While ABC’s upcoming9-1-1spinoff,9-1-1: Nashville, promises to be an exciting new franchise addition, one of its most surprising guest stars is already raising a weird continuity issue.9-1-1: Nashvillewill bring Ryan Murphy’s procedural franchise to the home of country music, a setting that promises fresh stories from the lives of firefighters, police officers, and other first responders.
However, while9-1-1 Nashvillewon’t repeatLone Star’s worst plots, that doesn’t mean the series will steer clear of every problem faced by earlier Murphy productions. One such issue is stunt casting, and early signs indicate that big-name cameos could unintentionally call the show’s reality into question.
Kane Brown Joins 9-1-1: Nashville In A Guest Starring Capacity
The Real Life Country Singer Will Guest Star In 9-1-1: Nashville
ABC’s9-1-1spinoff looks to build on the franchise’s originalformula, blending weekly dramatic emergencies with season-length character-driven arcs. However, both9-11and its first spinoffLone Starare also known for featuring plenty of famous faces, andScreenRantrecently reported thatreal-life country star Kane Brown will appear in9-1-1: Nashville’s premiere.
This could be a fun twist considering the show takes place in the heart of the country music industry. The only problem is that LeAnn Rimes has already joined thecast of9-1-1 Nashvilleas Dixie Bennings, the mother of Hunter McVey’s Blue. Thus, the arrival of a real-life country star blurs the lines between the show and reality.
Kimberly Williams-Paisley
Cammie Raleigh
Rimes isn’t playing herself, or even a fictional country music star, but rather an in-universe original character. In contrast, Brown sounds like he’s playing himself. If he does, it would be odd if he doesn’t acknowledge the fact that Rimes' character looks an awful lot like his fellow country star, especially when Brown and Rimes have worked together before.
Brown & Rimes Worked Together Outside Of The 9-1-1 Franchise
Brown’s Appearance Could Make Rimes’s 9-1-1: Nashville Role Confusing
Since9-1-1: Nashvillecould be more soap operathan procedural, knowing Murphy’s penchant for campy drama, perhaps this twist shouldn’t come as a surprise. However, the show must retain some connection to reality, lest audiences be pulled out of the drama by seeing two country stars in major roles.
While the 9-1-1franchise has featured guest stars before, the show’s tense, high-stakes moments could lose credibility if they are overshadowed by recognizable stars playing roles that remind viewers of their real-life singing careers. If Brown plays a fictionalized version of himself or a character involved in the music industry, the show might struggle to separate its drama from real life.
Finding the delicate balance between campy silliness and gripping drama has always been the hardest challenge for the9-1-1franchise, where outlandish events happen weekly, but viewers remain invested in the show’s heroes regardless. Hopefully,9-11’s upcoming spinoff9-1-1: Nashvillecan maintain this careful balancing act despite its country star cameos.
