ABC has ordered a new Grey’s Anatomy spinoff set in rural West Texas, marking the fourth series in the franchise and the first not set on the West Coast.
The untitled drama comes from co-creators Shonda Rhimes and Meg Marinis. It will focus on a team working at a rural medical center described as “the last chance for care before miles of nowhere.”
The show also breaks from franchise tradition by centering on an entirely new group of doctors rather than spinning off an established character from the original series. Previous offshoots, Private Practice and Station 19, were built around characters already introduced on “Grey’s Anatomy.”
“I am incredibly excited to expand the Grey’s Anatomy universe,” Marinis said, per Deadline. “This opportunity will bring new characters and stories to life that will embody the same heart, emotion and connection audiences have loved from Grey’s for more than two decades — all set in my home state of Texas.”
Marinis, a Houston native and University of Texas graduate, has worked on “Grey’s Anatomy” for two decades and currently serves as showrunner.
Rhimes, Marinis, Betsy Beers, and Ellen Pompeo will executive produce the series for Shondaland and 20th Television.
While the new show will focus on new characters, it is expected to maintain ties to the larger “Grey’s Anatomy” universe, potentially through existing characters such as Catherine Fox, played by Debbie Allen.
The spinoff is expected to debut during ABC’s midseason 2027 schedule and could receive a limited first-season order similar to other recent ABC dramas.
The project marks the first “Grey’s Anatomy” franchise episode written or co-written by Rhimes since the show’s Season 11 episode “How to Save a Life,” which featured the death of Derek Shepherd, played by Patrick Dempsey.
Following the announcement, former “Grey’s Anatomy” actress Leven Rambin publicly expressed interest in joining the series, Us Magazine reported.
Rambin, who played Sloan Riley, reacted on Instagram by saying, “Grey’s Anatomy Texas spin-off? Are you kidding me?” before adding, “This needs to happen. This is perfect.”
The expansion continues ABC’s recent push to build franchises around several of its long-running dramas. In addition to the new “Grey’s” series, the network recently added “9-1-1: Nashville” and is developing “The Rookie: North.”
“Grey’s Anatomy,” now in its 22nd season, remains ABC’s longest-running primetime scripted series.
