‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Branches Out to Texas With Another Spinoff Commissioned by ABC for Television Series
It seems that the highly successful and popular television franchise ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ is gearing up for yet another expansion, with ABC commissioning another spinoff to take place in the state of Texas. It has been revealed that this particular spinoff will see the efforts of Shonda Rhimes and Meg Marinis collaborating as co-creators for the series.
It is no wonder that Grey’s Anatomy, which has been running on television for nearly two decades now, has not shown any signs of stopping anytime soon. Instead, it seems that the show is about to begin a new chapter in its journey with its expanding universe.
Regardless of what we may know about the upcoming spinoff at the moment, one thing is for sure, and that is that the series has already managed to attract a lot of attention.
A Franchise That Refuses To Fade Away
One of the very few TV series in the history of television that has managed to maintain its longevity is Grey’s Anatomy. The TV series, whose first episode aired in 2005, has transformed itself from merely being a TV series to becoming a franchise by creating other TV series like Private Practice and Station 19, all the while changing its cast and storylines.
Another example of the popularity of the Grey’s Anatomy franchise even in this age where TV series are normally revamped for streaming television is the creation of a spin-off in Texas.
Unlike most TV series that survive over time, which are either completely revamped or eventually fade away, Grey’s Anatomy has decided to branch out.
Why Texas? A Change of Setting in Television Franchises
The move of Grey’s Anatomy from Seattle to Texas is much more than just a new environment. Location in TV series can be considered in much the same way as a character can.
The grey skies in Seattle helped create the introspective atmosphere of the first series of Grey’s Anatomy. The Texas setting opens up a whole new world with different geography, different dynamics in the field of medicine, and possibly different patients due to the state’s proximity to the border, rurality, and large cities with hospital complexes.
This gives birth to new possibilities of storylines without changing the nature of the franchise – a blend of medicine and drama.
It’s one of the trends in contemporary TV series where an established franchise is transplanted to a different region.
Continuing Control in Shondaland
The appearance of both Shonda Rhimes and Meg Marinis suggests continuity in terms of creative control, rather than a complete rethinking of the creative process. Shonda Rhimes, who created the Grey’s Anatomy series within the Shondaland brand, is one of the most influential people in TV production, whereas Meg Marinis has already been quite active in creating new seasons and characters.
Thus, it becomes clear that, unlike what might be expected, ABC is not trying to “reboot” Grey’s Anatomy, but to expand it in accordance with the same creative team.
Such approach is rather popular in franchise TV production, when the creative process continues, but the narrative expands.
Courtesy of TED Conference (Flickr CC0)Can the Franchise Attract New Viewers?
The main issue that needs to be addressed in relation to the Texas spin-off is not whether or not the existing audience will continue to watch (they definitely will), but whether it will be capable of attracting new viewers that have never been watching it for its 20-year history.
The way people consume content has significantly changed since 2005, and young viewers tend to watch TV shows by either viewing clips online or receiving recommendations via algorithms on streaming services such as Netflix.
However, what should a franchise that has existed for many years do to attract new viewers that do not share the same emotional connection with the show as its loyal fans?
The answer might very well lie in the format of the series.
The Reasons Why This Series Has Potential to Survive and Succeed in Pop Culture
Firstly, the reason why this series has potential to survive and succeed is the fact that medical dramas continue to remain popular in pop culture despite the transformations in the television industry. They have proven themselves to be rather resilient due to their nature of being tied with drama, conflicts, and ethical questions.
Secondly, it should be noted that Grey’s Anatomy is not a series about medicine but rather about people. Therefore, it does not matter what changes take place in the field of medical television shows.
Thirdly, the setting of Texas could become a source of new problems in healthcare.
Franchise Expansion, Not Contraction
Rather than being a sign that it is coming to an end, the spin-off from Texas reveals another important fact about Grey’s Anatomy – it is not just a show but a whole TV universe.
ABC’s decision to continue expanding the franchise suggests that the network feels that people still love the fundamental structure of the show despite any changes in the characters and the plot.
In times when most long-running series are either rebooted, concluded or cancelled, Grey’s Anatomy continues to follow a much rarer path – the path of expansion.
Conclusion
This new spin-off series set in Texas that is set to premiere shortly will be more than just yet another Grey’s Anatomy show. Rather, it will be a test case as to whether this television universe, which has existed for close to two decades now, can continue to evolve while maintaining its original appeal.
If successful, this spin-off will prove that Grey’s Anatomy is not only a long-running series but a long-lasting multi-series franchise.
By David Loran Jr
A successful Editor-in-Chief, journalist for over 6 years, writing about important topics that are going on within the U.S. and beyond.
Sources:
Yahoo! Entertainment: ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Getting New Texas-Set Spinoff
Variety: ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Spinoff Set in Texas Ordered at ABC
Deadline: ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Texas Spinoff Ordered By ABC With Shonda Rhimes & Meg Marinis As Co-Creators
Featured Image Courtesy of Walt Disney Television’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of TED Conference‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
