When 9-1-1 was canceled, our hearts sank.
Luckily, the cancellation came with a caveat; FOX’s former flagship series was being picked up by rival network ABC.
It was a stunning decision that came after a booming 9-1-1 Season 6, which saw the series re-embracing many qualities that made it such a success from the onset.
At the time, Disney Television Group president Craig Erwich said:
“Thanks to the creative drive of Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear, as well as the talented cast, 9-1-1 has been one of the most defining and original dramas on network television over the last six seasons, and we are honored to bring it to the esteemed group of series on ABC.”
When the last season wrapped up, all the principal characters were in a solid place, with the 118 even doing some bonding on the roof, memories of their most recent triumphs playing fresh on their minds.
Knowing the veteran series will return for a new season, we’ve got all the information you need to know about what to expect!
9-1-1 Season 7: Release Date
Naturally, once your favorite show is renewed, you’d like to know when you can expect it to return to your television screens. But the release date is still in the air right now.
With both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA on strike as of mid-July, scripts for the current season have yet to be written, and Hollywood is more or less shut down.
ABC announced an all-reality schedule for the fall of 2023, so we know the series won’t return then. And at this time, there is no timetable for new episodes.
2024 looks likely, but it’s hard to commit to that timeframe right now with so many unknown factors.
Which Cast Will Return for 9-1-1 Season 7?
One of 9-1-1’s greatest strengths lies in its cast, headed up by superstar Angela Bassett (Athena Grant) and veteran actor Peter Krause (Bobby Nash).
Jennifer Love Hewitt (Maddie Buckley), Oliver Stark (Evan Buckley), Aisha Hinds (Hen Wilson), Kenneth Choi (Chimney Han), and Ryan Guzman (Eddie Diaz) are all expected back for Season 7, as are Corrine Massiah (May Grant) and Gavin McHugh (Christopher Diaz).
9-1-1 Season 6 Episode 18 wrapped the season with a neat bow. So, there is no reason to believe the characters won’t be back with new storylines when the series eventually returns.
The series also has a cast of recurring characters, like Karen Wilson, played by Tracie Thoms, and Ravi Panikkar, played by Anirudh Pisharody, whom we expect to be back as well. We’ll watch to see if any new characters are added to the cast.
What Will 9-1-1 Season 7 Be About?
As previously stated, 9-1-1 Season 6 ended positively for the core characters. Bobby and Athena finally headed on their long overdue honeymoon, and Maddie and Chimney put their wedding plans into motion.
Hen and Karen were opening themselves up to adoption again, while Buck and Eddie both found themselves with new love interests.
With the ongoing strike, there’s no information regarding the plot for the upcoming season, but there are many possibilities moving forward.
Most of these storylines should carry over, especially Hen and Karen’s journey, as well as the Madney wedding planning, while time will tell what becomes of Buck and Eddie’s latest forays into the dating world.
By leaving the characters in such a happy and steady place, they leave the door open to go any number of directions, as no real cliffhangers are left to wrap up.
How Many Episodes Will 9-1-1 Season 7 Have?
Aside from 9-1-1 Season 1, a midseason premiere with only ten episodes, and the pandemic affected 9-1-1 Season 4, which only had 14 episodes, 9-1-1 seasons have consistently had 18 episodes.
With production currently shut down due to the strikes and no timetable on when things will be resolved, it’s hard to predict how many episodes the series will ultimately have when it returns.
But if the series follows its pattern, we should expect 18 episodes like the past two seasons.
Will There Be Any Crossovers With 9-1-1: Lone Star?
Back during 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 2 Episode 3, Buck, Eddie, and Hen traveled to Texas to help fight some intense wildfires alongside Owen Strand’s crew, the 126.
It was the first big crossover between the two series, and fans have been curious ever since if there would be more crossovers in the future.
Athena Grant briefly appeared on 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 3 Episode 11, but there have been no large-scale crossovers since the wildfire episodes.
With 9-1-1 now switching networks and 9-1-1: Lone Star staying put on FOX, it’s safe to assume the crossovers may be a thing of the past.
Speaking to TV Line, Michael Thorn, President of Scripted Programming for FOX Entertainment, told TV Line that “crossovers have always been really hard because they’re such ambitious schedules.”
“We weren’t able to do it every year when both shows were on our network anyway, so I would say it’s extremely unlikely” to have future crossovers.”
While the crossovers are always welcome, both shows have been successful without them, and we have no doubt they will continue to be, even if they cannot make them work again.
While we wait for more news, make sure you bookmark this page for reference, and you can always watch 9-1-1 online anytime via TV Fanatic when you need to get your 9-1-1 fix!
Whitney Evans is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.