How 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 5 Will Address Grace’s Absence Explained By EP

9-1-1: Lone Star executive producer Rashad Raisani has confirmed how season 5 will address Grace’s absence from the team. While 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5 will be the final sendoff for Owen (Rob Lowe) and his Texas-based team, the procedural has lost Sierra McClain’s Grace in between seasons. Not only does this mean the final season will need to wrap up the stories of its current mainstay characters, but also address how the 9-1-1 dispatcher’s absence is going to impact everyone on the show.

Speaking with Screen Rant, Raisani explained how important McClain’s role as Grace in 9-1-1: Lone Star was for the team, especially because of her character’s job as a dispatcher. The executive producer said how the series would reveal the pain of losing her, including a big focus on Judd (Jim Parrack) in that regard. He concluded by stating the new episodes honor McClain’s role and character throughout the series’ run. Check out what Raisani had to say below:

The thing that I would say is that Sierra McClain is so central to the DNA of this show. She’s literally the voice on the other end of a call on a show with 9-1-1 in the title. She’s the one who says, “What’s your emergency?” So not even just from her job, but her spirit and her soul have been sort of the center of the show from an emotional point of view. I think most people would say Judd and Grace are the heart and soul of Lone Star, and half of that is gone now.

So there’s no way that we could just dispatch it or quickly write it off. We just had to embrace that loss to our show, and, frankly, share the pain that we felt behind the scenes in front of the cameras, as well, and make that the story, particularly, for Judd. To not hide from it, but at the same time, to try to honor what both Grace and Sierra McClain meant to the show and to try and make sure that we kept the utmost respect and love for Grace and Sierra as we went forward. And I think we did.

What Grace’s Absence Means For 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 5

A Major Blow To The Team Right Before The End

Grace has been an anchor for the show since the very beginning, with one of her key storylines being her romance with Judd and subsequent connection to his son, Wyatt (Jackson Pierce). After the young man was injured in the 9-1-1: Lone Star season 4 finale, his father decided to take time off the force to help his son’s recovery, alongside his own mental one. Now, however, Raisani has hinted his battle is about to become tougher, as Grace’s loss appears to be one the entire team is going to have to reckon with during the premiere.

Though it’s unclear if Grace is going to be alive or dead when the show comes back, whatever happened to her will cause an emotional torrent for the cast of 9-1-1: Lone Star. Her absence may even connect to why Wyatt decided to become a dispatcher, something confirmed by the promotional material for season 5. Given how well she fit into the team, her leaving will make everyone’s dynamics feel inevitably different. The notability of her absence means the final episodes could focus on her more than expected, despite her not being physically present on the team.

Our Take On Grace’s Absence In 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 5

The Show Must Address Her Being Gone With Care

Without Grace, the final season of 9-1-1: Lone Star isn’t going to feel the same, especially given Raisani’s further confirmation McClain won’t appear in the new episodes. This confirmed absence means the last chapter of the show is going to feel like something’s missing, especially now that her lack of appearances will be a major topic fully addressed. Although her fate remains unclear, it sounds like the last episodes will be honoring the dispatcher in an important way, fully encapsulating her presence throughout the show.

9-1-1: Lone Star executive producer Rashad Raisani has confirmed how season 5 will address Grace’s absence from the team. While 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5 will be the final sendoff for Owen (Rob Lowe) and his Texas-based team, the procedural has lost Sierra McClain’s Grace in between seasons. Not only does this mean the final season will need to…