9-1-1: Lone Star returned for the fifth and final season without Grace Ryder. In the season premiere, her family grappled with her absence as it was revealed that she had left to do some missionary work. A teaser had previously previewed this exit as the writers tried to write out the character following Sierra McClain‘s exit from the drama series. Showrunner Rashid Raisani talked to TV Line about saying goodbye to such a character. He said that he stood by the arc they had chosen for her since the alternative — which was killing her off — “didn’t feel like it was the right thing to do by her.” Given how integral she is to the story, the explanation was not convincing. Raisani talked about the reaction to the exit arc, saying,
“People are allowed to feel the feelings they have about it, but we did all we could do to protect her character. Without getting too churchy about it, the Bible is filled with stories about characters who follow a call from God at great inconvenience to — and frankly to the detriment of — the people they love the most.”
How ‘9-1-1: Lone Star’ Explained Grace Ryder’s Absence
9-1-1: Lone Star Season 5, Episode 1, “Both Sides, Now,” dove deeper into why Grace left Texas. Her husband revealed that she had volunteered with Mercy Ships, a Christian organization that performs life-saving surgeries all over the world. The last time they spoke, she was in the Solomon Islands.
Given her current obligations to her job and family, the timing was less than ideal. “She knew it was inconvenient; She knew that it was terrible timing,” Judd said in the episode. “But she felt the touch of God. I can still see her face that day. Her eyes were shining with tears. Not just tears — this fire, too, you know? And I never loved her more than I did in that moment,” he continued.
Several things caught production by surprise, including the cancelation and McClain’s exit. If the show had gone beyond Season 5, Raisani was willing to write the character back in. “If Sierra was willing to come back…. As I told her, ‘Any time I’m here, there’ll always be a place for you.’ I would love it, I’d beg her. But [her departure] did force us to do some unexpected things that led to some beautiful storylines,” he had previously told Entertainment Weekly.
Watch new episodes of 9-1-1: Lone Star on Mondays at 8 pm on Fox. Catch up on Hulu.
