TV shows that have inspired more than one spinoff
Like their big screen brethren鈥攊.e. the common sequel鈥擳V spinoffs bear a similar burden of low expectation. Indeed, the worst examples come off as little more than formulaic cash grabs that try to capitalize on the iconography and success of their predecessors. As one will soon discover, however, there are definite exceptions to the rule. After all, who can argue with the enduring charms and unique rewards of shows such as "Frasier" or "The Jeffersons," both of which were spinoffs?
Meanwhile, the very concept of a spinoff can get slightly complicated in today's expansive cultural climate. Take something like "The Archie Show," for example. Based on a comic book series, it debuted in 1968 and inspired a number of direct spinoffs. But do modern-day vehicles such as "Riverdale" and "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina"鈥攂oth of which feature Archie characters鈥攖echnically count as spinoffs of the original animated series? Then there's a show like "Good Times," a spinoff of "Maude," which is a spinoff of "All in the Family." Does that mean "Good Times" is also a spinoff of "All in the Family?"
dug into TV history and identified 10 shows that have inspired multiple spinoffs. For the sake of comprehension, any series that could be tied to an original predecessor was counted as a spinoff. Movies, one-off TV specials, and webisodes were not included. In some cases, the spinoff became a smash hit of its own. In others, it quickly faded into obscurity. No matter what its fate, each one expanded upon the universe of an iconic predecessor and thereby broadened the TV landscape at large.
Happy Days (1974鈥1984)
- Spinoffs: 鈥淟averne & Shirley,鈥 鈥淢ork & Mindy,鈥 鈥淏lansky's Beauties,鈥 鈥淥ut of the Blue,鈥 鈥淛oanie Loves Chachi,鈥 鈥淭he Fonz and the Happy Days Gang,鈥 鈥淟averne & Shirley with The Fonz鈥
Among the legion of 鈥淗appy Days鈥 spinoffs, 鈥淟averne & Shirley鈥 was the biggest hit. It follows two of Fonzie鈥檚 friends through various misadventures in Milwaukee and California. On 鈥淢ork & Mindy,鈥 former 鈥淗appy Days鈥 guest star Robin Williams broke out as a quirky alien.
Star Trek: The Original Series (1966鈥1969)
- Spinoffs: 鈥淪tar Trek: The Animated Series,鈥 鈥淪tar Trek: The Next Generation,鈥 鈥淪tar Trek: Discovery,鈥 鈥淧icard,鈥 鈥淪hort Treks,鈥 鈥淟ower Decks,鈥 鈥淪tar Trek: Deep Space Nine,鈥 鈥淪tar Trek: Voyager,鈥 鈥淪tar Trek: Enterprise鈥
In addition to nine TV spinoffs (with ), 鈥淪tar Trek: The Original Series鈥 spawned 13 feature films along with countless books and games. 鈥淪tar Trek: The Next Generation鈥 debuted in 1987 and takes place a full century after the events of the original show. It stars Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, whose story continues with a series called 鈥淧icard.鈥
Black-ish (2014鈥損resent)
- Spinoffs: 鈥淕rown-ish,鈥 鈥淢ixed-ish鈥
鈥淏lack-ish鈥 creator Kenya Barris followed his hit sitcom with two single-camera spinoffs, both of which aired on the Freeform Channel. In 鈥淕rown-ish,鈥 eldest daughter Zoey (Yara Shahidi) heads off to college for a series of misadventures. 鈥淢ixed-ish鈥 is a prequel that explores Rainbow Johnson鈥檚 unique upbringing in a mixed race family.
The Walking Dead (2010鈥損resent)
- Spinoffs: 鈥淔ear the Walking Dead,鈥 鈥淭he Walking Dead: World Beyond鈥
鈥淔ear the Walking Dead鈥 chronicles the zombie uprising in Los Angeles and takes place around the same time as 鈥淭he Walking Dead.鈥 Co-created by comic book writer Robert Kirkman, it occasionally features characters from the original series. 鈥淭he Walking Dead: World Beyond鈥 jumps ahead a full decade and depicts the first generation of teenagers to come of age during the apocalypse.
Law & Order (1990鈥2010)
- Spinoffs: "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Law & Order: Organized Crime," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Law & Order: Trial by Jury," "Law & Order: LA," "Law & Order True Crime"
"Law & Order: SVU" is both the longest-running and most popular spinoff in the entire franchise. It centers on the investigation and prosecution of sexually related crimes. A spinoff called "Law & Order: For the Defense" was in May 2021 while "Law & Order: Hate Crimes" has been in development since 2018.
Cheers (1982鈥1993)
- Spinoffs: 鈥淭he Tortellis,鈥 鈥淔rasier鈥
A bar regular in Boston, Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) moves to Seattle in his eponymous spinoff. Featuring cameos from a number of 鈥淐heers鈥 stars, the show is held in similar high regard. Far lesser known is 鈥淭he Tortellis,鈥 a short-lived spinoff about recurring 鈥淐heers鈥 characters Nick and Loretta Tortelli.
The Yogi Bear Show (1961鈥1962)
- Spinoffs: 鈥淵ogi's Gang,鈥 鈥淟aff-A-Lympics,鈥 鈥淵ogi's Space Race,鈥 鈥淵ogi's Treasure Hunt,鈥 鈥淭he New Yogi Bear Show,鈥 鈥淲ake, Rattle, and Roll,鈥 鈥淵o Yogi!鈥
The original 鈥淵ogi Bear Show鈥 ran for just two seasons but spawned an ongoing franchise. It was revived in 1988 as 鈥淭he New Yogi Bear Show,鈥 which mixed new episodes with old ones. Yogi also appears alongside a number of other Hanna-Barbera characters in assorted TV movies and specials.
You may also like:
Scooby Doo, Where Are You! (1969鈥1970)
- Spinoffs: 鈥淭he New Scooby-Doo Movies,鈥 鈥淭he Scooby-Doo Show,鈥 鈥淪cooby鈥檚 All-Star Laff-A-Lympics,鈥 鈥淪cooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo,鈥 鈥淭he New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show,鈥 鈥淭he 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo,鈥 鈥淎 Pup Named Scooby-Doo,鈥 鈥淲hat鈥檚 New, Scooby-Doo?,鈥 鈥淪haggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue!,鈥 鈥淪cooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated,鈥 鈥淏e Cool, Scooby-Doo!,鈥 鈥淪cooby-Doo and Guess Who?鈥
Scooby-Doo and the mystery gang have penetrated every . Series spinoffs 鈥淪cooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated鈥 and 鈥淏e Cool, Scooby-Doo!鈥 both aired on Cartoon Network and ran for 52 episodes, respectively. Viewers can currently catch 鈥淪cooby-Doo and Guess Who?鈥 on the Boomerang Channel.
All in the Family (1971鈥1979)
- Spinoffs: 鈥淢aude,鈥 鈥淭he Jeffersons,鈥 鈥淎rchie Bunker's Place,鈥 鈥淕loria,鈥 鈥704 Hauser,鈥 鈥淕ood Times,鈥 鈥淐hecking In鈥
This game-changing sitcom was so popular that it yielded spinoffs of its spinoffs, such as when 鈥淢aude鈥 gave way to 鈥淕ood Times.鈥 Among the first-wave spinoffs, 鈥淭he Jeffersons鈥 lasted the longest and arguably rendered the most impact. It chronicles the exploits of George and Louise Jefferson, a well-to-do Black couple who once lived next door to loudmouthed racist Archie Bunker.
The Archie Show (1968鈥1969)
- Spinoffs: "The Archie Comedy Hour," "Archie's Funhouse," "Josie and the Pussycats," "Archie's TV Funnies," "The U.S. of Archie," "The New Archie and Sabrina Hour," "The Sabrina the Teenage Witch Show," "The New Archie and Sabrina Hour," "The New Archies," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," "Archie's Weird Mysteries," "Sabrina: The Animated Series," "Sabrina's Secret Life," "Sabrina: Secrets of a Teenage Witch," "Superhero Kindergarten," "Riverdale," "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina," "Katy Keene"
What began in the 1940s as a comic book series became so wide-reaching in scope that there's now a full-blown "Archieverse." Shows like "Riverdale" aren't really spinoffs of animated predecessors as much as they are loose adaptations of the comic book characters. Both "The Archie Comedy Hour" and "Archie's Funhouse" weren't technically spinoffs either, rather extensions or expansions of the original "Archie Show."
You may also like: The best streaming services for sports in 2021