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'Anatomy' May Spin Off Addison
Report says back-door pilot for Walsh in works
Kate Walsh has had a bit of a roller-coaster ride in her time on "Grey's Anatomy," acting her way through a couple of love triangles, numerous medical crises and, currently, a bout of unresolved romantic tension with one of her interns.
All the ups and downs could, however, have a pretty big payoff for the actress: her own show.
ABC and "Grey's Anatomy" creator are considering a spinoff of the show that would focus on Walsh's character, neonatal surgeon Addison Montgomery. The network isn't commenting, but The Wall Street Journal reports that Rhimes is working on an idea to spin off Addison.
The details of that idea are scant at the moment; the Journal says Rhimes has yet to settle on plot details such as whether Addison would leave Seattle. She is, however, planning a May sweeps episode that would focus on Addison and serve as a back-door pilot for the new show.
Should that happen, it would likely push another Rhimes project, about a group of female journalists in New York, on to the back burner.
Character-based spinoffs are hardly a lock to succeed -- for every "Frasier" there's at least one "Joey" -- but a show born of "Grey's Anatomy" would probably have a better chance than most. The draws 20 million viewers per week, and only "American Idol" has better ratings in the adults 18-49 demographic that advertisers covet.
Walsh joined "Grey's Anatomy" in the show's first-season finale, becoming the third side of a love triangle also involving her TV husband, Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) and Seattle Grace intern Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). She became a regular midway through last season.
Her credits also include "Under the Tuscan Sun," "The Drew Carey Show" and "Kicking & Screaming."
Taye Diggs in for 'Grey's' Spinoff
'Day Break' star signs for back-door pilot
Taye Diggs is catching another break at ABC.
Diggs, who starred in the network's short-lived series "Day Break" earlier this season, will guest star in an episode of "Grey's Anatomy" later this season that will also serve as a back-door pilot for a possible spinoff series. Separately, the show will also have Hector Elizondo ("Chicago Hope," "The Princess Diaries") as a guest star.
ABC isn't offering up any information about Diggs' character (and also neglects to mention he starred in one of its shows not three months ago). The would-be spinoff will focus on Kate Walsh's character, neonatal surgeon Addison Montgomery; The Hollywood Reporter says the two-hour episode, planned for May sweeps, will have her on the verge of leaving Seattle.
Diggs recently signed a holding deal with ABC Television Studio (formerly Touchstone TV), which produces "Grey's Anatomy," and his production company also has a relationship with the studio.
In addition to "Day Break," Diggs' recent credits include the feature-film version of "Rent," UPN's "Kevin Hill" and a guest arc on "Will & Grace."
Elizondo, meanwhile, will appear in a separate episode as Callie's (Sara Ramirez) father. The Emmy-winning actor, whose long list of credits also includes "Pretty Woman," "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" and the forthcoming "Love in the Time of Cholera," is currently filming his episode, but an airdate hasn't been set.
So what do you guys think? will you watch if the spin-off is really coming to ABC???