9-1-1: Lone Star lost one of its main characters—Grace Ryder, played by Sierra McClain—before season 5 debuted, and while the reasons behind her departure were initially unconvincing, the show was ready to right its wrongs before the season finale. McClain left 9-1-1: Lone Star before season 5 (reportedly due to a contract dispute). Sadly, that meant the writers had to rush Grace out of the Fox procedural series. While the circumstances surrounding her departure could have been much worse, they were still not ideal.
McClain was an original member of the 9-1-1: Lone Star cast, so her departure was heartbreaking. Plus, her character Grace was beloved by many and an integral part of the show. However, Grace’s exit from 9-1-1: Lone Star was inevitable and viewers already knew why she would be gone in the season 5 premiere. Unfortunately, Grace’s departure was controversial and many felt that it was not a good reason for her character.
In the season 5 premiere of 9-1-1: Lone Star, Judd Ryder explained that his wife and the mother of his child had decided to volunteer for Mercy Ships, which is why she was not in Texas. Mercy Ships is a truly faith-based charity that operates non-governmental hospital ships overseas, providing life-saving care and surgery to those in need. According to Judd, Grace learned about the organization at church and felt like she wanted to get involved. So she quit her job at the 9-1-1 operator, packed her bags, and left Judd with her young daughter Charlie to join Mercy Ships.
While Grace’s desire to help others was a natural fit for her character, leaving Judd and Charlie behind was not, especially after Judd left Station 126 to care for her son, Wyatt, following his accident. As such, Grace’s departure was controversial. Of course, Grace’s departure was better than the alternative way to write McClain in 9-1-1: Lone Star — her death. But the reasons behind Grace’s departure were still flimsy and unsatisfactory, leading to disappointment among some viewers.
After 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5, episode 3, Jim Parrack, who plays Judd, teased what the character’s next steps will be. Judd returns to Station 126 in episode 3, but not as a lieutenant. Instead, Judd will start from the bottom as a probationary firefighter, which is what happens when a firefighter retires and then returns. Meanwhile, Judd will also have to deal with some new emotions regarding Grace’s absence. In an interview with TVLine, Parrack explained that, while Judd has been supportive of his wife so far, tensions are building inside and it’s only a matter of time before it explodes. “If we don’t actively work to get rid of it, it doesn’t take long for [resentment] to develop within ourselves,” Parrack said. “And it seems like it’s the people we love that hurt the most. Stay tuned, because Judd may have to deal with some of that coming up.”
9-1-1: Lone Star will end after season 5, but before it does, fans will see Judd feeling resentment toward his wife. Grace has left him and Charlie in Texas to pursue a new mission. It’s only natural that Judd feels some way about Grace’s decision, no matter how much he wants to support her and be proud of her on the Fox procedural series.
Three episodes into 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5, Judd has been supportive of Grace. Even though she left him and Charlie, Judd seems proud of Grace and her efforts to help others. Of course, this plays up how strong the bond between Judd and Grace is, but it’s not realistic. No matter how much you love someone or how strong your connection to them is, everyone is at least a little selfish at the end of the day. So it’s understandable why Judd would be angry with his wife, and it would actually fix Grace’s disappointing departure before the end of 9-1-1: Lone Star.
