Karla Souza is returning to the Shondaland fold to headline ABC's upcoming Grey's Anatomy spinoff set in West Texas. According to Variety, the How to Get Away with Murder alum has been tapped as the lead in the untitled medical drama, marking the first official casting announcement for the new series. Originally slated for the 2026–2027 broadcast cycle after receiving a straight-to-series order in May 2026, the offshoot is now scheduled to premiere during ABC's 2027–2028 television season following a production relocation outside of California.

A New Medical Frontier in Rural West Texas

In the forthcoming drama, Souza will portray Dr. Carolina "Lina" Hall, a character officially described by the network as a haunted and cynical physician in her 40s who oversees a medical center in a small West Texas town.

The series logline frames the facility as an edgy workplace where the medical staff serves as "the last chance for care before miles of nowhere," according to TVLine.

The project is co-created by Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes and the flagship show's current showrunner, Meg Marinis. Both Rhimes and Marinis—who is a Texas native—penned the pilot script and serve as executive producers alongside Shondaland's Betsy Beers and longtime Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo. The series is produced by 20th Television and Shondaland.

By shifting the geographic focus from the bustling urban corridors of Seattle's Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital to an isolated clinic in the American Southwest, the creative team aims to establish a distinct tonal identity. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in October 2026, Marinis emphasized that the writing staff is drawing directly from real-world rural health challenges.

"We're digging into the actual communities and true stories of what happens out in rural West Texas," Marinis stated. "There's so much going on there that I haven't seen on TV. I'm thrilled to be able to dive into that world. It's so different from Grey's. It's related to Grey's, but its stories are going to be different."

Souza's Return to ABC and Shondaland

For Souza, the role represents a high-profile homecoming to both ABC and Rhimes' production banner. Audiences know the actress well for her six-season run as law student Laurel Castillo opposite Viola Davis on the Shondaland legal thriller How to Get Away with Murder. Following the conclusion of that drama, Souza remained a regular presence on ABC, starring as Marina Hayworth for three seasons on the network's family sitcom Home Economics.

In recent years, Souza has expanded her work across streaming platforms and international cinema.

She recently starred as a series regular opposite Dove Cameron and Avan Jogia in the Prime Video thriller 56 Days and appeared alongside Jamie Foxx in the Netflix action comedy Day Shift. Additionally, her dramatic work in the Prime Video film Dive (La Caída) earned two International Emmy Awards for her contributions as both lead actress and producer, as noted by Deadline. Her prominent Mexican box office credits also include Nosotros los Nobles, Instructions Not Included, and ¿Qué culpa tiene el niño?

Production Shifts and Franchise History

While creative development on the West Texas spinoff has progressed steadily since May 2026, behind-the-scenes logistical hurdles altered its rollout strategy. When ABC initially ordered the project straight to series, network executives targeted a debut during the 2026–2027 broadcast season. However, the timeline was pushed back a full year to the 2027–2028 cycle due to filming location adjustments tied to state tax incentives.

Industry outlets offer slightly different details regarding the exact nature of the tax incentive setback.

Variety reports that the series was delayed after failing to secure a California TV tax credit, while Entertainment Weekly reports that the production was rejected twice for the state credit before opting to relocate. Consequently, the untitled drama will set up its production base in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

This relocation marks a historic shift for the long-running medical franchise. Over the course of the flagship show's 23-year history, Shondaland has consistently filmed its major television properties in Los Angeles—regardless of where the narratives were set. That roster includes the Seattle-based Grey's Anatomy and its previous spinoffs, as well as the Washington, D.C.-set Scandal and Netflix's The Residence, the Philadelphia-set How to Get Away with Murder, and The Catch. The West Texas offshoot will be the first entry in the Grey's Anatomy universe to shoot outside of Southern California.

Regarding the filming schedule in New Mexico, The Hollywood Reporter notes that cameras are slated to roll in early 2027, while Deadline cites sources pointing to a more specific production window around February or March 2027.

When the series eventually reaches airwaves, it will become the third full-length broadcast spinoff spawned by Grey's Anatomy. ABC previously aired the Kate Walsh-led Private Practice for six seasons from 2007 to 2012, followed by the firefighter drama Station 19, which ran for seven seasons between 2018 and 2024. The network also released a short-form digital series, Grey's Anatomy: B-Team, on ABC.com in 2018. Meanwhile, the flagship series continues its 23rd season on Thursday nights on ABC, with episodes streaming the following day on Hulu and Disney+, according to ABC13 Houston.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the title of the new spinoff, and when will it premiere?

The project remains officially untitled. While ABC has not announced a specific premiere date, the network has scheduled the series to debut during the 2027–2028 broadcast television season.

Who else is in the cast, and will flagship characters appear?

Karla Souza is currently the only announced cast member. Whether the spinoff will be introduced via a backdoor pilot or feature guest appearances from existing Grey's Anatomy doctors remains under wraps.

When asked by TVLine if the new show would be launched through characters on the parent series, showrunner Meg Marinis replied, "You'll just have to wait and see!"

Where will the West Texas spinoff be filmed?

Despite being set in a small town in West Texas, the series will be filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after the production was unable to secure a California television tax credit.

Sources