If you thought your Thursday night TV viewings were already emotionally draining with shows such as Grey's Anatomy and How To Get Away With Murder, that's nothing compared to what ABC's lineup has in store for you this week. Filling in for Scandal's usual time-slot, the network will unleash the premiere of its latest drama, The Family , which centers around the town of Red Pines, Maine, shortly after the mayor's son, Adam — who had been being presumed dead for over a decade — finally returns home. As you can imagine, the serious premise of the plot is bound to elicit some very real emotions, considering that something like this can actually happen in real life. But speaking of what's real and what's not, you may also find yourself wondering whether The Family town, Red Pines, Maine is actually a real place or not.
Like with any town that appears on TV, fans are always eager to know if such a place actually exists in the world of reality. Unfortunately, in this case, it appears as though Red Pines is just as fictitious as the beloved town of Stars Hollow is, which means I wouldn't go scheduling any road trips there in the near future if I was you. (Unless you want to just drive around aimlessly, of course.) What makes me say that, you may ask? Well, when presented with the question, I did what most people do when they don't know something: I Googled it. And I assure you that no town by the name of Red Pines appears in the state of Maine. (Plus, the show synopsis states outright that the town is fictional.) However, that doesn't mean that the name has no connection to the show.
For starters, the description is pretty much within the name itself. Red Pines could very well stand for all the red pine trees that grow in and around the town. In fact, those type of trees are native to Maine, which could very well be how the made-up town got its name originally. So more than likely, you can expect to see red pine trees make one or two (or 10) cameos throughout the series' run, so nature buffs should be on the lookout.
However, if you extended your search outside of Maine, you'd find the name popping up throughout several different locations, though still never in the form of a town name. There's a very nice vacation rental that goes by the name of Red Pines, which offers a great deal of amenities in a beautiful forest surrounding. Then there's Red Pine condominiums and townhouses that can be found at a ski resort in Park City, Utah. And so the list goes. So as you embark on this brand new adventure, just know that while the feelings and emotions may appear all too real, the town itself is pure fiction. And depending on what terrible things end up happening there, we may all find that as a source of comfort.
Images: Jack Rowand/ABC; KC Bailey/ABC
