‘9-1-1: Lone Star’: 10 Best Couples, Ranked
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If four full seasons of 9-1-1: Lone Star have taught us anything, it’s that these first responders’ lives are just as fiery off the clock as on, and that’s why we love them.
There’s something for fans of all types of romances to enjoy, from the long-term couples (Jim Parrack‘s Judd and Sierra McClain‘s Grace) to the one that tried to start out casual (Ronen Rubinstein‘s T.K. and Rafael Silva‘s Carlos) to those still trying to figure out that part of life (namely, Rob Lowe‘s Owen). Below, we take a look at 10 of the best couples of the Fox drama.
9-1-1: Lone Star, Season 5 Premiere, Fall 2024, Fox
10. Owen/Kendra
It’s not necessarily that Owen’s relationship with Kendra (Michaela McManus), a billionaire he meets at a fundraiser, is terrible. It’s just filled with drama, from him thinking she’s paying him for sex to him finding out she has a husband (it’s an open marriage) to her being the prime suspect in her husband’s death (that takes a few turns). We didn’t mind how all of that was handled, but it did get to the point that we were left waiting for another shoe to drop in Season 4.
9. Owen/Gwyn
This one is bittersweet because it’s heavy with a lot of “what could have been.” Owen reconnected with his ex-wife, Gwyn (Lisa Edelstein), during the pandemic (T.K. was happy his parents got back together) but between not talking about labeling their relationship and then things falling apart when it turned out he wasn’t the father of her baby (though he offered to raise it as his own), they just didn’t stand a chance. Her death means we’ll never get to see if they had another attempt in them that could have worked. (Plus, it was a West Wing reunion!)
8. Marjan/Joe
Listen, the only reason the firefighter (Natacha Karam) and her physical therapist (John Clarence Stewart) are where they are and not higher is we haven’t gotten to see much of them together. (But we hope we do in Season 5!) The two crossed paths as she gave dating a try, to disastrous results—the one guy she liked turned out to be married, and she wasn’t the only one with whom he was cheating—and there were certainly sparks the first time we saw them in a PT session. He joined her at Tarlos’ wedding in the finale, so as far as we know, they should still be together.
7. Nancy/Mateo
We may not have expected to see the paramedic (Brianna Baker) and rookie firefighter (Julian Works) together, but somehow, it works! It’s been great to see the different sides of the characters in a relationship, and how could you not love how it was handled among the 126 family as the truth came out?
6. Paul/Asha
It seems like Paul (Brian Michael Smith) has found happiness, and who would have thought it would be with the woman from HR (Amanda Payton) sent to investigate his best friend (Marjan)? (Don’t worry, she was on the 126’s side.) The good news? An issue in his past (a date not ready to be with a trans man) isn’t one here; Asha knew Paul when they were kids (she remembered his smile). And while there was a momentary obstacle when she brought out a yearbook from their school days, Paul ultimately ended up finding his love for basketball again. Everyone could see how happy Paul was just talking to her, and we just hope that joy continues into Season 5.
5. Tommy/Trevor
To be honest, we weren’t sure how we’d feel about seeing Tommy (Gina Torres) find love again considering how much we loved her with Charles (Derek Webster)—you’ll notice that entry is still to come—but her meet-cute of sorts (involving a frog down his throat and him and his daughter stuck on a Ferris wheel during an emergency) with Trevor (D.B. Woodside) won us over. (It helps that Torres and Woodside, who have shared the screen before, are great together.) And with the Season 5 description teasing she’s “ready to take the next step in her relationship” and Trevor bringing up marriage during Tarlos’ wedding, something tells us there’s going to be more to love about them.
4. Owen/Catherine
Their first date might have been terrible until Owen commandeered Catherine’s (Amy Acker) car to chase down a kidnapper, but it felt like she matched him the best of his love interests thus far. (Hey, they made it past the mysterious package delivered to her office and the dead pig in his bed by Owen’s stalker.) The misunderstanding about her “type” and her ex (when his father showed up to pick up their cat) was a low point, but it also felt like these two could make it work if they gave it another go now that he’s gone to therapy.
3. Tommy/Charles
Sadly, we only had one season with the two onscreen, and it had a heartbreaking, tragic ending. Tommy came in Season 2, married to Charles, with twins, and immediately, they presented as a solid, loving couple. The only downside? We didn’t see those flashbacks to their love story until the episode after he died, as Tommy tried to deal with her grief alone. (And those dinners with Judd and Grace? A highlight of the series.)
2. Judd/Grace
This is where it got tough because the last two couples of 9-1-1: Lone Star are pretty much even in our minds. Judd and Grace have been the example of a perfect couple on TV since the beginning of the series—and no, that doesn’t mean they’re perfect but rather that their flaws, their fights, their drama, and how they handle all that makes for a standout relationship to follow each week. And the beginning of their love story starting over the phone and him later recognizing her by her voice at the bar, leading to Tommy introducing them? Such a delight. Bonus: He has her as “My Heart” in his cell!
1. T.K./Carlos
We admit it: We’ve been rooting for this fan-favorite couple since the two met! And sure, T.K. tried to keep it casual. There was the matter of Carlos introducing him to his parents as his friend, and their off-screen breakup ahead of Season 3 hurt (thankfully that was quickly resolved), but that all adds up for a journey that has been a joy to watch play out onscreen. From their proposal to their wedding to every time Carlos calls T.K. “Tyler” (the only one to use his first name now), there’s a lot to love about their love.
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