Hulu boss won't rule out saving Station 19 after ABC cancellation

Station 19 is closing in on its end after a seven season run but if you were to ask the fandom it's not over yet. ABC final seasoned the series but the fans have been quite loud about wanting the procedural to continue. For good reason, it's a beloved program with a diverse viewership that have been faithfully tuning into the series from season to season. Ratings don't seem to be the reason behind the show's cancellation but nonetheless the network is ending its run.

Bearing that in mind, and the fact that no other network is going to be picking up the Grey's Anatomy spin-off due to the cost of such a move, it's a streamer fans are hoping will pick up the series for a season 8. Netflix is always the first service folks look to because of its vast array of programming and the fact that it's saved shows like Manifest and Lucifer. Not to mention executive producer Shonda Rhimes has a development deal with the streamer so it's not like it would be out of left field for Netflix to pick it up. The likelihood is just low.

But there's a platform closer to home that would be a better fit and make the most sense for Station 19 to move to if it were to be saved. That's Hulu. The service is where all ABC's programming streams next day. Subscribers are familiar with the series, some may even exclusively watch the firefighter drama on the platform. And there's certainly precedence for a Network TV show to make the hop to streaming.

Both Evil and SEAL Team moved from CBS to Paramount+ when the network needed to make room on its roster. They've had successful multiple season runs with their final seasons scheduled to drop this year. Law & Order: Organized Crime just got moved to Peacock for its fifth season run, breaking off from its counterparts in the franchise which will remain on NBC. So why couldn't Station 19 be the first ABC series to become a Hulu original?

It's not exactly out of the realm of possibility. Disney TV Group President Craig Erwich, who oversees ABC and Hulu originals as well, was asked by Deadline if he's considered moving the series to streaming. He shared the following:

"We’re always looking at how to serve our audience and how to grow our audience. We have multiple platforms to serve a whole audience as we know people watch things in a variety of ways, and we’re always ready to jump on any opportunity."

While that's not at all a definitive answer, it's also not a no. Given the opportunity to shut down any speculation that Hulu would step in and pick Station 19 up, or build out a shared broadcast and streaming universe like CBS and Paramount+ are doing with the NCIS franchise, Erwich chose not to do so. Taken positively, that could mean that even if it doesn't happen for Station 19, Hulu could one day save a canceled ABC show. Though we do hope that the firefighter drama is the first program to make the leap.

We'll keep you posted as more news comes in. Stay tuned to Hidden Remote!