For a long time, I was searching for a good web series to watch. With such a wide range of choices spread across various platforms, narrowing down to one is always a task. But thanks to Instagram, I stumbled upon a reel featuring the OTT gay couple ‘Tarlos’ (Carlos and TK). I was instantly drawn to their chemistry. This pushed me to watch their series 911 Lone Star. Since then, I’ve been unable to get over them!
911 Lone Star is an American drama based on the Firefighters and Emergency Medical Service (EMS departments of the fictional unit called ‘126’, located in Austin, Texas. The term ‘Lone Star’ is used to refer to Texas’ nickname – ‘Lone Star State‘. This series, created for Fox by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear, is a spin-off of the television series 9-1-1. The drama is divided into four series. The first season was aired in January 2020. In the series, Carlos is a cop and TK is a firefighter. TK later becomes a paramedic. I love the series because it has a near-perfect blend of action, last-minute thrills, suspense, and a love story. Nowadays, while many series involve high-end action and combat, this one took a shift from this, portraying different forms of love and relationships. Initially, I watched the drama to learn more about Carlos and TK’s love story. However, as I progressed, I started learning more about the other characters and their take on love.
Hence, in lieu of my eternal love for the series, here is a rundown of a few of my favorite moments that bawled me over!
- CARLOS & TK: First things first, 911 LONE STAR has to be one of my favorite gay love stories. Imagine a cop and a firefighter getting together; the chemistry is sure to be on fire! Both characters had to battle their wars before meeting each other. While Carlos (played by Rafael L. Silva) had a difficult time coming out to his parents while dealing with a contractual marriage, TK (played by Ronen Rubinstein) had to go through a horrible breakup, relapsed with substances, and had to relocate from New York to Texas abruptly. But as Carlos said to TK, “We are soulmates”, these two gradually found their way toward each other and (spoiler alert) got married to each other in the last episode of Season four. They taught me that sometimes, all you need is genuine love and dedication from the person you love to make your life worthwhile. They made me believe that there will always be a brighter side at the end of a dark tunnel and all we need is patience and a hand to hold.
- GRACE & JUDD: Every time Judd Reydar calls his wife “my girl”, my heart melts. After TK and Carlos, they come second on my list. If someone has to define what a power couple is, it is probably them. Judd (played by Jim Parrack) is one of the bravest firefighters and was the only survivor in the fire incident that caused the deaths of the earlier batch of 126. His wife, Grace (played by Sierra McClain), is a witty and efficient 911 dispatcher. The real essence of their love story is how they continue to uplift each other, in both personal and professional life, and how they stood with each other, through the ravages of time. No doubt that they are shown as an inspiration for their entire gang of friends.
- CAPTAIN TOMMY VEGA & CAPTAIN OWEN STRAND: They are not romantically involved with each other, but their approach towards love and life intrigued me! While Captain Vega (played by Gina Torres) is the head of the paramedics and a widower with two daughters, Captain Strand (played by Rob Lowe) is the head of the fire department, a two-time divorcee, and the father of TK. Both are shown as trying to give love a second chance in their middle age. While Captain Vega considers getting married again, Captain Strand goes on some beautiful and ‘adventurous’ dates. It gives a lovely message that love has no age boundary and it can find us anywhere, anytime.
- NANCY & MATEO: Their love story began at the end of the third season, and it is still in its budding stage. Nancy Gillian (played by Brianna Baker) is a paramedic while Mateo Chavez (played by Julian Works) is a dyslexic firefighter. While everything seems to fit in for this couple, according to Mateo, the only ‘concern’ was their height difference. Nancy is extremely tall while Mateo is comparatively shorter than her. This developed a certain sense of insecurity within Mateo. But later, Nancy makes him realize that staying with each other is their greatest blessing and the height difference should only be an external factor.
I could relate to Nancy’s character because I’ve also been thrown off comments saying that I won’t be able to find my match because of my tall height. Well, this love story surely made me believe that if something is meant to be, it is meant to be.
While the series showcases several other relationships, the aforementioned touched my heart the most. The show portrays different forms and approaches towards love. This ranges from same-sex couples, people giving love a second chance, a transgender experiencing the nuances of love, and so on. They introduced me to the positive side of love and devotion and taught me how to love better. As I eagerly wait for the upcoming season, I am reminded of the fact that love comes in many forms and makes us learn certain invaluable lessons about life. I am super excited and curious to decode the upcoming layers of these love stories. More than anything, I can’t wait to see the ‘husband era’ of TK and Carlos!