The fifth season of Outlander has only just come to an end, but it's never too early to look ahead to what could happen next for the characters. For those on Fraser's Ridge, a nice long period of nothing particularly exciting happening would probably be welcome, but the future is unclear for one fan-favorite: Lord John Grey. Played by David Berry, John left the American colonies ahead of the Outlander Season 5 finale, with no sign that he'll be back on TV any time too soon... unless, of course, he finally gets his spinoff.
Lord John Grey is a popular character despite the less-than-ideal circumstances in which he became a key Outlander player. He's also the subject of a series of novels and stories penned by Outlander author Diana Gabaldon, and Gabaldon herself revealed that there was "interest" in a Lord John Grey spinoff back in 2018. With Outlander finished for Season 5 and a long Droughtlander on the way, news of a Lord John series on Starz would undoubtedly be welcome to many fans.
Outlander showrunner Matthew B. Roberts weighed in to Deadline on the possibility of a spinoff:
It’s an ongoing discussion, but nothing is set in stone as of yet. It’s amazing how the passion of the audience for these characters and this story has grown over the seasons; we would love to find a way to continue to reward the loyalty of our fans.
The good news? Discussions are happening about an Outlander spinoff, and the Outlander team is open to rewarding loyal fans with another series. The bad news is obviously that nothing has been set in stone, which is particularly unfortunate considering David Berry's recent comments.
David Berry took to social media to say his goodbye to Outlander, then clarified in a comment that he was referring to his final episode on the show rather than his final episode of the season. That said, he also commented that "perhaps someday" he could return, so there's no reason for fans to despair that Lord John is gone for good.
Matthew B. Roberts went on to specifically address the possibility of an Outlander spinoff centered on David Berry's Lord John Grey:
One never knows where Lord John Grey might turn up next.
The showrunner's comment on a potential Lord John spinoff is hardly confirmation one way or the other, but at least nothing has been ruled out! John has managed to show up at some of the most unlikely places throughout the years on Outlander, and he'll always have a connection to the Fraser family thanks to his raising of young William.
Even if William can never know that Jamie is his biological father and Brianna is his sister, John has gone the extra mile to keep Jamie updated on his life. He and Jamie have a close bond, he was there for Bree when she desperately needed his help, and he's even on good terms with Claire despite some previous awkwardness when Claire realized they were both in love with the same man.
Whether or not John gets his spinoff, he has ties to the major characters of Outlander that will hopefully bring him back at some point in the series. The coming revolution complicates things, and John presumably can't leave William at Helwater before William learns the ropes of being an earl, so a spinoff might bring him back to TV sooner than he could ever realistically turn up at Fraser's Ridge again.
For now, fans can only wait and see. Although Outlander has come to an end for Season 5, there are still plenty of television options now and in the not-too-distant future. Be sure to check out our 2020 summer TV premiere schedule for what you can watch and when to watch it.
