American television producer, screenwriter, and author Shonda Rhimes has left ABC for Netflix.
Netflix announced on Sunday that it had signed a multi-year deal with Miss Rhimes, to produce original series and projects exclusively for the company leaving her 15year long career at ABC where she produced the networks most successful shows; Grey’s Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder (HTGAWM) and Scandal among many others.
Reports also say the news of Shonda Rhimes moving to Netflix comes a week after Disney (owners of ABC) announced it was launching its own streaming service to compete with Netflix which, as of now, is the fastest growing online streaming company in the world.
While her shows will still be running on ABC with producer credit fees being paid to her, the scriptwriter, director and showrunner’s longtime producing partner Betsy Beers will make the move to Netflix as well and the arrangement is rumored to be worth well over $100 million.
Shonda Rhimes is one of the greatest storytellers in the history of television- Ted Sarandos
“Shonda Rhimes is one of the greatest storytellers in the history of television,” Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer, said in a statement. “We are so excited to welcome her to Netflix.”
Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, a top Hollywood talent agent said; “A lot of writers don’t want to write for broadcast television anymore because it is such a grind.”
While they stream a number of original shows, Netflix has also been buying individual projects from established studios, including Sony Pictures Television, Warner Bros. and Lionsgate but intends to focus more heavily on developing projects in-house, which is becoming increasingly important as media companies withhold their content because they are determined to try to block the growth of their powerful rival.
Netflix may look like it is light years ahead of its traditional competition now even though its CEO said earlier in the year “sleep is their competition” , the rise in new streaming platforms and the current running of Fox’s Empire, HBO’s Game of Thromes (GOT), the well-performing Insecure and a handful of other shows will have to come in large supply to keep viewers on these networks, else, a Shonda Rhimes & Netflix duo just might be the death of them.
