Is the ‘9-1-1’ Universe Connected to This Underrated Ryan Murphy Comedy?
The 9-1-1 franchise is unlike anything else on television right now. Since the flagship series began in 2018, spawning two spinoffs and multiple moves across networks, it has evolved from a humble procedural drama into something gleefully unhinged. Where else can you find storylines about Angela Bassett being sent to space, Rob Lowe accidentally crushing the chest of a frozen corpse, and the glorious portmanteau “bee-nado”?
The 9-1-1 shows already relish in storylines that are relatively bizarre, but one new detail has fans speculating about something that they didn’t even think was possible. Fans have noticed appearances of the “Plasma Care Center”, a fake company that helps organize blood drives, in 9-1-1. Where has that company already appeared? In Scream Queens, the short-lived Fox comedy produced by 9-1-1 mavens Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk.
Does this mean that the two shows exist in the same shared universe? If so, what does Glen Powell’s Chad Radwell think of the weird emergencies happening in other major cities? Are Glee references now not out of the realm of possibility? (And would that completely break canon in the process, given how many cast members have crossed over between the various shows?) It makes your head spin.
Are 9-1-1 and Scream Queens in the Same Universe?!
Don’t get me wrong, this connection between the 9-1-1 universe and Scream Queens is bizarre. More than anything, I am amazed that the Plasma Care Center branding is so consistent, given the fact that Scream Queens has been off the air for nearly a decade. It’s not even the same blood drive truck that appeared in Scream Queens, which means that the 9-1-1 team was able to create an entirely new design off of the same assets.
Regardless, it’s not the first or last time that something like this has happened. Sometimes, a long-running director or creator will sneak a brand name into all of their projects… and sometimes, it will just happen spontaneously as the story unfolds.
For example, The CW’s Riverdale already had its own concrete spinoff series with Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Katy Keene… but the connections didn’t stop there. HBO Max’s Pretty Little Liars sequel series, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, name-dropped multiple locations from Riverdale, and even had a cameo from a very minor character. Both shows were created by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who himself was even amazed that they were able to establish the connection between the two.
“We kind of just wrote that line in,” Aguirre-Sacasa told TVLine back in 2022. “I assumed that we wouldn’t be allowed to reference Riverdale, since it’s in a completely different universe, but it stayed in. So, yeah, I guess it does exist in the same universe.”
Time will only tell if this 9-1-1 and Scream Queens connection is on the same level, or will fully lead to a crossover between the two shows. Honestly, any of the Chanels showing up on any of the 9-1-1 shows would be far from the weirdest thing to happen in that corner of television.
(featured image: ABC)
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