TV The Worst TV Spin-Offs  

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Originally by Ranker Community
14.3k votes 1.2k voters 43.2k views 80 items

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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1
335 223
Joanie Loves Chachi is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Scott 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

2
383 217
Joey is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Matt 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

3
282 191
Three's a Crowd is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
John 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
276 173
AfterMASH is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Rosalind 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
233 162
The Tortellis is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Dan 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
292 165
That '80s Show is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
kuzronk added Glenn 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

7
245 171
Baywatch Nights is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Angie 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
239 159
The Brady Brides is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Maureen McCormick, Florence Henderson, Ann B. Davis

9
288 232
Saved by the Bell: The College... is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Mark-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
296 228
The Cleveland Show is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Mike 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
221 168
The Ropers is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Norman 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
169 122
Megan Wants a Millionaire is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Megan 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

13
187 152
The Bradys is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Jonathan 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
183 169
Law & Order: LA is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Corey 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
164 129
The Brady Bunch Hour is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Maureen 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
166 151
Enos is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
John 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
162 132
The Hills is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Heidi 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

18
140 112
Time of Your Life is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Jennifer 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
125 111
I Love Money is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Craig 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
156 133
The Golden Palace is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Betty 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
135 150
Law & Order: Trial by Jury is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Bebe 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

22
97 91
Beverly Hills Buntz is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Logan2011 added Dennis 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.

23
121 121
Models Inc. is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
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
123 124
Tabitha is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Lisa 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
109 115
Top of the Heap is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Matt 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 City is listed (or ranked) 26 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Whitney 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
112 113
Checking In is listed (or ranked) 27 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Ruth 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.

28
123 132
I Love New York is listed (or ranked) 28 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Tiffany 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
102 120
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. is listed (or ranked) 29 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
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

30
109 123
Daisy of Love is listed (or ranked) 30 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
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

31
87 101
Real and Chance: The Legend Hu... is listed (or ranked) 31 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Kamal 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
144 184
CSI: Miami is listed (or ranked) 32 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
David 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

33
54 72
Real Chance of Love is listed (or ranked) 33 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Kamal 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 Company is listed (or ranked) 34 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Elisabeth 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

35
84 96
Booker is listed (or ranked) 35 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Logan2011 added Richard 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

36
97 128
Phyllis is listed (or ranked) 36 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Cloris 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

37
80 96
A Man Called Hawk is listed (or ranked) 37 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Logan2011 added Avery 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

38
44 38
Sanford Arms is listed (or ranked) 38 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
LaWanda 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

39
78 96
Living Dolls is listed (or ranked) 39 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Halle 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

40
92 122
The Lone Gunmen is listed (or ranked) 40 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Bruce 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

41
60 60
A Different World is listed (or ranked) 41 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Lisa 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

42
92 137
Private Practice is listed (or ranked) 42 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Kate 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

43
88 125
Caprica is listed (or ranked) 43 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Eric 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 Finder is listed (or ranked) 44 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Geoff 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

45
51 50
Planet Sheen is listed (or ranked) 45 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
JuanGabrielGomezAlvarado added Soleil 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

46
76 119
Fish is listed (or ranked) 46 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Logan2011 added Abe 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.

47
30 33
The Plucky Duck Show is listed (or ranked) 47 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
JuanGabrielGomezAlvarado added Joe 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

48
56 65
All Grown Up! is listed (or ranked) 48 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
JuanGabrielGomezAlvarado added Elizabeth Daily, Nancy Cartwright, Kath Soucie All Grown Up, also known as Rugrats: All Grown Up, is an animated television series created by Arlene Klasky and Gábor Csupó for Nickelodeon. After the success of All Growed Up, ...more

49
60 70
The Originals is listed (or ranked) 49 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
ghost00 added Joseph 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

50
75 99
Mork & Mindy is listed (or ranked) 50 on the list The Worst TV Spin-Offs
Robin 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