After 9-1-1, Peter Krause Signs On for NBC’s Protection Pilot

It’s time to update the vision boards, TV fans. After eight seasons of playing the world’s most stoic firefighter on 9-1-1, Peter Krause is officially hanging up the turnout gear and heading back to the network that arguably raised him. In a move that feels like a warm, slightly intense hug for anyone who spent the 2010s weeping over the Braverman family, Krause has signed on to lead the NBC pilot Protection.

The Prodigal Braverman Returns

Let’s be real: Peter Krause is the ultimate "dad of prestige television." Whether he was dealing with funeral home logistics in Six Feet Under or navigating the chaos of Berkeley in Parenthood, Krause has a specific brand of weary, blue-collar nobility that networks drool over.

In Protection, Krause steps into the shoes of Mike Thornhill, a former Secret Service agent turned Assistant Director of Intelligence. According to early character descriptions, Thornhill is the "life of the party" whose career choice has left his personal life looking like a clearance rack at a thrift store. It’s the classic "man who protects the world but can’t protect his own marriage" trope, and frankly, nobody plays "haunted but handsome" better than Krause.

What We Know About the ‘Protection’ Pilot

Written by Josh Safran (Quantico, Gossip Girl), the series aims to be more than just another procedural. The plot kicks off when a U.S. Marshal is killed in the line of duty, turning the Thornhill family—a dynasty of law enforcement agents—into the targets of a mysterious assassin.

Here’s why this project has legs:

• The Creative Pedigree: Josh Safran knows how to weave a soap-operatic mystery better than almost anyone. If he can bring the high-stakes tension of Quantico without the confusing timelines, we’re in for a treat.

• The Production Power: The pilot is being executive produced by Jenna Bush Hager (yes, that Jenna Bush Hager) and Ben Spector. Universal TV is clearly betting big on this "family-meets-firefights" vibe.

• The Slot: NBC is currently looking for its next big anchor drama to sit alongside the Chicago franchise. A high-octane thriller led by a familiar face is exactly what the peacock ordered.

Why We’re Watching (And Why You Should Too)

At The TV Cave, we’ve spent years watching Krause save people from collapsing buildings and runaway cruise ships. Transitioning him into an intelligence thriller feels like a natural evolution. He’s graduated from saving lives to protecting secrets, and if the chemistry of the "Thornhill family" is even half as good as the Bravermans, NBC might have a massive hit on its hands.

It’s refreshing to see a pilot that prioritizes an established lead who can actually carry a scene without relying entirely on green screens or technobabble. Krause brings a grounded gravitas to the screen that makes even the most outlandish "mysterious assassin" plots feel believable.

The Verdict So Far

While we’re still in the pilot stage, the combination of Peter Krause’s return to NBC and a high-stakes family thriller is a winning formula. It’s a bit gritty, a bit domestic, and knowing Safran, probably a little bit sexy.

Stay tuned to The TV Cave as we track the development of Protection. We’ll be here to let you know if this becomes our next obsession or if it’s just another case of a great actor in a mediocre suit. But let’s be honest: even in a mediocre suit, Krause is still better than most of what’s on the air.