‘It Was Disturbing What Came to Me’

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 4 Episode 16, “A House Divided.”]

The latest 9-1-1: Lone Star is tough for Judd (Jim Parrack) — and that’s before the shocking twist at the end!

First, Tommy (Gina Torres) disobeys his order during a call; he’s filling in as captain while Owen (Rob Lowe) is away with his half-brother Robert (Chad Lowe). Judd and Tommy fight immediately after the incident, and his wife Grace (Sierra McClain) and her boyfriend Trevor (D.B. Woodside) join in during one of the most entertaining dinner scenes on television. But none of that matters after Tommy discovers that a young man on a bicycle hit by a truck is Judd’s son Wyatt (Jackson Pace). At the end of the episode, he’s in surgery with confirmed brain swelling and several broken vertebrae.

Parrack takes us inside the episode and teases what’s ahead in the two-part finale (yes, including the Tarlos wedding).

Has Judd even processed what happened to Wyatt yet by the end of that scene with Tommy in the hospital?

Jim Parrack: No, I don’t think so. That was one of the things to consider in how to come at that stuff: People aren’t very clear-thinking in those moments in real life. And most of the time, and in this case specifically, there’s no answers as to what’s really going on. It’s just that something’s gone bad. Usually that’s when our imagination takes over and starts filling it in with the worst. So I thought that would be the way I’d come at it and just kind of see what came to me in the moment – and it was disturbing what came to me in the moment.

Despite everything going on with Judd and Tommy in this episode, if he couldn’t have Grace there, he needed Tommy, right?

Absolutely, not only because of the friendship, but she is absolutely calm in the midst of crisis and can be infectious that way and help people just keep calm to face these situations that she sees every day. So yeah, she’s qualified for that, although I’m sure when it’s personal, it takes a different turn for her, too.

What can you say about what’s coming up with Wyatt and how Judd handles it?

Once we establish this problem, that he’s been hurt, Tim Minear was relentless in trying to get down to what this would really be. Chad Lowe and Brad in the last episode were relentless about us not doing the TV version of something, but us doing just kind of a real look at a family with no answers and a lot of struggles, doing their best to make the next right move. It’s easy to show up and say, “Well, then I want to give the fullness of my commitment, too,” when you see those guys just so committed to it being real instead of a piece of television. And so I gave him my best and I’m hoping it tells a good story.

What will we see from Judd and Grace as he leans on her during this?

Exactly that. One of the great things — and Sierra and I have talked about this — is that we really get to kind of swing from like, “Hey, I’m in the midst of some crisis, and there you are clearheaded and strong and available for me, and now it’s my turn,” and the back and forth. This is a big one. And some of the implications in the episodes coming up, I’ll say, just go beyond just family stuff, and she supports him through all of that. I think that couple is such a hopeful message to people, and I look up to that couple a lot.

Back to the fire at the paper mill — first of all, Judd’s been doing a great job as captain. Does that possibly make him think of something more permanent than just filling in the near future?

This was an interesting thing to think about when we started shooting this story, and I think it’s ultimately finding a balance between his own ability and ambition, and loyalty. For now, my job is to step in and do that. I think Judd’s confidence goes up every time he’s able to do a good job, but I don’t think he’s kind of wrestling with, “Well, maybe I should be captain.” I think he’s trusting the process and obviously has a ton of respect for Owen, and we’ll see where things go.

Yeah, he doesn’t want to leave the 126 because they’re such a family.

That’s correct.

Then there was Judd and Tommy — his order, her refusing to leave, the conversation back at the firehouse in the bunks. Talk about filming that scene with Gina.

Gina and I both were in agreement that this would start with everybody giving each other the benefit of the doubt instead of coming in and having had a fight premeditated or something like that, and the writing supported it. It was really kind of like, “Well, really try to understand each other and really stick to your guns at the same time, and a fight will come out of that.” And so, hopefully, that came across, too. The writing certainly suggested that we didn’t go in there and just start cutting each other’s heads off because we’re best friends and there’s no reason to. We trust each other. This was a real disagreement about what the right thing to do was.

Then came that fantastic dinner scene, which I watched multiple times because it was so good.

OK, let me lead by saying D.B., Gina, Sierra, and myself were pinching ourselves all night that this was our job. It was one of those nights at work where we were thanking God, just saying, “What a fun thing this is,” and we were given permission to get playful and a little loose with it, and so things became spontaneous, and I think that’s always the best way to try to do something anyway. But for a scene like that, it was so playful and fun, and it got real. It was great. It was a joy to shoot.

Kevin Estrada/FOX

Judd’s surprised when Tommy tells him that she’s switching shifts until Owen returns. At that point, does he still think he made the right call, writing up the report?

I think at that point, mostly, it’s just disappointing that this conflict is ongoing. It really felt like, “Maybe we could just start fresh and give each other a new shot,” and I think mostly it was just disappointing that she was still upset. And when friends fight, they want it to be over as soon as it can be.

But with what happened to Wyatt, obviously, that all gets put aside, and we see a bit of that in that hospital. What can you say about Judd and Tommy moving forward? Do they even have a moment where they address what happened? Or is it more focusing on what’s more important?

No, there’s a moment. There’s definitely a moment, and it’s one of those things — and I think it’s stronger this way — where it’s demonstrated instead of explained. So whether it’s verbalized or not, I’ll let you see. But through our actions, we bury that hatchet, and we just show each other, “That’s right. We’re the best of friends. We’re family. We care about each other; we love each other. And now we’ve got some perspective on things.” And so the pettiness just kind of fades away.

After this episode is the two-part finale. What can you preview about it and the wedding? Is there time for Judd to enjoy the wedding?

[Laughs] Yeah, it’s tough. The wedding was beautiful, and it was a lot of fun to shoot. I remember our last night of shooting the very last moments of the season; it was really emotional. Everybody was just moved by how much we’ve come to love each other, and how nice this season is wrapping up, and how beautifully they crafted the ending few scenes. It was really emotional for everybody and very touching and stirring. And so there’s a kind of enjoyment to that, for sure.

So Judd does get to smile at some point?

Yeah, at some point.

What else can you say about the finale? Anything about the emergencies?

There are enormous curveballs or enormous surprises that are kind of jaw-dropping, and really, really beloved characters have to use some incredibly difficult things that almost stretch the limits of what they’re able to do, and it happens very quickly. [Laughs] I’ll say that much and leave it there.

And congratulations on the renewal!

Oh, thank you. It feels like we’re closer as a group than ever before. It feels like we’re more grateful for what we’ve got than ever before. And we understand what a wonderful treat and a gift it is to be in the position we are to keep telling these stories with these characters because we’ve really come to love it all. We’re blessed, and we know it.

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