9-1-1: Lone Star co-showrunner Rashad Raisani is sounding off on the sudden exit of Sierra McClain.
The fifth and final season premiere of the Fox procedural saw McClain’s character, Grace, left home to volunteer with a faith based organization called Mercy Ships. However, in the process, Grace also made the decision to leave behind her husband Judd (Jim Parrack), as well as their two-year old daughter.
In an interview with TVLine, Raisani stood firm on Grace’s exit, despite its polarizing response from many fans.
“People are allowed to feel the feelings they have about it, but we did all we could do to protect her character,” he said. “Without getting too churchy about it, the Bible is filled with stories about characters who follow a call from God at great inconvenience to — and frankly to the detriment of — the people they love the most.”
What challenge does McClain’s exit present for the show?
Raisani further stated McCalin’s depature presented a challenge.
“I have often found that out of great crisis comes great opportunity,” he explained. He also disclosed how Grace’s exit will impact Judd (Jim Parrack)’s storyline.
“Judd doesn’t have his job, he doesn’t have his son and now he doesn’t have his wife, so it puts him into a deeper place of isolation,” Raisani says. “You’ll see as the season goes on that it creates this great complexity for Judd. On one hand, he admires and loves his wife, but there will be a growing sense of frustration and some uncomfortable feelings he has that he doesn’t want to admit to himself that start to come out.”
The series airs Monday at 9 p.m. on Fox.
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