9-1-1: Nashville's Major Change From Original Series Revealed By Showrunner

9-1-1: Nashville showrunner Rashad Raisani reveals one major change from the original series that will make the spinoff's story more unique. The story of 9-1-1: Nashville follows emergency responders in Tennessee's capital, led by veteran firefighter Captain Don Sharpe, as they tackle various cases. This is much akin to the presentation of the main series and spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star.

Speaking with TV Insider, Raisani revealed that, while 9-1-1: Nashville pulls inspiration from previous shows in the franchise, it also includes large-scale interpersonal conflicts akin to series like Succession. He reveals one character learns something upending when the show begins, with fire tornadoes adding personal symbolism to whatever's going to transpire. Check out what Raisani had to say below:

Its DNA, of course, is 9-1-1.... There’s some Succession…and some Dynasty slipped in there. The show begins with an explosive revelation that affects the central dynamic of a character’s world. And then we shamelessly use tornadoes to great effect as a metaphor for the storm that has come into these characters’ lives.

What 9-1-1: Nashville's Story Tease Says About The New Spinoff

The new spinoff will be the second show to run concurrently with the original series after 9-1-1: Lone Star ended in February 2025. The series will include a whole host of new characters, with Chris O'Donnell's Don and Jessica Capshaw's Blythe Ward, the captain's wife, being the core duo of the show. But there's more to them than firefighting too.

Don is a former rodeo rider, while Blythe comes from generational wealth. Their son, Ryan, played by Michael Provost, is also a firefighter, taking after his father in the process. Given Raisani's comparisons to shows about wealth and successive generations, it's likely the core family will be the ones subjected to a life-altering situation that turns everything upside down.

What this is remains unclear. But it emphasizes how 9-1-1: Nashville will have some major interpersonal storylines playing out right from the start. This comes as 9-1-1 season 9 also embraces new beginnings, with the crew still mourning the death of Bobby Nash in season 8. The spinoff's start sounds just as upending for its new characters.

Our Take On 9-1-1: Nashville's Story Teaser

Given Raisani's teaser, it sounds like 9-1-1: Nashville will be a very different experience from previous series in the franchise. While wild emergencies like fire tornadoes are still going to happen, this different dynamic between characters and what they're dealing with outside the job signals a unique premise for the latest spinoff. Who it'll impact, though, remains unknown.

For now, it seems like 9-1-1: Nashville's core focus will be on Don and his family, alongside other emergency responders who have their own storylines. How much intersection there will be between the crew and the Succession-like event is unclear. What does seem the case, though, is a story that delivers on 9-1-1 expectations while standing on its own.