Although the possibility of Eddie leaving 9-1-1 is heartbreaking, there is an upside to his exit as it opens the door for one last crossover with 9-1-1: Lone Star. The ABC (previously Fox) procedural drama show created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear revolves around a group of first responders, including firefighters, paramedics, police officers, etc., in Los Angeles. 9-1-1 was a success upon its premiere in 2018, which resulted in Fox promptly ordering a spinoff set in Austin, Texas — 9-1-1: Lone Star.
In the 9-1-1 season 8 fall finale, Buck caught Eddie searching for homes in El Paso, Texas, on the internet. As many will recall, Eddie’s son, Christopher, moved to Texas to live with his grandparents at the end of 9-1-1 season 7. Eddie made many mistakes leading up to his son’s leaving, and he had been trying to be better for Christopher in season 8. However, Eddie felt as if the distance between him and Christopher was only growing, which prompted Eddie’s sudden interest in buying a house in Texas (and moving there to be with his son).
Eddie’s Move To Texas Makes It Easier For 9-1-1 To Feature Lone Star Characters
El Paso is quite far from Austin, but logistics hasn’t stopped 9-1-1 before. So, Eddie’s desire to move to Texas means that the ABC procedural drama series can bring back one, two, or a few 9-1-1: Lone Star characters when it returns in the spring of 2025. Since the fall finale ended with Eddie looking at houses, it stands to reason that his contemplating relocating to Texas will be a major storyline in the back half of season 8, further opening the door for Lone Star cameos. As 9-1-1 showrunner Tim Minear told Screen Rant following the season 8 fall finale:
“[Eddie] is dead serious about doing whatever he has to do to repair his relationship with his kid. And so we’re not throwing chum into the water to attract controversy. That’s really what this character is thinking of doing, and he means it. And we’re going to explore that when we come back.”
It’s unclear whether Eddie is really leaving 9-1-1 season 8, but it sounds as if it will be a tough, well-thought-out decision for him in the upcoming episodes. Perhaps Eddie can reach out to a 9-1-1: Lone Star character for advice. Or, Eddie can visit Texas, and he just so happens to bump into Owen or TK (disregarding the logistics of the situation, of course). Whatever the case, Eddie’s storyline gives the writers the opportunity for a 9-1-1: Lone Star crossover, and there won’t be many of those left.
Eddie’s Any Interaction With A Lone Star Character Is Its Best Chance At A Final 9-1-1 Crossover
Sadly, 9-1-1: Lone Star is ending after season 5. Fox canceled the series ahead of the season 5 premiere, but the cast and crew knew it might be the last season, so, they prepared for the end. With Lone Star gone, 9-1-1 can no longer cross over with its spinoff — unless a Lone Star character makes a cameo in the original show to help Eddie with his tough decision.
The series finale of 9-1-1: Lone Star will premiere on February 3, 2025, a month before 9-1-1 season 8 returns. Consequently, a potential crossover would have to happen after the spinoff ends. Given how 9-1-1: Lone Star ends, though, numerous characters could still make an appearance in 9-1-1. With Eddie thinking about moving to Texas, the possibilities are endless, and the writers should take advantage of this one last opportunity to connect the two shows.
Why It’s So Disappointing That 9-1-1 & Lone Star Won’t Have A Final Proper Crossover
One of the best parts of a spinoff is the crossover possibilities with the parent series. So, when Fox ordered 9-1-1: Lone Star, many were excited for the 9-1-1 characters to interact with the new ones. Unfortunately, the closest thing fans got to a crossover was when Buck, Eddie, and Hen traveled to Texas to assist in putting out a wildfire in 9-1-1: Lone Star season 2, episode 3. While it was fun to watch the two worlds collide, it was the furthest thing from a full-blown 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star crossover.
Now, a crossover that starts on one show (not just at the end) and concludes on the other series isn’t possible for 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star. The COVID-19 pandemic and 9-1-1 moving to ABC limited the chances of a crossover, and now, with the spinoff ending, one will never happen. However, there is still hope that Eddie’s moving to Texas storyline in 9-1-1 season 8 leads to 9-1-1: Lone Star cameos.
