The very best (and the very worst) TV spin-offs
Sometimes, a television show is populated with so many wonderful characters that producers decide to capitalise on their success and create a spin-off show. Sometimes, it’s easy to see that the original show was lightning in a bottle, and that a spin-off was never a good idea. Occasionally, though, the resultant show is so wonderful, so engrossing, that you’d be forgiven for forgetting that it’s a spin-off.
The Best
1. Frasier – spun off from Cheers
Held up as the shining example of spin-off success stories, Frasier ran for 11 seasons, picking up a whopping 37 Emmys along the way.
2. Better Call Saul – spun off from Breaking Bad
News that the creators of the revered Breaking Bad were making a spin-off about Walter White’s shady lawyer, Saul Goodman, was met with trepidation. How could they possibly follow up one of the most critically beloved series of recent memory? Very, very well, apparently. The prequel series is a hit with audiences and critics alike, as star Bob Odenkirk carries on the Breaking Bad legacy with aplomb.
3. The Good Fight – spun off from The Good Wife
The Good Wife was television at its finest – at once a slick legal drama populated with contemporary stories that echoed current headlines, and a gripping exploration of the life of a woman whose life is plagued by scandal thanks to her politician husband. After its seven successful seasons, The Good Fight picks up where the show left off, allowing Christine Baranski to take up the mantel of lead character, along with Cush Jumbo and Rose Leslie. It’s similar in tone to its big sister show, but different enough to feel just as fresh, relevant, and necessary.
4. Angel – spun off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy’s creator, Joss Whedon, decided to give Buffy’s vampire-with-a-soul boyfriend his own television show after the latter character had been killed. Cue one perfectly executed resurrection story, and David Boreanaz’s Angel left Sunnydale and headed for Los Angeles, where he teamed up with fellow Buffy alum, Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) to set up a detective agency. Darker than its counterpart, Angel ran for five seasons, and reinvented itself several times with a diverse cast or characters and actors that complemented its gripping storylines.
The Worst
1. Joey – spun off from Friends
Fans hoped against hope that this Friends spin-off would be as wonderful as the original. Unfortunately, the show never stood a chance. The show rated well at the beginning of its run, but was cancelled halfway through its second season. We like to imagine that Joey moved back to New York to be with his friends.
2. Joanie Loves Chachi – spun off from Happy Days
Happy Days’ Joanie and Chachi packed up and moved to Chicago to start a rock band. It would seem this was a bad move for the pair, as the show was cancelled after two short seasons, and the characters returned to Happy Days for its final season.
3. The Brady Brides – spun off from The Brady Bunch
Take two characters from one of television’s most recognisable and beloved families, and give them their own show. Instant hit, right? Not so much. The team behind The Brady Brides gave Marcia and Jan a pair of husbands and had the two couples living together in a single home. The result was as bad as the premise sounds, and the show was canned after only six episodes.
Which spin-off TV show is your favourite?