What are the worst TV spin-offs in history? This list includes some truly terrible TV spin-off shows created when studio execs tried to capitalize on the glory and popularity of other popular shows. In theory, spinoffs allow faithful viewers of the original shows the chance to learn more about some of the beloved original characters. In practice, however, many of these bad spinoff shows were not only poorly executed, but also centered around characters that nobody really cared about in the first place. I mean, did anyone really care what happened when "Cheers" waitress Carla's ex-husband remarried? No one did. No one - and that's why "The Tortellis" only ran for half a season.
Be sure to add any memorable spin-off series that I missed - and check on this list of the best tv spin-offs to vote on the ones that actually did work. Also, feel free to rerank this list any way you like.
Why mess with a good thing? If a specific TV show ran for a long time and was extremely popular, why spin it off? You run the risk of winding up with a sucky show, one that's so bad it threatens to ruin the fond memories of the original program. Need proof? Let's discuss 'Joey': After 'Friends' ended, NBC decided that it just had to give Matt LeBlanc a spin-off sitcom. Sure, he's a talented guy, and everyone loved Joey on 'Friends,' (one of the greatest TV shows of all time) but could he carry a show solo? No. No, he could not. 'Joey' was, in a word, forgettable. NBC yanked it off the air midway through its second season. Bad, bad idea.
Other terrible TV spin-offs include the absolutely horrific hot mess 'Joanie Loves Chachi,' a spin-off of Garry Marshall's wildly successful sitcom 'Happy Days.' Look, it's cool that Joanie did, in fact, love Chachi, but a whole show surrounding just them? Ugh. Somehow, 'Joanie Loves Chachi' did last for 17 episodes before it was canceled.
Look, it's hard not to want more when you love a particular TV show that goes off the air, for whatever reason. Good things do end, however, and that does not mean you have to try and milk the popularity of a particular show for all it's worth. Sometimes, it is truly best to leave things alone. That's what this list is all about. Now, go vote!
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Joanie Loves ChachiScott Baio, Erin Moran, Al Molinaro Joanie Loves Chachi is an American television spin-off of the American sitcom Happy Days that was originally broadcast on ABC from March 23, 1982 to May 24, 1983. It stars Erin Moran and Scott ...more
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378 214
JoeyMatt LeBlanc, Paulo Costanzo, Drea de Matteo Joey is an American sitcom, a spin-off from Friends, which stars Matt LeBlanc reprising his role as Joey Tribbiani. It premiered on the NBC television network, on September 9, 2004, in the ...more
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278 188
Three's a CrowdJohn Ritter, Jessica Walter, Robert Mandan Three's a Crowd is an American television sitcom sequel to Three's Company. It is loosely based on the British TV series Robin's Nest, which was itself a spin-off of Man About the House, on ...more
4
273 169
AfterMASHRosalind Chao, Jamie Farr, Harry Morgan AfterMASH is an American situation comedy that aired on CBS from September 26, 1983, to May 31, 1985. A spin-off of the series M*A*S*H, the show takes place immediately following the end of the ...more
5
228 161
The TortellisDan Hedaya, Mandy Ingber, Jean Kasem The Tortellis is an American sitcom that aired from January to May 1987 on NBC. The first spin-off of the hit series Cheers, The Tortellis stars Dan Hedaya and Jean Kasem.
6
288 163
kuzronk added That '80s ShowGlenn Howerton, Tinsley Grimes, Chyler Leigh That '80s Show is an American sitcom that aired from January through May 2002. Despite having a similar name, show structure, and many of the same writers and production staff, it is not ...more
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240 170
Baywatch NightsAngie Harmon, David Hasselhoff, Carol Alt Baywatch Nights is an American police and science fiction drama series that aired in syndication from 1995 to 1997. Created by Douglas Schwartz, David Hasselhoff, and Gregory J. Bonann, the ...more
8
235 156
The Brady BridesMaureen McCormick, Florence Henderson, Ann B. Davis
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284 229
Saved by the Bell: The College YearsMark-Paul Gosselaar, Tiffani Thiessen, Dustin Diamond Saved by the Bell: The College Years is a sequel to the Saved by the Bell series which ran from May 22, 1993 to February 8, 1994, lasting one season. It was the third incarnation of the ...more
10
292 225
The Cleveland ShowMike Henry, Sanaa Lathan, Kevin Michael Richardson The Cleveland Show is an American adult animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane, Richard Appel, and Mike Henry for the Fox Broadcasting Company as a spin-off of Family Guy. The series centers ...more
11
216 166
The RopersNorman Fell, Audra Lindley, Jeffrey Tambor The Ropers is an American sitcom that ran from March 13, 1979 to May 22, 1980 on ABC. The series is a spin-off of Three's Company and based on the British sitcom George and Mildred. It was taped ...more
12
167 121
Megan Wants a MillionaireMegan Hauserman, Rob Locke Megan Wants a Millionaire is an American reality television show on VH1 in which former Rock of Love contestant Megan Hauserman has seventeen wealthy single men compete for her love. The show ...more
The BradysJonathan Taylor Thomas, Florence Henderson, Ann B. Davis The Bradys is a six-episode American drama series that aired on CBS in 1990. It was a revival of the early 1970s sitcom, The Brady Bunch, and was about the trials and tribulations of the ...more
14
181 167
Law & Order: LACorey Stoll, Rachel Ticotin, Alfred Molina Law & Order: LA, originally titled Law & Order: Los Angeles, is an American police procedural and legal drama television series set in Los Angeles, where it was produced. Created and ...more
15
161 128
The Brady Bunch HourMaureen McCormick, Florence Henderson, Ann B. Davis The Brady Bunch Hour was an American variety television series featuring skits and songs produced by Sid and Marty Krofft in association with Paramount Television, which aired on ABC between ...more
16
163 150
EnosJohn Dehner, Sonny Shroyer, John Milford Enos is an American television series from the 1980–1981 season that aired on the CBS network. A spinoff of The Dukes of Hazzard, Enos focused on the adventures of Enos Strate, a former ...more
17
160 131
The HillsHeidi Montag, Audrina Patridge, Lauren Conrad The Hills is a semi-scripted American reality television series that originally aired on MTV from May 31, 2006 until July 13, 2010. Developed as a spin-off of Laguna Beach: The Real Orange ...more
Time of Your LifeJennifer Love Hewitt, Jennifer Garner, Pauley Perrette Time of Your Life is an American drama series starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. The series is a spin-off of Party of Five, and features the character Sarah Reeves Merrin whom Hewitt portrayed on ...more
19
123 110
I Love MoneyCraig Jackson, Saaphyri Windsor, Kwame Johnson I Love Money is an American reality television series airing on VH1 and produced by 51 Minds Entertainment, a subsidiary of Endemol, and is a spin-off of Flavor of Love, Charm School, I Love New ...more
20
154 131
The Golden PalaceBetty White, Don Cheadle, Cheech Marin The Golden Palace is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 18, 1992, to May 14, 1993. The show is a spin-off of the sitcom The Golden Girls, continuing the story from ...more
21
97 90
Logan2011 added Beverly Hills BuntzDennis Franz, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Guy Boyd Beverly Hills Buntz is an American comedy-drama series, a spinoff from Hill Street Blues. It aired on NBC during the 1987–88 season.
22
134 149
Law & Order: Trial by JuryBebe Neuwirth, Amy Carlson, Kirk Acevedo Law & Order: Trial by Jury is an American television drama about criminal trials set in New York City. It was the third spin-off from the long-running Law & Order. The show's almost ...more
Models Inc.Carrie-Anne Moss, Garcelle Beauvais, Emma Samms Models Inc. is an American prime time soap opera that aired on the Fox television network during the 1994–95 television season. It is the third series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise. The ...more
24
122 123
TabithaLisa Hartman^! Robert Urich^! Mel Stewart Tabitha is an American fantasy sitcom that aired during the 1977-1978 season on ABC. It is a spin-off of Bewitched, which had ended its run five years earlier in 1972. The series stars Lisa ...more
25
108 114
Top of the HeapMatt LeBlanc, Rita Moreno, Joey Lauren Adams Top of the Heap is a 1991 Fox television sitcom that was a spin-off from Married... with Children. Though it lasted only seven episodes, it was nonetheless the most successful of three attempted ...more
26
109 99
The CityWhitney Port, Kelly Cutrone The City is an American reality television series that originally aired on MTV from December 29, 2008 until July 13, 2010. Developed as the spin-off of The Hills, the series aired two seasons ...more
27
112 112
Checking InRuth Brown, Marla Gibbs, Robert Costanzo Checking In is an American sitcom that aired on CBS in April 1981. The series is a spin-off of The Jeffersons, which itself had spun off from All in the Family.
I Love New YorkTiffany Pollard, Mauricio Sanchez I Love New York is a reality television series that first aired on VH1. It features Tiffany Pollard, who is on a quest to find her true love. This series is a spin off of another relationship ...more
29
109 122
Daisy of Love Daisy of Love is an American reality television dating show which stars Daisy de la Hoya, the runner-up of the VH1 reality dating show Rock of Love 2. The show premiered on April 26, 2009, at ...more
30
101 119
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.Stefanie Powers, Noel Harrison, Leo G. Carroll The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. is an American spy-fi TV series that aired on NBC for one season from September 16, 1966 to April 11, 1967. The series was a spin-off from The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and ...more
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87 101
Real and Chance: The Legend HuntersKamal Givens Real and Chance: The Legend Hunters is an American reality television that follows brothers Ahmad Givens and Kamal Givens, from VH1's Real Chance of Love, as they hunt for mythical creatures ...more
32
144 183
CSI: MiamiDavid Caruso, Emily Procter, Adam Rodriguez CSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series that ran from September 23, 2002, to April 8, 2012, on CBS. It is the first spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. The pilot ...more
Real Chance of LoveKamal Givens, Ahmad Givens, Brian Fitzpatrick Real Chance of Love is an American reality television dating game show featuring two brothers, Ahmad "Real" Givens and Kamal "Chance" Givens, of the rap group The ...more
34
103 112
K-9 and CompanyElisabeth Sladen^! John Leeson^! Bill Fraser K-9 and Company was a proposed television spin-off of the original programme run of Doctor Who. It was to feature former series regulars Sarah Jane Smith, an investigative journalist played by ...more
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82 96
Logan2011 added BookerRichard Grieco, Marcia Strassman, Lori Petty Booker is an American crime drama series starring Richard Grieco that aired on the Fox Network from September 24, 1989 to May 6, 1990. The series is a spin-off of 21 Jump Street and the second ...more
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97 127
PhyllisCloris Leachman, Henry Jones, Jane Rose Phyllis is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from September 8, 1975 to March 13, 1977. Created by Ed Weinberger and Stan Daniels, it was the second spin-off series from The Mary ...more
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79 96
Logan2011 added A Man Called HawkAvery Brooks, Moses Gunn A Man Called Hawk is a prime time television series that ran on the ABC television network between January 1989 and May 1989. The series is a spin-off of the crime drama series Spenser: For ...more
Sanford ArmsLaWanda Page, Tina Andrews, Bebe Drake Sanford Arms is an American sitcom that aired from September to October 1977 on NBC. The series is a continuation of the sitcom Sanford and Son. After six seasons, Redd Foxx left Sanford and Son ...more
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78 96
Living DollsHalle Berry, Leah Remini, Michael Learned Living Dolls is an American situation comedy featured on the fall 1989 schedule of ABC. It was a spin-off created by a writer from Who's the Boss? and featuring characters introduced during an ...more
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60 59
A Different WorldLisa Bonet, Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy A Different World is an American television sitcom which aired for six seasons on NBC. It is a spin-off series from The Cosby Show and originally centered on Denise Huxtable and the life of ...more
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92 122
The Lone GunmenBruce Harwood, Tom Braidwood, Dean Haglund The Lone Gunmen is an American conspiracy fiction thriller drama television series created by Chris Carter, Vince Gilligan, John Shiban and Frank Spotnitz. The program originally aired from ...more
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92 136
Private PracticeKate Walsh, Paul Adelstein, KaDee Strickland Private Practice is an American medical drama television series which aired on ABC from September 26, 2007, to January 22, 2013. A spin-off of Grey's Anatomy, the series takes place at Seaside ...more
CapricaEric Stoltz, Esai Morales, Paula Malcomson Caprica is an American science fiction drama television series. A spin-off prequel of the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica taking place 58 years before the cataclysmic destruction of the ...more
44
87 124
The FinderGeoff Stults, Maddie Hasson, Mercedes Mason The Finder is an American procedural drama television series created by Hart Hanson that ran on Fox from January 12, 2012 to May 11, 2012. The series originally aired on Thursdays at 9:00 pm, ...more
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50 50
JuanGabrielGomezAlvarado added Planet SheenSoleil Moon Frye, Rob Paulsen, Thomas Lennon Planet Sheen is an American CGI animated television series. It is the second spin-off of the 2001 Oscar-nominated film Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, as well as the 2002 series The Adventures of ...more
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74 119
Logan2011 added FishAbe Vigoda, Florence Stanley, Barry Gordon Fish is a spin-off television series of the sitcom Barney Miller. It starred Abe Vigoda as New York Police Department Detective Phil Fish and Florence Stanley as his wife Bernice.
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75 97
Mork & MindyRobin Williams, Pam Dawber, Ralph James Mork & Mindy is an American sitcom broadcast from 1978 to 1982 on ABC. It stars Robin Williams as Mork, an extraterrestrial who comes to Earth from the planet Ork in a small, one-man ...more
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Dimos Dicoudis added Girl Meets WorldRowan Blanchard, Sabrina Carpenter, Ben Savage A decade after "Boy Meets World," Cory and Topanga Matthews are married and have two children. The younger child, a daughter named Riley, faces life lessons through her family, ...more
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ghost00 added The OriginalsJoseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, Claire Holt The Originals (The CW, 2013) is an American television series created by Julie Plec, and is a spinoff of The Vampire Diaries. Vampire-werewolf hybrid Klaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan) and his ...more
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JuanGabrielGomezAlvarado added The Plucky Duck ShowJoe Alaskey, Don Messick, Charles Adler Steven Spielberg Presents The Plucky Duck Show, usually referred to as The Plucky Duck Show, is an animated television series created by Warner Bros. It was a short-lived spin-off of Tiny Toon ...more
