NEW YORK CITY, NY – Medical drama series Grey’s Anatomy is already in its 14th season this year, and yet fans are still following the show. But this 2018, creator and producer Shonda Rhimes announced that they are cooking up something new for their loyal followers. It’s a Grey’s Anatomy spinoff featuring firefighters.
Currently, the spinoff has no title yet. Head of ABC Entertainment, Channing Dungey, admitted during 2018 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena that deciding on the title is one of the most challenging things that they do. But he said that there are already a lot of different options and ideas rolling, and they have gone through it. They are just making sure that they pick the perfect piece.
Dungey also said that the title will be revealed in the next couple of weeks. And since the Grey’s Anatomy spinoff is scheduled for a March premiere, it wouldn’t be long until they have a title already. The new series is penned by Shondal and alum Stacy McKee, who will also be the showrunner.
According to reports, the Grey’s Anatomy spinoff will revolve around firefighters in Seattle and will center on Grey’s Anatomy fan favorite Ben Warren (Jason George). Warren is the husband of Bailey Warren (Chandra Wilson). He is also a medical worker, but in the spinoff, he will be exchanging his scrub suit for a firehose. McKee explained that George’s character is the perfect main cast to the spinoff because he has changed careers a couple of times already.
McKee said that Warren in Grey’s Anatomy was always chasing new things. He wasn’t the type that would stick around even if it’s no longer fulfilling him. That’s why McKee thought that he was the perfect fit to a natural transition. Also, if fans could recall, Warren once fought a fire in the finale of Grey’s Anatomy last season.
Fans of the popular series are wondering though how close the firefighter spinoff would be to its mothership series. McKee revealed that the fire station would be located just “three blocks down” from Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. With that information, it’s easy to say that there’s going to be a lot of crossover that’s going to happen. But fans should still expect something different with the Grey’s Anatomy spinoff.
Director and executive producer Paris Barclay detailed that the spinoff is going to be similar but different at the same time. It will have the similar tone and spirit, but it will have more action sequences compared with the hospital-based drama. This means that viewers will be seeing a particular level of adrenaline and energy that aren’t really found in the original series.
Aside from George, Jaina Lee Ortiz will also be joining the cast. She will be playing the female lead role in the new series. Further details about her character are still kept under wraps though. Grey Damon, Danielle Savre, Miguel Sandoval, Okieriete Onaodowan, Jay Hayden, Barret Doss, and Alberto Frezza are the other cast members revealed so far.
Grey’s Anatomy spinoff is set to premiere on March 22 at 9 P.M. ET/PT on ABC. It will kickoff with a two-hour series episode.
