FX’sSnowfallspinoff is officially moving forward. The originalSnowfallseries, which ran from 2017 to 2023, explored the rise of the crack cocaine epidemic in 1980s Los Angeles. Created by the late John Singleton, Eric Amadio, and Dave Andron,Snowfallfollowed Franklin Saint’s (Damson Idris)journey into a burgeoning drug kingpin as he partners with Teddy (Carter Hudson), a CIA operative. The upcoming spinoff will pick up soon after the end of the original series as recovering addict Wanda Bell-Simmons begins her career in West Coast rap in the 1990s while a violent gang war rages on.
Varietyhas now reported thattheSnowfallspinoff has secured a pilot order from FX, marking a significant milestone in its development since it was first announced in 2023. The new series will seeSnowfallstar Gail Bean reprise her role as Wanda, alongside Isaiah John, who returns as her husband Leon Simmons. As Wanda fights to take West Coast rap mainstream, she faces threats from an ongoing conflict that could derail her ambitions.
What This Means For Snowfall
Snowfall’s Legacy Continues In A New Era
Snowfallconcluded with Franklin Saint losing everything in his pursuit of power and wealth. At the end of the series, he was left alone, his empire in ruins, his mother imprisoned, his uncle dead, and his best friend Leon moving to another country. Ultimately, Franklin became an unhoused alcoholic with a fall from grace reminiscent of Brian Cranston’s award-winning turn inBreaking Bad. In the last episodes ofSnowfall,Wanda and Leon were attempting to leave their troubled past behindas newlyweds in Ghana, but eventually returned home to LA where she’ll now begin her new career.
15 Best TV Shows Like Snowfall
Those who enjoy the drama Snowfall will be glad to know that there are a number of other TV shows that cover some of the same territory.
Snowfallbegan with a mixed reception but steadily grew into one ofFX’s most acclaimed dramas. Initially debuting with a 62% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, the series overcame early skepticism and ended its run with a 100% score in its final season.Malcolm Spellman is set to lead the new spinoff, with his previous television credits includingThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier,Empire,andBel-Air. AlongsideSnowfallveterans Dave Andron, Thomas Schlamme, Julie DeJoie, Michael London, and Trevor Engelson as executive producers, the project is in the right hands to carry the crime-drama franchise forward.
Our Take On Snowfall’s Spinoff
The Spinoff Will Reinvent The Franchise
Spinoffs are more popular than ever, with projects likeDune: Prophecyand the upcomingAlien: Earthexpanding beloved universes. TheSnowfallspinoff appears to be taking a different path from its predecessor, following Wanda as she battles addiction while LA’s crack epidemic lingers. Her pursuit of a West Coast rap career suggests the series will align more with FX’sAtlantathan a traditional crime drama. As theSnowfallspinoff moves further into development, it remains to be seen how it will weave together its themes of music, addiction, and crime.
Snowfall
Cast
Snowfall is an FX original series that focuses on the beginning of the crack cocaine epidemic that swept Los Angeles in the 1980s. The show lasted for six seasons and starred Damson Idris, Carter Hudson, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Isaiah John, and Amin Joseph. Snowfall wrapped its final season in April 2023.
