ABC is closing “Station 19” this spring after 7 seasons.
The “Grey’s Anatomy” spin off about a firehouse in Seattle will close its doors during May Sweeps after moving from 8pm to 10pm on Thursdays. Clearly, the time change, announced earlier, was a sign that ABC wasn’t interested in continuing anymore with the Shonda Rhimes show since the creator moved on to Netflix.
Now the big question is, What happens to “Grey’s?” This is its 20th season, and star Ellen Pompeo will not be around much. Showrunner Krista Vernoff has already left, too. “Grey’s” has pretty much done its job, and without a star central character, the end may be near, too.
Ironically, “Station 19″‘s ratings are better than “Grey’s.” The former show averaged 3.86 million viewers a week vs. the latter’s 3.5 million. Neither number is spectacular. You want to get 5 mil and up to stay on the air. A real hit is in the 6 to 7 million range, although those days may be over for good.
“Grey’s” might get one final full season after this, but the whole show is in the ER at this point and will soon be transferred to hospice. Two decades is a rare thing for TV. But remember the days when Shonda Rhimes ruled Thursdays on ABC with “Greys,” “Scandal,” and “How to Get Away with Murder.” It was a great run!
