Spoilers ahead for Episode 3 of 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 5 on Fox.
9-1-1: Lone Star got off to an epic start for the final season in the 2024 TV schedule, with a literal trainwreck. The heroes of the 126 were also facing a deadly cloud of chlorine gas that was threatening one group or other depending on the wind shifts. Luckily, despite some close calls and a painful injury for Marjan, all the good guys survived the trainwreck, and the episode ended with Owen finally making his choice about a lieutenant... and an emotional and understated moment with Marjan that executive producer Rashad Raisani explained to CinemaBlend, with a reference to an iconic TV scene.
When Owen was on the verge of announcing who he chose as the next lieutenant for the 126, Marjan spoke up to pull her name from consideration so that Paul would get the gig after his approach to the trainwreck saved a life that she missed. It was a lovely moment, and Owen never had to reveal who he'd chosen. He did take a moment to step aside and whisper something in Marjan's earn, and it was such a quick moment that I can easily imagine viewers missing it during the celebration of Paul and laughs of Judd as the new probie after his ordeal without Grace.
It was also a moment that stuck out to me so much that I had to ask the executive producer about it. So, will we ever find out what exactly Owen whispered to Marjan after she decided to support Paul for lieutenant? Here's what Rashad Raisani shared:
We won't, because I feel like it's there. I think about two great moments from film and television history that had a tremendous impact on me. That was the end of Lost in Translation, when Bill Murray whispers into Scarlett Johansson's ear, and and then a similar moment that had an equal and maybe even stronger impact on me. Funnily enough, it's from The Office, when Steve Carell left the show and Pam catches [Michael] at the airport, and they both take off their mics, and he whispers the final thing to her, which still chokes me up, just thinking about it.
Lost in Translation famously ended with Bill Murray's character kissing Scarlett Johannson's character, whispering something in her ear, and then walking away to go their separate ways. The film ranks on CinemaBlend's picks for the best movies of the 2000s for a reason, but perhaps more relevant to 9-1-1: Lone Star's moment between Owen and Marjan is the one from The Office.
When Michael was leaving Scranton to accommodate Steve Carrell's departure from the series, The Office amped up the emotion by having Pam chase him to the airport so that they could share a hug and some last words. While Jenna Fischer dropped some details about what she said to Carrell, the beloved sitcom never revealed what Pam said to Michael.
That will be the case with Owen and Marjan on 9-1-1: Lone Star, according to the EP, who went on:
I think I know what Owen said. I actually did not tell either of those actors what was going to be said. I had so much faith that they would play something that would be memorable that I didn't even tell them, and I think they did. But I know what I would have had Owen say, and I feel like the fact that none of us will ever know makes it so much more beautiful, because it truly is between them, what he said, because... the gesture she does, it's so remarkable. I think that's what he's taken by.
So, we'll never know what Owen said to Marjan unless Rob Lowe or Natacha Karam speaks up, but I don't think the moment loses anything from that element of mystery. The bigger question moving forward might be what kind of lieutenant Paul will be... and what Judd will be like working under him. (You can revisit the first three episodes of Season 5 via a Hulu subscription to see the build to Paul getting the promotion.) Take a look at the promo for the next episode:
Keep tuning in to Fox on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of 9-1-1: Lone Star. The co-showrunner also recently opened up about knowing the "writing was on the wall" for Lone Star getting cancelled, but at least there's still more than half of the fifth and final season left.
