Rob Lowe and ‘9-1-1: Lone Star’ Finale Secrets: Future on ABC’s ‘9-1-1’?

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WARNING: The content of this article reveals key moments from the final episode of “9-1-1: Lone Star” on Fox, entitled “Return Journey.” Be cautious if you haven’t watched it yet and wish to avoid spoilers.

After five thrilling seasons filled with life-saving acts, it’s time to express gratitude to “9-1-1: Lone Star” and its 126 dedicated team members as we bid farewell to this gripping Fox drama series created by Ryan Murphy. In the final episode of this first-responder drama set in Austin, Texas (which was a spinoff of the original “9-1-1” now airing on ABC), the charismatic character Owen Strand, played by Rob Lowe, heroically saves the day and, indeed, the entire city of Austin, by skillfully deactivating a nuclear reactor that had been triggered by an asteroid collision.

In the climactic finale of “9-1-1,” fans who appreciate the series’ escalating crisis situations were not disappointed. The episode was filled with emotional turmoil until its very end. After a brief false alarm, it is disclosed that Owen managed to survive the injuries he sustained during the emergency and has decided to leave the 126 team to return to New York. The station grieves the departure of their former captain, as his position is now assumed by Judd (Jim Parrack). Owen’s son, T.K. (Ronen Rubinstein), and his husband Carlos (Rafael Silva) make an appearance to acknowledge the change in leadership, despite T.K. having chosen to retire from the job to focus on raising Jonah, their adopted little brother.

Despite the mixed emotions, it was satisfying for Lowe to see his efforts come to fruition, given all the hard work Owen put into preserving the 126, following the tragic losses of many of its original crew members – a situation that echoed his personal struggles after the 9/11 attacks claimed his own team.

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In a bittersweet conclusion, Lowe felt vindicated as he witnessed the fruits of Owen’s labor to preserve the 126, following the sorrowful loss of many original crew members – a predicament reminiscent of his own hardships after losing his team in the 9/11 attacks.

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After all the effort Owen put into saving the 126, following the deaths of many of its original squad members – a challenging time that mirrored his personal struggles post-9/11 attacks when he lost his own team – Lowe was content to see his decision through to the end.

He had accomplished his task, which was the focus of the show – rebuilding his family, rescuing his son, and restoring the broken family of the 126 in Austin. As he shared with EbMaster, ‘From the very first scene in the pilot, it was about rebuilding his family, saving his son, and then mending the fractured family of the 126 in Austin.’ Now that he has successfully rebuilt the 126 family in Austin and restored his own son’s life, it’s time for Owen to move on, heading towards the East, symbolizing a new dawn rather than sunset, to start the next phase of his life.

In the meantime, T.K. decided to take a different route and departed from his supervisor Tommy (Gina Torres), who has now regained her health following cancer treatment (as she appeared quite ill in the last episode). He left behind the EMT team at the 126, and is embracing his role as a stay-at-home dad and “Papa Bro” for Carlos and Jonah in his new lifestyle with Carlos.

Rubinstein remarked about T.K. and Carlos, saying, “When Jonah joined us, it felt like we were setting the course for Tarlos.” On a personal level, he found this particularly strange because “the series appears to mirror my life, frequently reflecting art in my significant life events.” As we filmed Season 5, Rubinstein was expecting a child, and now his son is four months old. “Given that the season’s trajectory involved me having a son on the show, it’s incredibly odd,” he added.

I believe this conclusion to their storyline is incredibly moving and fitting in every sense. It’s as if we’ve returned to where it all began but with a fresh, heartwarming twist. For T.K., it represents a genuinely content ending and a wonderful way to bid farewell to these characters.

9-1-1 continues to thrive on its new network, ABC, while Lone Star was canceled at Fox mainly due to issues related to Disney’s ownership of the franchise’s studio, 20th Television, rather than a lack of viewer interest. As a result, actors Rob Lowe, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Jimmy Alvarez have shown enthusiasm about revisiting their roles, potentially on the Los Angeles-based 9-1-1 or the upcoming spinoff being developed by ABC.

Lowe stated, “I rarely rule out possibilities. I’ve learned this lesson for quite some time. It all depends on the scenario, the script, who’s involved, and the quality of the project. Is it a low-budget imitation or does it maintain the high-quality elements we’re known for in our show?

“Who knows?,” Lowe concluded. “We’ll have to see what everything looks like.”

Rubinstein expresses that it would be quite challenging to refuse, while Silva sees plenty of captivating potential for crafting the world for their characters. Therefore, they’re both on board.

In this conversation, Rashad Raisani, who oversees “Lone Star,” discusses with EbMaster how he and co-creator Tim Minear structured the finale in a way that allows these characters to reappear within the “9-1-1” universe. As a writer and producer on the original “9-1-1” series, Raisani shares insights into the process of executing this grand, high-budget conclusion.

There are a few minutes of the finale devoted to featuring Verizon’s THOR (Tactical Humanitarian Operations Response) trucks. How did this prominent product placement come about in the “9-1-1: Lone Star” series finale?

It’s quite a challenge when you’re aiming high with your projects, as you often find yourself walking a tightrope of financial feasibility. So whenever an opportunity arises to enhance our efforts or make things even more spectacular, I’m all for it. Coincidentally, Verizon was offering a technology that seemed destined, serendipitous, or perhaps divinely guided, to aid us in our endeavor. This technology happens to be the ideal fit for what we were planning – simulating scenarios where celestial bodies (stars) knock down cell towers and create situations where help might not be readily available.

Indeed, it was towards the close of the day, primarily concerning cold, hard money – yet throughout my long career, I’ve participated in numerous product placement opportunities, but this one stood out as the finest among them all. The reason being, bar a couple of aesthetic shots, this is precisely how events would unfold. For instance, when the fires struck L.A., they truly utilized THORs for emergency response – a life-saving measure indeed. This authenticity made me feel at ease about it and even appreciative towards Verizon, who not only supported us with their technology on screen but also financially, enabling us to craft a more thrilling conclusion and providing the means to do so. In essence, they came to our aid both on-screen and off-screen, saving the day and our budget.

You faked us out for a minute, but Owen didn’t die, Tommy didn’t die — no one died in the finale. Why did you make that choice?

A key aspect of it was my determination not to have any characters meet their demise in the final episode, as I wanted to leave viewers with a sense of optimism and continuity. Given the challenges we’ve faced and our abrupt ending, it seemed appropriate to conclude on a hopeful note. To achieve this, I decided to subject the characters to intense struggles before reaching that point of joy. The profound relief experienced at the end would serve as a striking contrast, making the beauty of the moment more poignant. This was the sentiment we aimed to convey during scripting, and I hope that the emotions we express in the series are mirrored by those of our audience. Moreover, despite his apparent departure, the main character will not have truly left; he’ll be present in a different capacity than before, adding an element of surprise for the viewers.

Will you bring these characters back either on “9-1-1” or the new spinoff set up at ABC?

I’d be thrilled if that comes true. I’m crossing my fingers that it actually happens. I wouldn’t turn it down if given the chance. It’s one of the wonderful possibilities when they’re all alive, as we might just see some of them appearing in L.A., or perhaps a character from those shows visiting Texas. That way, our characters could represent the 126 in an exciting new storyline.

It brings me great joy and satisfaction. Each member is a pleasure to collaborate with. I found them all exceptionally gifted and felt there were still many untold tales in their lives. Therefore, continuing this journey with them would be a source of immense happiness for me.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

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2025-02-04 05:18