Shonda Rhimes has penned a heartfelt message in the wake of the end of Station 19. The show, on which Rhimes was an executive producer, was the second spinoff from her ongoing hit medical drama Gray’s Anatomy, which premiered in 2005. The show followed the titular team at the Seattle Fire Department throughout seven seasons and 105 total episodes before the Station 19 season 7 finale ended the series, which aired on May 30. The show’s ensemble cast included Jaina Lee Ortiz, Jason George, Grey Damon, Barrett Doss, Danielle Savre, and Jay Hayden.
On Instagram, Shonda Rhimes shared a post honoring the end of Station 19. Check it out below:
Alongside various images of the cast from the long-running spinoff, Rhimes shared a caption expressing how thankful she is for the people behind the show. She reflected that “these beloved characters will continue to hold space, reminding us of our humanity and the transformative power of storytelling.”
Station 19 Broke New Ground For Shonda Rhimes
The Grey’s Anatomy Spinoff Achieved A Record Before Its FInale
Of the shows on which Rhimes was an executive producer but not the creator or co-creator, the fire station-based spinoff has officially lasted the longest as of the time of writing, in terms of both the number of seasons and the number of episodes.
Station 19 lasting for seven seasons before going off the air isn’t necessarily a surprise given the massive success of the Grey’s Anatomy universe, in which the flagship show recently ended season 20 with a season 21 renewal already greenlit. The previous spinoff Private Practice, which followed Kate Walsh’s character Addison Montgomery, also managed to run for six seasons before ending in 2013. Rhimes’ other hit show Scandal, which starred Kerry Washington as D.C. crisis manager Olivia Pope, similarly lasted for seven seasons, running for 124 episodes between 2012 and 2018.
Since the end of Private Practice , Addison Montgomery has returned to Grey’s Anatomy , with Kate Walsh reprising her role for eight episodes across seasons 18 and 19.
Regardless of the success of Grey’s Anatomy and Rhimes shows in general, the Station 19 finale marks a new record for the prolific television creator. Of the shows on which Rhimes was an executive producer but not the creator or co-creator, the fire station-based spinoff has officially lasted the longest as of the time of writing, in terms of both the number of seasons and the number of episodes. Below, see a breakdown of Rhimes’ most prominent shows as an executive producer so far:
| Title | Creator | Seasons | Episodes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How to Get Away with Murder (2014-2020) | Peter Nowalk | 6 | 90 | Cancelled |
| The Catch (2016-2017) | Kate Atkinson Helen Gregory Jennifer Schuur | 2 | 20 | Cancelled |
| Still Star-Crossed (2017) | Heather Mitchell | 1 | 17 | Cancelled |
| For the People (2018-2019) | Paul William Davies | 2 | 20 | Cancelled |
| Station 19 (2018-2024) | Stacy McKee | 7 | 105 | Cancelled |
| Bridgerton (2020-) | Chris Van Dusen | 3 | 20 | Ongoing |
It is entirely possible that Netflix’s Regency-era romance show Bridgerton could eventually exceed Station 19 in terms of seasons. The popular show is still ongoing, has already birthed the prequel spinoff Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (which was created by Rhimes), and is based on a series of novels with eight installments. However, if it does eventually adapt the entire series, it will still likely be at least five years before the show can overtake the Grey’s spinoff, allowing the recently concluded series to hold the record it has just beaten for quite some time.
