“9-1-1: Lonely Star”
If you’re a “9-1-1” fan and haven’t yet made the trip south to the Texas-set spinoff, you’re in for a delightfully chaotic treat. “9-1-1: Lone Star” stars TV legend Rob Lowe as fire captain Owen Strand, who moves from New York City to Austin, Texas, with his son TK (Ronen Rubinstein) to take command of Fire Station 126. In its first four seasons, the crew of firefighters, EMTs and police officers battled coyotes, tornadoes and polar vortexes while also experiencing life-changing personal crises and plenty of soap opera twists. Featuring “9-1-1” masterminds Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear, “Lone Star” could be described as the flagship’s sometimes more chaotic Southern cousin. The series was long on hold due to the Hollywood double whammy, but is set to return to Fox this fall with Season 5. Its future remains uncertain, but we hope it will continue to air alongside its sister show on ABC if Fox is also ready to say goodbye. — Jose Alejandro Bastidas
Where to stream it: Hulu
“Fire of Chicago”
The One Chicago franchise knows a thing or two about dealing with tragedy, but flagship series “Chicago Fire” is the first responder show that started it all. The cast of characters that populate Fire Station 51 has changed considerably over the course of 12 seasons, but the mission remains the same: to protect and help the citizens of Chicago from disasters, fire or otherwise. If you’ve been bitten by the “9-1-1” bug and are looking for a new television franchise to dive into, “Chicago Fire” is a great entry point into this Dick Wolf-produced saga. — JB
Where to stream it: Peacock.
“Station 19”
Before 9-1-1 aired on ABC, Station 19 kept viewers on the edge of their seats with plenty of drama about first responders and incredible rescues. The Grey’s Anatomy spinoff, which concluded with Season 7 in the spring, followed the firefighters of the titular firehouse as they struggled with dangerous jobs and chaotic personal lives. Through frequent crossovers with Grey’s, the series stayed very close to its flagship series, but still stood on its own as a heartfelt exploration of the lengths first responders go to protect and honor the communities they serve. Now is your chance to catch up on the entire series from the beginning and find out why Station 19 fans continue to crave more stories about these beloved characters. — JB
Where to stream it: Hulu
“SkyMed”
This series follows the triumphs, trials and tribulations of aspiring nurses and pilots who fly rescue helicopters in Canada’s remote north. Aaron Ashmore’s character Wheezer tells a new arrival to expect “beatings, affairs, breakups, drinking, vomiting…” Tonally, the series is very similar to “9-1-1,” with a diverse young cast that’s a joy to watch, plenty of camaraderie on the station, and pop songs to set the mood. — Sharon Knolle
Where to stream it: Outstanding+
“Third Watch”
This NBC classic, which ran from 1999 to 2005, was (almost always) nonstop action: The stunt coordinator was nominated three times for an Emmy. The cast included future Grey’s Anatomy star Kim Raver, Bobby Cannavale, Molly Price and Skipp Sudduth as first responders who worked the 3 p.m. to midnight shift in Chicago. Nostalgia brings back memories of series creators Edward Allen Bernero and John Wells giving the troupe a dalmatian named “Mantooth,” a nod to the star of the ’70s series “Emergency!” — s.k.a.
Where to stream it: Tubi or Roku channel
“HE”
Most of the action in this groundbreaking NBC series takes place in the hospital, but there are a few standout episodes where the characters get involved off-duty: In “Hell and High Water” (1995), Doug Ross (George Clooney) — wearing a tuxedo and heading to a formal event — rushes to the aid of a young boy (Erik Van Detten) trapped in a tunnel where the water is rising. And in the episode “The Long Way Around” (1997), nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) is taken hostage during a supermarket robbery and performs an impromptu tracheotomy on one of the robbers (guest star Ewan McGregor). IT
Where to stream it: Hulu, Max, Max Amazon Channel
“Emergency call 911”
This docuseries uses footage of real rescues, presented with due seriousness by host William Shatner. In the first episode, a daredevil wingwalker is left dangling from a plane, making it impossible to land. (A very similar rescue was performed on “9-1-1” in episode 11 of season three, when a skydiving instructor is knocked unconscious in mid-flight.) — s.k.a.
Where to stream it: PlutoTV
“Emergency!”
Randolph Mantooth and Kevin Tighe played John Gage and Roy DeSoto, Los Angeles firefighters serving in the LAPD’s newly created Paramedical Rescue Service. Among the situations they were called to were a dangerously contagious monkey (23 years before the movie Outbreak) and a gunman shooting wildly in the emergency room. This semi-documentary series also taught Generation Xers valuable lessons, like why eating two loaves of raw bread is a bad idea. — s.k.a.
Where can you stream it?: Philo
The respondent
Martin Freeman plays Liverpool-based first responder Chris Carson in this BBC One series: His violent character has just been demoted from inspector to the thankless night shift at the start of the series. And, like most 9-1-1 characters, does he have a complicated and traumatic backstory? Yes, he does. The series is based on the true life experiences of Tony Schumacher, a former Merseyside police officer. — s.k.a.
Where can you stream it?: BritBox
