Why ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Fans Want a Japril Spinoff – And It’s Well Deserved
One of the most beloved couples on Grey’s Anatomy would have to be, hands down, April Kepner (Sarah Drew) and Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams). Once interns at Mercy West Hospital, the two have been friends since their early medical careers. After the pair had a random hookup before their board exams, they couldn’t get enough of each other.
Despite their on-and-off relationship on-screen, fans simply couldn’t get enough of their cute yet complicated romance. So much so that they created the ship name “Japril.” Since Jackson left Seattle with April in Season 17, fans have been desperately asking for a possible Japril spinoff. Here’s why a Japril spinoff is something fans have been asking for and rightfully deserve.
Jackson and April leave Seattle together in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 17
In Grey’s Anatomy Season 17, Jackson decided to leave Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital to run the Catherine Fox Foundation in Boston. After seeing the racial inequalities in the healthcare system that was amplified by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Jackson chose to leave Seattle to make a change in the world of medicine. However, he did not leave alone. He reunited with his ex-wife, April. Now a divorced woman, she decided to go with him. In the end, they leave Seattle with their daughter and set out to help underrepresented communities.
‘Grey’s Anatomy’ fans desperately want a Japril spinoff series for one particular reason
After Jackson and April left Seattle to help impoverished communities obtain better medical care, there is one lingering question fans had about the pair – do Jackson and April end up together? While the ending was pretty open-ended, it still left fans wanting more and perhaps, a continuation of their story. Although their love story was imperfect, April and Jackson’s love for each other was undeniable. From losing a child to April’s failed marriage, fans wanted a redemption arc for the couple. Their chemistry was magnetic onscreen, and while the two spent the majority of the show apart, fans wanted to know if the pair truly got a happy ending. While there is no Japril spinoff in the works, we can continue to dream, right??!
How does Jesse Williams feel about a Japril spinoff series?
After leaving the medical drama, actor Jesse Williams sat down with TVLine and discussed his character’s ending. When asked about a spinoff that focuses on Jackson, April, and their daughter in Boston, the actor said he felt “compelled” to see what a Japril spinoff would look like on-screen.
While there isn’t a spinoff in the works, the 40-year-old actor said the idea would be a juicy concept to explore. “There is certainly a part of me that is compelled to go out into the wilderness as well [as Jackson] and do something different and new, so I’m very excited to do that,” he explained.
Williams continued, “That said, I’m really proud of the work and the character I’ve created here in this world, and I get [fans’ interest]. That would be a damn interesting and meaty spinoff with incredibly talented actors in a world that I don’t see reflected in television as far as equity in medicine and the actual role that the medical community plays in impacting our livelihoods, so there is something there. I don’t begrudge it. So we’ll see. We’ll see.”
The actor went on to say that April and Jackson were a “hell of a couple.”
Does Sarah Drew agree with her ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ co-star?
While Sarah Drew’s former co-star seems to be on board with a spinoff, does she feel the same way? She does, in fact! In an interview with Parade, the former Grey’s Anatomy star loved the idea of a spinoff series, saying it would be so awesome to do one. She said, “Yes! I mean, how cool would that show be?”
While she was on set, Drew revealed that some of the crew seemed interested in a Japril spinoff. But, she has some ideas written down regarding the overall concept. “How amazing and needed is a show about racial justice in the medical field?” Drew said. “And equity, and equality…how amazing would that be?”
