Best/Most Successful Spin-offs

[calsnowskier]

What are the best spin-offs ever? What are the most successful? For the purposes of this thread, let’s focus of TV shows. We can talk about movies later if there is interest.

Mork & Mindy (Happy Days)
Laverne & Shirley (Happy Days)
NCIS (JAG)
NCIS universe (New Orleans, Red, LA, Sydney, Hawaii, shared universe with 5-O and McGyver))
Chicago universe (Fire, PD, Med, Justice)
Law and Order universe (shared universe with Chicago, SVU, London, etc)
Diagnosis Murder (Jake and the Fat Man)
Frasier (Cheers)
Better Call Saul (Breaking Bad)

What am I missing?

 

[BigFin]

Happy Days (Love, American Style)
Rhoda (Mary Tyler Moore)
The Jeffersons (All In The Family)

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Jeffersons is usually considered the best spin-off ever, at least among the older generations. I'm guessing Better Call Saul is the new #1.

 

[flyerhawk]

The Jeffersons(All in the Family)
Wings(Cheers)

 

[RobToxin]

The Jeffersons for sure.

Lou Grant was a spinoff from Mary Tyler Moore.

A Different World was a spinoff from The Cosby Show.

Trapper John was a MASH spinoff.

 

[calsnowskier]

The Jeffersons(All in the Family)
Wings(Cheers)

Was Wings a spin-off or just a shared universe? Was there a direct mention to cheers in the pilot episode?

 

[calsnowskier]

The Jeffersons for sure.

Lou Grant was a spinoff from Mary Tyler Moore.

A Different World was a spinoff from The Cosby Show.

Trapper John was a MASH spinoff.

Actually, Trapper John was not a MASH spin-off. It was based on the book version of the character, not the movie or show versions.

 

[flyerhawk]

Was Wings a spin-off or just a shared universe? Was there a direct mention to cheers in the pilot episode?

Hmmm not sure. Just remember that the Cheers characters popped onto Wings routinely.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Hmmm not sure. Just remember that the Cheers characters popped onto Wings routinely.

I didn't watch it much, but Wings just seemed like a reboot of Taxi, with planes instead of cabs

 

[calsnowskier]

Hmmm not sure. Just remember that the Cheers characters popped onto Wings routinely.

No question. It was definitely a shared universe, at least. But was it considered in-universe from the start? And what is the exact definition of “spin off”? Wings was made by the same braintrust behind Cheers.

But I wouldn’t consider Hawaii 5-O or McGyver spin offs of NCIS, but there were constant crossovers between the shows.

 

[calsnowskier]

I didn't watch it much, but Wings just seemed like a reboot of Taxi, with planes instead of cabs

I never thought of that, but there are definite similarities.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

I never thought of that, but there are definite similarities.

Yeah, Thomas Hayden Church's character seemed a bit like Christopher Lloyd's Jim.

 

[calsnowskier]

Yeah, Thomas Hayden Church's character seemed a bit like Christopher Lloyd's Jim.

I am thinking more Latka, but I see some Jim as well. But Jim was super smart, just lost to drugs. Lowell is just innocent stupid.

 

[foster4prez]

Fuck yall are old.

 

[Hbomb]

Gomer Pyle- Andy Griffith
Any Griffith- Make Room for Daddy (Danny Thomas)

 

[Hbomb]

Simpsons- Tracy Ullman.

 

[Cyder]

Jeffersons is usually considered the best spin-off ever, at least among the older generations. I'm guessing Better Call Saul is the new #1.

Maude was a spin off of All in the Family as well.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Gomer Pyle- Andy Griffith
Any Griffith- Make Room for Daddy (Danny Thomas)

I thought the last two stood alone? But I do remember Buddy and Sally going over and writing jokes for Danny/Daddy.

 

[calsnowskier]

Gomer Pyle- Andy Griffith
Any Griffith- Make Room for Daddy (Danny Thomas)

I didn’t know Andy Griffith was a spin off.

TIL

 

[Pastafazul]

Mayor Adams (Mayor Deblasio)

Does this count ?

Pure entertainment if ya ask me

Adam’s says ‘. Migrants are good swimmers