‘9-1-1: Lone Star’ Aftershow: Ronen Rubinstein Talks Tarlos in Therapy, Big Test for Relationship (VIDEO)

Meredith Jacobs October 21, 2024, 9:00 pm

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 5 Episode 5 “Thunderstruck.”]

The first Tarlos episode of the final season of 9-1-1: Lone Star features one of Ronen Rubinstein‘s favorite scenes they’ve ever done.

With Carlos (Rafael L. Silva) obsessed with trying to find his father’s killer, there’s been a strain on his and T.K.’s (Rubinstein) relationship. They had to go to couples counseling, and among the issues? Carlos falling asleep during their “sexy time.”

Rubinstein loved that scene. “My showrunners are very aware of my love for Brad Pitt’s career, and they literally kind of recreated that scene based off of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. It literally says it in the script, the very first description is ‘Imagine Mr. and Mrs. Smith therapy scene. They even shot it that way and even situated us that way,'” he shares with TV Insider as part of our 9-1-1: Lone Star aftershow, First Response.

“I feel like that scene is extra special because we don’t really have many scenes where we get to let things breathe. It’s a very fast show,” Rubinstein continues. “I feel like this is one of the few scenes where Rashad let us really sit in it, sit in the awkward moments, sit in the awkward silence, and I think it makes the scene so much more special because if you were just going to cut it up really quick, I think the silence and the awkwardness in between the words is really one of the best parts about that scene and about that writing.”

For the star, “that scene is very telling of two people really caring about each other and doing the work to make sure that their relationship stays healthy and can thrive, can continue to thrive,” he notes. “And I think that’s a perfect scene to showcase how much these two truly love each other and care about each other.”

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This all comes as the couple reaches their first anniversary—and Carlos’ gift to his husband is an empty box in which he’ll put his work when he gets home at night. Rubinstein thinks that will work.

“It’s Carlos taking these massive steps to make sure that his husband is heard and seen and is happy as well, and yeah, I think he definitely believes that he’ll do what he says,” he says.

While concerned about his relationship, T.K. had a great conversation with Tommy, and Rubinstein raves about working with Gina Torres on it. “That’s my favorite, favorite scene I’ve done with Gina,” he shares. “I have been craving to act my butt off with Gina Torres. She is so amazing and I’ve felt deprived. I see her all the time and we’re doing medical stuff together, but I rarely get to sit down and have a beautiful dialogue with an incredible actor. And we finally did it and it was everything I could have wished for. She’s just the greatest scene partner, and I think you could see it in the scene that that scene symbolizes truly the next step for Tommy and T.K. I think that really solidifies her as his work mom and sort of this matriarch that he’s been missing because of what happened to his mom very, very sadly.”

Looking to what’s ahead for T.K. and Carlos, there’s “something really huge in store for them that’s I think going to take the relationship to the ultimate next level. You guys will know exactly what that is when it appears,” teases Rubinstein. “I think that next test is going to be the ultimate tell for who these two are as a married couple. And I don’t think people are going to be disappointed.”

Watch the full video interview above for Rubinstein breaking down this episode, teasing what’s to come, talking about the show ending, and more.

9-1-1: Lone Star, Mondays, 8/7c, Fox