Grey's Anatomy: All 3 Spin-offs Explained (& How They Connect)

Summary Grey's Anatomy has 3 spin-off shows, including Private Practice and Station 19, all with crossover stories and success.

Private Practice follows Dr. Addison Montgomery, while Station 19 focuses on firefighters away from hospitals.

Grey's Anatomy continues to tease more spin-offs, with ABC executives open to future possibilities.

There are three different Grey’s Anatomy spin-off shows connecting to the main series, continuing the legacy of one of the longest-running and most popular shows in TV history. The series premiered its 19th season in 2022 and shows no signs of slowing down. Grey’s Anatomy follows the basic premise of medical dramas, telling the stories of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they do their best to balance their personal and professional lives, which end up overlapping most of the time.

The series was led by Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), one of the few characters from season 1 that lasted to season 19. Many other characters either left Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital (formerly Seattle Grace Hospital) or have been killed off but a few ended up in a Grey's Anatomy spin-off. There have been three Grey's Anatomy spin-off shows, which were met with mixed levels of success but all have debuted with audience interest thanks to a loyal fanbase. They've even started spilling over into shows unrelated to the medical drama.

Related Grey’s Anatomy Is Teasing Meredith’s Replacement (But It Doesn’t Need One) With Meredith Grey having left Grey's Anatomy, the series seems to be teasing a new main character to replace her, but there's no need for one.

Private Practice (2007-2013)

6 Seasons, 111 Episodes

Close

Private Practice (2007) A spin-off Grey's Anatomy, the medical drama Private Practice stars Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery, as she leaves her former job at Seattle Grace Hospital in order to join a private practice in Los Angeles. The series aired on ABC for six seasons from 2007-2013. Cast Kate Walsh , Kadee Strickland , Paul Adelstein , Taye Diggs , Amy Brenneman , Tim Daly , Brian Benben , Audra McDonald Release Date September 19, 2007 Seasons 6

The first Grey's Anatomy spin-off series was Private Practice, which followed Dr. Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) after she left Seattle Grace Hospital in order to join a private practice in Los Angeles. The series was set at Seaside Health & Wellness Center (formerly Oceanside Wellness Group) and had several crossover storylines with Grey’s Anatomy. In fact, there was at least one connection in each season (some more prominent than others).

Private Practice ended in 2013 after six seasons and had a very successful run spanning more than 100 episodes. It also pulled off the rare feat of having a character introduced in the spin-off, Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone), Derek’s sister, later join the original show as a series regular. That is a shining example of the longevity that Grey's Anatomy has. Even Addison herself popped back up on the series in 2021 and reconnected with Amelia.

Station 19 (2018-2024)

7 Seasons, 105 Episodes

Station 19 (2018) Where to Watch stream

rent

buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Station 19 is a spin-off of Grey's Anatomy that premiered in 2018 on ABC. The series follows the professional and personal lives of the firefighters at Seattle Fire Station 19. Grey's Anatomy and Station 19 sometimes have crossover episodes in which a storyline is depicted on one night throughout both shows. Cast Jaina Lee Ortiz , Jason George , Barrett Doss , Jay Hayden , Danielle Savre , Grey Damon , Boris Kodjoe , Okieriete Onaodowan Release Date March 22, 2018 Seasons 7

The second Grey's Anatomy spin-off is Station 19, which, even though it is also set in Seattle, has nothing to do with hospitals. Instead, Station 19 focuses on the lives of the women and men at Seattle Fire Station 19, and it stars Jaina Lee Ortiz, Jason George, Grey Damon, and Barrett Doss. The series was introduced in Grey’s Anatomy’s season 14, specifically in episode 13, when firefighters were brought to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital after a fire. Unlike Private Practice, this spin-off show is still going, with Station 19 season 7 in 2024.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

There have been several notable crossovers with major characters like Meredith, Miranda, and so many others appearing. Sometimes, it's for a major storyline while in other cases, it only leads to a cameo to remind audiences that these shows take place in the same universe. Season 7 will bring Station 19 past the 100-episode mark, marking another milestone for the iconic Shonda Rhimes franchise.

It has been confirmed that Station 19 season 7 will be the show's final season.

Grey's Anatomy: B-Team (2018)

1 Season, 6 Episodes

The third Grey's Anatomy spin-off series is Grey’s Anatomy: B-Team. This series didn’t take viewers outside Grey Sloan Memorial, instead focusing on a group of interns at the hospital. B-Team was only six episodes long and was released as a web series, and its main characters were Dahlia Qadri (Sophia Taylor Ali), Levi Schmitt (Jake Borelli), Casey Parker (Alex Blue Davis), Taryn Helm (Jaicy Elliot), Vik Roy (Rushi Kota), and Sam Bello (Jeanine Mason).

B-Team also had special guests from the main series, like Justin Chambers’ Alex Karev and Kevin McKidd’s Owen Hunt but was low key compared to other spin-offs. The events of the web series run concurrently to the 7th episode of Grey's Anatomy season 14, "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story". Every episode of B-Team was directed by Sarah Drew, who plays April Kepner on the main show, in her directoral debut.

Related The 2 Grey's Anatomy Episodes Directed By Ellen Pompeo Ellen Pompeo is best known as Grey's Anatomy's Meredith Grey, but her work on the series goes beyond that as she has also directed two episodes.

Every Crossover Episode Between Grey's Anatomy & Its Spinoffs

There Are 45 Crossover Episodes In Total

Naturally, the Grey's Anatomy spin-off series overlapped with the original series from time to time, except for Grey's Anatomy: B-Team, which never crossed over at all. There were 45 crossover episodes that Grey's Anatomy spin-offs shared with the main series on regular network television:

Crossovers Between Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice:

Show Episode Number Episode Title Grey’s Anatomy 3x23 & 3x24 "The Other Side of This Life" Private Practice 1x01 "In Which We Meet Addison, a Nice Girl From Somewhere Else" Grey’s Anatomy 4x13 "Piece of My Heart" Grey’s Anatomy 5x14 "Beat Your Heart Out" Private Practice 2x15 "Acceptance" Grey’s Anatomy 5x15 "Before and After" Private Practice 2x16 "Ex-Life" Grey’s Anatomy 5x16 "An Honest Mistake" Grey’s Anatomy 6x05 "Invasion" Private Practice 3x03 "Right Here, Right Now" Grey’s Anatomy 6x11 "Blink" Private Practice 3x11 "Another Second Chance" Grey’s Anatomy 7x03 "Superfreak" Grey’s Anatomy 7x18 "Song Beneath the Song" Grey’s Anatomy 8x13 "If/Then" Grey’s Anatomy 8x15 "Have You Seen Me Lately?" Private Practice 5x15 “You Break My Heart"

Crossovers between Grey's Anatomy and Station 19:

Show Episode Number Episode Title Grey’s Anatomy 14x13 "You Really Got a Hold on Me" Grey’s Anatomy 15x4 "Momma Knows Best" Station 2x2 "Under the Surface" Station 2x14 "Friendly Fire" Grey’s Anatomy 15x23 "What I Did For Love" Station 2x15 "Always Ready" Grey’s Anatomy 16x09 "Let's All Go to the Bar" Station 3x01 "I Know This Bar" Grey’s Anatomy 16x10 "Help Me Through the Night" Station 3x05 "Into the Woods" Grey’s Anatomy 16x14 "A Diagnosis" Station 3x09 "Poor Wandering One" Grey’s Anatomy 16x18 "Give a Little Bit" Station 4x01 "Nothing Seems the Same" Grey’s Anatomy 17x01 "All Tomorrow's Parties" Grey’s Anatomy 17x02 "The Center Won't Hold" Station 4x05 "Out of Control" Grey’s Anatomy 17x06 "No Time for Despair" Station 4x06 "Train in Vain" Grey’s Anatomy 17x07 "Helplessly Hoping" Station 4x10 "Save Yourself" Grey’s Anatomy 17x11 "Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right" Station 5x01 "Phoenix from the Flame" Grey’s Anatomy 18x01 "Here Comes the Sun" Station 5x05 “Things We Lost in the Fire" Grey’s Anatomy 18x05 "Bottle Up and Explode!" Station 5x09 "Started from the Bottom" Grey’s Anatomy 19x09 "Wedding Bell Blues"

As Grey’s Anatomy continues bringing more and more stories, it wouldn’t be surprising if it gets more spin-offs, and its options are not limited to a single location or city if these three shows are anything to go by. The show will also have to expand its storytelling beyond Meredith Grey after Ellen Pompeo's post-season 19 exit.

Will The Grey's Anatomy Japril Spinoff Happen?

It Hasn't Been Confirmed By ABC Executives

The one Grey's Anatomy spin-off series that has been talked about, but hasn't happened is one involving characters Jackson (Jesse Williams) and April (Sarah Drew). Nicknamed Japril by fans, both Williams and Drew have talked about this possible spin-off of Grey's Anatomy. Jackson and April had several struggles on the show, but in the end, they left the series to start a life together in Boston. They reappeared on Grey's Anatomy's 400th episode, still together.

Drew told reporters in 2021 that she would love for Japril to get back together for a Grey's Anatomy spin-off series (via US Weekly). The actor explained:

How amazing and needed is a show about racial justice in the medical field and inequity and equality. How amazing would that be?

ABC Entertainment and Hulu Originals President Craig Erwich said they are always looking to service the fans, but “There are no conversations about a spinoff of Grey’s Anatomy at this time." However, both Williams and Drew said they would sign on if ABC wanted it.

There's An Unexpected Grey's Anatomy Connection In Only Murders In The Building

Jesse Williams Joined The Cast & A Fictional Grey's Anatomy Spin-Off Is Mentioned

Although Only Murders in the Building is certainly not a Grey's Anatomy spin-off series, there was an unexpected connection made between the two shows in season 3. This season introduced Meryl Streep as Loretta Durkin, an aspiring actor who was excited to land a part in a new Grey's Anatomy spin-off titled Grey's New Orleans: Family Burn Unit. On its own, that's a fun nod to the show but it's made better by Grey's alum Jesse Williams also being new to the cast. Executive producer John Hoffman even noted that Williams commented on the reference.

“Jesse was very sweet about that. He was howling [during our Zoom table read] about the reference. And it’s a real homage. I mean, has there been a more successful show than Grey’s Anatomy? What a windfall for an actress [like Loretta] to have that opportunity…. Watching Meryl Streep get excited about that for herself is just a dream.”

Ultimately, this was just a case of Only Murders in the Building having some fun with the idea of long-running procedurals and their many spin-offs rather than being any nod to an actual spin-off happening. The fact that Williams is part of the cast helped ensure that the joke was taken in stride rather than being taken seriously or as a dig at the series. Knowing the history of Grey's Anatomy spin-offs though, it would probably end up being a hit if it were real.

Are There Any New Grey's Anatomy Spin-Offs Planned?

Close

While Grey's Anatomy is still going strong, both Station 19 and Private Practice have drawn to a close. However, many fans would still be more than happy to see another spinoff set in the Grey's Anatomy universe. While there are currently no concrete plans for a new spinoff of Grey's Anatomy, that doesn't mean another won't appear in the future, especially if comments by ABC executive Craig Erwich are any indication.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Speaking in early 2024, Erwich expressed that ABC are still open to more Grey's Anatomy spinoffs despite Station 19 ending. He explained that the reason there aren't any concrete plans isn't based on hesitancy to expand the shared universe of Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, and Station 19. It's simply that the network currently doesn't want to detract from the main show, so there's not any urgency to create yet another title in the franchise:

We’re always open to new and different iterations on any of our most key franchises and our most realized shows, which Grey’s is one of them. I have lots of good stuff here, so need to break some of the stuff up.

Erwich's comments confirm just how important Grey's Anatomy is to ABC, and also that the show is still incredibly successful. This means that there's little need to renew interest by creating a new headline-grabbing and fanbase-building spinoff. At the same time, the ABC exec also seemed to hint that there are several ideas in the pipeline, any of which could potentially appear in future as the next Grey's Anatomy spinoff. It seems that it's not a question of if, but rather, of when.