How Shonda Rhimes Took Over Thursday Nights On ABC

By Elana Goodwin on November 17, 2014

Thursday nights on ABC (and television period) belong to Shonda Rhimes, and have viewers saying “TGIT” (Thank God It’s Thursday), with the ratings to prove it.

Photo Credit: ABC

As of September 25, ABC’s Thursday nights from 8-11 p.m. consist of back-to-back new episodes of “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal” and newcomer and No. 1 freshman show “How To Get Away with Murder.” Shonda Rhimes is the creator and executive producer of “Grey’s” and “Scandal,” and the executive producer of “Murder.”

All three shows are part of ShondaLand, Rhimes’ production company, which also produced “Grey’s” spin-off series, “Private Practice” which ran for six seasons from 2007-2013.

Rhimes has landed twice on Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people and Fortune magazine’s 50 most powerful women in business. She’s won a Golden Globe, been nominated for three Emmys, and won a Peabody Award earlier this year.

Rhimes is also set to receive the The Hollywood Reporter’s 2014 Sherry Lansing Award, which recognizes a woman who is a leader in her industry.

And Shonda Rhimes definitely is a leader in her industry. Before “Scandal,” which stars Kerry Washington, a black woman hadn’t starred on a network show since 1974, when Teresa Graves led “Get Christie Love!” And now, besides Washington, Viola Davis headlines on “Murder.”

Rhimes’ shows have not only reestablished the opportunities and possibilities for black actresses, but have also broken barriers with regards to LGBTQ characters, especially on “Scandal” and “Murder.”

Recently, a Twitter user complained about the gay scenes on those Rhimes’ shows, and she fired back, saying:

“There are no GAY scenes. There are scenes with people in them. If you are suddenly discovering that Shondaland shows have scenes involving people who are gay, you are LATE TO THE PARTY. If you use the phrase “gay scenes,” you are not only LATE to the party but also NOT INVITED to the party.”

From left: Shonda Rhimes, Kerry Washington, Ellen Pompeo, and Viola Davis sit down and talk for BuzzFeed Brews
Photo Credit: abc.go.com

Rhimes also took offense when in September, The New York Times’ Alessandra Stanley described Rhimes as an “angry black woman” and wrote “When Shonda Rhimes writes her autobiography, it should be called ‘How to Get Away With Being an Angry Black Woman.’”

Though the article actually meant to praise Rhimes, she wondered why Stanley had picked a rant from “Scandal’s” Olivia Pope (played by Washington) to illustrate her point about Rhimes’ own supposed anger while ignoring the fact that other Rhimes characters who are white rant too.

Other Rhimes supporters, including Ellen Pompeo (who plays Meredith Grey on “Grey’s Anatomy”), Washington, and “Scandal’s” Joshua Malina also jumped in to defend Rhimes and disagree with Stanley’s description.

Rhimes’ shows have become known for their excellent writing, engaging story lines, and dynamic and multifaceted characters, which is why ABC’s entertainment president Paul Lee handed over the network’s Thursday night lineup to Rhimes.

“Shonda has this ability to create television events,” he said, shortly before the three shows premiered their first Thursday together to a same-day audience of 37 million viewers.

“Shows that really pop have strong voices, and there’s no stronger voice in America than Shonda Rhimes.”

Shonda Rhimes
Photo Credit: The Hollywood Reporter

Time’s James Poniewozik praised Rhimes‘ ability to figure out “a way for network drama to thrive in a challenging era: with smart, pulpy shows that emote like pop ballads, look like America and run like hell.”

Viewers seem to think so as ratings for “Grey’s” 10th season showed it was the No. 1 drama among the key 18-to-49 demographic with “Scandal” close behind. Currently, medical drama “Grey’s” is in its 11th season, political thriller “Scandal” has entered its fourth season, and legal drama “Murder” premiered this year.

The debut of “Grey’s,” “Scandal” and “Murder” on the same night in September saw ABC mark its best Thursday start to a season in five years. ABC also won its third straight November sweep Thursday in adults 18-to-49 and “Scandal” hit a six-week high while “Murder” hit a three-week high this past Thursday night.

Next week the three shows will air their fall finales and be on a two-month hiatus, but this past week’s episodes were up 30 percent in total viewers from the same night last year.

So if you’re not already tuning in to Thursday nights on ABC, you’re missing out big-time as the three back-to-back hours of Shonda Rhimes-produced dramas will undoubtedly have you saying “TGIT.”

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