'9-1-1's Nashville Spin-Off Doesn't Need Direct Ties to the Original Show

There have been tons of successful spin-off television shows that have been able to distinguish themselves from their original counterparts. Shows such as Angel, Better Call Saul, and Frasier have all earned their spots in the pantheon of great television. But there have also been some spin-offs that just completely missed the mark — we're looking at you, Joanie Loves Chachi, Joey, and CSI: Cyber. Now that it has been announced that the 9-1-1 franchise will be getting a brand-new spin-off, the show will definitely need to stand apart from the original series if it wants to survive. 9-1-1: Lone Star has already been canceled (after a five-season run), so the latest iteration, set in Nashville, will need to try even harder to earn viewership.

'9-1-1: Nashville' Will Follow a New Crew of Firefighters

Although there were rumors that a new series would be located in Hawaii, in February, fans learned that the latest installment of 9-1-1 would be based in Nashville, Tennessee. Then, in March, it was announced that Chris O'Donnell (NCIS: Los Angeles) would be starring as Captain Don Sharpe. The character will serve with his son at one of the busiest firehouses in the Nashville area. But Don has very little in common with Captain Bobby Nash (Peter Krause) in Los Angeles or Captain Owen Strand (Rob Lowe) in Austin. In fact, Don is much more rugged and just so happens to moonlight as a rodeo rider. 9-1-1 showrunner Tim Minear is excited about O'Donnell joining the 9-1-1 family, saying, "I think he actually fits into the franchise in an interesting way, and I think it'll be fun for him too, because he was so great on NCIS: LA." He added that O'Donnell is "also very funny," which suggests that the new iteration of the franchise will include a bit of humor, just like the other two series have done.Not a lot of additional details have been provided about the spin-off, but it's set to air on ABC during the 2025-2026 season. The co-showrunner of 9-1-1: Lone Star, Rashad Raisani, has stated that the new series will have its own unique personality. He noted, "It will still hopefully feel like our DNA, but in the same way that Lone Star was different from 9-1-1 and had its own feel, I think that if we can get this right, this will have its own feel." The series will be utilizing a lot of the same team as the other two 9-1-1 shows in the franchise, including Angela Bassett, Brad Falchuck, Ryan Murphy, Minear, and Raisani as executive producers. However, with a whole new setting and cast of characters, the series will likely have a very different perspective from the versions that have come before it.

Oliver Stark Thinks Buck Should Appear on '9-1-1: Nashville'

There have already been rumors that some other characters from the 9-1-1 universe could pop up in Nashville. Bassett hinted that perhaps she could do a cross-over event as Athena Grant "if the FBI comes into play, if somebody runs from California to Nashville or vice versa." There's even been talk that Connie Britton could reappear as Abby Clark. Even though Abby hasn't been seen in 9-1-1 since Season 3, Britton herself starred in the drama series, Nashville, so she's definitely familiar with the territory. But there's one member of the 9-1-1 family who has made it very clear that he'd love to be considered for the spin-off.

Oliver Stark, who plays Evan "Buck" Buckley on 9-1-1, already has his storyline mapped out. He stated in a recent interview,

"I feel like Buck would have a lot of fun in Nashville. I saw they cast Chris O'Donnell, could be Buck's cousin. I'm putting that out there. I could pay a visit to him in Nashville and find myself stumbling down Broadway...ship me off to Nashville, and I'll be there."

No other actors have been as openly vocal about wanting to be cast in the spin-off, so it's a possibility that Buck could make the trip from Los Angeles to Nashville, especially if Don really was his cousin. However, even if the storyline could work out, it's not necessarily a great idea for the new show to have such obvious, direct ties to the original series.

'9-1-1: Nashville' Should Start Completely Separate from '9-1-1'

While Stark's suggestion makes it seem like there would be an easy crossover option for Buck, it doesn't seem like the Nashville spin-off should actually go in that direction. In fact, the series would be better served to ditch any obvious connections to the original show, especially in the beginning. As the spin-off series is establishing its own unique tone and characters, it would be a bit confusing to have such clear-cut ties to the Los Angeles show. By focusing on its own Nashville identity, the series can draw in new viewers (including some who haven't even watched the original series). This allows the Nashville version to be completely separate and much more fresh and fun.

If characters from the original 9-1-1 (including Buck) just happened to pop up in Nashville, it would make the series feel contrived right from the very beginning. Any straightforward connections could also run the risk of the Nashville series being a bit boring. We already know and love Buck's character, but it would be better if the audience is able to meet, learn more about, and form connections to new characters without any other stale energies getting in the way.

By including Buck in 9-1-1: Nashville, the spin-off runs the risk of not being original enough, which could lead to an early cancelation or an early death like 9-1-1: Lone Star. To gain longevity and a loyal fan base, the new series should focus on forging their own path forward (without any previously known characters). Hopefully, the Nashville-based series will work on creating a compelling drama set in Music City that doesn't have to rely on any franchise familiarity. The setting alone can inspire music-based storylines, down South country roots, and a culture that's completely unique to the region. Crossovers could be welcome at some point in the future, but in its first season, it doesn't seem like Buck needs to be welcomed into the fray.