his team in New York, he was asked to do the same for the 126 in Austin.
• Liv Tyler as Michelle Blake (season 1): the paramedic Emergency Medical Services (EMS) captain. She is also trying to locate her sister Iris, who has been missing for three years. It is revealed in the second season that she left the 126 to help homeless people with mental illness like her sister.
• Ronen Rubinstein as Tyler Kennedy "TK" Strand, a dual certified firefighter-paramedic with the 126. He is a recovering opioid addict and Captain Strand's son. A former addict, TK overdosed just prior to his arrival in Austin. He starts a relationship with police officer Carlos Reyes. In season 2, he quit being a firefighter and became a paramedic. At the end of season 3, he proposed to Carlos and the two marry in the fourth season finale.
• Sierra McClain as Grace Ryder (née Williams), a 9-1-1 operator and Judd's wife.
• Jim Parrack as Judson "Judd" Ryder, firefighter and Grace's husband. Judd is the sole survivor of 126's previous team's fire disaster.
• Natacha Karam as Marjan Marwani, a firefighter and paramedic. Marjan is an adrenaline junkie, a devout Muslim, and an Instagram celebrity.
• Brian Michael Smith as Paul Strickland, a firefighter and paramedic with a keen eye for details. Paul is also a trans man.
• Rafael L. Silva as Carlos Tomas Reyes, a police officer with the Austin Police Department, who begins a romantic relationship with TK. TK proposes at the end of season 3 and after his father is murdered, they get married in the season 4 finale.
• Julian Works as Mateo Chavez. He is severely dyslexic, and is a DREAM-er who must keep his job or be deported.
• Gina Torres as Tommy Vega (season 2–present): an EMS replacement captain. Tommy, mother of twin daughters, re-entered the workforce after eight years, to support her family when COVID-19 caused her husband's restaurant to close.
• Brianna Baker as Nancy Gillian (recurring, seasons 1–2; season 3–present): A paramedic who is a member of the Rescue 126 EMS crew.
• Kelsey Yates as Isabella "Izzy" Vega (guest, season 2; season 3–present): Tommy's daughter and Evie's twin sister.
• Skyler Yates as Evie Vega (guest, season 2; season 3–present): Tommy's daughter and Izzy's twin sister.

Recurring

• Kyle Secor as Deputy Chief Alden Radford (season 1; guest, season 2): A fire chief who convinces Owen to come to Austin to rebuild Station 126.
• Mark Elias as Timothy M. Rosewater (seasons 1–2): A paramedic who is also a member of Rescue 126 EMS crew. He dies while on a call.
• Jon Foster as Dustin Shepard (season 1): An ex-boyfriend of Michelle Blake's missing sister, Iris, who Michelle believes is connected to Iris's disappearance.
• Brett Rice as Wayne Gettinger (season 1): An elderly man who is receiving chemotherapy treatments at the same time as Owen. He also offers Owen advice on how to deal with his cancer.
• Mary Kay Place as Theresa Blake (season 1): Michelle's mother who wants Michelle to move on from what happened to Iris, Theresa's younger daughter who went missing.
• Natalie Zea as Zoe (season 1): A psychology professor at the University of Texas at Austin. She meets Owen at a beauty supply store and later begins dating him.
• Billy Burke as Captain/later Deputy Chief William "Billy" Tyson (seasons 1 and 3; guest season 2): A former firefighter for the 126 who also has cancer.
• Tamala Jones as Det. Sarina Washington (season 1; guest, seasons 3–4): A detective with the Austin Police Department.
• Lyndsy Fonseca as Iris Blake (seasons 1 and 4): Michelle's missing sister.
• Lisa Edelstein as Gwyneth "Gwyn" Morgan (seasons 2–3; guest, season 4): Owen's ex-wife and TK's mother, who arrives in Austin after her son's hospitalization. She dies in season 3.
• Derek Webster as Charles Vega (season 2): Tommy's husband. He dies in season 2.
• Lexi Crouch as Isabella "Izzy" Vega (season 2): Tommy's and Charles' daughter and Evie's twin sister.
• Xandi Crouch as Evie Vega (season 2): Tommy's and Charles' daughter and Izzy's twin sister.
• Benito Martinez as Gabriel Reyes (seasons 2 and 4; guest, season 3): Carlos' father, a Texas Ranger. He dies in season 4.
• Roxana Brusso as Andrea Reyes (seasons 2 and 4; guest season 3): Carlos' mother.
• Todd Stashwick as Dennis Raymond (season 2): An arson investigator who is later revealed to be a serial arsonist himself.
• Jack Conley as Captain Jack Tatum (guest, season 2; season 3): Captain at station 129.
• Julie Benz as Sadie Becker (season 3): A woman who rents the cabin next to Owen's.
• Carly Dutcher as Lindsey Robertson (season 3): A teenage woman Paul saves.
• Jackson Pace as Wyatt Harris (seasons 3–4): Judd's son he had through a one-night stand 17 years earlier.
• Amy Acker as Catherine Harper (season 3): Chief of staff for the governor of Texas. Catherine and Owen meet through an exclusive dating app.
• Robyn Lively as Marlene Harris (season 3; guest, season 4): The mother of Judd's son, Wyatt.
• Nathan Owens as Julius Vega (season 3): Charles' brother and Tommy's brother-in-law.
• Neal McDonough as Sgt. Ty O'Brien (guest, season 3; season 4): A hard-assed Austin PD Sergeant First Grade who is known for both his by the book approach and his dislike of firefighters.
• Amanda Schull as Special Agent Rose Casey (season 4): An FBI agent investigating members of an extremist group, with Owen's help.
• D. B. Woodside as Trevor (season 4): The new pastor at Tommy's church who becomes her love interest.
• Ashley Rae Spillers as Lila Gerald (season 4): a woman Marjan saves who later sues her.
• Jamison Webb as Mitch Gerald (season 4): a man Marjan saves who later sues her.
• Michaela McManus as Kendra Harrington (season 4): A charitable billionaire heiress who is Owen's love interest.
• Amanda Payton as Jasmine Asha Fulton (season 4): AFD Department Advocate at the 126.
• Chad Lowe as Robert Strand (guest season 3; season 4): Owen’s brother who has Huntington's disease.
• Andy Favreau as Pearce Risher (guest seasons 2–3; season 4): An egotistical paramedic who works briefly at the 126 then is employed by a private ambulance service.

Guest

• Alex Carter as Captain (season 1): The former captain of the 126 who is killed in the explosion.
• Jesse Luken as Jake Harkes (season 1): One of the former members of the 126 who is killed in the explosion.
• Matt McTighe as Chuck Parkland (season 1): One of the former members of the 126 who is killed in the explosion.
• Graham Shiels as Cory Garrity (season 1): One of the former members of the 126 who is killed in the explosion.
• Angel Parker as Josie (season 1): A woman who Paul meets on a call. They date briefly, until she learns he is trans.
• Barry Corbin as Stuart Ryder (seasons 1–3): Judd Ryder's father.
• Mena Massoud as Salim (season 2): Marjan's childhood friend whom she has been arranged to be married since they were twelve.
• William Allen Young as Benjamin Williams (season 2 and 4): Grace's father.
• Barbara Eve Harris as Denice Williams (season 2 and 4): Grace's mother.
• Bart Johnson as Stanley (season 3): Marlene's fiancé and Wyatt's future stepfather.

Crossover cast

Regular cast members of the original 9-1-1:

• Aisha Hinds as Henrietta "Hen" Wilson (special guest, season 2): L.A. firefighter and paramedic.
• Ryan Guzman as Edmundo "Eddie" Díaz (special guest, season 2): L.A. firefighter.
• Oliver Stark as Evan "Buck" Buckley (special guest, season 2): L.A. firefighter.
• Angela Bassett as Athena Grant-Nash (special guest, season 3): LAPD patrol sergeant.

Development

On May 12, 2019, it was announced that Fox had given the production a series order for a 9-1-1 spin-off. 9-1-1 creator Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear would serve as executive producers along with cast member Rob Lowe. Angela Bassett, who starred in the original 9-1-1 serves as an executive producer. Writer John Owen Lowe, son of Rob Lowe, also works on the show's writing team.

On April 13, 2020, Fox renewed the series for a second season which premiered on January 18, 2021. On May 17, 2021, Fox renewed the series for a third season which premiered January 3, 2022. On May 16, 2022, Fox renewed the series for a fourth season which premiered on January 24, 2023. On May 1, 2023, Fox renewed the series for a fifth season. On November 15, 2023, it was announced that the fifth season of 9-1-1: Lone Star was pushed to fall 2024, amid the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.

Casting

On May 12, 2019, it was announced that Rob Lowe had been cast in the series as lead role. On September 11, 2019, Liv Tyler was announced to star opposite of Lowe. Jim Parrack joined the cast on September 18, 2019. Two days later, Ronen Rubinstein and Sierra McClain were announced to have joined the cast. On September 23, 2019, Natacha Karam, Brian Michael Smith, Rafael L. Silva, and Julian Works joined the cast.

On September 3, 2020, Gina Torres was cast as a series regular for the second season. On September 22, 2020, Liv Tyler departed the show prior to the second season. Tyler had been commuting between her London home and Los Angeles to film the show. Due to potential travel difficulties of the coronavirus pandemic and not wanting to be away from her young children for long, she asked producers to let her out of her multi-year contract. The possibility of her return was left open. Lisa Edelstein was cast in a recurring role for the second season. On October 8, 2020, Derek Webster joined the cast in a recurring capacity for the second season. On May 25, 2021, Brianna Baker was promoted to series regular for the third season. On September 28, 2022, Neal McDonough, D.B. Woodside, and Amanda Schull joined the cast in recurring capacities for the fourth season.

Filming

Despite being set in Austin, Texas, nearly all filming of the series occurs in Los Angeles, California. The lack of on-location filming in Austin has prompted criticism from the local film industry, claiming that Austin has the production infrastructure to host the series.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the series' first season has an approval rating of 77% based on 13 reviews, with an average rating of 6.80/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "If not as outlandishly fun as its predecessor, 9-1-1: Lone Star still packs an entertaining punch and is a great showcase for the handsomely self-aware Rob Lowe." On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on reviews from 8 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Daniel D'Addario of Variety suggests that the series "started from the casting" but that it is not misconceived and is as solid as its predecessor, even if aspects of its conceit are "at times so utopian as to defy belief." He praises the "charismatic and inclusive ensemble" and hopes that the series will make use of them and not focus too much on its lead actor. Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter called the series fun and thrilling, stating its succeeds as a solid franchise companion, "full of explosions, infernos and death-defying stunts, but most of it is delivered in the attempted service of a more complicated series of character studies, an admirable goal not always smoothly executed." Kelly Lawler of USA Today praised the ensemble cast, and said that producers Minear and Falchuck have "clearly tapped into what worked in "9-1-1," transplanted it easily to Texas and found a way to give "Lone Star" a tone and atmosphere all its own." Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com wrote: "There's something almost impressively brazen about the way these shows use melodrama, embracing it like old-fashioned soap opera writers." Joel Keller of Decider said " If you loved 9-1-1, you'll love this show." Keller praised the performances of the actors and the action sequences, complimented the dialogue and the development of the characters.

Amanda Bell of TV Guide rated Lone Star 3.5 out of 5 and stated the series manages to find its own identity without duplicating 9-1-1, called the series inclusive through the diversity of the characters, and said the series celebrates Texas's culture. Melissa Camacho of Common Sense Media rated the series 3 out of 5 stars, complimented the depiction of positive messages and role models, stating the series highlights friendship, teamwork, and community across its characters, while noting the diverse representations.

Sean O'Neal of Texas Monthly criticized the show for its stereotypical portrayal of Texas, and the "baffling" choice of Austin for a conservative Texas setting.

Ratings

Accolades