List of television spin-offs
A spin-off in television is a new series containing characters or settings that originated in a previous series, but with a different focus, tone, or theme. For example, the series Frasier was a spin-off of the earlier series Cheers: the character Frasier Crane was introduced as a secondary character on Cheers, and became the protagonist of his own series, set in a different city, in the spin-off. Spin-offs are particularly common in sitcom. A related phenomenon, not to be confused with the spin-off, is the crossover.
Some spin-offs are "engineered" to introduce a new character on the original television series, just so that that character can anchor the new spin-off – that episode of the original series is often known as a "backdoor pilot". For example, the character Avery Ryan appeared in two episodes of the Las Vegas-based CSI: Crime Scene Investigation before the premiere of CSI: Cyber.[1]
A revival, a later remake of a preexisting show, is not a spin-off. This is the case in Doctor Who, where the 2005 series which begins with a new Doctor but maintains the exiting continuity. An exception to this rule can be made to series such as The Transformers where the lines of continuity are blurred. If a television pilot was written but never shot, it is not considered a spin-off. When a show undergoes a name change, it is not necessarily a spin-off.
Neither is a reboot series, a term recently invented for motion pictures, which can also occur in television (e.g. The Battlestar Galactica series of 2003 is a reboot, not a spin-off of the 1978 version[2]). This is distinct from a revival in that there is little or no attempt to retain continuity, or casting, with the original. A recent example is the 1987 series Beauty and the Beast, rebooted as the 2012 CW television series Beauty & the Beast,[3] which keeps only the main premise of a female law enforcement official aided by a man-beast, the New York City locale, and the names of the two main characters. The CW's Beauty and the Beast was later rebooted again as a HBO Max series starting in 2023.
Alphabetical list by parent series
#
| Parent series | Spin-off series |
|---|---|
| 7 vidas (1999–2006) | Aída (2005–2014) |
| 19 Kids and Counting (2008–2015) (17 Kids and Counting in 2008, 18 Kids and Counting in 2008–09) |
|
| 16 and Pregnant (2009–2014) | Teen Mom (2009–2012; 2015) Teen Mom 2 (2011–) Teen Mom 3 (2013) |
| The 20th Century Fox Hour (1955–1957) | Broken Arrow (1956–1958) |
| 21 Jump Street (1987–1991) | Booker (1989–1990) |
| 24 (2001–2010, 2014) | 24: Legacy (2017) |
| 60 Minutes (1968–) | 60 Minutes II (1999–2005) |
| No. 73 (1982–1988) | 7T3 (1988) |
| 77 Sunset Strip (1958–1964) | Bourbon Street Beat (1959–1960) |
A
B
C
D
E
| Parent series | Spin-off series |
|---|---|
| EastEnders (1985–present) |
|
| The Electric Company (1971–1977) | The Electric Company (2009–2011) |
| The Electric Playground (1997) | Judgement Day (2002–2007) |
| The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) | Bethenny (2012; test run only) |
| Emergency Vets (1998–2002) | E-Vet Interns (2007) |
| Empty Nest (1988–1995) | Nurses (1991–1994) |
| Encantadia (2005–2006) | |
| Essence of Emeril (1994–1996, 2000) | Emeril Live (1997–2007) |
| Every Witch Way (2014–2015) | WITS Academy (2015) |
| Extreme Makeover (2002–2007) |
|
| Entertainment Tonight (1981) |
|
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
| Parent series | Spin-off series |
|---|---|
| Naked Video (1986–91) | Rab C. Nesbitt (1988–99, 2008–2014) The Baldy Man (1995–98) |
| Nancy Drew (2019-) | Tom Swift (2022) |
| Naruto (2002–07) |
|
| Narcos (2015-2017) | Narcos: Mexico (2018-2021) |
| The Nearsighted Mr. Magoo (1950–59) | Mr. Magoo (1960–61) |
| The New Adventures of Charlie Chan (1956–57) | The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan (1972) |
| The New Fred and Barney Show (1979–1980) |
|
| NCIS (2003–) |
|
| The Next Step (2013–) | Lost & Found Music Studios (2016–2017) |
| Nick Rocks (1982–1989) | Nick Jr. Rocks (1988–1993) |
| Nickelodeon Guts (1993–1996) |
|
| NOVA (1974) | Nova ScienceNow (2005) |
O
| Parent series | Spin-off series |
|---|---|
| Once Upon a Time (2011–2018) | Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (2013)[8] |
| Once Upon a Time... Man (1978) | |
| One on One (2001–2006) | Cuts (2005–2006) |
| The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986–2011) |
|
| Oh Yeah! Cartoons (1998–2001) |
|
| Open All Hours (1973–1985) | Still Open All Hours (2013–present) |
| Only Fools and Horses (1981–2003) | The Green Green Grass (2005–2009) Rock & Chips (2010–2011) |
| On the Buses (1969–1973) | Don't Drink the Water (1974–1975) |
| Our Gang (1922–1944) | The Little Rascals (1982–1984) |
| Ozark Jubilee (1955–1960) | Five Star Jubilee (1961) Talent Varieties (1955) |
P
Q
| Parent series | Spin-off series |
|---|---|
| Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (2003–2007) |
|
| Queen America (2018–2020) |
|
R
S
T
U
| Parent series | Spin-off series |
|---|---|
| Ultimate Spider-Man (2012–2017) |
|
| Ultra Galaxy Fight: The Destined Crossroad (2022) | Ultraman Regulos (2023) |
| Unique Whips (2005–08) | Unique Autosports: Miami (2010) Unique Rides (2016-18) |
| The Untouchables (1959–1963) | The Untouchables (1993–1994) |
| U-Pick Live (2002–2005) | Pick Boy's Awesome Summer Job (2004–2005) |
V
| Parent series | Spin-off series |
|---|---|
| The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017) |
|
| VeggieTales (1993) |
|
| Vic Reeves Big Night Out (1990–1991) | Les Lives (1993) |
| Victorious (2010–2013) | Sam & Cat (2013–2014) |
| The Virginian (1962–1971) |
|
| Vision On (1964–1976) | Take Hart (1977–1983) |
| Viva La Bam (2003–2005) |
|
| Voltron (1984–1985) |
|
W
X
| Parent series | Spin-off series |
|---|---|
| The X Factor (2004–present) |
|
| The X-Files (1993–2002) | Millennium (1996–1999) The Lone Gunmen (2001) |
| The XYY Man (1976–1977) | Strangers (1978–1982) Bulman (1985–1987) |
| Xiaolin Showdown (2003–2006) | Xiaolin Chronicles (2013–2015) |
Y
Z
| Parent series | Spin-off series |
|---|---|
| Z-Cars (1962–1978) | Softly, Softly (1966–1969) |
| Zoom (1972–1978) | Zoom (1999–2005) |
See also
References
- ^ Natalie Abrams (August 14, 2014). "Patricia Arquette returning to 'CSI' before 'CSI: Cyber' kicks off". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
Arquette previously appeared on CSI in a backdoor pilot episode for Cyber last spring.
- ^ Jeff Jensen (September 22, 2006). ""Battlestar Galactica": Inside TV's next great cult hit". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
...Sci Fi Channel's critically exalted reboot of the 1978–79 TV series about space-faring humans fleeing genocidal robots known as Cylons...
- ^ Nellie Andreeva (September 15, 2011). "CW To Reboot 1980s 'Beauty and the Beast'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
- ^ Alex Farber (March 9, 2011). "BBC3 to air Being Human spin-off". Broadcast. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
Becoming Human, the online extension to BBC3 drama Being Human, is to reach its finale via a simulcast aired online and on the digital channel.
- ^ C. Molly Smith (March 10, 2017). "David Boreanaz reflects on Buffy: 'I was in the right spot at the right time'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, the spin-off.
- ^ Michael Ray Johnson (February 12, 2017). "Doctor Who Deep Cuts: The History of the K-9 Spin-off". Nerds One Earth. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
Doctor Who Deep Cuts: The History of the K-9 Spin-off.
- ^ Mark Jefferies, Nicola Methven (February 23, 2014). "Doctor Who spin-off Class to be axed by the BBC after just one series". Daily Mirror. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
Class is the fourth TV spin-off from Doctor Who, following K9 and Company in 1981, and more recently Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.
- ^ James Hibberd (July 15, 2014). "ABC: Here's why 'Once Upon a Time in Wonderland' didn't work out". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
ABC Entertainment Group president Paul Lee has a theory about why Once Upon a Time in Wonderland didn't work out. The network executive suggests the Once Upon a Time spin-off was undermined by its time slot.
- ^ Mathew Wace Peck (October 18, 2011). "BBC brings The Sarah Jane Adventures to a close". Digital Journal. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
The Sarah Jane Adventures – which was created by Russell T. Davies (Torchwood) specifically for her – and its spin-off, Sarah Jane's Alien Files.
- ^ . TLC. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
External links
- The 10 Best TV Spin-offs of All Time
- 15 Worst TV Spin-offs Ever