Before 9-1-1: Lone Star’s fifth and final season premiered back in September, it was announced that regular cast member, Sierra McClain, would not be returning. Fans were automatically curious as to how her character, Grace, would be written out of the show. Sadly, the route that the series has taken with this storyline has done a major disservice to her character (and to the show itself). With just two episodes left before the series ends for good, it’s a disappointment that both Grace and her husband, Judd (Jim Parrack), are taking part in a storyline that just feels illogical.
Grace’s Exit From ‘9-1-1: Lone Star’ Is Nonsensical
At the beginning of Season 5, 9-1-1: Lone Star reveals that Grace has left her young daughter, Charlie, and Judd to go on a missionary trip with her church. Grace apparently felt a calling to help others, which is within her nature, but the decision to have Grace leave her family for this reason makes no sense. Grace is someone who is extremely devoted to her loved ones and would do anything for them. Why on earth would Grace leave them for an extended period of time? It seems there would be plenty of ways to give back in Austin, without abandoning her family, friends, and job. Having Grace gone for months at a time would explain McClain’s exit, but the reasoning given is wildly uncharacteristic of what we’ve come to expect from Grace. There’s also the fact that one of her best friends, Tommy (Gina Torres), is undergoing cancer treatment. How would Grace not immediately cut her trip short to be there for her friend?
‘9-1-1: Lone Star’s Final Season Has Also Fumbled Judd’s Storyline
In Episode 9, Judd confesses to a concerned Owen (Rob Lowe) that he has completely lost his reason for being alive with Grace gone. Grace always kept him on the straight and narrow, and with her departure, he has resorted to drinking heavily. In this week’s episode, Judd also explains that Charlie has decided to live with her grandparents because she doesn’t like living at home without her mother. Judd’s despair gets so bad that he even thinks about ending his life. This is where this Season 5 storyline really seems to go off the rails. Judd’s entire life is falling apart, but no one — including Judd — reaches out to Grace to tell her to come back. Not only does it not make sense for Grace to be away from home in the first place, but it feels even stranger that she would not realize the negative effect her absence is having on her treasured loved ones.
In Episode 10, Judd has seemingly reached rock bottom, which includes him having a clear crisis of faith. He’s questioning his relationship with God, lying about his drinking, endangering himself and others on the job, and crying out for help in so many ways. To make matters worse, the show decides to resolve all of this with a quick call to Grace. Suddenly, Judd pours out the alcohol and is smiling from ear to ear. It is not at all realistic that Judd’s alcohol addiction would be solved with one phone conversation with his wife. Addiction isn’t that straightforward or that easy to treat, and it seems way too cheesy and simplistic to imply that Grace can fix everything in just a few minutes. Sure, Grace’s love and support would be helpful to Judd, but having his sobriety solely attached to her proximity to him also seems like a bad sign (and an avenue that likely won’t be explored at all in the series going forward).
Although it’s sad to say, it probably would have been better for 9-1-1: Lone Star to have simply killed off Grace’s character. This would have been tragic, but it could have provided plenty of dramatic plot options and a much more reasonable excuse for Judd’s descent into addiction and mental health struggles. With this approach, the writers could have had Judd work through his grief, without simply putting a neat bow on it like this week’s episode tries to do. The 9-1-1: Lone Star team has already acknowledged that Grace won’t be making an appearance before the show ends, so it’s truly a letdown that these beloved characters were saddled with this confusing and out-of-touch storyline.
