Greek (TV Series) - Production

Production

In April 2007, ABC Family announced plans to begin airing Greek in July of that summer. The series premiered on July 9, 2007. Show creator Patrick Sean Smith began the show as a spec script of a show that he "really wanted to see," noticing a lack of shows in an hour-long format following a comedic take on college life. Citing "shows like Grey's Anatomy and Ugly Betty" that "were pushing the envelope comedically in one-hour format," Smith saw the idea working for a younger set. Greek became an example of ABC Family's desire to change their image to appeal to the emerging generation of viewers. The show's content is not traditionally considered "family friendly" due to its depiction of sex and drinking. The producers and the television network believe the friendships, which substitute for family during college, achieve the network's motto: A New Kind of Family. At the heart of the series is the sibling relationship between Casey and Rusty. The producers recognize that while it is a show about families, it is not necessarily for families, believing it is important that the authenticity of college life be portrayed, which includes the mature elements of that lifestyle. Even still, they work at making sure their depictions aren't gratuitous.

Filmed primarily in Los Angeles, the show is also filmed on location at the UCLA campus in the Westwood district of Los Angeles. Many campus scenes have also been shot at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, California, outside of Los Angeles. They've also filmed at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The exterior and some interior shots were filmed in the historic West Adams District within Los Angeles. The house used in the pilot to establish the ZBZ residence is the same house used in the reality series Beauty and the Geek.

The first season was halted in September 2007 due to the Writers Guild of America strike and returned March 24, 2008, to a triple digit increase in ratings over the pilot's premiere. On May 1, 2008, ABC Family renewed Greek for a second season, premiering August 26, 2008. The series was moved from the Tuesday lineup to Monday nights. Twelve more episodes were ordered for late spring 2009 and aired beginning March 30. On January 31, 2009, it was announced that Greek would return for a third season, premiering on August 31, 2009. The midseason premiere of Greek was Monday, Jan. 25, at 10/9c.

On February 19, 2010, it was reported that the show had been renewed for a fourth, ten-episode season. Then, on March 13, 2010, creator Sean Smith announced his plans to end the series after the fourth season, saying, "We plan to end, that's the plan. We're all looking at this as an opportunity to come back, wrap up the show, and end strong. ABC Family could have ended it, but they gave us this opportunity and I don't want to squander it." On July 29, 2010, it was confirmed that the fourth and final season of Greek would air beginning in January 2011. The series finale aired on March 7, 2011.