Ryan Murphy Finally Explained Why 9-1-1: Lone Star Was Canceled
The Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear-created procedural drama 9-1-1 has had a tumultuous run. Airing originally on Fox, where it was canceled after six seasons in 2023, ABC subsequently picked up the show and recently started airing its eighth season beginning September 27, 2024. The show proved its staying power with fans for its engaging plots and characters unraveling over each episode under the “case-of-the-week” format. The show’s success resulted in an equally well-received spin-off, 9-1-1: Lone Star, giving fans more of the procedural drama they craved.
When it was announced 9-1-1: Lone Star was going to be canceled after its fifth season (via Deadline), the news shocked many, with some hoping the show would see the same resurgence. However, Ryan Murphy has finally spoken out about why the show was and is staying canceled while also giving fans a glimmer of hope for the future of 9-1-1.
The Reason 9-1-1: Lone Star Was Canceled
While the cancelation of 9-1-1: Lone Star might have caught some off guard, the main programs’ struggle with Fox and subsequent move to ABC, as well as the cast exiting before the fifth season, was a telling sign. In an interview with Variety, Ryan Murphy confirmed that the reason was not for a lack of love for the program but a necessary move; “Sadly, we all love ‘Lone Star,’ but the financials just didn’t work. It’s a Disney company that was on a Fox network, and it just was never going to work.”
Murphy refers to Disney’s 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox, which included the 20th Century Fox film and television studios1 but did not include the Fox Network, where 9-1-1 and Lone Star were airing. For Fox Network, there was no financial incentive to keep a Disney-owned show, and adversely, Disney had one of its shows stuck on a network where it did not have the rights to air on its other platforms. It was a lose-lose for 9-1-1: Lone Star.
However, fans of 9-1-1: Lone Star can still rest assured that the final season, set to conclude early in 2025, is still set to be a heartfelt departure. In the same interview, Murphy spoke of the final season, saying, “We all went into it pretty much knowing that it was going to be the last season, so that affected everything we did,” hinting that the cast and crew put their all into it to make the last season one to remember.
There Is Potential for More 9-1-1 Spin-Offs
9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star has undoubtedly seen success, with the main show attracting over 10 million average viewers for its first and fourth seasons, showcasing that cable television still has staying power and relevance with a modern audience. The show has staying power, and a ninth season is all but expected. Yet, with 9-1-1: Lone Star being canceled, Ryan Murphy has also revealed they have plans for another potential spin-off that fans can look forward to:
“Tim Minear and I are working on a new spinoff that we’re actually writing, and that we hope to get on the air next fall… Now we’re going to launch a new show in a new city that I can’t name, but it’s fun. And ‘9-1-1’ moved to ABC and suddenly became, I think, the biggest show on Thursday night. They obviously have an appetite for that, so we’re going to give them another one that I really love. ”
9-1-1 is currently airing every Thursday on ABC, with 9-1-1: Lone Star airing every Monday on Fox.
