9-1-1: Lone Star Review: Negative Space (Season 3 Episode 12)

If 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 3 Episode 12, “Negative Space,” proves anything it’s that Owen Strand is the worst character on the show. Once again, viewers are subjected to Owen Strand running the show and not caring who gets hurt in the process.

Honestly, the show is doing the loyal viewers a huge disservice by making him the center of practically every storyline. It’s pretty much all of the same, over and over again. 

Even worse is that he is the exact example of a man who is threatened by anyone who dares to challenge his authority or strength. By calling him a Toxic Pig his stalker is actually on to something.

The episode starts off feeling like it will be Owen Strand up against another machismo male character so, it does come as a bit of a surprise when the stalker isn’t Griffin after all. Unfortunately, that would be shock is hindered tremendously by not only the motive behind the situation but also the method in which they subdue others.

Owen Strand Beloved Man?

One of the most unbelievable things about 9-1-1: Lone Star is the sheer number of women who can’t seem to get enough of Captain Strand. Owen is a throw punches in defense of my woman and ask questions later kind of guy which is toxic as hell. 

So, why is it that there are now two women who just can’t seem to get enough of him. One of which is ready to let people die in order to have him.

It’s honestly the biggest head-scratcher of the whole series. Maybe I am biased because I’m a woman and nothing about how he acts is the least bit attractive to me. 

Also, his whole way of behaving detracts from any other story that may be going on — case in point Nancy’s DNR woes. It isn’t a character that should be getting all the focus of a show that boasts they are diverse and accepting.

Owen’s macho, white man attitude takes over the whole show and shoves the queer characters as well as the characters of color to the side. “Negative Space” is truly a negative space for anyone who doesn’t want to be triggered by men who throw their weight around and never experience consequences for their actions.

Everyone But Owen Gets Hurt

Which brings us to the other sore spot with this show. Owen Strand is constantly targeted by people who don’t agree with his way of living.

However, Owen never has consequences for his actions, or at least not ones that matter or last longer than a short period — ones that go away with a simple insincere apology from him. Instead, everyone around him suffers.

None more so than his son TK. We’ve stated before that Owen’s “guilt” over his son is simply performative. “Negative Space” further proves that.

His focus is on the stalker and the women who love him instead of on how this whole situation could affect his son. Even after TK is drugged, Owen’s focus isn’t even on TK its on making sure the woman gets arrested and the whole situation gets squared away. 

He’s not a cop, and yet, he acts like one even in the presence of Carlos’ father, the actual sheriff. 

TK has ended up in the hospital multiple times now as a result of Owen running his mouth off or punching someone or his general disregard for the safety of those around him. Now, TK’s sobriety has been shot down because Owen’s stalker girlfriend has decided to drug TK and Carlos with Oxy.

When will the show or the writers realize that TK is not a punching bag to constantly be affected by Owen’s behavior? He is a grown adult who should be seperate from his father’s mess, but instead, it’s “what mess can TK endure this week?”

Stop harming TK to allow Owen to come off as the hero. It’s not the win the show thinks it is. 

Nancy, Poor Nancy

If only the focus of Nancy’s dilemma didn’t have to pull focus with Owen. It’s a compelling story and worth way more airtime than it actually gets.

Nancy never gets to be the focus of a story, so this one would’ve been a great lead-in for her. It’s a story that shows her vulnerability and her motivation to do the job she does.

We know hardly anything about Nancy and this story with the DNR teaches us a little bit more about her. Nancy is driven by her desire to help people and somehow her sister plays into that, but we aren’t given any further information to go on.

If the show had expanded on her story a bit more we could’ve gotten further bonding between her and Tommy, which everyone deserves. Finding out even a snippet of information about Nancy is more interesting to us than whatever Owen is doing.

Honestly, this is the moment of truth for many viewers. 9-1-1: Lone Star needs to move towards stories that don’t involve Owen or risk losing about half of their viewership.

What did you think of this episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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9-1-1: Lone Star airs Mondays at 9/8c on FOX.

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