9-1-1 may be billed as a procedural first-responder drama, but anyone who’s tuned into the ABC series — or its Lone Star or Nashville spinoffs — knows it’s far more interesting than that. Ryan Murphy is one of its creators, after all, so the reality is heightened, the emergencies are ridiculous (hello, bee-nado), and there’s always disaster brewing at the cities’ most well-known landmarks. The bonkers plots were addressed by 9-1-1: Nashville’s showrunner, who had to get the city on board to make them happen.
When 9-1-1: Nashville premiered on the 2025 TV schedule, it was immediately obvious that the emergency calls answered by the 113 firefighters were going to be just as outlandish as what we’ve seen in 9-1-1’s Los Angeles-based series and the Texas spinoff. Having a tornado destroy part of Ascend Amphitheater during a Kane Brown concert might not seem like it, but showrunner Rashad Raisani insists the show is a “love letter” to the Tennessee capital. He told the Washington Post:
I know our show is crazy and all these calamities happen to people. But I’m like, trust me: I think people are going to see it and still be like, ‘That place looks like a lot of fun.’
Even 9-1-1: Lone Star’s Rob Lowe told LeAnn Rimes this isn’t the place to go for reality, but it’s the crazy emergencies that make it so interesting. That’s apparently something Rashad Raisani had to convince the city of, as there was apparently concern that the series was making fun of Nashville. The showrunner continued:
We have a mutual bond with the city where we’ve all been very forthcoming and been very honest, and there’s been respect on both sides. And I think as long as we keep that, it’s been a thriving relationship.
While the situations may be exaggerated, the drama is still spicy, which the showrunner hopes will keep audiences entertained as 9-1-1: Nashville takes them around the city to show off its nightlife, its attractions and landmarks — even if wild disasters are involved.
Mark Ezell, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, says television can be a “powerful form of advertising” when done right, and Nashville is already seeing visitors who say they were inspired to visit after seeing Rashad Raisani's series. The city official said:
If a scene of someone being carried away by a kite at Centennial Park, a tornado at Ascend Amphitheater or even a firenado gets people talking, that’s still a win for us. We’re in on the joke.
We can all admit that kite scene was pretty hilarious, right?
Will this spinoff ever reach the levels of 9-1-1’s space adventures or 9-1-1: Lone Star’s horrifying CPR-on-a-frozen-body scene? Some might argue it already has.
9-1-1: Nashville is set to return after the holidays, hitting the 2026 TV schedule on Thursday, January 8, on ABC. If you want to catch up or rewatch the first batch of Ryan Murphy and Rashad Raisani’s tribute to Tennessee, you can stream episodes with a Hulu subscription.