All 9-1-1 & Lone Star Characters Who Left Ryan Murphy’s Shows (& Why)

While fewer characters have left the 9-1-1 franchise compared to other procedurals, Ryan Murphy’s hit shows 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star have also experienced premature character departures. The franchise has been praised for mixing first responders together to create highly entertaining crime dramas. As with the ever-changing cases that the teams have experienced, the 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star casts have also changed significantly since their respective premieres, as several characters have had to say goodbye to the franchise.

9-1-1 season 1 started with a small but mighty team largely led by Angela Bassett’s Athena Grant. While 9-1-1 season 8 features similar characters, the stories throughout the show focus more on the characters’ personal lives than the overall excitement of the lives of first responders. 9-1-1: Lone Star started off similarly in season 1, with a large focus on Rob Lowe’s Owen Strand. While both shows have been able to keep the majority of their characters since season 1, there have been a few notable exits.

7. Michelle Blake

Left 9-1-1: Lone Star In Season 1

Liv Tyler’s Michelle Blake was a major part of the cast of 9-1-1: Lone Star in season 1. She appeared in all 10 episodes but, unfortunately, did not return for 9-1-1: Lone Star season 2. Michelle was a paramedic in Austin and while a lot of her storyline centered on the cases she dealt with daily, she also had a very personal character arc. A major aspect of her character was Michelle’s search for her missing sister, Iris, who ran away after a bad fight with an ex-partner several years earlier.

Before her departure from the series, Michelle’s story reached a full conclusion as she was finally reunited with her sister after a case led Michelle to discover where she had been staying all that time. She learned that Iris had developed schizophrenia, which was the reason she had disappeared. Fortunately, Michelle’s story had a happy ending. 9-1-1: Lone Star season 2 revealed that Michelle left her job in Austin to help mentally ill people experiencing homelessness, after being inspired by her sister. Season 4 also revealed that Michelle was staying in Ecuador as part of her work to help others.

Michelle’s departure worked out for the series because 9-1-1: Lone Star was able to give her a well-rounded storyline before she left. However, Liv Tyler’s exit from the show was entirely coincidental. Traveling to the United States to film the show became too difficult during the pandemic, so Tyler made the decision to leave the show, which led to Gina Torres’ character, Tommy Vega, stepping in as her replacement.

6. Grace Ryder

Left 9-1-1: Lone Star In Season 3

Grace Ryder’s 9-1-1: Lone Star exit was one of the more shocking exits in the franchise. Grace was played by Sierra McClain and was a main character for four seasons, ever since her introduction in the 9-1-1: Lone Star premiere. Grace was a highly supportive character, and she was an incredibly skilled 9-1-1 operator who loved helping others. Grace was also the wife of Judd Ryder (Jim Parrack) and the mother of Charlie.

Grace left 9-1-1: Lone Star in the season 4 finale to volunteer for a Christian charity as part of a mission trip. The decision to leave aligned with Grace’s faith but came as a shock following her devout relationship with Judd and the arrival of their baby, Charlie. After her exit, her stepson, Wyatt Harris (Jackson Pace), replaced her on the show, but her absence has been felt ever since.

5. Abby Clark

Left 9-1-1 As A Major Character In Season 1

Connie Britton’s Abby Clark was a main character in 9-1-1 season 1. She was first introduced in the pilot as a 9-1-1 dispatcher. Abby’s story is centered on her struggles while trying to balance her career and caring for her mother who has Alzheimer’s. She was a kind and gentle character who quickly befriended Buck (Oliver Stark) while the two characters worked together. Their friendship soon became something more when Buck assisted Abby with her mother and the two realized they had feelings for each other.

Despite Abby and Buck’s growing romance and the importance of Abby’s character in season 1, Abby left 9-1-1 prior to season 2. Near the end of season 1, Abby’s mother died as a result of a pulmonary embolism. Her mother’s death encouraged Abby to take risks in life in a way she was not able to before, so she quit her job at the call center and booked a ticket to Ireland. Unfortunately, this meant she had to break up with Buck too.

While Abby’s exit in the season 1 finale of 9-1-1 seemed to represent Abby’s final appearance on the show, she had a surprising return in season 3. As a guest star, Abby returned to give closure to Buck and their relationship. She revealed that she was happily engaged to someone, and she was happy with her decision to leave for Ireland.

4. Michael Grant

Surprisingly Left 9-1-1 In Season 5

Rockmond Dunbar’s departure from 9-1-1 as Michael Grant was one of the most disappointing character exits in the franchise. As the ex-husband to Athena Grant and father to both May and Harry Grant, Michael was a major character in 9-1-1. He also had several personal storylines on top of his connections to the other characters, which made him one of the most important characters during his time on the show.

Michael had a series of shocking developments throughout his time on 9-1-1 and season 3 revealed that Michael was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Through medical treatment, the tumor shrunk and encouraged Michael to see his life differently. Following his new mindset, Michael left 9-1-1 in season 5 to move to Haiti with his fiancé to pursue humanitarian aid for people affected by natural disasters in the country. He has yet to return to 9-1-1 but, given his bond with Harry and May, he could appear as a guest star in the future.

3. Albert Han

Quietly Left 9-1-1 In Season 6

9-1-1‘s Albert Han had one of the more downplayed exits in the franchise. Albert was played by John Harlan Kim, and he was the half-brother of Kenneth Choi’s Chimney. Albert was first introduced in season 3, episode 9, by showing up at Chimney’s house for a place to stay after leaving their father in Korea. He later became a firefighter with the help of Chimney and, with his character’s career change, Han also became a main character in season 4.

The 9-1-1 season 4 finale revealed that Albert had passed all of his training and could finally become a firefighter full-time. However, season 5 showed Albert having doubts about his career. He took a test that revealed he was best suited for a career in the humanities and social sciences, so he quit firefighting to pursue other interests.

Albert returned to Korea shortly after, but he came back to Los Angeles for two episodes in season 6. When he visited Chimney, he surprised him by bringing his parents with him, forcing Chimney to confront his father after years of being estranged. While Albert quietly left 9-1-1 in season 6, he did help bring closure to Chimney and his family by bringing them together again, and he will always be remembered as a significant character on 9-1-1.

2. Taylor Kelly

Left 9-1-1 In Season 6 On Good Terms

Megan West’s Taylor Kelly appeared sporadically throughout 9-1-1 ever since her introduction in season 2, episode 6. Taylor was a field reporter who became connected to the 118 crew after her helicopter crashed, and the team responded to help. For a short while after the crash, Taylor continued her reports at the station, which led to her becoming close friends with 9-1-1‘s Buck. Her friendship with Buck blossomed into a romance, but it was not until season 5 that the two characters made their relationship official.

While Taylor and Buck’s relationship seemed to be going well, the two broke up at the end of season 5. As a reporter, Taylor valued the truth above all else, even when it made people uncomfortable. Unfortunately, this meant that she was not afraid to cross boundaries in her relationship with Buck to pursue the truth. After a disagreement over covering a story that Buck asked her not to, the couple decided to end things. While they broke up on good terms, it did solidify Taylor’s departure from the series.

1. May Grant

Left 9-1-1 In Season 7 To Pursue Education

Corinne Massiah’s May Grant is the only character to not have an official exit. May is the daughter of Athena and Michael and the older sister to Harry. May started as a recurring character in 9-1-1 season 1, but was a main character from seasons 2-6. Her storylines had previously centered on her character’s personal relationships, but in season 4, she started working as a 9-1-1 dispatcher and became a more integral part of the structure of 9-1-1 episodes.

In season 7, May decided to quit her job at the call center to pursue her education. While she enjoyed her job, she also did not want to miss the chance to go to school as her deferral period for university was about to expire. After leaving for university, May appeared less in season 7 than in any other 9-1-1 season. While her character’s exit was disappointing, there is hope that May could reappear as a guest star when she comes home from college.