The first trailer for Station 19, the firefighter-centric spin-off to the popular ABC medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, has dropped and it looks like the fire is being stoked for another hot new series. (Okay, we’ll cool it with the fire puns…sorry.)
Station 19 follows Andy Herrera (Puerto Rican actress Jaina Lee Ortiz), as she assumes command of the Seattle firehouse of the show’s title after her father (Miguel Sandoval) steps down. The trailer has a feel not unlike Grey’s Anatomy or its previous spin-off, the 2007 series Private Practice. Ortiz’s Andy is a strong, competent woman who is as good at her job as she is complicated in her love life. This wouldn’t be a Grey’s-esque series if we didn’t see Andy smooching a co-worker amongst the fire hoses while simultaneously having a fling with her best dude friend. Unlike other fire-focused movies or shows – a la Backdraft – the series looks to find the humor in Andy’s job, as well as the fear: the group haggling over who “calls dibs” on a puppy they find comes after Andy sobs at her father nearly dying in a burning building. And if you’re worried about not seeing your favorite Grey’s characters, they’ll be included. The trailer shows off a cameo from Grey’s star Ellen Pompeo consoling Andy and reminding her big girls don’t cry. The whole show looks to fit in perfectly with ABC’s TGIT line-up of female-dominated series.
Station 19 should definitely appease fans of Grey’s Anatomy but what’s interesting is how much it doesn’t look like its predecessor, specifically in its casting. Station 19 is anchored by Ortiz, star of the previous Fox drama Rosewood. The former salsa dancer turned actress looks to be a worthy successor to the stable of female leads created by Shonda Rhimes, though Station 19 is actually created and helmed by Stacy McKee. Ortiz has been showing off the set and character on her own Instagram account and the social media response has been very supportive.
Station 19 premieres March 22, 2018 on ABC.
