As it stands, there are a number of canceled and ending TV shows in 2024. The past few months have seen networks make cuts while forming their schedules for the upcoming fall season. During that stretch of time, there were a number of casualties, with CBS alone canceling So Help Me Todd and axing NCIS: Hawai’i. At this point, it seemed like the bloodbath was over, but that may not actually be the case. It’s been suggested in a new report that more bad news could be on the way for a certain Fox procedural.
The show in question is 9-1-1: Lone Star, which is set to return this fall for its fifth season, and it sounds like it could also be its final one. As Deadline reports, the writing has been on the wall for the first-responder drama for a little while now. One such indicator is that the series lost one of its OG cast members, Sierra McClain (who played Grace Ryder). Per the trade, the actress’ exit can be attributed to a breakdown in contract negotiations. Sources also say that many of the other main stars also attempted to work out new deals but to no avail. With that, they’ve reportedly been under the impression that this 12-episode season of the show will be the last and have been looking for new jobs.
Fox has not officially announced that this will be the final season for the show, yet an actor may have let that news slip. As noted by the trade, Robyn Lively (who has played the recurring role of Marlene Harris for the last two seasons) seemed to confirm it on social media. In a since-deleted post, the veteran actress said the following:
So excited to be a part of [9-1-1: Lone Star’s] final season!! What a ride it’s been!
In terms of the cast’s contract statuses, they’re apparently still subject to options until this current season wraps production, with the final day of filming reportedly set for July 19. It seems that up to this point, many of the stars have also been under the impression that the drama series would end after this latest slate of episodes as well. All hope isn’t lost for another season, per insiders, though the chances of new episodes being produced after Season 5 currently seem slim.
The 9-1-1 spinoff premiered on Fox in January 2020, and it has since garnered a devoted fanbase. In 2023, the series was one of the many shows hit with delays due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. A number of notable TV series went back into production with the aim to return in winter 2024, though Lone Star fans were hit with bad news when it was revealed that it wouldn’t return until the fall of 2024. And, all the while, those indicators of the procedural’s demise have cropped up. That includes lead actor Rob Lowe landing a hosting gig on game show The Floor.
All the while, the parent show has seemingly flourished following its move from Fox to ABC for its seventh season. Its ratings have seemingly been solid and, as a result, the alphabet network renewed it for Season 8 amid the recent flood of cancellations. During their runs, the Ryan Murphy-produced sister shows have been distanced from each other, and neither production had any kind of focus on inter-network crossovers.
We obviously can’t say for sure yet whether the Texas-based spinoff is going to ride off into the sunset with the likes of Extended Family or Quantum Leap. However, as of right now, it definitely seems like this indeed be the end of Rob Lowe and co.’s procedural.
An official premiere date has yet to be announced for 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 5. While you wait for it to debut as part of the 2024 TV schedule, you can stream the first four seasons using a Hulu subscription.
