We here at TVLine have a history of predicting these things. Eight years ago, we cast Tyler Hoechlin as Superman nearly two full weeks before The CW did. More recently, we predicted that ABC would green-light a third 9-1-1 once Fox pulled the plug on Lone Star -- and lo and behold, just 27 hours later, Ryan Murphy made it official.
That's why I feel incredibly confident in this next prediction: John Stamos will headline the next installment in the first-responders franchise.
Think about it: When the Powers That Be sought a leading man for Lone Star, they approached Rob Lowe -- a former teen heartthrob whose career has stretched five decades, and whose fame has spanned multiple generations. He's a household name. Our pick to lead 9-1-1: Hawai'i... or 9-1-1: Sin City... or 9-1-1: Boise (God forbid!) has also been a pop culture mainstay ever since he got his start as Blackie Parrish on another ABC show, General Hospital, in 1982. And his history with the network extends to his most iconic role of all, that of motorcycle-riding, guitar-playing, hair-obsessed Uncle Jesse on the TGIF classic, Full House.
Also of note: Stamos has an established relationship with 9-1-1 co-creator Murphy. Over the past 15 years, he has appeared on not one... not two... not three... but four Murphy productions -- Glee, The New Normal, Scream Queens and, earlier this month, Doctor Odyssey. His impressive résumé also includes a four-season stint as paramedic-turned-emergency room doc Tony Gates on NBC's ER -- ergo, station chief isn't much of a stretch.
Stamos comes with a built-in audience, and he's simply too charismatic an actor to remain a free agent for too long. He has both the gravitas to play a mentor (not unlike Captains Bobby Nash and Owen Strand) and the charm to handle potential romantic storylines.
Quite frankly, we can think of no better fit for the 9-1-1 franchise than Stamos in a fireman's uniform.