My Favorite Spinoffs

[Gideon58]

A spinoff is when a character or a situation from a television show is taken out of that show and another show is created. Some shows have actually had multiple spinoffs and they will be explored here, and anyone who has paid close attention to my other television lists, probably has a pretty good idea what my #1 spinoff is, but if you don't, check out my breakdown of my favorite spinoffs:

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25.

The Girl From UNCLE

http://pics.filmaffinity.com/The_Girl_from_U_N_C_L_E_TV_Series-260060607-large.jpg

NBC got so full of themselves with the success of The Man from UNCLE that they decided a girl from UNCLE was a logical follow-up. The show starred Stefanie Powers as April Dancer and Noel Harrison as her partner Mark Slate. This spinoff did not experience the success of its origin but I watched it faithfully the single season it was on the air.

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24.

The Simpsons

https://secure.static.tumblr.com/9f9cc5e7984828a08b48cc9ba5e9a780/hrj6zmy/H0Gn2ulkx/tumblr_static_the_simpsons.jpg

Since it's been over two decades now, people might not remember that these characters were originally introduced on The Tracy Ullmann Show.

[Gideon58]

23.

The Colbys

http://www.crazyabouttv.com/Images/colbys.jpg

Aaron Spelling was riding such a high with the success of Dynasty, in addition to the cast getting SO large, he decided to take supporting characters Jeff and Fallon Carrington (John James and Emma Samms) and move them from Denver to Los Angeles where they were reunited with Jeff's family including father Jason (Charlton Heston), his Aunt Constance (Barbara Stanwyck) and his stepmother from hell Sable (Stephanie Beacham). Despite having all the trappings of Dynasty and the accustomed Aaron Spelling gloss, the series went nowhere and after a season we were treated to a series finale where Fallon was kidnapped by space aliens.

[Gideon58]

22.

Good Times

http://anythingurban.typepad.com/.a/6a011278db110528a40120a51410f3970b-pi

One of those rare instances of a spinoff of a spinoff...Florida Evans (Esther Rolle) left her job as housekeeper to Maude Findlay (Beatrice Arthur) to take care of her own family, husband James (John Amos) and her children JJ (Jimmie Walker), Thelma (Berna Dette Stanis) and Michael (Ralph Carter). The show also featured Ja'Net DuBois as wisecracking neighbor Willona and Johnny Brown as maintenance man Booker. The show ran for five seasons, which is pretty impressive for a spinfoff of a spinoff.

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21.

Green Acres

http://antiquesdiva.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/green-acres2.jpg

Sometimes I'm not sure if this show was a spinoff of Petticoat Junction or if it's the other way around, but I'm pretty sure this show came second, even though they both took place in the tiny hamlet of Hooterville. Eddie Albert played Oliver Wendell Douglas, a Manhattan attorney who decides to give up the rat race and moves to a broken down farm with his glamorous wife, Lisa (Eva Gabor), who is not as crazy about the move as Oliver is. The show also featured Tom Lester as a handyman named Eb, Pat Buttram as a greasy salesman named Mr. Haney, and Frank Cady , as Sam Drucker, the general store owner who also appeared on Petticoat Junction.

[Gideon58]

20.

Phyllis

http://www.bionicdisco.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Phyllis_TV_Intro_Cloris_Leachman_1976-500x371.jpg

One of three spinoffs from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, this one took the character of Phyllis Lindstrom (Cloris Leachman) and daughter Bess (Lisa Gerritsen) leaving Minneapolis after the end of Phyllis' marriage to Lars and moving in with her stepmother (Jane Rose), her husband (Henry Jones) and her step grandmother (Judith Lowry). A lot of Phyllis' annoyance factor that made her so funny on the mother show was missing here and I think that's why the character didn't work as well here as it did on Mary's show.

[Gideon58]

19.

Benson

http://images.zap2it.com/assets/p184578_b_h3_aa/benson.jpg

Robert Guillaume stole so many scenes on the ABC sitcom Soap as Jessica Tate's acid-tongued butler that the character was given his own show. Benson left the Tate household to become the head of household affairs to the governor (James Noble) and butted heads with the governor's head housekeeper Kraus (Inga Swensen) constantly while becoming a surrogate dad to the governor's sometimes neglected daughter (Missy Gold). The show ran on ABC for six seasons and I didn't like it as much as a lot of people did but it definitely deserves mention here.

[Gideon58]

18.

Mama's Family

http://static.hometheaterforum.com/imgrepo/6/6d/6ddd4ddb_MamasFamilycast.jpeg

Thelma Harper aka Mama (Vicki Lawrence) was originally introduced as a one sketch character on The Carol Burnett Show, but the character was hugely popular on that show so it was decided to spin her off into her own syndicated series where we met Mama's son Vint (Ken Berry) and his wife, Naomi (Dorothy Lyman). Other relatives popped in and out during the run, including Mama's other daughters played by Betty White and Rue McClanahan and Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman even made an occasional appearance, but Mama was the constant that kept this show funny.

[honeykid]

I don't know how many of these I'm going to've seen, but I'll be commenting on the ones I have. :)

I think I liked Benson more than I did Soap at the time. I was about 10, so it makes sense. Plus Soap was on late at night (often around midnight) whereas Benson would be on in the late afternoon/early evening, so I could watch it downstairs on the big colour tv. I remembered it fondly, but saw it again about 10 or 12 years ago and thought it was awful. :D

I think my mum liked The Colby's even more than she did Dynasty. They kind of merge together in my mind, but I liked them both. I still remember the aliens taking Fallon away. I had such a huge crush on Emma Samms. :love:

https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Ftse3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.M7be9ac4a80b107787ff50035fd7d0c28o2%26pid%3D15.1&f=1
https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fimagehost.vendio.com%2Fa%2F35104116%2Faview%2F089_035.JPG&f=1

Like everyone else, it seems, I loved The Simpson's. I can't remember when I stopped watching it regularly and, with a couple of exceptions, I don't know that I've seen a new episode for most of this century, but even 'bad' Simpson's episodes are pretty decent fare and very easy to watch.

[Gideon58]

17.

Dirty Sally

http://pics.filmaffinity.com/Dirty_Sally_TV_Series-576938553-large.jpg

Veteran character actress Jeanette Nolan did a guest appearance on the CBS western Gunsmoke that so impressed CBS that the character was spun off into her own show, a cantakerous old woman who is on a journey across the west to pan for gold, accompanied by her handsome partner in crime, Cyrus Pike (Dack Rambo). The show barely ran a season but I watched it and liked it.

[Gideon58]

Yeah, I can't remember when I stopped watching The Simpsons either, but I did stop...I still watch Family Guy though.

[honeykid]

I hate Family Guy. American Dad is better than that, and I don't like that either.

[Gideon58]

I hate Family Guy. American Dad is better than that, and I don't like that either.
Never could get into American Dad.

[CiCi]

I hate Family Guy. American Dad is better than that, and I don't like that either.

I quite like Family Guy although I think it sometimes does go a bit too far. I'm not a big fan of American Dad though, the only reason I'll watch it is because of Roger, who is absolute gold :lol:

[Gideon58]

16.

Mayberry RFD

http://is5.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Video6/v4/9c/62/2b/9c622bf0-be5b-e1ad-c330-0c4834764fd3/mzl.lrgixlgw.jpg/600x600bb-85.jpg

When Andy Griffith had enough of Mayberry, CBS decided there were still ratings to be mined from the small North Carolina town so the show came back revamped with Andy Taylor being replaced by Ken Berry as Sam Jones, Mayberry town councilman and widowed father of a young son (Buddy Foster), who were somehow fortunate enough to still be looked after by Andy's Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier). Other show regulars included Arlene Golonka as Millie, Sam's girlfriend, Jack Dodson as Howard Sprague, and Paul Hartman as Emmit the Fix it Man.

[gbgoodies]

20.

Phyllis

http://www.bionicdisco.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Phyllis_TV_Intro_Cloris_Leachman_1976-500x371.jpg

One of three spinoffs from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, this one took the character of Phyllis Lindstrom (Cloris Leachman) and daughter Bess (Lisa Gerritsen) leaving Minneapolis after the end of Phyllis' marriage to Lars and moving in with her stepmother (Jane Rose), her husband (Henry Jones) and her step grandmother (Judith Lowry). A lot of Phyllis' annoyance factor that made her so funny on the mother show was missing here and I think that's why the character didn't work as well here as it did on Mary's show.

I loved "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", and I liked "Rhoda", but I never really cared much for "Phyllis". It just didn't live up to the other two shows.


19.

Benson

http://images.zap2it.com/assets/p184578_b_h3_aa/benson.jpg

Robert Guillaume stole so many scenes on the ABC sitcom Soap as Jessica Tate's acid-tongued butler that the character was given his own show. Benson left the Tate household to become the head of household affairs to the governor (James Noble) and butted heads with the governor's head housekeeper Kraus (Inga Swensen) constantly while becoming a surrogate dad to the governor's sometimes neglected daughter (Missy Gold). The show ran on ABC for six seasons and I didn't like it as much as a lot of people did but it definitely deserves mention here.


I loved "Benson" even more than "Soap". Robert Guillaume was great, and he was surrounded by a terrific supporting cast.

[jrs]

One of my favorite spin-offs....

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7d/NCIS_title.jpg/270px-NCIS_title.jpg

[SilentVamp]

18.

Mama's Family
I love "Mama's Family". I haven't seen it in years. This is one of those shows that I really wish they'd bring back. They seem to be re-running a lot of stuff but never this. :(

I quite like Family Guy although I think it sometimes does go a bit too far. I'm not a big fan of American Dad though, the only reason I'll watch it is because of Roger, who is absolute gold :lol:
I am a huge fan of "Family Guy". I would honestly say that it is easily in my top 5. I agree that they go too far sometimes, but I know they do it because they can. And you know they like to see how far they can go. "American Dad" has grown on me. I didn't care for it much, but I have been watching it these past few months, and it has gotten better. But I do have to agree that the main reason that I do watch it is for Roger. I love him. He is probably one of my favorite characters on TV.

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15.

CSI: Miami

https://girlstalktv.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/csi-miami.jpg

For some reason, I never really got into the original show, but I really liked this one...I was also pleased that television gave David Caruso another chance after walking away from NYPD Blue over a decade earlier.

[honeykid]

I hate CSI: Miami. Mainly beause of David Caruso, the colour palette and the level of tease.

[gbgoodies]

I watched "CSI: Miami", but it was my least favorite of the CSI shows. My favorite was "CSI: NY", but the original "CSI" was great up until Grissom left the show.

[Camo]

American Dad is much better than Family Guy. Mostly because other than providing voices Seth McFarlane has had nothing to do with it since Season 1. The Original CSI was the only one of the three i liked and i got bored of that after a while. The Simpsons first 10 Seasons were amazing, now it is awful.

[Captain Steel]

I'd like to talk about a spin-off that almost was...
It was called "Kelly's Kids." It was an episode of the Brady Bunch that was intended to become a series.
It was about a couple that adopt three boys, all of different ethnicities (black, white & Asian).
Ken Berry & Brooke Bundy were cast as Ken & Kathy Kelly. The boys were played by Todd Lookinland (brother of Mike Lookinland who played Bobby on the Brady Bunch), Billy "Pop" Atmore (known for being a Mouseketeer on The New Mickey Mouse Club in 1977), and Carey Wong.

From IMDB Trivia: Although this episode didn't end up launching "Kelly's Kids" as a series, the concept was later reworked as Together We Stand (1986), starring Elliott Gould and Dee Wallace-Stone.

[MovieBuffering]

Frasier is the best spinoff ever

I'd argue it was better than Cheers

[Captain Steel]

I loved "Benson" even more than "Soap". Robert Guillaume was great, and he was surrounded by a terrific supporting cast.

I have to ask this (maybe someone can help my memory...) was there some kind of continuity question between Soap and Benson? Like Benson wasn't quite the same character he was on Soap? Or they made him younger on Benson? Or he spoke differently? Or they never acknowledged his history on Soap? Or somehow "retconned" the character in some way.

For some reason I always remember talking about this whenever Soap or Benson would come up.

[Gideon58]

I quite like Family Guy although I think it sometimes does go a bit too far. I'm not a big fan of American Dad though, the only reason I'll watch it is because of Roger, who is absolute gold :lol:
Yeah, there's no denying that for an animated program, Family Guy often pushes the envelope, teetering on the brink of good taste. But I think that's what makes it so funny...the show is unafraid to say a lot of things that we've been thinking but never had the nerve to say out loud, but Family Guy shouts those things at the top of their lungs.

[honeykid]

I think you might be right, Gideon. I have no trouble saying those things, which is probably why shock jocks/comedians rarely work for me, either. Otherwise it just looks like you're trying too hard.

[Gideon58]

14.

Lou Grant

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gYDvoDNYRJ0/hqdefault.jpg

Pretty sure this is the only time that a character from 30 minute sitcom has been spun off into an hour long dramatic series. The series found Lou moving from Minneapolis to LA where he became the managing editor of the fictional Los Angeles Tribune. It was initially unsettling seeing this character in a dramatic setting but Asner made it work and won two Emmys and two Golden Globes for the show. Also loved Robert Alden as Joe Rossi and Nancy Marchand as Mrs. Pynchon, the paper's publisher. They also won Emmys for their work on the show.

[Gideon58]

13.

Laverne and Shirley

https://aznbadger.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/laverneshirley_s4_early.jpg

The longest running spinoff of the ABC comedy Happy Days (which technically was a spinoff itself). Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) were first introduced on an episode of Happy Days when Laverne was dating the Fonz (Henry Winkler) and brought along her girlfriend Shirley as a blind date for Richie (Ron Howard). The show ran for seven seasons.

[Gideon58]

I'd like to talk about a spin-off that almost was...
It was called "Kelly's Kids." It was an episode of the Brady Bunch that was intended to become a series.
It was about a couple that adopt three boys, all of different ethnicities (black, white & Asian).
Ken Berry & Brooke Bundy were cast as Ken & Kathy Kelly. The boys were played by Todd Lookinland (brother of Mike Lookinland who played Bobby on the Brady Bunch), Billy "Pop" Atmore (known for being a Mouseketeer on The New Mickey Mouse Club in 1977), and Carey Wong.

From IMDB Trivia: Although this episode didn't end up launching "Kelly's Kids" as a series, the concept was later reworked as Together We Stand (1986), starring Elliott Gould and Dee Wallace-Stone.
I remember Kelly's Kids...a lot of sitcoms did episodes that they hoped would become spinoffs but didn't...I remember Who's the Boss? attempted to spin off the character of Mona (Katherine Helmond) in an episode where Mona inherited half interest in a run down hotel butting heads with the other co-owner (James B. Sikking). Who's The Boss also attempted a spinoff when Sam (Allysa Millano) was trying to be a model and was discovered by an agent (Michael Learned) who took a keen interest in one of Sam's friends (Leah Remini). Learned and Remini's characters were supposed to be spun off into their show but I don't think it ever happened.

[Citizen Rules]

I have to ask this (maybe someone can help my memory...) was there some kind of continuity question between Soap and Benson? Like Benson wasn't quite the same character he was on Soap? Or they made him younger on Benson? Or he spoke differently? Or they never acknowledged his history on Soap? Or somehow "retconned" the character in some way.

For some reason I always remember talking about this whenever Soap or Benson would come up. I haven't seen Benson since it came out, but I know he did talk about his former employees (the Tates on Soap), specifically he mentioned that Jessica Tate was still lost in South America with amnesia.

[honeykid]

I didn't see Laverne and Shirley until the mid/late 80's, but I liked it back then in an "it's fine and inoffensive" kind of way. It has a fantastic theme tune, too.

I don't really remember it because I was about 10 or 11, but I know I used to really enjoy Lou Grant.

[Captain Steel]

I haven't seen Benson since it came out, but I know he did talk about his former employees (the Tates on Soap), specifically he mentioned that Jessica Tate was still lost in South America with amnesia.

Don't mean to harp on this (I never really watched Benson much, so I'm not sure) but was it his age that was the issue? Like, he was supposed to be a much older "gentlemen's gentleman" on Soap with grey hair, but then on Benson he was a man in the prime of life and his grey receding hairline was replaced with a much younger man's look?
Or am I way off base?

[honeykid]

I always assumed he was the same bloke who'd left for pastures new.

[Gideon58]

12.

Mork and Mindy

http://pics.filmaffinity.com/Mork_Mindy_TV_Series-685149461-large.jpg

This show was the result of a single guest appearance on Happy Days that turned a struggling stand up comic named Robin Williams into a star. Mork originally visited Richie Cunningham in Milwaukee but in the spinoff, ended up in Boulder Colorado as the house guest and eventual romantic interest of music store employee Mindy McConnell (Pam Dawber). Conrad Janis played Mindy's dad and Elizabeth Kerr played her grandmother, but this was Robin Williams' show all the way and everyone else just got out of his way for four seasons, with the possible exception of Jonathan Winters, Williams' mentor who joined the show in its final season as Mork's son.

[Gideon58]

11.

The Jeffersons

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51m2ow2nWvL.jpg

George and Louise Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford) were originally introduced on All in the Family as neighbors to the Bunkers whose son, Lionel (Mike Evans, Damon Evans) was best friends with Mike Stivic (Rob Reiner). Louise and Edith (Jean Stapleton) were BFF's but George and Archie couldn't stand each other, so there were mixed feelings from the Bunkers when George's string of dry cleaners became so successful that the Jeffersons were able to "move on up" from Queens to the East side of Manhattan where they entertained TV audiences for eleven seasons,

[Captain Steel]

I always assumed he was the same bloke who'd left for pastures new.

It's just bugging me because it's one of those memory things, ya know?
I remember people talking about this. It's like Abrams retconning Star Trek, so now there's original-series Mr. Spock and splinter reality Mr. Spock. They both existed, but are different.
So was there a Soap Benson and a Benson Benson? (same but different?) ;)

[Captain Steel]

It's strange how certain spin-offs go in different directions - like Lou Grant was not a sit-com like the MTM show was. Lou was the same character, but suddenly his work life was no longer accompanied by a laugh track.

[Gideon58]

10.

Maude

https://mattsko.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/maude-234.jpg

There was an episode of All in the Family where Edith became very sick and was unable to take care of Archie and the house so Edith called her cousin Maude (Beatrice Arthur) to come and stay at the house and take care of things. Needless to say, Maude and Archie hated each other and this hate was fuel enough to spin the character off into her own series. Maude lived in Tuckahoe with her fourth husband Walter (Bill Macy), her divorced daughter Carol (Adrienne Barbeau) and her grandson Phillip (Brian Morrison). During the series, Maude employed three different housekeepers, one of whom, Florida Evans (Esther Rolle), was spun off into her own series.

[Gideon58]

It's strange how certain spin-offs go in different directions - like Lou Grant was not a sit-com like the MTM show was. Lou was the same character, but suddenly his work life was no longer accompanied by a laugh track.
I'm pretty sure that's the only time that has happened...most comedy characters are spun off into comedy series, I'm pretty sure Lou Grant was the only exception to this rule.

[Gideon58]

9.

Rhoda

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/graphics/news3/Rhoda_S1.jpg

A spinoff of The Mary Tyler Moore Show found Mary's best friend, Rhoda Morganstern (Valerie Harper) moving from Minneapolis to Manhattan to start a new life and eventually find romance. The show also starred Julie Kavner as Brenda, Rhoda's sister and Nancy Walker and Harold Gould as Rhoda's parents, Ida and Martin Morganstern. The show ran for four seasons.

[gbgoodies]

9.

Rhoda

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/graphics/news3/Rhoda_S1.jpg

A spinoff of The Mary Tyler Moore Show found Mary's best friend, Rhoda Morganstern (Valerie Harper) moving from Minneapolis to Manhattan to start a new life and eventually find romance. The show also starred Julie Kavner as Brenda, Rhoda's sister and Nancy Walker and Harold Gould as Rhoda's parents, Ida and Martin Morganstern. The show ran for four seasons.


You forgot to include Lorenzo Music as Carlton the Doorman.

[Gideon58]

8.

Pinky and the Brain

https://weminoredinfilm.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/pinky-and-the-brain.jpg

This animated series was a spinoff of Animaniacs about a pair of eccentric mice (one of whom spoke with a cockney accent), who have one mission and one mission only: to take over the world.

[Gideon58]

7.

The Brady Bunch Hour

http://files.onset.freedom.com/ocregister/multiplier/BestWorst_TV_spinoffs/Brady_Bunch_Hour_sm.JPG

After the original Brady Bunch series went off the air in 1974, someone got the brilliant idea to bring the characters back to television in a variety series format. They would still be the Bradys but now they would be singing and dancing and entertaining guest stars. Florence Henderson and Barry Williams, who were both trained singers, were immediately on board because they were told the show would be centered around them which wasn't really true. Getting the rest of the cast on board wasn't as easy...as a matter of fact Eve Plumb, the original Jan Brady, wanted nothing to do with it and was replaced by another actress (Geri Reischl). There were only nine episodes but I watched them.

[gbgoodies]

8.

The Brady Bunch Hour

http://files.onset.freedom.com/ocregister/multiplier/BestWorst_TV_spinoffs/Brady_Bunch_Hour_sm.JPG

After the original Brady Bunch series went off the air in 1974, someone got the brilliant idea to bring the characters back to television in a variety series format. They would still be the Bradys but now they would be singing and dancing and entertaining guest stars. Florence Henderson and Barry Williams, who were both trained singers, were immediately on board because they were told the show would be centered around them which wasn't really true. Getting the rest of the cast on board wasn't as easy...as a matter of fact Eve Plumb, the original Jan Brady, wanted nothing to do with it and was replaced by another actress (Geri Reischl). There were only nine episodes but I watched them.


OMG, that was a real show?! I thought I dreamed that. :lol:

[Gideon58]

6.

The Perils of Penelope Pitstop

https://www.warnerbros.co.uk/~/media/images/warner%20bro/tv%20series/the%20perils%20of%20penelope%20pitstop/perils_of_penelope_pitstop_thethe_complete_series%20jpg.ashx?mw=240

Penelope Pitstop was originally a character on The Wacky Races who was spun off into her own show as a perpetual damsel in distress trying to escape from a mustache twirling villain called Dick Dastardly.

[Gideon58]

5.

A Different World

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/785870/images/o-A-DIFFERENT-WORLD-facebook.jpg

http://media.onsugar.com/files/ons1/192/1922564/35_2009/8d562466ab94f109_a-different-world.jpg

When Bill Cosby decided to send TV daughter Denise (Lisa Bonet) off to college, it was considered the perfect excuse to spin Denise off into her own show about her freshman year at fictional Hillman College. Bonet turned out to be as much trouble here as she was on The Cosby Show and Bonet was actually fired from her own series after a season. The show was revamped with a new cast the following season and ran for five more.

[honeykid]

I liked Rhoda. I was aware that it was some kind of spin off, but I don't think I'd ever seen The Mary Tyler Moore Show (though I'd heard of it)

[Gideon58]

4.

Melrose Place

http://blogs.suntimes.com/tv/TV%20Melrose%20Place.jpg

The character of Kelly on Beverly Hills 90210 started dating a hunky handyman name Jake (Grant Show) and the character decided to leave town, Kelly left with him and helped to spin the character off into this sexy spinoff from the genius that is Aaron Spelling. Jake moved into a swinging singles apartment complex full of sex and sin that kept him and a young and nubile cast busy for seven seasons.

[Gideon58]

I liked Rhoda. I was aware that it was some kind of spin off, but I don't think I'd ever seen The Mary Tyler Moore Show (though I'd heard of it)
Honeykid, you MUST watch The Mary Tyler Moore Show...if you can find a box set to watch it in order, please do so...it was a quietly brilliant sitcom that ran for seven seasons, won 39 Emmys, gave birth to three spinoffs, and Moore had the smarts to take it off the air before it got cancelled. It's a television classic that I highly recommend.

[Gideon58]

3.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

http://cdn.breathecast.com/data/images/full/24008/law-order-svu-cast.jpg

After nine years on the air, Dick Wolf decided to do a spin off of his hit Law & Order constructing a new unit of detectives who specialize in sex crimes and crimes against children. Christopher Meloni (Elliott Stabler) and Mariska Hargitay (Olivia Benson) were magical together and the show hasn't been the same since Meloni's departure, but despite this and other numerous cast changes over the years, the show has remained watchable since its debut in 1999.

[gbgoodies]

Honeykid, you MUST watch The Mary Tyler Moore Show...if you can find a box set to watch it in order, please do so...it was a quietly brilliant sitcom that ran for seven seasons, won 39 Emmys, gave birth to three spinoffs, and Moore had the smarts to take it off the air before it got cancelled. It's a television classic that I highly recommend.


I second this. "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" was one of the best shows ever. You should definitely try to find it and watch it.

[Gideon58]

2.

Frasier

http://showbizgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Screen-Shot-2013-05-27-at-13.56.52.png

This was one of those rare instances where the spinoff turned out to be better than the show from which it originated(and that's saying it a lot). A spinoff of Cheers, that took the character of psychiatrist Dr, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammar) who, after divorcing Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth), decided to leave Boston and move to Seattle, where he became a radio psychologist with his own show. Among the characters we met were Frasier's brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), also a psychiatrist and Frasier's father, Martin (John Mahoney) even though we were informed on an episode of Cheers that Martin was dead, but this show actually did take the time to address that. This was the sitcom for those who liked their comedy with a little substance and didn't mind thinking about what they were watching and possibly, the best writing of a sitcom ever.

Well, can't believe I'm down to # 2 already...I will say again that those of you who have been regular followers of my lists probably already know what my # 1 is...anyway, here are a few honorable mentions:

The Brady Brides
The Facts of Life
Open House
The Pebbles and Bam Bam Show
Law & Order: Trial by Jury
Gomer Pyle, USMC
Family Matters
Boston Legal
The Bionic Woman

And now, my # 1 favorite spinoff:

[Gideon58]

1.

Knots Landing

http://coolinthe80s.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/kl.jpg

This classy spinoff of Dallas ran an unprecedented fourteen seasons and never failed to entertain.





Hope you enjoyed the list.

[Captain Steel]

OMG, that was a real show?! I thought I dreamed that. :lol:

Haven't you heard of "fake Jan"? :D

[Captain Steel]

The Brady Bunch Hour was also worth watching just for Robert Reed's very obvious and visible discomfort at the whole thing.

It was "so bad, it's good."

[gbgoodies]

Haven't you heard of "fake Jan"? :D


I vaguely remember something about someone else playing Jan, but I just assumed that it was in a few episodes of the original show. :shrug:

[Captain Steel]

I vaguely remember something about someone else playing Jan, but I just assumed that it was in a few episodes of the original show. :shrug:

The funny thing is, it was spoofed on the Simpsons - they made like; after the series ran its course, the Simpsons family was launched into a campy variety show complete with "Fake Lisa" who was now someone older & taller than Bart and looked remarkably a lot like "Fake Jan."

The girl who played Fake Jan, btw, (Geri Reischl) was quite an accomplished singer - one of the few who could carry a tune out of the rest of the "Bradys." Although Maureen McCormick was a pretty good singer also.

[Camo]

I've seen very few spinoffs so its probably no surprise that Frasier would be my #1, it is one of my favourite shows though. Thinking about it my #2 would probably be Still Game. :up: for Pinky and the Brain too, loved that show as a kid.

[Gideon58]

The Brady Bunch Hour was also worth watching just for Robert Reed's very obvious and visible discomfort at the whole thing.

It was "so bad, it's good."
The only person who seemed more uncomfortable than Robert Reed was Christopher Knight... if you can check him out, he looks seriously miserable in every single episode.

[Captain Steel]

The only person who seemed more uncomfortable than Robert Reed was Christopher Knight... if you can check him out, he looks seriously miserable in every single episode.

Yes. I remember seeing interviews that said Chris did not want to sing or dance.

[honeykid]

I'll see what I can do about The Mary Tyler Moore Show. :)

I've already spoken about Melrose Place and how much I loved it on other countdowns, but it was great in it's prime. Frasier is among the best sitcoms off all time. It probably has the fastest joke per minute rate and it hits the mark more often than anything else, too. The writing on Frasier was truly inspiring and the casting perfect.

[Citizen Rules]

Don't mean to harp on this (I never really watched Benson much, so I'm not sure) but was it his age that was the issue? Like, he was supposed to be a much older "gentlemen's gentleman" on Soap with grey hair, but then on Benson he was a man in the prime of life and his grey receding hairline was replaced with a much younger man's look?
Or am I way off base? I didn't watch Benson much either. I tried to look at google images and he seems to have the same look in both shows.

SOAP
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/739/rg4.JPG

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j14CPq-pde4/UNSgmUoZazI/AAAAAAAAFz8/-_E1rx8CrF8/s400/benson.jpg

The guy who replaced him on Soap at the Tate's new butler was pretty funny in his own right.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l_kLo2y99kE/UWW2EfvabII/AAAAAAAAa9k/ROsQ9dD11QU/s640/MV5BMTU0MzMyMTA2NF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMDM3NDAzNA@@._V1._SX640_SY530_.jpg

[Captain Steel]

Hey Rules, I looked up pictures of Benson also and it may be something as minor as they "powdered" his hair in earlier seasons of Soap (which they may have stopped doing even during that show's run) and then he had black hair by the time he was on Benson - which kind of gave the impression that he was getting younger, or just bought a bottle of Grecian formula before he got a new job!

The man who took Benson's place (in your bottom picture) is the late, great Roscoe Lee Brown!
He played Mr. Nightlinger in The Cowboys (1972) - which is a movie in my "favorites." It's there because I can't stand Westerns! But The Cowboys and also High Noon are the only Westerns that I really liked!
Roscoe Lee Brown had a great voice (I'd say he'd even give Orson a run for his money!) and was the narrator for the movie Babe (1995) which helped make that movie so wonderful... and, a bit of trivia, he provided the voice for the killer robot "Box" in Logan's Run (1976).

[gbgoodies]

Hey Rules, I looked up pictures of Benson also and it may be something as minor as they "powdered" his hair in earlier seasons of Soap (which they may have stopped doing even during that show's run) and then he had black hair by the time he was on Benson - which kind of gave the impression that he was getting younger, or just bought a bottle of Grecian formula before he got a new job!

The man who took Benson's place (in your bottom picture) is the late, great Roscoe Lee Brown!
He played Mr. Nightlinger in The Cowboys (1972) - which is a movie in my "favorites." It's there because I can't stand Westerns! But The Cowboys and also High Noon are the only Westerns that I really liked!
Roscoe Lee Brown had a great voice (I'd say he'd even give Orson a run for his money!) and was the narrator for the movie Babe (1995) which helped make that movie so wonderful... and, a bit of trivia, he provided the voice for the killer robot "Box" in Logan's Run (1976).


As far as I know, the character Benson left the Tates because he was offered a job by the Governor. (I'm not sure, but I think the Governor was supposed to be Jessica's cousin, or something like that.)

I remember Roscoe Lee Browne from an episode of "Barney Miller". The episode was called "Escape Artist", and he played a career criminal who spent his life in jail because he kept breaking out.

[Gideon58]

As far as I know, the character Benson left the Tates because he was offered a job by the Governor. (I'm not sure, but I think the Governor was supposed to be Jessica's cousin, or something like that.)

I remember Roscoe Lee Browne from an episode of "Barney Miller". The episode was called "Escape Artist", and he played a career criminal who spent his life in jail because he kept breaking out.
I remember Roscoe Lee Browne from an episode of All in the Family where he was stuck in an elevator with Archie, a secretary played by Eileen Brennan and a Puerto Rican couple played by Hector Elizondo and Edith Diaz. Brown also won an Emmy for a guest appearance on The Cosby Show as a card shark who helps Cliff get back at his dad (Earle Hyman).

[Citizen Rules]

I'll see what I can do about The Mary Tyler Moore Show. :)
I just finished watching all 7 seasons of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and now I have Mary fever!

I've watched two of her 1978 TV show, Mary from youtube, it's a variety show like Carol Burnetts. It had some great cast members who went on to fame and success:

James Hampton
Judith Kahan
Michael Keaton
Swoosie Kurtz
David Letterman
Mary Tyler Moore
Dick Shawn

But a horrible show and it was cancelled after only 3 episodes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
But next year, 1979 Mary was back with an hour comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Hour, which featured Mary as Mary McKinnon. She's a celebrity who stars in a variety show and we see Mary at home with her zany housekeeper and pushy producer. Each week they had a guest star, like Dick Van Dyke. I like it, but only can find a couple episodes online. Only 11 episodes were made before it was cancelled.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last TV series she did was in 1985 also called Mary, this time she played Mary Brenner a 40 year old plus divorced woman, working at a second rate tabloid news paper. It only ran 13 episodes. I haven't seen it yet.

[Gideon58]

I just finished watching all 7 seasons of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and now I have Mary fever!

I've watched two of her 1978 TV show, Mary from youtube, it's a variety show like Carol Burnetts. It had some great cast members who went on to fame and success:

James Hampton
Judith Kahan
Michael Keaton
Swoosie Kurtz
David Letterman
Mary Tyler Moore
Dick Shawn

But a horrible show and it was cancelled after only 3 episodes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
But next year, 1979 Mary was back with an hour comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Hour, which featured Mary as Mary McKinnon. She's a celebrity who stars in a variety show and we see Mary at home with her zany housekeeper and pushy producer. Each week they had a guest star, like Dick Van Dyke. I like it, but only can find a couple episodes online. Only 11 episodes were made before it was cancelled.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last TV series she did was in 1985 also called Mary, this time she played Mary Brenner a 40 year old plus divorced woman, working at a second rate tabloid news paper. It only ran 13 episodes. I haven't seen it yet.
So thrilled to hear that you watched all of The Mary Tyler Moore Show Citizen...were there any favorite episodes that were standouts for you?

[Citizen Rules]

I did like all the episodes, but my favorites were the ones set in Mary's first apartment and when Rhoda was on the show. I always liked the chemistry between Mary and Rhoda.. and...Mary and Lou Grant. I don't have a great memory so it's hard for me to remember individual shows.

Their was one show in the last season where Mary, Lou and Murray had an epitome moment and really began appreciating each other... they told each other their sincerest feelings. It was quiet touching, especially the end scene where they go into the film storage room of the news set and look out at the window at a beautiful sunset.

How about you, any favorite MTM episodes?

[Gideon58]

I did like all the episodes, but my favorites were the ones set in Mary's first apartment and when Rhoda was on the show. I always liked the chemistry between Mary and Rhoda.. and...Mary and Lou Grant. I don't have a great memory so it's hard for me to remember individual shows.

Their was one show in the last season where Mary, Lou and Murray had an epitome moment and really began appreciating each other... they told each other their sincerest feelings. It was quiet touching, especially the end scene where they go into the film storage room of the news set and look out at the window at a beautiful sunset.

How about you, any favorite MTM episodes?
I do have a few favorites off the top of my head...I loved the episode where Rhoda won the beauty contest at the department store where she worked. I liked when Bess (Lisa Gerritsen) refused to leave Mary one day and Phyllis (Cloris Leachman) told Mary to keep her. I loved when Phyllis learned that her husband Lars was having an affair with Sue Ann Nivens (Betty White). I loved "The Lou and Edie Story" where we learned Lou and his wife, Edie (Priscilla Morrill) were separating. I loved when the whole gang at the newsroom got stranded there because of a snowstorm and Sue Ann made everyone wear stupid hats and sing the 12 Days of Xmas. Loved Nancy Walker's first appearance as Rhoda's mother and Nanette Fabray's first as Mary's mother. Another episode where Mary's dad was visiting was a little bit of a shock because it was implied that Mary spent the night with her date and refused to discuss it with her father. I liked when Phyllis tried to fix up Mary with her brother, unaware that he was gay. Loved when Ted and Georgette had their baby and like everyone, loved the classic "Chuckles Bits the Dust".

[Citizen Rules]

Wow! you have a great memory. I just finished watching all 7 seasons of MTM only a couple months ago and I had already forgotton about those shows. But now that you mention them, those were good ones! I love the opening credits for MTM too.

[Gideon58]

The funny thing is, it was spoofed on the Simpsons - they made like; after the series ran its course, the Simpsons family was launched into a campy variety show complete with "Fake Lisa" who was now someone older & taller than Bart and looked remarkably a lot like "Fake Jan."

The girl who played Fake Jan, btw, (Geri Reischl) was quite an accomplished singer - one of the few who could carry a tune out of the rest of the "Bradys." Although Maureen McCormick was a pretty good singer also.
Barry Williams could definitely sing...I saw him in a touring production of the musical Pippin in the starring role and he was excellent.