EXCLUSIVE: Joan Rater and Tony Phelan, co-creators and executive producers of CBS’ popular drama Fire Country and its upcoming spinoff series Sheriff Country, have signed a first-look producing deal with the studio behind the franchise, CBS Studios.
Under the pact, the duo will develop and produce series through their company Midwest Livestock, Inc. They will continue to work with their longtime associate Kate Wagener who has been promoted from manager to VP, Development.
Rater and Phelan have separate writing-producing deals for their services on Fire Country and Sheriff Country, both of which they co-created and executive produce with Fire Country star Max Thieriot whose real-life experiences inspired the mothership series. Fire Country was recently renewed for a fourth season; Sheriff Country, which originated as a Fire Country planted spinoff, is set to launch in 2025-26.
Previously, Rater and Phelan had two back-to-back overall deals at CBS Studios, creating and executive producing the CBS legal drama Doubt. They subsequently left for an overall pact with Universal Television before returning to CBS Studios with Fire Country and are now formalizing their renewed relationship with the studio via the first-look producing deal.
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Rater and Phelan’s resume also include a stint at ABC Studios where they spent nine seasons on Grey’s Anatomy from 2005=2014, including serving as executive producers/co-showrunners for seasons 7-10 alongside creator/EP Shonda Rhimes.
More recently, the writing duo created and executive produced the NatGeo/Disney+ limited series A Small Light. They are repped by UTA and Myman Greenspan Fox.
The post ‘Fire Country’ & ‘Sheriff Country’ Co-Creators Joan Rater & Tony Phelan Ink First-Look Deal With CBS Studios appeared first on Deadline.
