HAWAII LIKELY ‘9-1-1’ SPIN-OFF SITE

Are first responders the new detectives and cops in the paradise that is Hawaii?

Could be. Ryan Murphy, the prolific television producer, writer and director of a myriad of TV hits, apparently is eyeing Hawaii for his next small screen spin-off.

“9-1-1: Hawaii” is in development at ABC, according to Deadline. Precisely what genre of first responders has not yet been determined.

The new show will be Ryan’s third in the “9-1-1” universe, following his “9-1-1” original set in Los Angeles on ABC, featuring cops, and “9-1-1: Austin” on Fox, with firefighters.

Even a lead actor – John Stamos – is apparently set to star in the “9-1-1: Hawaii” spin-off, according to TVLine. The website said Stamos is a likely choice, because like Rob Lowe, he’s got pop culture history. Stamos is known for roles in “General Hospital,” “Full House,” among others, and including the current streaming responder show at sea, “Doctor Odyssey,”  on ABC and streaming on Hulu. Further, he has history with Murphy, the TV mogul of many shows, like “Glee,” “Scream Queens,” and “The New Normal,” plus the  current “Odyssey” and “Grotesquerie” on Hulu.

If the project materializes – and it seems to be a good bet it will  — it would be the second series in Hawaii with first responders saving lives and answering SOS calls. Audiences get hooked on the potential tragedy/heroic rescues of the first responder formula because they are provide emotional and action-filled entertainment.

 “Rescue: HI Surf” is the first. It boasts lifeguards in primetime on Fox, with its first season under way on the North Shore, where pounding high waves put swimmers and surfers in jeopardy.

The arrival of “Rescue” ends the decades-long CBS’ reign of procedurals of cops and sleuths chasing murderers, robbers and other  criminals in Honolulu, rendering  these shows obsolete. CBS canceled “NCIS: Hawaii,” which was the  franchise’s spin on navy crimes earlier this year, after three seasons, despite touting the franchise’s first-ever female Special Agent in Charge in Vanessa Lachey.  

For several decades, CBS was the key network of the crime-in-paradise shows: “Hawaii Five-0,” original and reboot, and “Magnum P.I.,” also with original and revival.  The  shows didn’t book stars, but created stars , who became famous: Jack Lord  (“Five-0”), Tom Selleck (“Magnum”),  Alex O’Loughlin (“Five-0”) and Jay Hernandez (“Magnum.”)

Show creator Ryan Murphy and collaborator Tim Minear have been pitting Honolulu against Las Vegas for the  newest “9-1-1” installment. Honolulu over Las Vegas?  The tropics or the desert?  Honolulu would be the best fit. And why not? Hawaii News Now’s meteorologist Guy Hagi reminds us daily that “Hawaii has the best weather on the planet.”

Further, the cameras love Hawaii; “Five-0” and “Magnum” always captured the money shots – blue skies, turquoise seas, pristine beaches and sunshine galore, in missions hither and yon, even leaving an imprint on Kualoa Ranch, where dozens of film and TV scenes have been filmed. Our visitor industry – Waikiki in particular – would welcome the subsequent publicity.

If it’s a greenlighted, “9-1-1: Hawaii” would start filming in March, 2025, and debut in the fall of 2025,  joining the ABC family, so a formal announcement is imminent. “Lone Star” is in the midst of its fifth and final season, which ends Feb. 3, so a  fresh spinoff for a sister show, would keep the brand and momentum going, hopefully for multiple seasons.

First responder shows are particularly costly endeavors for its creators, because they aim high for quality, high-end concepts with expected spiraling costs. Add salaries for “name” stars, like Angela Bassett, Peter Krause and Rob Lowe on the earlier “9-1-1” shows, the budgets soar. Further, actors earn off-camera executive producer credits, too; Lowe not only stars on “Lone Star,” but wears a producer’s hat, and Bassett, who starred on the original “9-1-1,” has also served as an exec producer on “Lone Star.”

An oddity in the investigative brand is “NCIS: Sydney,” which begins its second season in January; it is not produced by the domestic NCIS team. The original “NCIS” still airs on CBS, with a prequel, “Origins,” which was launched this fall.

If “9-1-1: Hawaii” materializes, a network of actors, casting directors, and behind-the-scenes trade craftsmen are understandably waiting in the wings for the “greenlight” call. The mode right now is amber.

According to Deadline, representatives for ABC and Studio 20^th Television, which are behind the  project have declined comment….

And that’s Show Biz…