ABC’s new spinoff is a ridiculous thrill
Spoiler alert: This review contains spoilers for the series premiere of “9-1-1: Nashville.”
Following the shocking cancellation of 9-1-1: Lone Star and the death of Robert “Bobby” Nash (Peter Krause) in the original 9-1-1 film, Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear now expand their first responder series with an all-new spin-off, 9-1-1: Nashville. Like its predecessor, the show follows a diverse crew of firefighters, paramedics, and police officers as they tend to emergency situations and face the struggles and triumphs of their eclectic personal lives. Like its predecessors, “9-1-1: Nashville” begins on a whirlwind of chaos and crisis, proving that despite being set in a new location and boasting an all-new cast, audiences can expect the same kind of delicious drama.
“9-1-1: Nashville” begins at a music festival. Fans dressed in western clothing eagerly gather around the stage as the main title begins. One producer feels uneasy about fireworks surrounding high winds, but everything seems to be going well — until she notices a tornado in the background. As suddenly as the whirlwind appears, the entire platform collapses in a fury of fire and chaos.
Despite this strong opening, the core of the series revolves around Captain Don Hart (Chris O’Donnell), the firehouse chief whose son, Lt. Ryan Hart (Michael Provost), shares his love of firefighting and bull riding. Rounding out Fire Squad 113 are Taylor Thompson (Hayley Kilgore), who loves to sing and write songs, and Roxy Alba (Joanni Velez), an adrenaline-obsessed doctor who now works as a paramedic. All of Nashville’s crazy cases come through 911 dispatcher Cami Raleigh (Kimberly Williams-Paisley), who also has a keen interest in music.
There are many disasters in the pilot. In addition to the explosive festival scene, there’s a drunken bachelorette wreck, as well as a stunning boy-with-a-red-balloon moment involving a little girl and a kite. But the crux of the new show is a major rift in the Hart family. A long-hidden secret comes to light, angering Ryan and changing his close relationship with Don. At one point in the episode, Ryan jokes with his father and mother, Beth (Jessica Capshaw), saying, “It’s a miracle I’m not in treatment.” This won’t be the case for long. Along with the new family drama, Ryan and his ER doctor wife Samantha (Mackenzie Porter) aren’t exactly on good terms. (In fact, she didn’t even appear in the pilot).
Other interesting characters include Dixie Pennings (LeAnn Rimes), a bitter former singer determined to use her son Blue (Hunter McPhee) to get revenge on her old lover. Although the series’ basic narrative isn’t exactly groundbreaking, the exaggerated, intense and fast-paced emergencies, combined with engaging plot twists, will undoubtedly appeal to audiences. Set in Tennessee, this new chapter begins and will surely unfold and develop in unexpected ways.
More than anything else, even amid the absurdity and absurdity of medical emergencies, the show’s feel-good moments, which involve saving people and others working together, portray a profound humanity. Despite being fictitious, these joyful moments are currently missing from our real-life news cycle. Despite the soapy qualities of “9-1-1: Nashville,” it is precisely this element, along with the dramatic scenes, that is why “9-1-1” viewers have stuck by the series for nearly a decade.
Overall, “9-1-1: Nashville” delivers exactly what fans of the series are looking for, but with a bit of country flair and some great new characters. While they may be disappointed that Captain Owen Strand (Rob Lowe) is no longer appearing on their screens weekly, given the chance, the “Nashville” cast seems more than capable of filling the gap. It will be interesting to see what kind of unimaginable (and frankly unbelievable) crises this new series will face.
““9-1-1: Nashville” premiered October 9 on ABC with new episodes airing weekly every Thursday.