Next 9-1-1 Spinoff’s New Nashville Setting Explained By Executive Producer

The location of the next 9-1-1 spinoff gets an explanation from executive producer and franchise co-creator Tim Minear. The second 9-1-1 spinoff, coming after the recently concluded 9-1-1: Lone Star, garnered a lot of attention when it was announced late last year. There were a lot of questions about where the new show would take place. Although there was some speculation that Hawaii could be a potential setting, the producers ultimately settled on Nashville. The spinoff will premiere later this year on ABC.

In comments to Entertainment Weekly, Minear pulled back the curtain on the decision to choose Nashville, Tennessee for the franchise’s next location. Minear, who co-created the 9-1-1 franchise with Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, said the city and its personality was a draw. In the quote below, Minear adds that the new location is a good fit for the franchise and different from 9-1-1: Lone Star:

It’s the city itself, its personality. We just thought it would be a good fit for the franchise — and actually quite different than Texas.

What The New Location Means For 9-1-1

City-Centric Emergencies Await

The creative team behind the new spinoff mentioned in interviews that they wanted to avoid choosing locations that were too common for TV productions. That would rule out the likes of New York, Washington D.C., and Chicago. At the same time, there are also financial considerations. It was reported that Nashville got the approval, in part, due to a tax credit that was offered. Still, fans can anticipate that the city will be an active part of the emergencies the new first-responders face.

Just as the original 9-1-1 regularly evokes Hollywood in its emergencies as well as other Los Angeles staples, and just as Lone Star had plenty of Texas flavor, the latest spinoff will likely find plenty of ways to incorporate Nashville and Music City overall. This can lead to some unique emergencies and plotlines, thus justifying its existence and deepening the world established by the original 9-1-1. However, that will not be the most crucial factor in the show’s success.

Our Take On The New 9-1-1 Spinoff

It’s All About Casting

9-1-1 is somewhat atypical in the broadcast space because it has a very active online fandom that’s more common for streaming series. Part of that devoted audience is thanks to the casting behind the show’s vibrant characters, which has yet to be hinted at for the new spinoff, but it will be what makes or breaks the new show when it premieres in just a matter of months. The franchise’s established pattern of veterans and breakouts will be one thing to watch for. Based on television’s typical production timeline, new cast members should be announced within the next couple months.