Television dramas love to flirt with the edge — and this time, the edge is love itself. Nashville just made TV history by becoming the first 9-1-1 show to feature a real-life married couple as its leads, and fans are absolutely loving it. But this isn’t just a PR stunt or Hollywood eye candy — it’s an emotional, raw, and authentic experience that’s bringing something fresh to the emergency drama genre. Let’s dive into how this unprecedented casting choice is shaking up the entertainment world, breaking barriers, and rewriting the script (literally and figuratively) for first-responder dramas.
O’Donnell, known in recent years for his role as Special Agent G. Callen on the long-running NCIS: Los Angeles, was the first name cast for 9-1-1: Nashville. He’ll play Captain Don Sharpe, with the official character description revealing that Don is a rugged fire captain and rodeo rider who runs Nashville’s busiest firehouse with his beloved son. But despite being a devoted husband and family man, Owen has his secrets. The casting of O’Donnell was soon followed by the news that Capshaw would play Don’s wife, Blythe Sharpe.
The focus on a married pair, with a grown-up son, is a new direction for the franchise that debuted in late 2018. Angela Bassett’s Athena Grant and Peter Krause’s Bobby Nash were both single when the series first started, with the writers tracking the evolution of their relationship over the course of eight seasons. 9-1-1: Lone Star was fronted by Rob Lowe’s Owen Strand, twice divorced, with a handful of serious love interests as the show went along.
It points to the spinoff putting a spotlight on how a long-running courtship survives and thrives… The franchise has featured married couples in prominent roles, such as Henrietta (Aisha Hinds) and Karen (Tracie Thoms) in 9-1-1 and Judd (Jim Parrack) and Grace (Sierra McClain) on Lone Star. But it’s the first time that the franchise will start by allowing the focus to be on married couple. It points to the spinoff putting a spotlight on how a long-running courtship survives and thrives rather than building a romance, in the case of Athena and Bobby, or Owen’s search for the right partner.
9-1-1: Nashville will be written and executive produced by franchise co-creators Ryan Murphy and Tim Minear alongside 9-1-1: Lone Star showrunner Rashad Raisani. The spinoff hails from 20th Television and Ryan Murphy Television, with fellow franchise co-creator Brad Falchuk and 9-1-1 star Angela Bassett executive producing. It is so far the only new show that ABC will be debuting for the upcoming broadcast season.
Along with Capshaw and O’Donnell, who is recognized by many for playing Robin in Joel Schumacher’s Batman movies, 9-1-1: Nashville has added two stars with impressive tie-ins. The city is known for its country music connection, and the show has brought on country music superstar LeeAnn Rimes for her first starring role in an ongoing drama series. Veteran actor Kimberly Williams-Paisley (Father of the Bride, According to Jim) has also been cast. Their character details remain under wraps.
More casting will follow in the coming weeks and months, filling out the show’s ranks. That includes the question of who will play the son of Don and Blythe, giving a better sense of what makes 9-1-1: Nashville stand out from its predecessors. Enjoy Screen Rant’s primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for our weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check “Network TV” in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.
