9-1-1 boss shares disappointing update on move to ABC amid dramatic season 6 finale
Fox boss Michael Thorn has shared some disappointing news about the possibility of future crossover episodes between 9-1-1 shows now that the flagship drama is moving to ABC.
Michael, who is the president of scripted programming for Fox Entertainment, said that crossovers are "extremely unlikely".
"As far as crossovers go, crossovers have always been really hard on the 9-1-1 franchise because they're such an ambitious schedule," he told Variety. "They weren't able to do it every year when both shows were on our network anyways, so I'd say it's extremely unlikely."
Michael also explained the Network's decision to cancel 9-1-1. "I think we felt moving forward into what is really a new era of television, the economics weren’t going to pan out on this show for us," he said, adding: "The decision was made there that the business model wasn’t right for us and that 20th TV would take the show back."
Earlier in May, it was announced that 9-1-1 had been canceled at Fox but then immediately picked up by ABC for its seventh season, while its spin-off show 9-1-1: Lone Star would continue to air on Fox.
HELLO! understands that, right now, there are no plans to change the showrunners or production teams; Kristen Reidel has been running the show since Tim placed his focus on spin-off show 9-1-1: Lone Star.
As for the cast, contracts for the show's stars, including Angela Bassett, Peter Krause, and Jennifer Love Hewitt, are up for renewal following season seven and that made the deal easier for ABC.
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Announcing the news, Fox released a statement that read: "It has been an honor to be the founding network of 9-1-1 and we are grateful to Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear, together with Angela Bassett, Peter Krause, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Oliver Stark, Aisha Hinds, Kenneth Choi, Ryan Guzman and the rest of the cast and crew, and 20th Television for delivering such an impactful series to Fox."
ABC is a sister network to studio 20th Television, the production company responsible for creating 9-1-1 since its 2018 debut.
Despite 9-1-1 being the number one drama on Monday night, as well as Fox's top-rated scripted series in adults 18-49, the network no longer has the same financial stake in the show since Disney acquired 20th Television.
In a statement, Disney Television Group president Craig Erwich said: "Thanks to the creative drive of Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear, as well as the talented cast, 9-1-1 has been one of the most defining and original dramas on network television over the last six seasons and we are honored to bring it to the esteemed group of series on ABC.
"It's a privilege to keep 9-1-1 in the family with 20th Television producing, and we look forward to telling more heart-racing and uplifting stories about these beloved characters on our air."
The disappointing crossover update comes just as the sixth season of 9-1-1 draws to a close. The dramatic season finale aired on Monday 15 May and saw Captain Bobby Nash and the team called to an emergency on a bridge following a series of freeway car accidents.
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More photos from the season six finale...
