‘9-1-1: Lone Star’ Showrunner Teases Paul Strickland Finale Arc: ‘We Went Out Swinging’ | Exclusive Video

While we’re not sure who will survive in “apocalyptic” series finale of “9-1-1: Lone Star,” which will follows as an asteroid hurtles towards Austin, Texas, the two-episode arc for Brian Michael Smith’s trans character Paul Strickland will fulfill a promise made all the way back in the pilot for the Fox spinoff series.

Ahead of the two-part finale, which begins Monday, Jan. 27, showrunner Rashad Raisani told TheWrap how the show comes full circle from the conversation Owen Strand (Rob Lowe) had in the very first episode when he recruited Paul to Station 126: That a fellow trans person could see him as a role model.

Watch an exclusive clip from the episode below:

“Brian Smith, who’s a trans man, his character is obviously fundamental to the show. He came to me and said, ‘Hey, if you look at the pilot of ‘Lone Star,’ Rob Lowe, has a line where he’s trying to recruit Paul to come to Texas. He says, ‘Somewhere there is a kid out there in this town, just like you, who feels like they don’t matter and they’re not seen and one day you might come across them.’ And Brian said, ‘Could we do that as a story before the show is over?'”

Raisani teased how that story plays out in the concluding episodes. “Paul runs into a kid who knows Paul’s transness, and the fact that Paul lives with pride and dignity and courage would have a huge impact on this young person and teach them about feeling that they’re enough and that they can accept themselves.” 

He added that he wanted to do Paul’s character justice before the show wraps: “I’m not trans, but Brian is somebody I care about. So when he tells me, ‘This is my lived experience…’ it just feels like I’m telling a story with Brian. We’re just trying to tell a human story. I hope and wish that people could see it that way, that it’s about human beings and telling stories of shared humanity.”

As anti-trans messaging becomes more prevalent in politics, Raisani told TheWrap, “I feel like we went down swinging” in showing the character’s positive impact on the community.

“9-1-1: Lone Star” airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox.

The post ‘9-1-1: Lone Star’ Showrunner Teases Paul Strickland Finale Arc: ‘We Went Out Swinging’ | Exclusive Video appeared first on TheWrap.