All 5 Seasons Of 9-1-1: Lone Star, Ranked

Warning: SPOILERS for 9-1-1: Lone Star.9-1-1: Lone Star was a high-octane first responder drama with a devout following, but the five seasons of the Texas-based spinoff ranged in quality. 9-1-1: Lone Star had a respectable five-year run, but every season had strengths and weaknesses that compiled over each batch of episodes. While some seasons stood out for better and others for worse, the 9-1-1: Lone Star cast never faltered in their masterful portrayals of firefighters, police officers, and dispatch workers in Austin, Texas.

Unfortunately, not all seasons were created equal. Some had situational limitations, like 9-1-1: Lone Star’s early cancelation or the COVID-19 pandemic. Others simply paled in comparison to the best, failing to reach new heights or find the most optimal path forward. Although 9-1-1: Lone Star’s ending is bittersweet, the series as a whole is still great for a rewatch— but there are obviously some seasons that are more worthy of a second viewing. Whether it’s the storylines, the acting, or the underlying tone, 9-1-1: Lone Star runs the gamut of great, good, and lackluster across its five seasons.

5Season 5

A Missing Main Character And Shortened Run Made For A Disappointing End

Sadly, 9-1-1: Lone Star ended on a sour note. Season 5 wasn’t originally the end, meaning most of the plots introduced likely would’ve been more drawn out and paced well if the series hadn’t been canceled. As a result, most of 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5 feels incomplete. Many of the biggest storylines felt rushed, like Mateo Chavez (Julian Works) facing deportation or Tommy Vega (Gina Torres) miraculously surviving her fatal breast cancer diagnosis. The plots themselves were fine, but they weren’t effectively conveyed.

Granted, 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5 only had 12 episodes to round out the entire series. The procedural was tasked with the impossible: it needed to conclude residual plot holes from the previous season while introducing new content, all the while knowing it had to wrap up in a satisfying ending. Though the 9-1-1: Lone Star finale included a bizarre time-jump to give most of the main characters a happy ending, the conclusion ended up feeling less like a sendoff and more like a snub.

If season 5 had been given the green light for a full batch of episodes, it’s possible that the many subplots that feel haphazardly thrown in could’ve been substantial. As it stands, however, the final season of 9-1-1: Lone Star is the weakest. From the palpable absence of Sierra McClain’s Grace Ryder to the claustrophobic number of crises, season 5 tries to up the ante but lacks the necessary spark.

4Season 1

The Early Days Were About Finding The Show's Footing

While the final season was disappointing, 9-1-1: Lone Star’s pilot season was simply unremarkable. The modern procedural was still figuring out its identity not only as a series but as a spinoff, and the uncertainty showed in the final product. Some characters were established in the first season that laid the foundation for the rest of the series, like Judson “Judd” Ryder’s permanent attachment to the deceased 126 crew. Others disappeared entirely, like Michelle Blake (Liv Tyler), who was given a substantial amount of screen time. Multiple actors have left the 9-1-1 franchise, but few have been such pivotal characters.

9-1-1: Lone Star was subject to radical change even after it first premiered, making the pilot season truly feel like a test run. With so many plots and character traits that were introduced and abandoned, 9-1-1: Lone Star season 1 seems inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Yes, the later seasons needed this starting point, but it finished serving its purpose as soon as it aired.

Granted, 9-1-1: Lone Star season 1 struggled with common obstacles for any pilot season, especially for a spinoff. Walking the line between being a franchise title and an original series is difficult, but the drama created by Ryan Murphy only began to hit its stride after some serious restructuring. While there weren’t many uniquely negative aspects, 9-1-1: Lone Star season 1 feels mediocre compared to most of its successors.

3Season 4

A Few Great Episodes And A Lot Of Confusing Decisions

9-1-1: Lone Star season 4 had highs and lows, making it the perfect midpoint in the ranking. In terms of standalone episodes, season 4 had some of the best, including Carlos Reyes (Rafael L Silva) being kidnapped by a serial killer, Marjan Marwani (Natacha Karam) fighting for her life while stranded in the woods, and the iconic alternate reality dream sequence to explain Mateo’s experience with his cousin, Marvin (also portrayed by Works). Yet, for every great episode, 9-1-1: Lone Star season 4 had a less-than-stellar entry that balanced it out.

Certain storylines could have been interesting but ended up feeling unnecessary (like the paramedics feuding with the private healthcare sector) or needlessly convoluted (like the entire saga following Michaela McManus as Kendra Harrington). Owen Strand (Rob Lowe) may have had a cursed dating history in 9-1-1: Lone Star, but his journey with Kendra was absurd. Romancing, jilting, and acquitting Kendra of murder all in one season was just too much, and it ended up distracting from the much more interesting plots that were sidelined.

Sadly, some of 9-1-1: Lone Star season 4’s plots never got closure. Paul Strickland (Brian Michael Smith) finally had a love interest in season 4, only for her to never appear or even be mentioned in the final season. Iris Blake (Lyndsy Fonseca) re-entered the picture, just to disappear again after Carlos and TK’s (Ronen Rubinstein) wedding in the 9-1-1: Lone Star season 4 finale. Even Kendra unceremoniously left between seasons. All in all, it could’ve been better, but it could’ve been worse.

2Season 3

Some Of The Most Exciting Moments In All Of 9-1-1: Lone Star

Season 4 had some amazing episodes, but 9-1-1: Lone Star season 3 worked comprehensively as a season. Rather than coming across like an anthology or a careless string of storylines, season 3 logically progressed with overarching themes and character development. Though they didn’t get married until season 4, Carlos and TK’s relationship in 9-1-1: Lone Star season 3 was much more interesting. The procedural not only jeopardized its main couple, but it explained why without it feeling cumbersome. As a result, TK’s touching proposal in 9-1-1: Lone Star season 3, episode 18, feels earned.

Some of 9-1-1: Lone Star’s most intense rescues happened in season 3, from the ice storm to Owen and TK helping an injured woman on an airplane. Yet, the character moments stand out the most. Jackson Pace joined the cast, with his character Wyatt taking over the 9-1-1: Lone Star dispatcher role for the final season. Paul’s emergency surgery and the tense fallout between him and Marjan offered a simple but effective conflict. Even storylines that only lasted an episode, like Carlos and Grace teaming up to hunt a criminal, left a lasting impression.

Overall, 9-1-1: Lone Star season 3 was a strong net-positive. The twists and turns made sense, the problems all had understandable solutions, and the procedural took big risks that garnered big rewards. It wasn’t without flaws, but season 3 is one of the most coherent entries in 9-1-1: Lone Star. That alone is praiseworthy.

1Season 2

From A New Paramedic Captain To Character-Driven Storylines, The Sophomore Season Struck Gold

In stark contrast to the pilot season’s shaky sense of self, 9-1-1: Lone Star season 2 had a clear identity. Gina Torres taking over the paramedic captain role was the best thing to happen to the series, as she breathed new life into 9-1-1: Lone Star and helped establish the spinoff’s original presence. While many series failed to incorporate a diegetic purpose for COVID-19, 9-1-1: Lone Star season 2 used the pandemic as a narrative tool to set up new storylines and conflicts. Even after the masks went away, season 2 knew how to add impact.

9-1-1: Lone Star season 2 subverted expectations without the twists feeling random. Though Tommy and her husband seemed poised to become one of the best couples in the 9-1-1 franchise, Derek Webster’s Charles instead dies suddenly, leaving Tommy with a complex storyline about how to manage her grief while also managing her daughters’ feelings about losing their father. 9-1-1: Lone Star nearly kills Judd and Grace in a car accident that segues into a poignant exploration of Judd’s traumatic past and how Grace became his anchor. Even the arsonist arc, though a bit heavy-handed, was interesting.

There were more fleeting moments that made 9-1-1: Lone Star season 2 a standout, like the crossover episode with the original 9-1-1 that remains just as iconic as the day it first aired. 9-1-1: Lone Star season 2 was when the show realized not only what it was but what it could be. For better or worse, season 2 was the springboard that allowed the procedural to swing for the fences more often. Not every season of 9-1-1: Lone Star handled its dramatic choices with the same ease, but the impact season 2 had on the series was immeasurable.

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