911 spin-off series 911: Lone Star coming to Fox; Rob Lowe starring

911 season 2

How about this for a show randomly sprouting out of nowhere? Today, Fox officially gave a green light to a new 911 spin-off entitled 911: Lone Star, one that will apparently star Rob Lowe. (The actor will also be an executive producer on the show alongside Ryan Murphy and his familiar collaborators Tim Minear and Brad Falchuk.)

So what’s this version about? Well, Lowe is going to play a one-time New York cop who moves along with his son down to Austin. While there, he’ll work to help those in need … but also try to find a way to keep his own life afloat.

Given the timing of this news, we have a hard time imagining that we’re going to see 911: Lone Star ready for the fall. Yet, there’s little reason to think that it would be unavailable for midseason or as a companion to the flagship series at some point a little bit later in the spring.

In a statement, here is what Michael Thorn, president of entertainment over at Fox, had to say:

“The beauty of having a hit drama like 9-1-1 from the genius minds of Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear is it allows you to explore thrilling stories as told through an array of distinctive characters … In 9-1-1: Lone Star, they’ve given us a special opportunity to expand the franchise into new territory — literally and figuratively — and we’re thrilled to have the incomparable Rob Lowe headline this new iteration when it joins our schedule next season.”

Consider this all the evidence you need that this show will launch over the next year, and it’s probably another reason why Fox canceled so many shows — Lethal Weapon, Proven Innocent, The Gifted, The Passage, and STAR were all ended formally over the past few months, and that goes along with Gotham already wrapping up its final season. The Resident, 911, Empire, and The Orville are really the only in-season dramas that are currently getting additional seasons at the network (they are all renewed). There are of course a number of other animated comedies, including The Simpsons, Family Guy, and others that are coming back alongside Last Man Standing season 8.

The news of a 911 spin-off is coming on the heels of the 911 season 2 finale airing on Monday night. This is one that could define the future of many characters — and, of course, make you incredibly concerned that someone is going to be killed off at the end of all of it. You can preview this more a little bit more of what is coming up by visiting the link here.

Lowe is coming on board the 911 spin-off after hosting the game show Mental Samurai this year. Previously, he was a star of another show about helping people in CBS’ Code Black.

What do you think about 911 getting a spin-off show so suddenly in the middle of its run, and also Rob Lowe starring in it? Be sure to share in the comments, and check back soon for some other news all about the flagship show’s finale. (Photo: Fox.)

This article was written by Jessica Carter and you can follow her on Twitter here.

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