Sandra Oh has been busy since leaving Grey’s Anatomy. She has been starring in the hit series Killing Eve, which has been renewed. Now, you can add another new series to the actress’s impressive repertoire. Oh has signed on to lead the first Netflix series from Game of Thrones’ showrunners.
Last year, Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss made headlines with their lucrative multi-year deal with Netflix. Now, the showrunners have their first new TV show ready, with Sandra Oh as part of that agreement. Oh is set to star in the dramedy The Chair, which she will also executive produce, per THR. What is The Chair about?
It is a dramedy that follows the life and times of Sandra Oh’s character, who is the English department chair at a major university. The series will be a departure from Killing Eve and Grey’s Anatomy, both of which are hour-long dramas. The Chair is a dramedy with a half-hour runtime.
Amanda Peet is the co-creator of The Chair along with Game of Thrones’ showrunners. In some side note trivia, Peet is married to Game of Thrones’ showrunner David Benioff. As for Sandra Oh’s starring vehicle, Peet will serve as showrunner on The Chair, which she will executive produce along with Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Bernie Caulfield.
Who will be joining Sandra Oh in the series? She already has one co-star signed on in Jay Duplass. His role was not specified, so it will be interesting to learn more. Suffice it to say, I could see Oh and Duplass working quite well off of each other. In the various content I have seen them in, they have both showcased impeccable comic timing and dramatic skills.
Sandra Oh may not ever return to Grey’s Anatomy to reprise her fan-favorite role as Cristina Yang. However, The Chair sounds like another fabulous starring vehicle for the mega-talented actress, in my opinion. After an outstandingly successful ten-season run on Grey’s Anatomy, Oh left the series in 2014. Fast forward to today, and she has earned critical acclaim for her work on the TV thriller, Killing Eve.
As for Game of Thrones' showrunners, The Chair sounds like a departure for the duo, who spent eight seasons in the sci-fi fantasy realm for the series. Thankfully, a coffee cup will not be an out-of-place sight for The Chair. After years of killing off beloved characters on Game of Thrones, a Netflix dramedy about an English department chair should be a refreshing new venture for them.
Sandra Oh starring in a series for Netflix also has to be a delight for the streaming giant. Last year, Netflix promoted Oh’s Killing Eve even though it was solely streaming on its rival -- Hulu. You have to imagine they are thrilled that Killing Eve’s star will now be starring in a series for them. Promote away, Netflix!
A premiere date for The Chair is still pending. Thankfully, there is a lot of television arriving during this winter and spring. You can catch a ton of new Netflix content coming in 2020 in the meantime.
