ABC Boss Explains How Bobby Nash’s Shocking Death Paved The Way For 9-1-1: Nashville

9-1-1 viewers were terribly shocked in April when beloved lead character Bobby Nash (played by actor Peter Krause) was suddenly killed off. Some fans were impressed, some were furious — but everyone could agree that the scene had gotten people talking. Now the president of ABC is revealing that the buzz from Bobby’s death helped set the tone for upcoming spinoff 9-1-1: Nashville.

Craig Erwich spoke to Deadline about the dramatic death and why it had to happen. “As a viewer, it was incredibly emotional. [Bobby]’s a beloved character, and there was so much grist for the mill for [actor] Angela Bassett, who I thought gave such an incredible performance in both the episode where he died and the funeral,” Erwich said.

Bobby’s death has hung over the 9-1-1 characters for multiple episodes. The event happened in “Lab Rats,” when the team became trapped in a lab researching a terrible virus. Both Bobby and Chimney (Kenneth Choi) became infected. Bobby deliberately didn’t tell anyone about his status, so that the only cure could go to Chimney instead. He died in front of his wife Athena (played by Bassett), devastating her as well as the audience.

Erwich is now looking to duplicate that attention-grabbing storytelling in the spinoff. He explained, “Ultimately, it’s about the creative, and it was a decision that [showrunner] Tim Minear came to us with, and we supported him, as we always do. It was a really great night of television that created a massive amount — not just a viewing, but really social conversation. And I think it’ll give us a lot of momentum going into Thursdays next year. And [the original series will] be a great lead-off for 9-1-1: Nashville, which will be a huge priority for us.”

Little is known about 9-1-1: Nashville so far, but Erwich believes it will open with a bang. “I think that the 9-1-1 team are truly the masters of event-izing television, the way that bee-nado kicked off 9-1-1 last year,” Erwich said. “They have a really special event planned for 9-1-1: Nashville.”

9-1-1: Nashville Is the Second Spinoff in the Franchise

9-1-1: Nashville is set to star NCIS: Los Angeles actor Chris O’Donnell as Captain Don Sharpe, a rodeo rider who runs a firehouse with his son Ryan. He’s a devoted family man, but he may have some secrets in his closet. It’s not known yet who will be playing Ryan, but Jessica Capshaw will be portraying Ryan’s mother and Don’s wife.

Other additions to the cast include LeAnn Rimes and Kimberly Williams-Paisley, and their characters have yet to be revealed. Rimes’ casting in particular shouldn’t come as a surprise, as music is said to play an important role in the show.

There will also likely be a crossover with the main 9-1-1 show somewhere down the line, just as the recently ended 9-1-1: Lone Star would cross over with its parent series. “Although we haven’t discussed [crossovers], I think it’s an incredible opportunity that I’m sure at some point we’ll figure out how to capitalize on,” Erwich said.