9-1-1 is setting up shop in Tennessee.
News of the latest 9-1-1 spinoff has been swirling for months, and confirmation finally came that not only was the spinoff moving full steam ahead with a full-season order at ABC, but the latest entry into the family will take place in the Music City.
So, are we feeling it, 9-1-1 family? Was this the news you were hoping for? Does 9-1-1: Nashville give you all the feels?
I must admit, Nashville was not on my short list of cities to receive a new batch of first responders.
And that’s no shade to the city, but it wasn’t necessarily one that immediately jumped out as a prime location for a series like this.
Thus far, we’ve had Los Angeles, with its bright lights and Hollywood backdrop, as the home of emergencies in the downtown area or the hills. It was a solid starting point for the series and made much sense.
Then came Austin, Texas, which gave us a bit of southern charm, though there were probably more comparisons to be made between the locations than differences.
Now, the series is finally heading east, but maybe not as far north as many had hoped. And by many, yes, I am talking about myself.
The original 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star were both known for outside-the-box rescues and action pieces alongside family drama, with sprinkles of comedy rounding out the recipe.
The OG 9-1-1 has mastered its goal of detailing first responders’ heroics and everyday struggles in a massive city like Los Angeles.
It would have been interesting to take that concept into a northeastern city, which would have opened up a whole new level to take the franchise, with a differing climate and a faster pace.
It would have been fun to see how 9-1-1 navigated winter and actual seasons in general and how they used that to their advantage in crafting unique rescues we haven’t seen with the same zaniness and heart that have made the original so endearing.
It’s not as if I don’t believe they can’t do that in Nashville, but it feels more like “Lone Star: The Sequel,” whereas a journey further north would have genuinely felt like something different from the two iterations that came before it.
Would a New York reveal have excited me more, even though there are approximately 787 shows currently taking place there?
Yes, if only because I would have loved to see that challenge of keeping that delicate balance between darkness and light in a city like New York, Philadelphia, or Boston.
Because that’s the thing, right?
The franchise consists of procedurals masquerading as action dramedies, and both Los Angeles and Austin have proven to be the perfect locations for the kind of lighthearted stories the series likes to tell at times.
And on the surface, Nashville brings that same kind of energy.
That’s why it would have been intriguing to see them stretch their wings and go to a city so wildly different from what they’ve already done.
I do not doubt that we’re going to get some creative emergencies involving bachelorette parties gone wrong and mishaps at the Bluebird Cafe and Grand Ole Opry, but will it be as invigorating as tackling a Northeast hurricane or a seminal piece of our country’s history, like the Liberty Bell, being put in peril by a two-foot snowstorm?
Time will tell, people.
Until we see the finished product, I can’t say this city will be a bust. Still, snap reactions are something everyone does, and the immediate reaction to hearing 9-1-1: Nashville was a resounding ‘Oh’ in my household.
But this is 9-1-1, which means even though we may have an idea of what’s to come, they often surprise us, and until we hear that familiar buzz of the call connecting and see those first fire trucks barreling down Broadway, let me bathe in the excitement of the franchise continuing.
That is never a given in today’s ever-changing television landscape.
Alright, 9-1-1 Fanatics.
Now that you’ve had a chance to digest the news, it’s time to let us know how you feel about it.
We still don’t know much, but what’s your immediate reaction to 9-1-1: Nashville?
What are you hoping to see from the new series?
Please leave your comments down below so we can talk it out!
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