A new location has emerged as a leading contender to serve as the setting for the anticipated second 9-1-1 spinoff currently in the works at ABC from Ryan Murphy and Tim Minear. According to sources, Hawaii is hotting up as a potential setting for the spinoff, which Deadline reported earlier this month has accelerated after a lengthy gestation period. It has yet to be greenlit.
During the gestation period, other locations were considered after Los Angeles (9-1-1) and Austin (9-1-1: Lone Star), with Las Vegas emerging as a favorite at one point.
We’ve heard that the 50th state has now been moved up. Representatives for ABC and 20th Television, the studio behind the first responder drama, declined to comment.
With its tropical, paradise-like setting and abundant beaches, Hawaii’s appeal is clear and fits the aspirational tone of Murphy’s shows, most recently ABC’s Doctor Odyssey.
But filming in Hawaii isn’t without its challenges—mostly financial—that make setting a 9-1-1 series there a no-brainer. Home to some of television’s most iconic series, such as Gilligan’s Island, two versions of Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I., as well as Lost, Hawaii is an expensive location that’s hard to justify on a constantly shrinking TV budget, especially on linear TV. Costs were one factor in CBS’ decision to cancel NCIS: Hawai’i after three seasons, despite it being the 12th most-watched non-sports show on the air, averaging 7.8 million linear viewers and 10 million multiplatform viewers (Live + 35).
Fox and producer John Wells recently figured out how to produce a new series Rescue HI-Surf — also featuring first responders — in Hawaii while still staying within the network’s $3-4 million-per-episode budget range with a cast that doesn’t include big names.
Meanwhile, ABC’s 9-1-1, led by Angela Bassett, reportedly cost twice as much. The spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star, starring Rob Lowe, was also significantly more expensive to produce, which played a role in its exit from Fox after its current fifth season. The 9-1-1 series was conceived as a high-profile broadcast procedural with a star-studded cast and elaborate special effects, so making it in Hawaii without adaptations would be a challenge.
Unlike 9-1-1, which moved to ABC after six seasons on Fox, Lone Star is not expected to make the same transition, Deadline reported last month. Instead, the idea is to potentially launch a new spinoff series next season. The project, overseen by Minear and Murphy, is still in the script development stage.
9-1-1 and Lone Star are created and executive produced by Murphy, Minear and Brad Falchuk, with Minear leading the series as showrunner. The series is produced by 20th Television and Ryan Murphy Prods.
