Why Was Harry Grant Recast in 9-1-1?
9-1-1 is packed full of intriguing characters, all of whom work together to create an alluring picture of the LAFD. While the main cast is enough to keep the show flowing at a fast and dynamic pace, it’s their family and friends who work to produce a unique and three-dimensional procedural. Thus, not only does this help 9-1-1 to compete against its contemporaries like Chicago Fire and Fire Country, but it also works to place the show in a league of its own.
Harry Grant is a prime example of how secondary characters support their primary counterparts. Though he started on the show as a fresh-faced little boy, his arc has experienced a ton of intense ups and downs. But, long-time fans of the show will notice that he looks a tad different nowadays. So, why was Harry Grant recast, and will it affect his character in the future?
Even as a Secondary Character, Harry Grant Had His Fair Share of Drama
Harry Grant is best recognized as Athena’s son, tying him to one of the most significant and popular characters on the show. Though his father is Athena’s first partner, Michael Grant, he is also raised by her current partner, Bobby Nash. At first glance, Grant seems like a typical little boy. Yet, his entire life gets turned upside down when one of his mother’s enemies targets him. In Season 5, Episode 2, “Desperate Times”, Harry is kidnapped by the elusive and bone-chilling Jeffrey Hudson. Avid fans of the show will remember that Hudson is a serial rapist who also targeted Athena. But, when he returns to society, he kidnaps Harry as a way of getting revenge on his mother. This occurred because Athena’s ex-husband invited her neighbors to stay at her house during a blackout, allowing this villain to stroll right into her sanctuary.
Overall, this is a very compelling episode and is a prime example of how to successfully reintroduce an antagonist. Previously, Hudson had used a drone camera to spy on his victims, working to make a gruesome mark on the audience’s brains forever. Fortunately, she managed to track him down and arrest him for his horrific crimes. Grant offers a very compelling performance and proves that this is just the beginning of his whirlwind arc. Fortunately, Athena eventually hunts Hudson down and shoots him in the chest, bringing her family back together once again. Initially, the audience believes that with Hudson out of the picture, the Grants are free to start rebuilding their lives and focus on recovery. But, it’s clear that Harry’s emotional scars run a lot deeper.
A few episodes later, in Season 5, Episode 5, “Buck Begins”, Harry is struggling to cope with recent events and begins displaying mood swings and angry outbursts. During this episode, a small disagreement with his mother completely spirals out of control and results in Harry labeling Athena as a bad parent. In response, Athena slaps her son around the face, producing a very shocking moment for both the audience and the characters. There’s no denying the controversy surrounding this scene as many fans believe that Athena is in the wrong for physically harming her son. However, a large portion of fans praise the writers for bringing Harry’s trauma to light and not just simply sweeping it under the rug after Jeffrey dies. Thus, this is a great example of how 9-1-1 successfully keeps fans on their toes and isn’t going to let them forget about this earth-shattering storyline so easily. Plus, this episode also does a fantastic job of altering the audience’s perception of Athena. Typically, she is presented as a very strong and passionate person, but watching her lash out at her son, highlights that she is a lot weaker than the audience initially expected.
9-1-1 Fans Got to See Harry Grow from a Boy to a Man
Harry Grant doesn’t appear throughout 9-1-1 Season 6 because he moved to Florida. Though many fans were quite upset to see him go, it makes sense that he would want to take some time away from LA after everything that happened to him. But, fans wouldn’t have to yearn for him for too long because he returned home in Season 7. It seemed that Harry was running away from something much larger than himself. In Season 7, Episode 4, “Buck, Bothered, Bewildered”, Grant admits he had to return to LA because he’s wanted by the Miami Police Department for punching someone in the face. Many fans were quite shocked to hear that Harry had got himself into trouble whilst in Florida because it seemed so strange considering his upbringing. Aside from his kidnapping, Harry had a relatively well-adjusted childhood and was loved by his family and extended relatives. Even after his father came out as gay in Season 1, the family still managed to remain relatively strong and amicable. All this context encourages the audience to believe that Harry went down the wrong path by his own admission and is no longer a little boy who cannot be held accountable for his actions.
Later on in this episode, Athena manages to convince her son to hand himself over to the LAPD. Though CCTV footage proves that the victim attacked Harry first, the video also shows that he retaliated. As such, Harry is forced to do 100 hours of community service in California. The fact that Athena encouraged her son to admit he was in the wrong and even risked him going to prison for his actions also proves that she no longer views him as an innocent child. Though Grant is around 16 years old, he’s still old enough to know better and no one agrees with that idea more than his mother. Overall, “Buck, Bothered, and Bewildered” exemplifies a turning point for both Harry and Athena. The boy learns that he can no longer hide under the cloak of his troublesome past and must learn to take serious accountability for his actions. On the flip side, Athena learns not to coddle her son or to punish him too sternly. Instead, she places him in the hands of the wider legal system, something that could easily backfire. As such, Harry’s return to 9-1-1 allows the entire Grant-Nash family to grow exponentially.
Harry’s Recasting Was an Important Part of 9-1-1’s Growth
One of the major changes to Harry’s character was the actor who portrayed him. From Seasons 1–5, he was portrayed by Marcanthonee Jon Reis. But, after his brief hiatus from the show in Season 6, the actor declined to offer to return for the following season. As such, the 9-1-1 had no choice but to recast the actor. Since leaving the show, Reis appears to have taken a break from acting, possibly to focus more on his schoolwork and being a typical teenager. In Season 7, Elijah M. Cooper, best known for his work in Goosebumps and Chicago P.D., took over the role. Though a lot of fans found the recasting a bit disorientating at first, they quickly realized that it made sense to recast the character, rather than write him out completely. Now that Harry Grant is a growing man, his actor must reflect that. Thus, Cooper seems to be an adequate choice for such a compelling role and, so far, fans are enjoying his presence on the show
It should be noted that recasts are always a tad awkward as they force the audience to realize that the actors are real people and that they’re consuming a piece of fiction. Not to mention, a lot of long-term fans have grown quite fond of Reis and were quite sad to see him go. Yet, the introduction of Cooper actually works to make Grant’s character more realistic and relatable. His return in the latest season proves that Athena has a lot more to deal with nowadays and must focus on balancing her very demanding job with the pressures of raising her teenage son. As such, though a lot of fans were thrown off by Harry Grant’s recasting at first, his new look foreshadows that his character is going to experience a lot more changes in the upcoming seasons, giving fans something to really sink their teeth into.
