9-1-1: Nashville's first promo hints at major differences in the new series and it could be a great thing
9-1-1: Nashville is expanding the popular first responder franchise with a spinoff. Set to premiere this fall, the series will introduce unique characters and feature a storyline set in Nashville.
As the second spinoff of the 9-1-1 franchise, the series is highly anticipated by fans because of potential plot connections. ABC unveiled the first promotional trailer for the upcoming series on May 13, 2025, as part of their Upfront presentation.
Music is expected to play a central role in the upcoming series, making it stand apart from the franchise. Nashville's country music vibe, core cultural elements, and lead characters are some of the major differences fans can expect to observe in 9-1-1: Nashville.
9-1-1: Nashville promo highlights unique elements of the show
The first promotional trailer for 9-1-1: Nashville sets the tone of the show, hinting at some of the major differences that will distinguish this spinoff from its predecessors. It is the second spinoff series after 9-1-1: Lone Star.
Beginning with a close-up of a guitar on fire, a rendition of Johnny Cash's song 'Ring of Fire' plays in the background of the promo, emphasizing the significance of music in the show.
The trailer announces the expansion of the 9-1-1 universe, further introducing Ryan Murphy as the creator and executive producer, along with Chris O'Donnell, Jessica Capshaw, LeAnn Rimes, and Kimberly Williams Paisley as the main cast. The promo concludes with a large burning guitar set against the Nashville backdrop, revealing the title and the anticipated release in fall 2025.
The trailer establishes that 9-1-1: Nashville will present stories about the complex world of first responders in the new setting of Nashville. The capital city of Tennessee will serve as the focal point of the series, highlighting its cultural and metropolitan elements at the heart of the plot. This will contrast with the locations of Los Angeles and Austin explored in the previous works of the 9-1-1 franchise.
Nashville is also known as Music City, owing to its popular country music genre. From the trailer, it is evident that music will play a significant role in the plot. Furthermore, the casting of the popular country music artist, LeAnn Rimes, underscores the importance of country music in the upcoming spinoff. Viewers can expect musical elements to be a key difference between the new show and previous releases.
Another intriguing element of the series is the cast. NCIS: Los Angeles star Chris O'Donnell will portray Captain Don Sharpe. Jessica Capshaw, well-known for her role as Dr. Arizona Robbins in Grey's Anatomy (2009-2024), also joins the Nashville-based series.
Tim Minear talks about the choice of Nashville
Tim Minear, one of the creators of the 9-1-1 franchise, spoke to TVLine about how the choice of Nashville for the second spinoff came into being. Describing the uniqueness of the city, he highlighted the reasons why the city became the final choice for the creators.
In the interview with TVLine, he highlighted two reasons for choosing the city for 9-1-1: Nashville. Describing the first reason, he said:
“One, I think that it’s a really interesting city with its own personality. It’s very unlike Austin. We did kind of a red state 9-1-1 [with Lone Star], but Austin is a very blue town. Nashville felt even a little bit more Southern. It also has the country music industry, and it just felt like it could be a fun place to set a piece of the franchise.
He further stated that the cost of production became another reason for extending the 9-1-1 universe to Nashville. He stated:
"Quite frankly, Tennessee is very production-friendly. That also factored into our reasoning. There are some states that you think would be fantastic places to set the show, but it’s just not cost effective to do it.”
Stay tuned for more updates on 9-1-1: Nashville, set to be streamed on Hulu.
