Reviewer Rating: 4/5.0
4
Changes abound in 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 5 Episode 1, as the show picks up about a year later and features most of the characters we know and love.
It’s been a difficult year for most of them, with Owen and Carlos struggling with grief in their own ways, and Judd facing an identity crisis as he feels lost in every aspect of his life.
However, it all makes for a low-key start to Lone Star’s final season.
Grief is Owen’s heavy cloak
It’s so refreshing to see Owen take Tommy up on his offer and attend grief group therapy.
It may not be something he’s often involved in, but it’s more than what’s expected of him.
Owen is a character who has experienced such immeasurable loss and trauma following the death of his first brother.
Every death he’s experienced over the years has exacerbated this grief, and it’s been a better path for Owen to acknowledge this grief and do something about it, rather than him doing these inconsequential things, To avoid being immersed in your feelings for too long.
Irving is in the most stable period of his life.
He is in good health, in a normal relationship, and his son is happy and content at work and has no other problems.
However, Robert’s death caused Owen to reflect, which added more depth to his character.
It’s really cute to see him lean on Tommy for emotional support as he talks about his brother’s death, and Judd as a confidant whose judgment he trusts on just about everything.
Since this is the final season, one can’t help but hope that Owen is on a path to feeling like a fully realized character, has developed since the series premiere, and will have a satisfying ending.
stuffed shoes and lieutenant blues
Marion and Paul are always hilarious, so it’s pretty funny when they compete for Judd’s spot.
It’s even cuter to know that they’re not trying to compete with each other, but Mateo is stirring things up, and once he starts, there’s no turning back.
Marion and Paul’s absurd heroics prove why they’re the best for the job, providing the light-hearted, humorous stuff you’d expect from a Lone Star episode.
Irving needs to fill this position quickly because while it’s all fun and games, structure is critical to the proper functioning of the team.
Still, it’s interesting to see why Irving has trouble saying someone’s name.
He’s really scared of losing personnel right now, and the thought that two capable candidates like Marian and Paul could result in one of them getting the job and the other pursuing it elsewhere gnaws at him. .
When everything around him has changed so much, it makes sense that he would want the house and family he built there to stay the same.
The show’s heavy reliance on family dynamics, including Owen’s, was a highlight at the time, and one only wishes they could have done more.
The irony is that it never occurred to Irving that if Irving chose one over the other, the second person would have feelings for it and might want to leave.
They all seemed very happy with the house and each other.
But on the other hand, you won’t have to go through the hassle and hard work of getting a position.
It is perfectly reasonable to pursue opportunities elsewhere thereafter, no matter how close one is to one’s own family members.
The Lieutenant thing was played up for fun, but there’s a deeper underlying conflict that feels more prescient considering this is the final season.
If they don’t get the results they expected, do we face the possibility of one or both of them moving on?
Judd searches for purpose without North Star
It’s always clear that Grace is Judd’s guiding light and the person who gives him the most grounding in the world.
Without her by his side, he’s a little aimless and doesn’t know what to do, which is heartbreaking.
Firefighting and Grace consumed so much of Judd’s life and purpose that he couldn’t figure himself out.
Now, he no longer needs Wyatt to distract him as he is now happily moving into a nice apartment with his wife and kids and taking care of his own family.
As a huge fan of Grace and Judd, the disappointment of her absence was inevitable.
But there’s also a frustrating thing, it feels like they’ve slipped into the background, or the storyline has gotten away from them before this point.
Seeing Judd and Wyatt’s mother in this apartment celebrating their son and his new family, with little Charlie on the periphery of the frame and Grace just a memory, made me feel a twinge in my chest.
This is in stark contrast to the love story that has always been the core of the series.
There’s not much the writers can do about Sierra McClane’s departure, but regardless, it’s an equally difficult pill to swallow.
The season premiere addressed Grace’s absence in an appropriate but difficult way
But Grace is on a church mission that includes traveling the world and trying to help children in need, which fits her character even if it’s hard to understand her once Mission or not, Judd and Charlie are left behind.
This was the best way for them to address the issue of leaving, respecting what the character and actress had established while preserving Ryder’s love story.
God knows, a sudden off-screen death would be a slap in the face.
But Grace’s absence gave the show a void it couldn’t fill, upending Judd’s storyline.
In the season premiere, Palak moves on from his lost husband, who misses his wife so much, and nails the man who doesn’t know what to pursue next.
Firefighting had always been Judd’s calling and he missed it, but he didn’t know how to get back into it after retirement.
It was so cute and he wished Owen would ask him again instead of just telling his friend how he felt.
Shutting up was not enough, and now Judd felt even more conflicted because he knew Marian and Paul were determined to get his job.
It would be interesting if this season explored another path that Judd could pursue, even if it’s different from what he’s been doing, and he can still find purpose and passion.
Judd’s return would feel too easy, too boring. Sometimes it’s more exciting to see someone expand their horizons.
Memorable Baby Nebo
We got some great shots of Carlos in his Ranger uniform, and the girl wasn’t complaining about that.
We always knew Carlos would continue to seek justice for his father’s horrific and tragic murder.
They have determined the best way for him to do this: join the Rangers in honor of his father and get the necessary opportunity to investigate matters further.
This move opened up many opportunities for Carlos and 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 5 Episode 1 laid many foundations for Carlos’ career and family life.
Carlos’ new partnership brings refreshing spark
We thought about some of the 9-1-1: Lone Star spin-offs we’d like to see, and we’re firmly on board with the Carlos/Campbell cop pairing.
Not surprisingly, Parker Young is a breath of fresh air.
Campbells is a jerk, but by the end he becomes likable and someone you can relate to.
Anyone in his situation would feel the same resentment toward Carlos.
His father was a legendary Ranger and he soon joined the Rangers. He was already trusted by his superiors to handle high-profile cases.
At first glance, Carlos would be considered a typical Nebo baby.
But it didn’t take long for Campbell to see what we all knew: Carlos was talented, passionate, and working hard for all the right reasons.
He plays a vital role in finding out who the bank robbers are and taking them off the streets.
He and Campbell work better together than they disagree, which makes for a beautiful partnership.
Campbell’s previous experience working with Reyes Sr. also further explains why he was tougher on Carlos.
But this partnership provides Carlos in his new job with the Rangers that aspect of his father, who may become an ally as he continues to delve deeper into his father’s murder.
There are some touching moments when it comes to Ranger Reyes, and there’s no doubt the man is complex, as is his relationship with Carlos.
Carlos’s quest for justice affects Talos
But at times, it feels so unusual that the show worships Reyes so intensely that it feels like it’s rewriting history.
The investigation into Carlos’ death puts Carlos in an interesting position as an individual character in the series.
It is known that he often feels criminally exploited as an entity in his own right when he has no direct connection to traditional knowledge.
This is a great start for Carlos as his own character, but it could cause friction between him and TK.
You can tell that Carlos has spent many late nights over the past year investigating his father’s death, and it’s starting to take its toll on TK.
TK is the supporting partner in all of this; frankly, I’m always excited to see him in this role because it’s reciprocal.
But Talos is at a stage in their relationship where Carlos’ obsession may challenge them, and I’m interested in what the series will do as this season progresses.
Over to you, 9-1-1: Lone Star Fanatics.
What did you think of 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 5 Episode 1?
Let’s hear all your thoughts in the comments below! We’ll see you there.
9-1-1: Lone Star airs Mondays at 8/7c on FOX and the following day on Hulu.
