Why 9-1-1: Lone Star Was Canceled According to Ryan Murphy The procedural drama created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear, 9-1-1 has had a tumultuous journey. Originally airing on Fox, where it was canceled after six seasons in 2023, ABC later picked up the show and recently began airing its eighth season starting September 27, 2024. The show has proven to be enduring with fans thanks to its compelling storylines and characters that are revealed episode by episode in a “case of the week” format. The show’s success led to an equally well-received spinoff, 9-1-1: Lone Star, which gave fans more of the procedural drama they craved.
When it was announced that 9-1-1: Lone Star would be canceled after its fifth season (via Deadline), the news came as a shock to many, with some hoping the show would see a similar revival. However, Ryan Murphy has finally spoken out about why the show was and is being canceled, while also giving fans a glimmer of hope for the future of 9-1-1.
Why 9-1-1: Lone Star Was Canceled While the cancellation of 9-1-1: Lone Star may have come as a surprise to some, the show’s struggles with Fox and then moving to ABC, as well as the cast leaving before its fifth season, were clear signs. In an interview with Variety, Ryan Murphy confirmed that the reason wasn’t a lack of love for the show, but rather a necessary move; “Sadly, we all love ‘Lone Star,’ but the financials don’t work. It’s a Disney company that used to be on the Fox channel, and it’s never going to work.” Murphy pointed to Disney’s 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox, which included the film and television studio 20th Century Fox1 but did not include the Fox Network, which airs 9-1-1 and Lone Star. For the Fox Network, there was no financial incentive to keep a Disney-owned show, and Disney ironically left one of its shows stuck on a channel that it didn’t have the rights to air on its other platforms. It was a no-win situation for 9-1-1: Lone Star. Related The 11 Best Police and Police Procedural TV Shows in the United States, Ranked Some of the best and most-watched US-produced police shows of all time. Still, fans of 9-1-1: Lone Star can rest assured that the final season, which is set to end in early 2025, will still be an emotional start. In the same interview, Murphy said of the final season that, “We pretty much went into it knowing that this was going to be the last season, so that affected everything we did,” hinting that the cast and crew were dedicated to making the final season a memorable one.
There’s potential for more 9-1-1 spinoffs than 9-1-1, and 9-1-1: Lone Star has certainly been a success, with the main show averaging over 10 million viewers in its first and fourth seasons, a testament to the longevity and relevance cable still has with modern audiences. The show still has staying power, and a ninth season is almost expected. However, with 9-1-1: Lone Star canceled, Ryan Murphy also revealed that they have plans for another potential spinoff that fans can look forward to: Tim Minear and I are working on a new spinoff that’s actually being written and we’re hoping to air next fall… Now we’re launching a new show in a new city that I can’t name, but it’s exciting. And 9-1-1 moved to ABC and suddenly became, I think, the biggest show on Thursday nights. They’re obviously interested in that, so we’re going to give them another show that I really like.
