9-1-1: Nashville Casting Chris O’Donnell Plays NCIS: Los Angeles Fans Like a Fiddle

9-1-1: Nashville is moving along much faster than I anticipated.

The latest entry in the 9-1-1 franchise has barely been announced in a month, and we already have our leading man.

Chris O’Donnell, best known for playing Special Agent in Charge Grisha “G” Callen on NCIS: Los Angeles, has lassoed the lead role on the forthcoming offshoot.

(Courtesy of CBS)

He’ll play Captain Don Sharpe, “a rugged fire captain and rodeo rider who runs Nashville’s busiest firehouse with his beloved son,” according to the official character description.

“Don’s a devoted husband and family man, but he has his secrets.”

(Michael Yarish/CBS)

The lead character being male and having many secrets sounds very similar to 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star’s leading men, so I hope the Nashville-set spinoff takes things in a different direction.

In recent years, new entries in beloved franchises haven’t been as inspired as I would like, with many merely moving to a new city with similar characters.

9-1-1: Nashville Needs to Break Free From Other Spinoffs

That may have worked in the past but shows like NCIS: Origins have shown how to breathe new life into a tired franchise.

Either way, ABC has already set up this new series well by snagging Chris because he attained a wealth of fans for starring in all 14 seasons of NCIS: Los Angeles.

(Sonja Flemming/CBS)

In today’s climate, few TV shows reach half of that season tally, and this being Chris’s first big TV role will be a great marketing opportunity.

Fans were still clamoring for more NCIS: Los Angeles when it was canceled, but at least the series got a conclusion, which is more than can be said for FBI: International, FBI: Most Wanted, and NCIS: Hawai’i, which all got canceled too late in their last seasons to give closure.

Even if the NCIS: Los Angeles audience is ready for more from Chris, I feel 9-1-1: Nashville could be hindered by how 9-1-1: Lone Star was treated.

Despite the first 9-1-1 spinoff getting a finale, it was a complete and utter rush job that put its fans and characters through the wringer.

(Kevin Estrada/FOX)

By the time the finale aired, many (including me!) had already walked away because of the poor treatment of beloved characters.

The original 9-1-1 is chugging along on ABC, but that show has always had the franchise’s best ratings, and people seem eager to watch wherever it airs.

Kicking off a brand-new show will be a tough sell, but Chris will surely be a ray of light that could help it get off the ground running.

Legacy Characters Could Steer the Spinoff in the Right Direction

I don’t typically like new spinoffs relying on legacy characters, but there was so much unsaid for everyone on 9-1-1: Lone Star by the end, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring one or two of those characters back as series regulars.

(Kevin Estrada/FOX)

9-1-1: Lone Star was treated terribly by FOX in its final seasons, with a year-long hiatus killed momentum.

ABC has kept 9-1-1 intact since picking up for its seventh season.

While shipping Athena off to an episode of Doctor Odyssey is unnecessary, the series we know and love remains, proving that networks shouldn’t mess with what isn’t broken.

9-1-1: Nashville has an uphill battle ahead of it, but the concept must be half-decent because ABC gave it a straight-to-series order.

(Disney/Christopher Willard)

Let’s hope it didn’t get that on brand name and talent alone. It would be a shame to give the franchise its first misfire.

Over to you, 9-1-1 and NCIS: Los Angeles Fanatics!

What are your thoughts on the addition of Chris O’Donnell? Do you think it’s a good thing?

Hit the comments below.

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