I Can't Believe We All Quickly Moved On From 9-1-1: Lone Star's Most Ridiculous Soap Opera Plot

Like many Ryan Murphy shows, 9-1-1: Lone Star was rich with soap opera storylines, spread out across its five-season run. However, there were some arcs that were far more ridiculous than others, and Tommy Vega’s (Gina Torres) after the sudden death of her husband Charles (Derek Webster) was one of them. After an aneurysm, Charles left the 9-1-1: Lone Star cast at the end of season 2, and that opened the door for his brother Julius (Nathan Owens) to come to town.

Tommy and Julius started getting closer, resulting in a romantic relationship during 9-1-1: Lone Star season 3. That didn’t last for too long, and it’s now counted among the over-the-top storylines we’ve just seemed to accept and forget, with it not even getting a mention in 9-1-1: Lone Star's ending.

9-1-1: Lone Star's Tommy & Julius Relationship Explained

Julius Arrived After Charles’ Death

After Charles’ death, Julius came to Austin, Texas to celebrate the twins’ birthday. This opened up some emotional wounds, as Tommy pointed out that Julius wasn’t there after Charles’ death, and he didn’t even come for the funeral. Julius admitted that he did turn up, but that he couldn’t go inside the church, opening up his feelings of grief. There was some animosity between the two of them at first, and that was understandable considering Tommy was still grieving the loss of her husband.

However, things took a turn when the two start to get closer. They end up kissing, with both agreeing that it can’t happen again, although that's not the way it ended. While Julius stuck around for some time and lived in the house, it was clear there was some chemistry and tension between them, and there was a short fling before Julius decided to leave Texas for good. He was then only mentioned in 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5 while the twins were visiting him.

Why Tommy Moving On With Her Late Husband's Brother Was So Ridiculous

Julius Was Tommy’s Daughters’ Uncle

The initial kiss was in a moment of grief, as the two sought each other for comfort. However, it was the most ridiculous storyline in the series, as it showed that Julius had little self-control or respect for his late brother and nieces. The idea of Tommy moving on with her brother-in-law created far too many troublesome storylines, such as the way her daughters’ uncle would become their stepfather. On top of that, Charles had passed away less than a year before this moment, making the grief still raw for both of them.

In an interview with TV Insider, Torres explained that the relationship was one to help Tommy realize that she was open to date again. There was no intention of setting her up with Julius, and instead, it made it possible for Tommy to let Trevor (D.B. Woodside) into her heart and be open to dating again. However, Tommy did talk to Charles’ grave about how she wanted to explore what she felt for Julius at first. With other people she could have had a fling with to realize that she was ready to date, it didn't make sense to turn to family for this.

Tommy and Julius did end things, and Tommy did end up dating and was close to marrying Trevor, making it clear she knew that the initial relationship was wrong. The decision to have Julius return home arguably helped us forget that this storyline ever existed in 9-1-1: Lone Star, and hopefully, it's a storyline that the 9-1-1 spin-off 9-1-1: Nashville will not repeat.