Spin-off (media)
Encyclopedia
In media
, a spin-off is a radio program, television program
, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work (e.g. a particular topic, character, or event). A spin-off may be called a sidequel when it exists in the same chronological frame of time as its predecessor work. One of the earliest spin-offs of the modern media era, if not the first, happened in 1941 when the supporting character Throckmorton P. Guildersleeve from the old time radio comedy show Fibber McGee and Molly
became the star of his own program The Great Guildersleeve (1941–1957).
In genre fiction
, the term parallels the usage in television; it is usually meant to indicate a substantial change in narrative viewpoint and activity from that (previous) storyline
based around the activities of the series' principal protagonist(s) and so is a shift to that action and overall narrative thread
of some other protagonist(s), which now becomes the central or main thread (storyline) of the new sub-series. The new protagonist generally appears first as a minor or supporting character in the main story line within a given milieu, and it is very common for the previous protagonist to have a supporting or cameo role, at the least as a historical mention, in the new sub-series. Sometimes, spin-offs generate their own spin-offs, leaving the new show only vaguely connected to the original series.
The Lone Gunmen
was a spin-off of the popular science fiction series The X-Files
.
Angel
was a spin-off of the popular Warner Bros. television series Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
The popular teen drama Beverly Hills, 90210
(1990–2000) is at the root of its own franchise:
A second show titled Melrose Place
(2009–10)
90210
, a second spinoff from the original series, began airing in 2008.
The BBC
show HolbyBlue
is a spin-off of Holby City
, which is itself a spin-off of Casualty
. All shows are set within the fictional town of Holby, and characters from the various shows often appear in episodes of the other shows.
The popular detective series Barnaby Jones
began as the second part of a two part story-arc as a spin-off to Cannon
.
Planet Sheen
is a spin-off series based on Nickelodeon's Jimmy Neutron
A Bear's Tail is a spin-off from Bo' Selecta!
.
Outsiders Inn is spin-off of Gone Country
Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami
is a spin-off from Keeping Up with the Kardashians
The Girls Next Door
has spun off two shows featuring former regulars: Kendra
and Holly's World
Thomas and Friends is based on The Railway Series
.
Shining Time Station
is the American spin-off of Thomas and Friends to introduce the series to American viewers.
The MTV reality TV show The City
is a spin-off of other popular MTV reality TV show, The Hills
, while itself is a spin-off of Laguna Beach.
who originated in Johan and Peewit
, Marsupilami
who first appears in Spirou et Fantasio
, and the Legion of Super-Heroes
who first appeared in Superboy
which in turn was a spin-off from Superman
and Jack of Fables
which was a spin-off from the DC Vertigo comic Fables.
(1978, 2003), He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
(1983, 2002), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
(1987, 2003).
Television remakes are particularly common as trans-Atlantic ports, where US shows are remade for the UK (see List of British television programmes based on American television series) or more frequently, UK shows are remade for a US market (see List of American television series based on British television series). A particularly interesting example is Three's Company
, a US remake of the British Man About The House
: not only was the original show re-created (with very few character or situation changes made, at least initially), but both series had spin-offs based on the Ropers (in the UK, George And Mildred
, in the US, The Ropers
), and both series were eventually re-tooled into series based on the male lead (in the UK, Robin's Nest
, in the US, Three's A Crowd
).
Another noteworthy (and increasingly common) development is the use of a successful (usually older) television series to be remade as a feature film. Often, these fare badly at the box-office and/or are considered a poor reflection on the source material (e.g. The Beverly Hillbillies, Bewitched, My Favorite Martian
, Dudley Do-Right
), however, some have gone on to become successful film franchises (e.g. Scooby-Doo
, The Addams Family
, and Mission: Impossible
).
s, where a character from one show makes an appearance on another. A notable example of this is Ursula and Phoebe Buffay
, twin sisters played by Lisa Kudrow
who normally are on different shows, Mad About You
and Friends
respectively, but sometimes meet. This is also done by Ray Romano
and Kevin James with Everybody Loves Raymond
and King of Queens. Additionally, Romano appeared on an episode of The Nanny
where it was revealed that the characters Ray and Fran attended the same high school. Steve Urkel
from Family Matters
was also shown to be the cousin of one of D.J.'s friends on Full House
. The title character from Ally McBeal
appeared on episodes of The Practice
, both David E. Kelley shows. Steven Harper, the main character from Boston Public
who played the principal of a Boston high school, appeared as a client in Boston Legal
a year after Boston Public was taken off the air. These two were also David E. Kelley shows. Harper also was represented by Young, Frutt and Berlutti in The Practice
, the show that preceded Boston Legal
. Therefore, all four shows were in the same universe.
Sometimes (often in The Simpsons
and Futurama
, which also have a comic series named Crossover Crisis) characters will appear in the background, often as part of a crowd.
Sometimes crossovers are created in an attempt to provide closure to fans of another failed series. For example, Millennium
’s characters Frank & Jordan Black (played by Lance Henriksen
and Brittany Tiplady
) appeared alongside Fox Mulder
and Dana Scully
in the X-Files 1999 episode "Millennium" (episode #7.05). This allowed the fans to have some closure, as none was given when Millennium was abruptly canceled prior to the 1999 season.
Sometimes show producers will re-introduce a character from an older series into a later one as a way of providing a connectivity of that particular producer's television "universe". TV producer Glen Larson is particularly known for this; for example, the character of Jonathan Chase (played by Simon MacCorkindale
) from Glen Larson's failed 80's show Manimal
appeared in an episode of Larson's syndicated 90's series Night Man
.
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
, a spin-off is a radio program, television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work (e.g. a particular topic, character, or event). A spin-off may be called a sidequel when it exists in the same chronological frame of time as its predecessor work. One of the earliest spin-offs of the modern media era, if not the first, happened in 1941 when the supporting character Throckmorton P. Guildersleeve from the old time radio comedy show Fibber McGee and Molly
Fibber McGee and Molly
Fibber McGee and Molly was an American radio comedy series which maintained its popularity over decades. It premiered on NBC in 1935 and continued until its demise in 1959, long after radio had ceased to be the dominant form of entertainment in American popular culture.-Husband and wife in real...
became the star of his own program The Great Guildersleeve (1941–1957).
In genre fiction
Genre fiction
Genre fiction, also known as popular fiction, is a term for fictional works written with the intent of fitting into a specific literary genre in order to appeal to readers and fans already familiar with that genre....
, the term parallels the usage in television; it is usually meant to indicate a substantial change in narrative viewpoint and activity from that (previous) storyline
Narrative thread
A narrative thread, or plot thread , refers to particular elements and techniques of writing to center the story in the action or experience of characters rather than to relate a matter in a dry 'All knowing' sort of narration...
based around the activities of the series' principal protagonist(s) and so is a shift to that action and overall narrative thread
Narrative thread
A narrative thread, or plot thread , refers to particular elements and techniques of writing to center the story in the action or experience of characters rather than to relate a matter in a dry 'All knowing' sort of narration...
of some other protagonist(s), which now becomes the central or main thread (storyline) of the new sub-series. The new protagonist generally appears first as a minor or supporting character in the main story line within a given milieu, and it is very common for the previous protagonist to have a supporting or cameo role, at the least as a historical mention, in the new sub-series. Sometimes, spin-offs generate their own spin-offs, leaving the new show only vaguely connected to the original series.
Name changes or retoolings
- Having succeeded with Isa TKMIsa TKM*For the second season, see Isa TK+*For the music group, see Isa TKM Isa TKM is an original telenovela-like teen program from Nickelodeon Latin America in co-production with Sony Pictures Television, Made in Venezuela being the second from three Latin American Nickelodeon programs *For the second...
, the original soap opera-like teen program from Nickelodeon Latin America, it has a spin-off named Isa TK+Isa TK+*For the first season, see Isa TKMIsa TK+ the second season of the original Nickelodeon Latin America production : Isa TKM. In co-production with Sony Pictures Television and of Colombia. Production started in July 2009 and its official release was 28 September 2009 in Hispanic America...
, with some of the same and new main characters, and new support characters. - The main character from All in the FamilyAll in the FamilyAll in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...
, Archie Bunker, continued in a retooled version of the series called Archie Bunker's PlaceArchie Bunker's PlaceArchie Bunker's Place is an American sitcom originally broadcast on the CBS network, conceived in 1979 as a spin-off and continuation of All in the Family. While not as popular as its predecessor, the show maintained a large enough audience to last for four seasons, until its cancellation in 1983...
. - After The Golden GirlsThe Golden GirlsThe Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris, which originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show centers on four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida...
ended its run, due to star Bea ArthurBeatrice ArthurBeatrice "Bea" Arthur was an American actress, comedienne and singer whose career spanned seven decades. Arthur achieved fame as the character Maude Findlay on the 1970s sitcoms All in the Family and Maude, and as Dorothy Zbornak on the 1980s sitcom The Golden Girls, winning Emmy Awards for both...
's decision to leave the show, the other three stars—Rue McClanahanRue McClanahanRue McClanahan was an American actress, best known for her roles on television as Vivian Harmon on Maude, Fran Crowley on Mama's Family, and Blanche Devereaux on The Golden Girls, for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1987.-Early life:McClanahan was born Eddie Rue...
, Betty WhiteBetty WhiteBetty White Ludden , better known as Betty White, is an American actress, comedienne, singer, author, and former game show personality. With a career spanning seven decades since 1939, she is best known to modern audiences for her television roles as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and...
and Estelle GettyEstelle GettyEstelle Scher-Gettleman , better known by her stage name Estelle Getty, was an American actress, who appeared in film, television, and theatre...
—reprised their characters in a follow-up series entitled The Golden PalaceThe Golden PalaceThe Golden Palace is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 18, 1992, to May 14, 1993. The show was a spin-off and continuation of the sitcom The Golden Girls....
. It lasted 24 episodes. - After the seventh year of Da Vinci's InquestDa Vinci's InquestDa Vinci's Inquest is a Canadian dramatic television series that aired on CBC Television from 1998 to 2005. Seven seasons of thirteen episodes each were filmed for a total of ninety-one episodes....
, most of the main characters returned the next season for Da Vinci's City HallDa Vinci's City HallDa Vinci's City Hall is a Canadian dramatic television series, which premiered on CBC Television on 25 October 2005. The series was a spinoff of the long-running Canadian series Da Vinci's Inquest...
. The new series carries over some of the same plot threads, the difference being a slight shift in themes that began in the last season of the original series. City Hall is sometimes even referred to as the eighth season of Inquest. - Before the 11th season of M*A*S*H the seven principal cast members voted whether that season would be the series' last. Following the series' conclusion, the three actors to vote for continuation, William ChristopherWilliam ChristopherWilliam Christopher is an American actor who is best known for playing Father Mulcahy on the television series M*A*S*H and Private Lester Hummel on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.-Early life:...
, Jamie FarrJamie FarrJamie Farr is an American television, film, and theater actor. He is best known for having played the role of cross-dressing Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger in the television sitcom M*A*S*H.-Early life:...
, and Harry MorganHarry MorganHarry Morgan is an American actor. Morgan is well-known for his roles as Colonel Sherman T. Potter on M*A*S*H , Pete Porter on both Pete and Gladys and December Bride , Detective Bill Gannon on Dragnet , and Amos Coogan on Hec Ramsey...
, appeared in the post-war series AfterMASHAfterMASHAfterMASH was an American situation comedy that aired on CBS from September 26, 1983 to December 11, 1984. A spin-off of the series M*A*S*H , the show took place immediately following the end of the Korean War and chronicled the adventures of three characters from the original series: Colonel...
, which lasted less than two complete seasons. - The popular cartoon Batman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...
was brought back after cancellation with a new name and a new smoother animation style. The New Batman AdventuresThe New Batman AdventuresThe New Batman Adventures is the successor to Batman: The Animated Series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Although bearing different character designs and animation styles, both shows take place in the same continuity, with TNBA set two years after BTAS. The series aired on The WB from...
only lasted 24 episodes. - The characters played by Lynda BellinghamLynda BellinghamLynda Bellingham is a Canadian-born English actress, broadcaster and author, who is known for her distinctive husky voice.-Early life:...
and Julia SawalhaJulia SawalhaJulia Sawalha is an English actress well known for her roles as Saffron Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous, Lynda Day, editor of The Junior Gazette in Press Gang and Lydia Bennet in the 1995 television miniseries of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. She also played Dorcas Lane in the BBC's costume...
in the UK TV series Second Thoughts later reappeared in the series Faith in the FutureFaith in the FutureFaith in the Future was a British comedy television show running from 1995-1998. It was a sequel to the show Second Thoughts. It aired on ITV for 22 episodes....
. - Six years after the British sitcom Are You Being Served?Are You Being Served?Are You Being Served? is a British sitcom broadcast from 1972 to 1985. It was set in the ladies' and gentlemen's clothing departments of Grace Brothers, a large, fictional London department store. It was written mainly by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft, with contributions by Michael Knowles and John...
ended, a new series started up featuring five of the six cast members from the final season of the original show. The new show was entitled Grace & FavourGrace & FavourGrace & Favour is a British sitcom sequel to the long-running series Are You Being Served? It aired on BBC1 for two series from 1992 to 1993 and marked the return of Are You Being Served? creators and writers Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft.-History:The idea of a spinoff was originally suggested by...
(aired in the United States as Are You Being Served? Again!) and featured the characters from the original show transplanted into a new setting. - After three series of the prison-based sit-com PorridgePorridge (TV series)Porridge is a British situation comedy broadcast on BBC1 from 1974 to 1977, running for three series, two Christmas specials and a feature film. Written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, it stars Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale as two inmates at the fictional HMP Slade in Cumberland...
, the main character of Norman Stanley Fletcher was released from prison and the show was retooled as Going StraightGoing StraightGoing Straight is a BBC sitcom which was a direct spin-off from Porridge, starring Ronnie Barker as Norman Stanley Fletcher, newly released from the fictional Slade Prison where the earlier series had been set....
. It sees Fletcher trying to re-emerge as a valued member of society, having vowed to stay away from crime on his release. - At the end of its seventh season, Three's CompanyThree's CompanyThree's Company is an American sitcom that aired from March 15, 1977, to September 18, 1984, on ABC. It is based on the British sitcom, Man About the House....
became Three's a CrowdThree's a CrowdThree's a Crowd is an American television sitcom spinoff of Three's Company...
following the marriage of Janet (Joyce DeWittJoyce DeWittJoyce Anne DeWitt is an American actress most famous for playing Janet Wood on the ABC sitcom Three's Company.-Early life:...
) and the departure of Terri (Priscilla Barnes). Jack (John RitterJohn RitterJonathan Southworth "John" Ritter was an American actor, voice over artist and comedian perhaps best known for having played Jack Tripper and Paul Hennessy in the ABC sitcoms Three's Company and 8 Simple Rules, respectively...
) moves in with his girlfriend Vicky (Mary CadoretteMary CadoretteMary Therese Cadorette is an American actress best known for playing John Ritter's live-in girlfriend, flight attendant Vicky Bradford on the short-lived 1984 Three's Company spinoff, Three's a Crowd....
) in an apartment above his restaurant, located in a building subsequently bought by her disapproving father (Robert MandanRobert MandanRobert Mandan is an American actor, most famous for his portrayals of playwright David Allen on the NBC serial From These Roots from 1958–1961, businessman Sam Reynolds on the serial Search for Tomorrow from 1965 to 1970, and his subsequent satire of the genre playing Chester Tate on the sitcom...
). This development ended the gay ruse, with Mr. Furley (Don KnottsDon KnottsJesse Donald "Don" Knotts was an American comedic actor best known for his portrayal of Barney Fife on the 1960s television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, a role which earned him five Emmy Awards...
) taking credit for Jack's "conversion". - The cult Nickelodeon hit cartoon franchise The Ren & Stimpy Show was retooled as Ren & Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon which aired on Spike TVSpike TVSpike is an American cable television channel. It launched on March 7, 1983 as The Nashville Network , a joint venture of WSM, Inc...
and lasted only three episodes. - Ben 10: Alien ForceBen 10: Alien ForceWhen it recalibrated it gained a more watch-like shape, a green wristband, became smaller and sleeker, and the face dial became black and green. The inside of the hourglass shape glows in different colors at special moments; these colors signify the state that the Omnitrix is presently in...
is one spin-off 5 years later of Ben 10Ben 10The Omnitrix was originally created by a Galvan named Azmuth. The Omnitrix was intended to allow beings to experience life as other species in order to bring understanding and foster peace in the universe....
Original Series, of course The protagonist with 15-years old. - Ben 10: Ultimate Alien is a direct Spin-Off of Ben 10: Alien Force and with extencion of Ben 10, is in more monst of Alien force with a protagonist with 16-years old.
Support character getting own show (during run)
- AngelAngel (TV series)Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...
was a popular spin-off, based on the character of Angel from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series ran for five seasons. - Private Practice is a current spin-off of the popular Grey's AnatomyGrey's AnatomyGrey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
, based around the life of Dr. Addison MontgomeryAddison MontgomeryAddison Adrienne Forbes Montgomery , was a fictional character on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, and is currently starring on its spin-off show Private Practice. Addison is a world-class neonatal surgeon with board certifications in both Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Maternal and Fetal...
. The spin-off itself, introducing the show's cast, was set up during a season three episode of Grey's Anatomy. - All in the FamilyAll in the FamilyAll in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...
is responsible for several spin-offs. MaudeMaude (TV series)Maude was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS network from September 12, 1972 until April 22, 1978.Maude starred Beatrice Arthur as Maude Findlay, an outspoken, middle-aged, politically liberal woman living in suburban Tuckahoe, Westchester County, New York with...
and The JeffersonsThe JeffersonsThe Jeffersons is an American sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, through June 25, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. The show was produced by the T.A.T. Communications Company from 1975–1982 and by Embassy Television from 1982-1985...
both featured characters that began on All in the Family. - The Mary Tyler Moore ShowThe Mary Tyler Moore ShowThe Mary Tyler Moore Show is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns that aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977...
spun off Lou GrantLou Grant (TV series)Lou Grant is an American television drama series starring Ed Asner in the titular role as a newspaper editor. Unusual in American television, this drama series was a spinoff from a sitcom, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Aired from 1977 to 1982, Lou Grant won 13 Emmy Awards, including "Outstanding Drama...
, RhodaRhodaRhoda is an American television sitcom, starring Valerie Harper, which ran for five seasons, from 1974 to 1978 airing in 109 episodes. The show was a spin-off from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, in which Harper between the years 1970 and 1974 had played the role of Rhoda Morgenstern, a spunky,...
and PhyllisPhyllis (TV series)Phyllis is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from September 11, 1975 to March 13, 1977.Created by Ed Weinberger and Stan Daniels. it was the second spin-off series from The Mary Tyler Moore Show . The show starred Cloris Leachman as Phyllis Lindstrom, who was previously Mary Richards'...
, all of which were supporting characters, as well as several unsuccessful series pilots and one TV movie. - Hercules: The Legendary JourneysHercules: The Legendary JourneysHercules: The Legendary Journeys is a television series, filmed in New Zealand and the United States. It was produced from 1995, and was very loosely based on the tales of the classical Greek culture hero Heracles...
spun off Young HerculesYoung HerculesYoung Hercules is a spin-off from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. It was aired on Fox Kids from September 12, 1998, to May 12, 1999. It lasted one season with 50 episodes and starred Ryan Gosling in the title role.-Plot:...
, which relates the adventures of Hercules during his teenage years. And more notably, sister show Xena: Warrior PrincessXena: Warrior PrincessXena: Warrior Princess is an American–New Zealand supernatural fantasy adventure series that aired in syndication from September 4, 1995 until June 18, 2001....
emerged from Hercules, eventually outlasting and out-rating its parent programme. - The Dukes of HazzardThe Dukes of HazzardThe Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985.The series was inspired by the 1975 film Moonrunners, which was also created by Gy Waldron and had many identical or similar character names and concepts.- Overview :The Dukes of Hazzard...
spun off TV series EnosEnos (TV series)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 small-town deputy in Hazzard County, now having moved to Los Angeles to join the L.A.P.D...
starring Deputy Enos StrateEnos StrateEnos Strate is a character on the television series, The Dukes of Hazzard played by Sonny Shroyer.-Fictional biography:Enos was born in Hazzard County to a loving family, and grew up as friends with Bo and Luke Duke. At the age of sixteen, he enrolled at the Hazzard Police Academy, graduated at the...
. He was invited to Los Angeles to join a special police team after he had caught two infamous criminals in Hazzard. The series was canceled after one season and the character returned to The Dukes of Hazzard. - The animated series Count DuckulaCount DuckulaCount Duckula is a British animated television series created by British studio Cosgrove Hall, and a spin-off from DangerMouse, a show in which the Count Duckula character was a recurring villain. The series first aired on September 6, 1988 and was produced by Thames Television for 3 seasons and...
was a spin-off of DangerMouseDangerMouseDanger Mouse is a British animated television series which was produced by Cosgrove Hall Films for Thames Television. It features the eponymous Danger Mouse, an English mouse who works as a superhero/secret agent. The show is a loose parody of British spy fiction, particularly James Bond and the...
and featured an anthropomorphic vampire duck named Count Duckula (A loose parody of Count DraculaCount DraculaCount Dracula is a fictional character, the titular antagonist of Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula and archetypal vampire. Some aspects of his character have been inspired by the 15th century Romanian general and Wallachian Prince Vlad III the Impaler...
). - The series A Different World, a spin-off from The Cosby ShowThe Cosby ShowThe Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
, was originally created as a vehicle for Lisa BonetLisa BonetLisa Bonet , also known as Lilakoi Moon, is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Denise Huxtable Kendall on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and originally starring in its spinoff A Different World.-Early life:Bonet was born in San Francisco, California...
's character, Denise Huxtable. In an unusual turn of events, even though Bonet was written out of A Different World after the first season and returned to The Cosby Show, Different World continued – and thrived – for another five seasons without her. - The only daytime soap operaSoap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
to spin off a primetime soap is As the World TurnsAs the World TurnsAs the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
. In 1965, the producers capitalized on the popularity of the character Lisa Miller HughesLisa GrimaldiLisa Grimaldi is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns. The daughter of Henry and Alma Miller, Lisa grew up in Rockford, Illinois, USA before moving to Oakdale...
and created a limited-run show around her character, called Our Private WorldOur Private WorldOur Private World is an American serial. It was the first prime-time spin-off from a daytime soap . Created by Irna Phillips and William J. Bell, it premiered on May 5, 1965 and aired Wednesdays and Fridays over the summer; the multiple-episode-per-week format was inspired by ABC's hit show Peyton...
. A year after the nighttime show ended, Eileen FultonEileen FultonEileen Fulton is an American actress.Fulton is known for her role as Lisa Grimaldi on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, a role that she played almost continuously for 50 years from May 18, 1960 until the show's cancellation on September 17, 2010.-As the...
, Lisa's portrayer, returned to ATWT, where she remained until the soap's cancellation in 2010. - Trapper John, M.D.Trapper John, M.D.Trapper John, M.D. is an American television medical drama and spin-off of the film MASH, concerning a lovable surgeon who became a mentor and father figure in San Francisco, California. The show ran on CBS from September 23, 1979, to September 4, 1986....
was another spin-off from the movie M*A*S*HMASH (film)MASH is a 1970 American satirical dark comedy film directed by Robert Altman and written by Ring Lardner, Jr., based on Richard Hooker's novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors. It is the only feature film in the M*A*S*H franchise...
(when sued by the makers of the series M*A*S*H, the makers of Trapper John proved in court that it was instead a spin-off of the movie). - By 2007, the long-running BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
series Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
is the show with the most spun off media, with nine in total. The first was a spin-off pilot made in 1981 based on the character of Sarah Jane Smith called K-9 and CompanyK-9 and CompanyK-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 Elisabeth Sladen, and K-9, a robotic dog. Both characters had been companions of the Fourth Doctor, but...
(the series was not picked up). In 1987 the spin-off WartimeWartime (Doctor Who)Wartime is the title of a short science fiction film, produced direct-to-video in 1987 by Reeltime Pictures. It was the first professionally produced, authorised independent spin-off of the long-running TV series Doctor Who, and the only such production to be made while the originating TV series...
was made, about the adventures of some of the UNIT personnel. The 1995 film Shakedown: Return of the SontaransShakedown: Return of the SontaransShakedown: Return of the Sontarans is a film spin-off of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was released direct-to-video in 1995 and was produced by the independent production company Dreamwatch Media, a division of Dreamwatch magazine...
features one of the race of Dr. Who villains, but for licensing reasons not the Doctor himself. In the 1990s, Reeltime distributed PROBEProbe- Science and technology :* Medical equipment** Anal probe** Endoscope** Proctoscope* Atom probe, an atomic-resolution microscope* Hybridization probe or chemical probe, used in molecular biology...
, a series of five made-for-video movies featuring Caroline John as her Pertwee-era character, Dr. Elizabeth Shaw. BBC, on their part, produced and released a series of movies based on one of Dr. Who's villains: Auton, Auton 2: Sentinel and Auton 3. In 2006 the BBC launched another spin-off, TorchwoodTorchwoodTorchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
, aimed at a more adult audience and featuring Captain Jack HarknessJack HarknessCaptain Jack Harkness is a fictional character played by John Barrowman in Doctor Who and its spin-off series, Torchwood. He first appeared in the 2005 Doctor Who episode "The Empty Child" and reappeared in the remaining episodes of the 2005 series as a companion of the ninth incarnation of the...
from the newer series. The Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane Adventures is a British science fiction television series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen...
is currently airing, however it is more child-oriented than Dr Who. K-9 is currently in production, and there is also an animated serial The Infinite QuestThe Infinite QuestThe Infinite Quest is an animated serial based on the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was made by BBC Television, but does not share the same producers as the live-action series. It was aired in twelve weekly parts starting 2 April 2007 as a segment of the children's...
. - Even reality shows can have spin-offs. Trauma: Life in the E.R.Trauma: Life in the E.R.Trauma: Life in the E.R. is a medical-based television reality show that formerly ran on TLC from 1997 to 2002 and reruns are currently airing on Discovery Fit & Health...
spawned two additional reality shows in the early 2000s from a set of Trauma episodes shot at New Orleans, Louisiana's Charity Hospital, ParamedicsParamedics (TV show)Paramedics was a medical-based television reality show that ran on TLC from 1999 to 2001 and now runs infrequently on Discovery Health Channel. A spin-off of Trauma: Life in the E.R., Paramedics followed the activities of teams of EMTs and paramedics in a number of large urban centers in the...
and Code Blue New Orleans. - KinnikumanKinnikumanis a manga created by the duo of Yudetamago , which is composed of Yoshinori Nakai and Takashi Shimada. The manga was published in Shueisha's Weekly Jump, and received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen manga in 1985...
spun off Tatakae!! RamenmanTatakae!! Ramenman, also known as Lomien Man, is a manga authored by the duo of Yudetamago that was serialized in Shueisha's Fresh Jump magazine from June 1982 to December 1988...
, which depicts RamenmanRamenman', or ' as he was later known, is a fictional character in Yudetamago's manga and anime series' Kinnikuman, Tatakae!! Ramenman, and Kinnikuman Nisei.-About:*Classification: Zangyaku Choujin→ Seigi Choujin*Homeland: Henan, China...
in his native country of China. However it is not the same Ramenman as in the series and is instead an ancestor of the main Ramenman. - The Daily ShowThe Daily ShowThe Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
correspondent Stephen ColbertStephen ColbertStephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
received his own show The Colbert Report, a parody of shows like The O'Reilly FactorThe O'Reilly FactorThe O'Reilly Factor, originally titled The O'Reilly Report from 1996 to 1998 and often called The Factor, is an American talk show on the Fox News Channel hosted by commentator Bill O'Reilly, who often discusses current controversial political issues with guests.The program was the most watched...
. - Family GuyFamily GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
supporting character Cleveland BrownCleveland BrownCleveland Orenthal Brown is a character from the animated television series Family Guy, and its spin-off series The Cleveland Show. He is voiced by Mike Henry. In the first seven seasons of Family Guy, Brown is a frequently recurring character. As one of Peter Griffin's neighbors and friends,...
was given his own show called The Cleveland ShowThe Cleveland ShowThe Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
. - The Andy Griffith ShowThe Andy Griffith ShowThe Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom first televised by CBS between October 3, 1960, and April 1, 1968. Andy Griffith portrays a widowed sheriff in the fictional small community of Mayberry, North Carolina...
is an example of several different types of spin-offs. The show itself was a spin-off of The Danny Thomas ShowThe Danny Thomas ShowThe Danny Thomas Show is an American sitcom which ran from 1953-1957 on ABC and from 1957-1964 on CBS...
, through a backdoor pilot episode in which ThomasDanny ThomasDanny Thomas was an American nightclub comedian and television and film actor, best known for starring in the television sitcom Make Room for Daddy . He was also the founder of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital...
' character was stopped by Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy GriffithAndy GriffithAndy Samuel Griffith is an American actor, director, producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer. He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's epic film A Face in the Crowd before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead...
) for speeding in the fictional town of MayberryMayberryMayberry is a fictional community in North Carolina that was the setting for two American television sitcoms, The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D. Mayberry was also the setting for a 1986 reunion television movie titled Return to Mayberry...
, North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. When The Andy Griffith Show proved successful, the supporting character of Gomer PyleGomer PyleGomer Pyle is a bubbly, gentle, rural auto mechanic character played by American singer/ television actor Jim Nabors. Gomer Pyle became a character on the TV sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, when actor Howard McNear, who played Floyd the barber, suffered a stroke and took a respite from acting. Jim...
(Jim NaborsJim NaborsJames Thurston "Jim" Nabors is an American actor and singer. Born and raised in Sylacauga, Alabama, Nabors moved to Southern California because of his asthma. While working at a Santa Monica nightclub, The Horn, he was discovered by Andy Griffith and later joined The Andy Griffith Show, playing...
) was spun off into Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.The show renders the title as Gomer Pyle - USMC. is an American situation comedy that originally aired on CBS from September 25, 1964, to May 2, 1969. The series was a spinoff of The Andy Griffith Show, and the pilot was aired as the finale of the fourth season of The Andy...
Finally, when Griffith left the show in 1967, it was re-tooled for three more seasons as Mayberry R.F.D.Mayberry R.F.D.Mayberry R.F.D. is a spin-off and direct continuation of The Andy Griffith Show under a new title, for the same sponsor, General Foods... - Another example of reality series having spin-offs is that, The HillsThe HillsThe Hills is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from May 31, 2006 until July 13, 2010. The show uses a reality television format, following the personal lives of several young adults living in Los Angeles, California, but tends towards a narrative format more commonly found...
was spun off of the series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange CountyLaguna Beach: The Real Orange CountyLaguna Beach: The Real Orange County, often referred to simply as Laguna Beach, is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from September 28, 2004 until November 16, 2006. It documents the lives of several teenagers living in Laguna Beach, an affluent seaside community located in...
centered around castmember Lauren ConradLauren ConradLauren Katherine Conrad is an American television personality, celebutante, and fashion designer. She came to prominence with her starring roles on the MTV reality series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and its spin-off series, The Hills, which at one point followed her personal and...
leaving and moving to LA . At the end of season 4 of The Hills castmember Whitney PortWhitney PortWhitney Eve Port is an American television personality, clothing designer, and author. She is known for being one of the main cast members on the former MTV reality series The Hills...
moved to New York City and another spin-off was made called The CityThe City (MTV series)The City is an MTV reality television series. The first spin-off of MTV's, The Hills, it follows one of the show's former cast members, Whitney Port, as she moves to New York City to work for fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg. The program premiered on December 29, 2008 and concluded its first...
. - Family Matters is a spin off of Perfect StrangersPerfect Strangers (TV series)Perfect Strangers is an American sitcom that ran for eight seasons from March 25, 1986, to August 6, 1993, on the ABC television network. Created by Dale McRaven, the series chronicles the rocky coexistence of midwestern American Larry Appleton and his distant cousin from eastern Mediterranean...
. Carl Winslow, the main character of Family Matters, was featured in an episode of Perfect Strangers. Wife, Harriot Winslow, was a regular cast member as the elevator operator in "Perfect Strangers".
Supporting character getting own show (after original series ended)
- The Green Green GrassThe Green Green GrassThe Green Green Grass is a British sitcom, created and initially written by John Sullivan, produced by Shazam Productions for the BBC. It is a spin-off of the long running sitcom Only Fools and Horses and stars John Challis, Sue Holderness and Jack Doolan...
was spun off from Only Fools And HorsesOnly Fools and HorsesOnly Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
, featuring the recurring characters of BoycieBoycieTerrance Aubrey Boyce best known as Boycie is a fictional character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses played by John Challis. His story is continued in the spin off series The Green Green Grass, which began filming in June 2005, in which Boycie and family have fled from a gang of...
and Marlene moving from PeckhamPeckhamPeckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
to the country. Horses are his favorite animal! - FrasierFrasierFrasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
is one of the most critically acclaimed and popular spin-off series of all time, based on the character Dr. Frasier CraneFrasier CraneFrasier W. Crane, M.D., Ph.D., A.P.A. is a fictional character on the American television sitcoms Frasier and Cheers. He was played by Kelsey Grammer for 20 years, tying the record for the longest-running character on prime-time American television, which was set by James Arness, who played Marshal...
from the American sitcom CheersCheersCheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
. The series ran for eleven seasons (the same number of seasons as Cheers). - Mary Tyler Moore spin-off Lou GrantLou Grant (TV series)Lou Grant is an American television drama series starring Ed Asner in the titular role as a newspaper editor. Unusual in American television, this drama series was a spinoff from a sitcom, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Aired from 1977 to 1982, Lou Grant won 13 Emmy Awards, including "Outstanding Drama...
. Unusually, Lou Grant is of a different genre (drama) than its parent show, which was a situation comedy. - Trapper John M.D., while being a drama and using a character from the TV M*A*S*H, was actually not a spin-off from the TV comedy-drama M*A*S*H, but was spun off from the more dramatic film (which the TV M*A*S*H was also sourced from).
- JoeyJoey (TV series)Joey is an American sitcom, which stars Matt LeBlanc reprising his role as Joey Tribbiani from the sitcom Friends. It premiered on the NBC television network, on September 9, 2004, in the former time slot of its parent series, Thursday nights at 8:00 p.m...
was spun off from long-running show FriendsFriendsFriends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
after the show's final season. Focusing on the character Joey TribbianiJoey TribbianiJoseph Francis "Joey" Tribbiani, Jr. is a fictional character on the popular U.S. television sitcom Friends and the title character in the spin-off, Joey , portrayed by Matt LeBlanc....
, Joey ran for two seasons but was taken off the schedule before airing its final episodes. - Cory in the HouseCory in the HouseCory in the House is an American television sitcom, which aired on the Disney Channel from January 12, 2007 to September 12, 2008 and was a spin-off from the Disney show That's So Raven. The show focuses on Cory Baxter, who moved from San Francisco, California to Washington, D.C., after Victor...
was spin off after the series That's So RavenThat's So RavenThat's So Raven is an American cable television teen sitcom/fantasy series. The show premiered on the Disney Channel on January 17, 2003, and ended on November 10, 2007. The show spawned Disney Channel's first spin-off series: Cory in the House...
ended. It involves Cory and Victor moving to the White House; Raven has appeared as a guest-star. - The Suite Life On DeckThe Suite Life on DeckThe Suite Life on Deck is an American sitcom that aired on Disney Channel from September 26, 2008 to May 6, 2011. It is a sequel/spin-off of the Disney Channel Original Series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody...
was spun off after the series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody ended. It involves Zack MartinZack MartinZachary "Zack" Martin is a main character on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and its spin-off The Suite Life on Deck...
, Cody MartinCody MartinCody Martin is a main character created by Danny Kallis and Jim Geoghan for The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and its sequel/spin-off The Suite Life on Deck...
, London TiptonLondon TiptonLondon Leah Tipton is a fictional character in Disney's Suite Life franchise which consists of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and its spin-off The Suite Life on Deck...
and Mr. MosebyMr. MosebyMr. Marion Moseby is a character on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and its spin-off, The Suite Life on Deck...
staying on a cruise ship. - Highlander: The RavenHighlander: The RavenHighlander: The Raven was a short-lived spin-off from the television series Highlander, continuing the saga of a female Immortal. The series followed the character of Amanda , an Immortal who had a recurring role in Highlander: The Series...
was spun off from Highlander: The SeriesHighlander: The SeriesHighlander: The Series is a fantasy-adventure television series featuring Duncan MacLeod of the Scottish Clan MacLeod, as the Highlander. It was an offshoot and another alternate sequel of the 1986 feature film with a twist: Connor MacLeod did not win the prize and Immortals still exist post-1985...
, featuring the recurring character of AmandaAmanda (Highlander)Amanda is a fictional character in the television series Highlander: The Series and Highlander: The Raven, portrayed by actress Elizabeth Gracen. She is one of the Immortals, immune to old age and death except by beheading...
. Highlander: The Series was itself a spin-off from the Highlander film franchise, featuring a relative of the film's protagonist. - Angelica and Susie's Pre-School DazeAngelica and Susie's Pre-School DazeRugrats Pre-School Daze is the second spin-off series to the Nickelodeon TV series Rugrats. It is set when Angelica and Susie are at pre-school and is based on the Rugrats episode that piloted it. It first aired in the United Kingdom on July 25, 2005, and some episodes have been released on DVD in...
was spun off from RugratsRugratsRugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
after the show ended the previous year, featuring recurring characters Angelica PicklesAngelica PicklesAngelica Charlotte Pickles is a character voiced by Cheryl Chase in the Nickelodeon shows Rugrats and All Grown Up! and is among the series' original characters. She is a spoiled brat and the cousin of Tommy and Dil Pickles, serves as the main antagonist or the tritagonist of the series...
, Susie CarmichaelSusie CarmichaelSusanna "Susie" Yvonne Carmichael is a supporting character from the Nickelodeon show Rugrats and a main character in its spin-off All Grown Up!...
and Harold in pre-school. It is the second Rugrats spin-off series, following All Grown Up. - Following JackassJackass (TV series)jackass is an American reality series, originally shown on MTV from 2000 to 2002, featuring people performing various dangerous, crude, ridiculous, self-injuring stunts and pranks...
, Bam MargeraBam MargeraBrandon Cole "Bam" Margera is an American professional skateboarder, television and radio personality, actor and daredevil. He released a series of videos under the CKY banner and came to prominence after being drafted into MTV's Jackass crew...
got his own show which centered around him & his family, Viva La BamViva La BamViva La Bam is an American reality television series that stars Bam Margera and his friends and family. The show was a spin-off from MTV's Jackass, in which Margera and most of the main cast had appeared...
. - Michael TseMichael TseMichael Tse Tin Wah is a Hong Kong TVB actor.-Career highlights:Michael Tse graduated from TVB's Dance Training Class and worked with TVB as a dancer for 5 years. He then left TVB and formed a boy band group called 風火海 with Jordan Chan and Jason Chu...
starred in the film Turning PointTurning Point (2009 film)Turning Point is a 2009 Hong Kong film directed by Herman Yau and starring Michael Tse in the title role of "Laughing Gor" and co-starring veteran actors Francis Ng and Anthony Wong...
, which was spun off from the TVB serial E.U.E.U. (TVB)Emergency Unit, better known as simply E.U. is a 2009 Hong Kong television drama created and produced by Wong Wai-sing. It is the direct sequel to 2007's On the First Beat and the third installment in the The Academy series. E.U. stars Ron Ng and Sammul Chan from the original series, with the...
after the popularity he gained of portraying his character, "Laughing Gor". The film centers around "Laughing's" life before the events of E.U.. He later also starred in the TV series Lives of OmissionLives of OmissionLives of Omission is a 2011 Hong Kong television drama produced by Television Broadcasts Limited , with Chong Wai-kin serving as the executive producer...
which centers around "Laughing 's" life after the events of E.U.. - The character Sheen Estevez from The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy GeniusThe Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy GeniusThe Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, often shortened to just Jimmy Neutron, is an American animated television series, and spin-off of the Academy Award-nominated computer-animated movie, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. The series first officially aired on July 20, 2002, on Nickelodeon...
stars in a spin-off known as Planet SheenPlanet SheenPlanet Sheen is an American CGI animated television series. It is the 2010 spin-off of the 2002 series The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius as well as the 2001 Oscar-nominated film Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. The show was created by John A. Davis, Keith Alcorn and Steve Oedekerk and based on...
. Sheen crashes on an alien planet known as Zeenu after barrowing a rocket from Jimmy Neutron. After destroying his rocket by crashing into the alien [antagonist]] Dorkus's home, he has to fix his broken rocket to get back to Earth.
Shows from segments/episodes of anthology series
- The longest running spin-off is The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, which was created as a series of animated segments for the sketch series The Tracey Ullman ShowThe Tracey Ullman ShowThe Tracey Ullman Show was an American television variety show, hosted by British comedian and onetime pop singer Tracey Ullman. It debuted on April 5, 1987 as the Fox network's second primetime series after Married... with Children, and ran until May 26, 1990. The show blended sketch comedy shorts...
, and featured the voices of four cast-members. - The Yogi Bear ShowThe Yogi Bear ShowThe Yogi Bear Show is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions about a fast-talking picnic basket stealing bear named Yogi. The show debuted in syndication on January 30 and ran for 33 episodes until December 30 in 1961 and included two segments, Snagglepuss and Yakky...
was a spin-off from The Huckleberry Hound Show. Yogi BearYogi BearYogi Bear is a fictional bear who appears in animated cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera Productions. He made his debut in 1958 as a supporting character in The Huckleberry Hound Show. Yogi Bear was the first breakout character created by Hanna-Barbera, and was eventually more popular than...
first appeared in 1958 and was given his own show in 1961. The Yogi Bear Show went on to become more popular than Huckleberry HoundHuckleberry HoundThe Huckleberry Hound Show is a 1958 syndicated animated series and the second from Hanna-Barbera following The Ruff & Reddy Show, sponsored by Kellogg's. Three segments were included in the program: one featuring Huckleberry Hound; another starring Yogi Bear and his sidekick Boo Boo; and a third...
. The Yogi Bear Show was the first animated spin-off. - The Cartoon Cartoon ShowThe Cartoon Cartoon ShowWhat a Cartoon! , is an American animation showcase project created by Fred Seibert for Hanna-Barbera Cartoons to be run on Cartoon Network...
, then called The What a Cartoon! Show, featured a number of pilots for possible animated series on the Cartoon NetworkCartoon NetworkCartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
. Dexter's LaboratoryDexter's LaboratoryDexter's Laboratory is an American animated television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky and produced by Cartoon Network Studios . The show is about a boy named Dexter who has an enormous secret laboratory filled with an endless collection of his inventions...
was the first of those pilots to get its own show followed by Johnny BravoJohnny BravoJohnny Bravo is an American animated television series created by Van Partible for Cartoon Network. The series stars a muscular beefcake young man named Johnny Bravo who dons a pompadour hairstyle and an Elvis Presley-like voice and has a forward, woman-chasing personality...
, Cow and ChickenCow and ChickenCow and Chicken is an American animated series, created by David Feiss. The series shows the surreal adventures of a cow, named Cow, and her chicken brother, named Chicken. They are often antagonized by "The Red Guy", who poses as various characters to scam or hurt them...
, The Powerpuff GirlsThe Powerpuff GirlsThe Powerpuff Girls is an American animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera for Cartoon Network...
and Courage The Cowardly DogCourage the Cowardly DogCourage the Cowardly Dog is an American animated television series created by John R. Dilworth for Cartoon Network. Its central plot revolves around a somewhat anthropomorphic dog named Courage who lives with his owners, Muriel and Eustace Bagge, an elderly, married farming couple in the "Middle of...
. - I Am WeaselI Am WeaselI Am Weasel is an American animated television series produced by Cartoon Network Studios in co-production with Hanna-Barbera, created by David Feiss, and broadcast on Cartoon Network....
was originally a series of segments in Cow and ChickenCow and ChickenCow and Chicken is an American animated series, created by David Feiss. The series shows the surreal adventures of a cow, named Cow, and her chicken brother, named Chicken. They are often antagonized by "The Red Guy", who poses as various characters to scam or hurt them...
. It was later separated and got its own series after Cow and Chicken production ceased. - Happy DaysHappy DaysHappy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
, a spin-off from Love, American StyleLove, American StyleLove, American Style is an hour-long TV anthology produced by Paramount Television and originally aired between September 1969 and January 1974...
, also spun off multiple shows: Laverne & ShirleyLaverne & ShirleyLaverne & Shirley is an American television situation comedy that ran on ABC from January 26, 1976, to May 10, 1983...
, Blansky's BeautiesBlansky's BeautiesBlansky's Beauties is an American sitcom which aired on the ABC network in 1977. The main character of the series was introduced in an episode of Happy Days.-Synopsis:...
, Mork & Mindy, Out of the BlueOut of the Blue (1979 TV series)Out Of The Blue is an American fantasy sitcom that aired on ABC during the fall of 1979. It is chiefly notable as having featured a Mork & Mindy crossover, and for the controversy surrounding its status as a spin-off of Happy Days....
and Joanie Loves ChachiJoanie Loves ChachiJoanie Loves Chachi is an American television spin-off of the popular American sitcom Happy Days that was originally broadcast on ABC from March 23, 1982 to September 13, 1983...
. These shows resulted in spin-offs of their own: the animated series Laverne & Shirley in the Army, The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang, and The Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour. - Both the animated series Beavis and Butt-headBeavis and Butt-HeadBeavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997...
and Æon FluxÆon FluxÆon Flux was originally an avant-garde science fiction animated television series that aired on MTV in various forms throughout the 1990s, with film, comic book, and video game adaptations following thereafter. It premiered in 1991 on MTV's Liquid Television experimental animation show as a...
were spun off of the MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
variety series Liquid TelevisionLiquid TelevisionLiquid Television is an Emmy Award–winning 1990s animation showcase that appeared on MTV. The first season of Liquid Television also aired on BBC Two in co-production with MTV. Ultimately, MTV commissioned three seasons of the show, which was produced by Colossal Pictures...
. DariaDariaDaria is an American animated television series produced by Paramount Television, and created by Glenn Eichler and Susie Lewis Lynn for MTV. The series focuses on Daria Morgendorffer, a smart, acerbic, and somewhat misanthropic teenage girl who observes the world around her...
then spun off from Beavis and Butt-head. - The episode of RugratsRugratsRugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
"All Growed Up" acted as the pilot for All Grown Up. - After Da Ali G ShowDa Ali G ShowDa Ali G Show is the name of two related satirical TV series created by and starring British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen and featuring the character Ali G....
, the three main characters all got their own spin-off movies: Ali GAli GAli G is a satirical fictional character invented and performed by English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. Originally appearing on Channel 4's Eleven O'Clock show, Ali G is the title character of Channel 4's Da Ali G Show, original episodes of which aired in 2000 and on HBO in 2003–2004, and is the...
with Ali G IndahouseAli G IndahouseAli G Indahouse is a British comedy film directed by Mark Mylod and starring the fictional character Ali G, who is performed by British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen...
, Borat with Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of KazakhstanBoratBorat Sagdiyev is a satirical fictional character invented and performed by English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen...
, and BrünoBruno (character)Brüno Gehard , sometimes written as Bruno and Brueno, is a fictional character portrayed by English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. The character, a flamboyantly gay Austrian fashion reporter, first appeared during short sketches on The Paramount Comedy Channel in 1998, before reappearing on Da Ali G...
with BrünoBrunoBruno is a male given name. It is derived from the Germanic word brun meaning "brown". It is also one of the most frequent Italian surnames. It also occurs very frequently in continental Europe and parts of Brazil as a given name for men and boys...
.
TV franchises
- The Green Green GrassThe Green Green GrassThe Green Green Grass is a British sitcom, created and initially written by John Sullivan, produced by Shazam Productions for the BBC. It is a spin-off of the long running sitcom Only Fools and Horses and stars John Challis, Sue Holderness and Jack Doolan...
is a spin-off from the British sitcom Only Fools and HorsesOnly Fools and HorsesOnly Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
. - TorchwoodTorchwoodTorchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
, The Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane Adventures is a British science fiction television series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen...
and K-9 are all spin-offs of the long-running BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
science-fiction drama Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
; all feature companionCompanion (Doctor Who)In the long-running BBC television science fiction programme Doctor Who and related works, the term "companion" refers to a character who travels with, and shares the adventures of the Doctor. In most Doctor Who stories, the primary companion acts as both deuteragonist and audience surrogate...
s of the DoctorDoctor (Doctor Who)The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
who appeared on the original program. - MaudeMaude (TV series)Maude was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS network from September 12, 1972 until April 22, 1978.Maude starred Beatrice Arthur as Maude Findlay, an outspoken, middle-aged, politically liberal woman living in suburban Tuckahoe, Westchester County, New York with...
and The JeffersonsThe JeffersonsThe Jeffersons is an American sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, through June 25, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. The show was produced by the T.A.T. Communications Company from 1975–1982 and by Embassy Television from 1982-1985...
were both spin-offs from the sitcom All in the FamilyAll in the FamilyAll in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...
as were the less popular GloriaGloria (TV series)Gloria is an American situation comedy that lasted one season on CBS, from September 1982 to September 1983. It stars Sally Struthers, reprising her role as Gloria Stivic, the daughter of Archie Bunker on the hugely successful 1970s sitcom All in the Family...
and 704 Hauser704 Hauser704 Hauser is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from April to May 1994. A spin-off of All in the Family , the series is built around the concept of an African American family, the Cumberbatches, moving into the former Queens home of Archie Bunker years after Bunker had sold the house...
. Maude itself spun off Good TimesGood TimesGood Times is an American sitcom that originally aired from February 8, 1974, until August 1, 1979, on the CBS television network. It was created by Eric Monte and Michael Evans, and developed by Norman Lear, the series' primary executive producer...
. - The Mary Tyler Moore ShowThe Mary Tyler Moore ShowThe Mary Tyler Moore Show is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns that aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977...
spun off PhyllisPhyllisPhyllis is a character in Greek mythology, daughter of a Thracian king . She married Demophon, King of Athens and son of Theseus, while he stopped in Thrace on his journey home from the Trojan War....
, RhodaRhodaRhoda is an American television sitcom, starring Valerie Harper, which ran for five seasons, from 1974 to 1978 airing in 109 episodes. The show was a spin-off from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, in which Harper between the years 1970 and 1974 had played the role of Rhoda Morgenstern, a spunky,...
, and Lou GrantLou GrantLou Grant is a fictional character played by Edward Asner in two television series produced by MTM Enterprises for CBS. The first was Mary Tyler Moore , in which the character was the news director at the fictional television station WJM-TV...
. It also inspired the TV movie Mary and RhodaMary and RhodaMary and Rhoda is a 2000 made-for-television movie that reunited Mary Tyler Moore and Valerie Harper as Mary Richards and Rhoda Morgenstern from the 1970–1977 sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Although the film is a spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, James L. Brooks and Allan Burns were...
. - FrasierFrasierFrasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
is a spin-off from NBC's CheersCheersCheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
. - Private Practice is a spin-off from Grey's AnatomyGrey's AnatomyGrey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
. - NCISNCIS (TV series)NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S...
is a spin-off with its characters originating from JAGJAG (TV series)JAG is an American adventure/legal drama television show that was produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television and, for the first season only, NBC Productions...
, and has its own spin-off in NCIS: Los Angeles. - The PracticeThe PracticeThe Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...
was a TV series that ran for eight seasons on ABC and then was canceled. New characters who were introduced during the later seasons became so popular they became the main characters in a spin-off, Boston LegalBoston LegalBoston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC...
, which ran for five more seasons—giving the franchise a 13-year total run. The show shared such similar characters in the same universe, the show began with the working title The Practice: Fleet Street, before the name was changed. - Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
earned its own spin-offs - Star Trek: Deep Space NineStar Trek: Deep Space NineStar Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
and Star Trek: VoyagerStar Trek: VoyagerStar Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
. - Stargate AtlantisStargate AtlantisStargate Atlantis is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. The show was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper as a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1, which was created by Wright and Jonathan Glassner and was itself...
, Stargate UniverseStargate UniverseStargate Universe is a Canadian-American military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. It follows the adventures of a present-day, multinational exploration team traveling on the Ancient spaceship Destiny many billions of light years distant from the Milky Way...
and Stargate InfinityStargate InfinityStargate Infinity is an American animated science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise, but is not considered official Stargate canon...
are spin-offs from the Stargate SG-1Stargate SG-1Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
television series, which was itself spun off from the film StargateStargate (film)Stargate is a 1994 American adventure-military science fiction film released through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Carolco Pictures. Created by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, the film is the first release in the Stargate franchise...
. - CrusadeCrusade (TV series)Crusade is a spin-off TV show from J. Michael Straczynski's Babylon 5. Its plot is set in AD 2267, five years after the events of Babylon 5, and just after the movie A Call to Arms. A race called the Drakh have released a nanovirus plague on Earth, which will destroy all life on Earth within five...
is a spin-off of the original Babylon 5Babylon 5Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
series. - The Law & OrderLaw & OrderLaw & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
series has spawned a total of 10 spin-offs: Law & Order: Special Victims UnitLaw & Order: Special Victims UnitLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
; Law & Order: Criminal IntentLaw & Order: Criminal IntentLaw & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
; Crime & PunishmentCrime & PunishmentCrime & Punishment is a 2002 reality television spin-off of the Law & Order franchise. It premiered on NBC on Sunday, June 16, 2002, and ran through the summers of 2002, 2003, and 2004.-Description:...
(a documentaryDocumentary filmDocumentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
series as opposed to scripted dramaDramaDrama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
); the short-lived Trial by JuryLaw & Order: Trial by JuryLaw & 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 exclusive focus was on the criminal trial of the accused, showing both the prosecution's and defense's preparation...
; Conviction; Paris enquêtes criminellesParis enquêtes criminellesParis enquêtes criminelles is a French television series broadcast since May 3, 2007 on TF1.-Synopsis:Adapted from Law & Order: Criminal Intent , it follows the investigations of two police detectives with very different methods of investigation. Vincent Revel is very intuitive, while his partner...
, a FrenchFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
adaptation of Criminal Intent; the BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
spin-off Law & Order: UK; the short-lived Law & Order: LA; and RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n adaptations of Special Victims Unit and Criminal Intent. A South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n spin-off of the original series, Law & Order: Cape Town, is scheduled to debut in 2012. - CSICSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
, the popular series produced by Jerry BruckheimerJerry BruckheimerJerome Leon "Jerry" Bruckheimer is an American film and television producer. He has achieved great success in the genres of action, drama, and science fiction. His best known television series are CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Eleventh Hour, Without a Trace, Cold Case, The...
, has produced two spin-offs: CSI: MiamiCSI: MiamiCSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
and CSI: NYCSI: NYCSI: NY is an American police procedural television series that premiered on September 22, 2004, on CBS. The show follows the investigations of a team of NYPD forensic scientists and police officers as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths as well as other crimes...
. CSI: Miami is connected to the original series by a crossover episode, while CSI: NY started in a cross-over episode with CSI: Miami (Miami and NY have had further cross-overs in later seasons, and a three-way crossover has been done). - Sabrina's Secret LifeSabrina's Secret LifeSabrina's Secret Life is an American animated television series based on the Archie Comics character Sabrina, the Teenage Witch produced by DiC Entertainment in partnership with Sony Pictures Television. It originally aired in syndication in 2003 as a spin-off of Sabrina: Friends Forever, Sabrina,...
is a spin-off of Sabrina, the Animated Series, which itself was a spin-off of the 1996 version of Sabrina, the Teenage WitchSabrina, the Teenage WitchSabrina the Teenage Witch is a comic book series published by Archie Comics about the adventures of a teenage fictional character named Sabrina Spellman. The character was created by writer George Gladir and artist Dan DeCarlo. The comic's characters have also appeared in various other media...
which was a spin-off of Sabrina and the Groovie Goolies which was a spin-off of The Archie Comedy Hour which was a sequel to The Archie ShowThe Archie ShowThe Archie Show is a Saturday morning cartoon animated series produced by Filmation. Based on the Archie comic books, created by Bob Montana in 1941, The Archie Show debuted on CBS in September 1968 and lasted for one season. A total of 17 half-hour shows, each containing two 11 minute segments,...
. - The VH1VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
celebreality show The Surreal LifeThe Surreal LifeThe Surreal Life is a reality television series that sets a select group of past-their-prime celebrities and records them as they live together in Glen Campbell's former mansion in the Hollywood Hills for two weeks...
has led to a long-running franchise of reality shows.The Surreal Life: Fame GamesThe Surreal Life: Fame Games is a reality television series that was originally broadcast on the VH1 cable network. A spin-off of the VH1 show, The Surreal Life, the show assembles ten alumni of the show's 6 prior seasons to compete in a ten-week competition that takes place in Las Vegas, with the...
, My Fair BradyMy Fair BradyMy Fair Brady is a celebrity reality television show on VH1 that follows Christopher Knight, who played Peter Brady on The Brady Bunch, and Adrianne Curry, who won the first season of America's Next Top Model, a year after they met and fell in love on the reality show The Surreal Life.The show...
, The Salt-N-Pepa ShowThe Salt-N-Pepa ShowThe Salt-N-Pepa Show, which premiered on October 14, 2007 on VH1, is a reality show documenting the events from the life of Salt-n-Pepa, several years after their breakup.-Season one:...
, and Strange LoveStrange LoveStrange Love is a reality series featuring Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav that aired on VH1. Sparked by their on-screen romance in the third season of VH1's The Surreal Life, it is a spin-off that focused solely on Brigitte and Flav...
. - Strange Love spun off three seasons of Flavor of LoveFlavor of LoveFlavor of Love is an American reality television dating game show parody starring Flavor Flav of the rap group Public Enemy.While not a direct spin-off, the show was a result of Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav's failed relationship on Strange Love, as well as The Surreal Life...
'. Additionally, Rock of Love can be seen as a conceptual spin-off of Flavor of Love (other than the similar name, it is a VH1 show featuring contestants vying for the love of a popular musician).- Contestants from Rock of Loves first and second seasons went on to appear in Rock of Love: Charm School.
- Contestant Daisy De La Hoya from Season 2 of Rock of Love spun off her own show "Daisy of LoveDaisy of Lovethumb|right|Daisy de la Hoya attending the premiere of VH1's "Daisy of Love" at My House, Hollywood, CA on April 26, 2009Daisy of Love is a reality television dating show which stars Daisy de la Hoya, the runner-up of the VH1 reality dating show Rock of Love 2...
." It additionally features David Amerman aka 12 Pack from season one of "I Love New York" as a contestant. - Contestant Megan HausermanMegan HausermanMegan Hauserman is an American model and reality television personality, best known for her appearances on Vh1.-Modeling career:...
from Season 2 of Rock of Love spun off her own show Megan Wants a Millionaire, which was canceled due to controversy surrounding contestant Ryan Jenkins. - Contestants from the first and second seasons of "Flavor of Love" went on to appear in "Flavor of Love Girls: Charm SchoolFlavor of Love Girls: Charm SchoolFlavor of Love Girls: Charm School, known as Charm School: Flavor of Love Girls in Europe, is the first season of the VH1 reality show Charm School. It is a spin-off of Flavor of Love created by the producers of The Surreal Life and Flavor of Love spin-off I Love New York...
". Contestants from the third season went on to appear in "Charm School with Ricki LakeCharm School with Ricki LakeCharm School with Ricki Lake is the third season of the VH1 reality television series Charm School. Fourteen contestants from Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels and Real Chance of Love must change their old ways and learn improvement through acts of charity work...
." - "Flavor of Love,"'s first and second season contestant, "Tiffany PollardTiffany PollardTiffany Pollard is an American reality television personality and actress. She is best known as New York and for her participation in VH1's Flavor of Love and I Love New York television series. Pollard was given the nickname by rapper Flavor Flav, whom she dated on both season 1 and season 2 of...
," went on to two seasons of "I Love New YorkI Love New York (TV series)I Love New York is a reality television series, which first aired on VH1. It features Tiffany Pollard in a quest to find her true love. The series is a spin off of another relationship competition series, Flavor of Love, which featured Pollard as a finalist in two consecutive seasons...
," in addition to "New York Goes to HollywoodNew York Goes To HollywoodNew York Goes to Hollywood is a reality VH1 series that consists of eight, 30-minute-episodes. New York Goes to Hollywood premiered on August 4, 2008. This spin-off of the I Love New York series, features Tiffany "New York" Pollard as she tries to find an acting job in Hollywood, California...
," and "New York Goes to WorkNew York Goes to WorkNew York Goes to Work is a reality VH1 series that first premiered on May 4, 2009. This follow-up of New York Goes to Hollywood stars Tiffany "New York" Pollard as she tries to find a regular job. The jobs are selected by fans from a list of three possible jobs for each individual episode...
."- Contestants and brothers Kamal GivensKamal GivensKamal Charles Givens, also known as Chance, is best known for his role on VH1's I Love New York, and is one of 20 contenders for the affections of Tiffany Pollard. On I Love New York, Chance appears with his brother Real, with whom he was raised on a horse ranch...
and Ahmad Givens from the first season of "I Love New York" spun off two seasons of their own show, "Real Chance of LoveReal Chance of LoveReal Chance of Love is an American reality television dating game show featuring two brothers Ahmad Givens and Kamal Givens , of the rap group The Stallionares, and former contestants on I Love New York, who are looking for love....
."- Contestants from Real Chance of Love went on to appear in Charm School with Ricki Lake.
- Contestants from
I Love MoneyI Love Money is an American reality television series airing on VH1, and is a spin-off of Flavor of Love, Charm School, I Love New York, Rock of Love, Real Chance of Love, For the Love of Ray J, Daisy of Love and Megan Wants a Millionaire. Former contestants on these shows compete in physical and...
. A third season was produced, featuring contestants from "Rock of Love", "Real Chance of Love", "Daisy of Love," "Megan Wants a Millionaire," and For the Love of Ray JFor the Love of Ray JFor the Love of Ray J is a dating show on VH1 featuring hip hop singer Ray J. The program has a format similar to Flavor of Love, I Love New York, and Rock of Love. One source notes that it "will be produced by the same geniuses" as those shows, 51 Minds...
. It was however canceled prior to airing because of controversy surrounding contestant Ryan Jenkins, who was also rumored to have been the winner.- Given the inclusion of contestants from "For the Love of Ray J," in the unaired third season of "I Love Money," it can be inferred that "For the Love of Ray J," is also a spin-off from the Surreal Life spin-off series.
- Contestants from Real Chance of Love went on to appear in Charm School with Ricki Lake.
- Contestants and brothers Kamal Givens
The Lone Gunmen (TV series)
The Lone Gunmen is a television show created by Chris Carter and broadcast on FOX. It was a spin-off of Carter's popular long-running television series The X-Files and a part of The X-Files franchise, starring several of the show's characters. The Lone Gunmen was first broadcast in March 2001 and,...
was a spin-off of the popular science fiction series The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
.
Angel (TV series)
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...
was a spin-off of the popular Warner Bros. television series Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210 is an American drama series that originally aired from October 4, 1990 to May 17, 2000 on Fox and was produced by Spelling Television in the United States, and subsequently on various networks around the world. It is the first series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...
(1990–2000) is at the root of its own franchise:
- The original
Melrose Place (2009 TV series)
Melrose Place is an American television series broadcast on The CW Television Network from September 8, 2009 to April 13, 2010. The fifth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise, it is an updated version of the 1990s Fox prime time drama of the same name, featuring a group of young adults...
(2009–10)
90210 (TV series)
90210 is an American teen drama television series developed by Rob Thomas, Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs, and the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise created by Darren Star. 90210 is the first series produced by CBS Productions under the company's re-launch, but is now produced by CBS...
, a second spinoff from the original series, began airing in 2008.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
show HolbyBlue
HolbyBlue
HolbyBlue was a British police drama series that aired on BBC One from 2007 to 2008. Produced by the BBC, Red Planet Pictures and Kudos for BBC One, it is a spin-off of the successful BBC One medical drama Holby City, itself a spin-off of the long-running series Casualty.The first series was...
is a spin-off of Holby City
Holby City
Holby City, stylised as Holby Ci+y, is a British medical drama television series that airs weekly on BBC One.The series was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical drama Casualty, and premiered on 12 January 1999...
, which is itself a spin-off of Casualty
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
. All shows are set within the fictional town of Holby, and characters from the various shows often appear in episodes of the other shows.
Barnaby Jones
Barnaby Jones is a television detective series starring Buddy Ebsen and Lee Meriwether as father- and daughter-in-law who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles. A spin-off from Cannon, the show ran on CBS from January 28, 1973 to April 3, 1980, beginning as a midseason replacement...
began as the second part of a two part story-arc as a spin-off to Cannon
Cannon (TV series)
Cannon is a CBS detective television series produced by Quinn Martin which aired from March 26, 1971 to March 3, 1976.The primary protagonist was the title character, Frank Cannon, played by William Conrad....
.
Planet Sheen
Planet Sheen is an American CGI animated television series. It is the 2010 spin-off of the 2002 series The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius as well as the 2001 Oscar-nominated film Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. The show was created by John A. Davis, Keith Alcorn and Steve Oedekerk and based on...
is a spin-off series based on Nickelodeon's Jimmy Neutron
Bo' Selecta!
Bo' Selecta! is a British sketch show written and performed by Leigh Francis, known for its often deeply surreal, abstract toilet humour, which lampoons popular culture. It was broadcast on Channel 4 and ran for three series between 2002 and 2004, spawning several spin-offs...
.
Gone Country (TV series)
Gone Country is an American celebrity reality television show in which contestants compete to become a country music singer. The winner gets a country single produced by John Rich. It aired on CMT, with reruns on TV Land, and VH1. On the first season finale, Julio Iglesias Jr...
Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami
Khloé and Malika Take Miami, , is an American reality/spin-off television series, produced by Ryan Seacrest, which debuted on E! on August 16, 2009....
is a spin-off from Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Keeping Up with the Kardashians is an American reality television series that airs on E!. The series premiered in October 2007. It focuses on the personal and professional lives of the members of the Kardashian and Jenner family. There will be a 7th Season to premiere in 2012.As of September 2011,...
The Girls Next Door
The Girls Next Door, also known as The Girls of the Playboy Mansion, is an American reality television series broadcast on the E! cable television network...
has spun off two shows featuring former regulars: Kendra
Kendra (TV series)
Kendra is an American reality-based television series that debuted on E! on June 7, 2009. The program details model - and former girlfriend of Playboy owner Hugh Hefner - Kendra Wilkinson's life after moving out of the Playboy Mansion, including her engagement and marriage to football player Hank...
and Holly's World
Holly's World
Holly's World, originally titled Planet Holly, is an American reality television series that debuted on E! on December 6, 2009. Initially a one-off special, success in the ratings led to E! ordering an eight-episode season that began airing on June 13, 2010.The show is the second spin-off to The...
The Railway Series
The Railway Series is a set of story books about a railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first being published in 1945. Twenty-six were written by the Rev. W. Awdry, up to 1972. A further 16 were written by his son, Christopher Awdry; 14...
.
Shining Time Station
Shining Time Station is an American children's television series co-created by Britt Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow. The series was produced by The Britt Allcroft Company and Quality Family Entertainment in New York for New York City PBS Station WNET, and was filmed first in New York and then in Toronto...
is the American spin-off of Thomas and Friends to introduce the series to American viewers.
The City (MTV series)
The City is an MTV reality television series. The first spin-off of MTV's, The Hills, it follows one of the show's former cast members, Whitney Port, as she moves to New York City to work for fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg. The program premiered on December 29, 2008 and concluded its first...
is a spin-off of other popular MTV reality TV show, The Hills
The Hills
The Hills is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from May 31, 2006 until July 13, 2010. The show uses a reality television format, following the personal lives of several young adults living in Los Angeles, California, but tends towards a narrative format more commonly found...
, while itself is a spin-off of Laguna Beach.
In film
- The 2008 direct-to-DVD feature Legally BlondesLegally BlondesLegally Blondes is a 2009 spin-off film of the Legally Blonde series from MGM. Elle Woods, previously played by Reese Witherspoon, does not appear in the film, but is mentioned several times. Witherspoon produced the film. The film aired on ABC Family and Disney Channel, and is directed towards a...
is a spin-off to the Legally BlondeLegally BlondeLegally Blonde is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Robert Luketic, written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, and produced by Marc E. Platt...
film series. - The High School MusicalHigh School Musical (film series)The High School Musical film series consists of three Disney musical films directed by Kenny Ortega and created by Peter Barsocchini. It stars Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, and Monique Coleman. The original film was released simply as a Disney Channel...
series is set to have a movie based on the character Sharpay Evans portrayed by Ashley TisdaleAshley TisdaleAshley Michelle Tisdale is an American actress and singer who rose to prominence portraying the candy-counter girl Maddie Fitzpatrick in Disney Channel's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and the female antagonist Sharpay Evans in the High School Musical film series...
it will follow Sharpay moving to New York to pursue her dream, it is set to release in 2011, called Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure. - The producers of the film U.S. MarshalsU.S. Marshals (film)U.S. Marshals is a 1998 action thriller film starring Tommy Lee Jones and Wesley Snipes, and a sequel to The Fugitive. The storyline of U.S. Marshals does not feature the character Dr. Richard Kimble; the role of the protagonist has been passed onto Samuel Gerard and his team of U.S...
stated that it was a spin-off from, rather than a sequel to, The FugitiveThe Fugitive (1993 film)The Fugitive is a 1993 American thriller film based on the television series of the same name. The film was directed by Andrew Davis and stars Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. The film was one of the few movies associated with a television series to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best...
. - Several superhero films have had spin-off films, many focusing on female heroines. Examples include SupergirlSupergirl (film)Supergirl is a 1984 superhero film directed by Jeannot Szwarc, and stars Helen Slater in her first motion picture role in the title role of the DC Comics superheroine Supergirl. Faye Dunaway played the primary villain, Selena. The film was a spin-off from the Salkinds' Superman film series which...
being a spin-off of the older Superman film franchise and ElektraElektra (2005 film)Elektra is a 2005 superhero film directed by Rob Bowman. It is a spin-off from the 2003 film Daredevil, starring the Marvel comics character Elektra Natchios . The story follows Elektra, an international assassin whose weapon of choice is a pair of sai.For the screenplay, Zak Penn, Stuart Zicherman...
being a spin-off of DaredevilDaredevil (film)Daredevil is a 2003 American superhero film written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, the film stars Ben Affleck as Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer who fights for justice in the courtroom and out of the courtroom as the masked vigilante Daredevil...
. - The X-Men film seriesX-Men (film series)The X-Men film series consists of superhero films based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. The films star an ensemble cast, focusing on Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, who is drawn into the conflict between Professor Xavier and Magneto , who have opposing views on humanity's...
spawned a spin-off film about the origins of popular character WolverineWolverine (comics)Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
titled X-Men Origins: WolverineX-Men Origins: WolverineX-Men Origins: Wolverine is a 2009 American action film based on the Marvel Comics' fictional character Wolverine. The fourth installment in the X-Men film series, it was released worldwide on May 1, 2009...
. - The movie Beauty ShopBeauty ShopBeauty Shop is a 2005 American comedy film, directed by Bille Woodruff. The film is a spin-off of the Barbershop film franchise, and stars Queen Latifah as Gina, a character which was first introduced in the 2004 film Barbershop 2: Back in Business...
is viewed as the spin-off to the BarbershopBarbershop (film)Barbershop is a 2002 American comedy film directed by Tim Story, produced by State Street Pictures and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on September 13, 2002. Starring Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, and Anthony Anderson, the movie revolves around social life in a barbershop on the South Side of...
movie series. - The movies Caravan of Courage: An Ewok AdventureCaravan of Courage: An Ewok AdventureFor the series of road trips travelled by Hamish and Andy see:Caravan Of Courage The Ewok Adventure is a 1984 American made-for-TV film based in the Star Wars setting. It was released theatrically in Europe as Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure, and is known by that title today...
and Ewoks: The Battle for EndorEwoks: The Battle for EndorEwoks: The Battle for Endor is a 1985 made-for-TV movie set in the Star Wars galaxy. A sequel to Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure, it focuses on Cindel Towani, the little girl from the first film, who, after being orphaned, joins the Ewoks in protecting their village and defeating the evil...
are called interquel spin-offs of the Star Wars trilogy. - Evan AlmightyEvan AlmightyEvan Almighty is a 2007 American religious comedy film and the stand-alone sequel to Bruce Almighty . The film was directed by Tom Shadyac, written by Steve Oedekerk, and starring Steve Carell as the title character. Morgan Freeman also reprised his role as God from the original film. Production of...
is a spin-off of Bruce AlmightyBruce AlmightyBruce Almighty is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Tom Shadyac and written by Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe and Steve Oedekerk. It stars Jim Carrey as Bruce Nolan, a down-on-his-luck TV reporter who complains to God that He isn't doing His job correctly, and is then offered the chance to try...
. - The films American Pie Presents: Band Camp, American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile, American Pie Presents: Beta HouseAmerican Pie Presents: Beta HouseAmerican Pie Presents: Beta House is a 2007 American teen comedy film released by Universal Pictures. It is the third spin-off to the American Pie film series and a sequel to the second spin-off, American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile...
and American Pie Presents: Book of LoveAmerican Pie Presents: Book of LoveAmerican Pie Presents: The Book of Love is a 2009 teen comedy released directly to DVD. It is the seventh installment of the American Pie franchise, and the fourth in the American Pie Presents: franchise...
are spin-offs of the primary American Pie series. - Turning PointTurning Point (2009 film)Turning Point is a 2009 Hong Kong film directed by Herman Yau and starring Michael Tse in the title role of "Laughing Gor" and co-starring veteran actors Francis Ng and Anthony Wong...
is a spin-off of TVB's E.U.E.U. (TVB)Emergency Unit, better known as simply E.U. is a 2009 Hong Kong television drama created and produced by Wong Wai-sing. It is the direct sequel to 2007's On the First Beat and the third installment in the The Academy series. E.U. stars Ron Ng and Sammul Chan from the original series, with the...
which focuses the life of Michael TseMichael TseMichael Tse Tin Wah is a Hong Kong TVB actor.-Career highlights:Michael Tse graduated from TVB's Dance Training Class and worked with TVB as a dancer for 5 years. He then left TVB and formed a boy band group called 風火海 with Jordan Chan and Jason Chu...
's character, "Laughing", before the events of E.U.. - Once a CopOnce a CopOnce a Cop is a 1993 Hong Kong action film directed by Stanley Tong and starring Michelle Yeoh. It is a spin-off of Jackie Chan's Police Story film series involving the character Yeoh portrayed in Police Story 3: Super Cop....
is a spin-off of Police Story 3Police Story 3Police Story 3: Super Cop , also known as Super Cop in North America, is a 1992 Hong Kong martial arts action crime comedy film starring Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh. Jackie reprises his "Kevin" Chan Ka-Kui character, a Hong Kong cop from Police Story and Police Story 2...
but commonly misrepresented as a sequel. - The Chronicles of RiddickThe Chronicles of RiddickThe Chronicles of Riddick is a 2004 American science fiction film which follows the adventures of Richard B. Riddick, as he attempts to elude capture after the events depicted in the 2000 film Pitch Black, and details his meeting with Jack and Imam, his escape from the prison planet Crematoria, and...
is a sequel spin-off of Pitch Black - The Scorpion KingThe Scorpion KingThe Scorpion King is a 2002 American action film directed by Chuck Russell, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Kelly Hu, Grant Heslov, and Michael Clarke Duncan...
is a spin-off of The Mummy ReturnsThe Mummy ReturnsThe Mummy Returns is a 2001 American adventure film written and directed by Stephen Sommers, starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, Patricia Velásquez and Freddie Boath. The film is a sequel to the 1999 film The Mummy...
, which centers around The Scorpion King, an antagonistAntagonistAn antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
from The Mummy Returns. - Get Him to the GreekGet Him to the GreekGet Him to the Greek is a 2010 American comedy film written, produced, and directed by Nicholas Stoller and starring Jonah Hill and Russell Brand. The film was released on June 4, 2010. Get Him to the Greek is a spin-off sequel of Stoller's 2008 film Forgetting Sarah Marshall, reuniting director...
is a spin-off from Forgetting Sarah MarshallForgetting Sarah MarshallForgetting Sarah Marshall is a 2008 American romantic comedy film directed by Nicholas Stoller and starring Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis and Russell Brand...
that focuses on the character, Aldous Snow. - The 3D film Puss in BootsPuss in Boots (2011 film)Puss in Boots is a 2011 computer-animated adventure Western film produced by DreamWorks Animation, directed by Chris Miller , executive produced by Guillermo del Toro, and written by Brian Lynch, with screenplay by Tom Wheeler. It stars Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob...
is a prequel spin-off to the ShrekShrek (series)The Shrek film series from DreamWorks Animation, based on William Steig's picture book, Shrek!, consists of four computer-animated films including: Shrek , Shrek 2 , Shrek the Third , and Shrek Forever After . A short 3D film, Shrek 4-D, which originally was a theme park ride, was released in 2003...
films.
In video games
- Spin-offs also occur in video games. For example, the Wario Land series began as a spin-off from the Super Mario LandSuper Mario Landis a platforming video game developed by Nintendo for the Game Boy handheld game console. It and the Game Boy debuted in Japan on April 21, 1989, in the United States on July 31, 1989, and in Europe on September 28, 1990...
series (Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, known in Japan as , is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo on the Game Boy in 1994. It is the first video game to feature Wario as both a playable character and the main character, as well as the first appearance of Captain Syrup and her Brown Sugar...
), which was itself a spin-off of the Super Mario Bros.Super Mario Bros.is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
video game series, which in turn was a spin-off from Donkey Kong. In fact, Mario has many spin-offs, such as Mario PartyMario Partyis a party video game for the Nintendo 64 game console, developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on December 14, 1998, in North America on February 8, 1999, and in Europe on March 9, 1999...
and the various Mario sports games, which may not be canon to the series and are more about racing and minigames. - Viper Phase 1Viper Phase 1is a 1995 scrolling shooter arcade game by Seibu Kaihatsu, and is the spin-off in the Raiden series. This game is often referred to as "Raiden in space".-Story:...
began as a spin-off from the RaidenRaiden (arcade game)is a scrolling shooter arcade game that was developed by Seibu Kaihatsu. It was the first game in the popular Raiden series of scrolling shooter arcade games.Raiden first made its debut in September 1990...
series. - The Nina WilliamsNina Williamsis a character from Namco's Tekken game series. She is known to be a cold-blooded assassin who had made her very first appearance in the original Tekken game and since has appeared in every Tekken game released...
game Death by DegreesDeath by DegreesDeath by Degrees is an action-adventure video game, developed by Namco. It is initially a spin-off from the Tekken series of fighting games...
was a spin-off from the Tekken series. - Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland and Tingle's Balloon Fight DS are spin-offs of The Legend of Zelda Series.
- Pokemon RangerPokémon Rangeris an action/role-playing video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS video game console. The game was released at various dates, varying between continents. The game was first released in Japan on March 22, 2006 and was later released in North America and...
series and Pokemon Mystery DungeonPokémon Mystery Dungeon- Manga :*Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Ginji's Rescue Team, manga adaption of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team*Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blazing Exploration Team, manga adaption of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time, Explorers of Darkness, and Explorers of Sky.-...
series are spin off series from the PokemonPokémonis a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
series. - Final Fantasy Crystal ChroniclesFinal Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (series)is a series of video games by Square Enix. Created by Akitoshi Kawazu, the Crystal Chronicles series is a spin-off series of the Final Fantasy media franchise, and has so far only appeared on Nintendo consoles.- Titles :...
is a spinoff series from the Final FantasyFinal Fantasyis a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
series. - Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?, is a 2D side-scrolling adventure video game for the PlayStation Portable, developed by Nippon Ichi Software. It is a spin-off title in the Disgaea series.-Gameplay:...
is a spin-off of the DisgaeaDisgaeais a video game series of tactical role-playing games created and developed by Nippon Ichi. The series debuted in Japan on January 30, , with Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, later re-released as Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness and Disgaea DS. One of Nippon Ichi's most popular franchises, it has branched...
series, featuring the creature known as the PrinnyPrinnyare a fictional race of creatures in Nippon Ichi's video games. First appearing in Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, they have appeared in all later titles by the company, as well as on various merchandise such as hats and plush toys...
. - Shadow the HedgehogShadow the Hedgehog (video game)Shadow the Hedgehog is a 2005 video game developed by Sega Studio USA, the former United States division of Sega's Sonic Team. Featuring the titular fictional character Shadow the Hedgehog from Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series, the game was revealed at the March 2005 Walk of Game inauguration of...
is a spin-off of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, starring Shadow the HedgehogShadow the Hedgehogis a character from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Shadow is an artificially-created life form. His trademark hover shoes propel him at extreme speeds that rival those of Sonic, and with a Chaos Emerald he has the ability to distort time and space using "Chaos Control." Often referred to as being...
in his own game. Other Sonic spin-offs include Tails AdventureTails Adventure, also known as Tails Adventures, is an action-adventure video game with role-playing elements that was developed by Aspect and distributed by Sega in 1995 for the videogame console Sega Game Gear....
, Tails' SkypatrolTails' Skypatrolis a platform/adventure video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed by JSH and published by Sega for Sega Game Gear. It was originally released on April 28, 1995 as an exclusive game to the Japanese market...
and Knuckles' ChaotixKnuckles' ChaotixKnuckles' Chaotix, is a platform game spin-off to the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed by Sonic Team, and published by Sega for the Sega 32X. The game was released in North America in March 1995, in Japan on April 21, 1995 and finally in Europe in May 1995. The game's only re-release since then...
. - The Rayman Raving RabbidsRayman Raving RabbidsRayman Raving Rabbids, known in French as , is a spinoff in the Rayman series released by the French company Ubisoft as a Wii launch title. The game consists of over 70 minigames...
series is a spin-off of the RaymanRaymanRayman is a platform video game published, produced and developed by Ubisoft and is the first game in the Rayman series of videogames. Originally released on the PlayStation in 1995, it was re-released for the Atari Jaguar, Sega Saturn and MS-DOS in 1996. It has also been ported to various formats,...
series. - The Tales series has a number of spin-off titles, most notable the Tales of the World series and Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New WorldTales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New WorldTales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, known in Japan as , is a console role-playing game developed by Namco Tales Studio and published by Namco Bandai for the Wii as a cross of spin-off and sequel to Tales of Symphonia for the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2. Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of...
. - Call Of Duty World At War: Zombies is a spin off of the Nazi Zombies feature in Call Of Duty World At War, but on the Iphone.
- Lara Croft and the Guardian of LightLara Croft and the Guardian of LightLara Croft and the Guardian of Light is a fixed-camera 3D platform viewpoint action video game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix for the PC, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade and the iOS as part of the Tomb Raider series for digital download...
from the Tomb RaiderTomb RaiderTomb Raider is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was originally released in 1996 for the Sega Saturn, with MS-DOS and PlayStation versions following shortly thereafter...
series, first spin-off in the series
In comics
Some notable examples of comic book characters who at first were supporting characters in one comic but then got their own titles include the SmurfsThe Smurfs
The Smurfs is a comic and television franchise centred on a group of small blue fictional creatures called Smurfs, created and first introduced as a series of comic strips by the Belgian cartoonist Peyo on October 23, 1958...
who originated in Johan and Peewit
Johan and Peewit
Johan and Peewit is a Belgian comics series created by Peyo. Since its initial appearance in 1947 it has been published in 13 albums that appeared before the death of Peyo in 1992. Thereafter, a team of comic book creators from Studio Peyo continued to publish the stories.The series is set in...
, Marsupilami
Marsupilami
Marsupilami is a fictional comic book species created by André Franquin, first published on 31 January 1952 in the magazine Spirou. Since then it appeared regularly in the popular Belgian comic book series Spirou et Fantasio until Franquin stopped working on the series in 1968 and the character...
who first appears in Spirou et Fantasio
Spirou et Fantasio
Spirou et Fantasio is one of the most popular classic Franco-Belgian comic strips. The series, which has been running since 1938, shares many characteristics with other European humorous adventure comics like Tintin and Asterix...
, and the Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
who first appeared in Superboy
Superboy
Superboy is the name of several fictional characters that have been published by DC Comics, most of them youthful incarnations of Superman. These characters have also been the main characters of four ongoing Superboy comic book series published by DC....
which in turn was a spin-off from Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
and Jack of Fables
Jack of Fables
Jack of Fables was a spin-off of the comic book Fables, both of which were published by DC Comics as part of that company's Vertigo imprint. It shows the adventures of Jack Horner after his exile from Fabletown. A preview of the series was shown in Fables #50, and the series itself debuted in July...
which was a spin-off from the DC Vertigo comic Fables.
Remakes
One notable case which is not a spin-off is when the same series is later remade, or re-imagined. Examples include Battlestar GalacticaBattlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The franchise began with the Battlestar Galactica TV series in 1978, and was followed by a brief sequel TV series in 1980, a line of book adaptations, original novels, comic books, a board game, and video games...
(1978, 2003), He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is an American animated television series produced by Filmation based on Mattel's successful toy line Masters of the Universe...
(1983, 2002), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists...
(1987, 2003).
Television remakes are particularly common as trans-Atlantic ports, where US shows are remade for the UK (see List of British television programmes based on American television series) or more frequently, UK shows are remade for a US market (see List of American television series based on British television series). A particularly interesting example is Three's Company
Three's Company
Three's Company is an American sitcom that aired from March 15, 1977, to September 18, 1984, on ABC. It is based on the British sitcom, Man About the House....
, a US remake of the British Man About The House
Man About the House
Man About the House is a British sitcom starring Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox and Sally Thomsett that was broadcast for six seasons on ITV from 1973 to 1976. It was created and written by Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke. The series was considered daring at the time due to its subject matter of...
: not only was the original show re-created (with very few character or situation changes made, at least initially), but both series had spin-offs based on the Ropers (in the UK, George And Mildred
George and Mildred
George and Mildred is a British sitcom produced by Thames Television that aired from 1976 to 1979. It was a spin-off from Man About the House and starred Brian Murphy and Yootha Joyce as an ill-matched married couple, George and Mildred Roper...
, in the US, The Ropers
The Ropers
The Ropers is an American sitcom that ran from March 13, 1979 to May 22, 1980 on ABC. The series is a spinoff of Three's Company and based on the British sitcom George and Mildred...
), and both series were eventually re-tooled into series based on the male lead (in the UK, Robin's Nest
Robin's Nest
Robin's Nest is a British sitcom starring Richard O'Sullivan as Robin Tripp, one of the lead characters in the sitcom Man About the House, which had ended in 1976. Robin's Nest aired for six series from 1977 to 1981, and co-starred Tessa Wyatt as Robin's girlfriend and later wife and Tony Britton...
, in the US, Three's A Crowd
Three's a Crowd
Three's a Crowd is an American television sitcom spinoff of Three's Company...
).
Another noteworthy (and increasingly common) development is the use of a successful (usually older) television series to be remade as a feature film. Often, these fare badly at the box-office and/or are considered a poor reflection on the source material (e.g. The Beverly Hillbillies, Bewitched, My Favorite Martian
My Favorite Martian (film)
My Favorite Martian is a 1999 science fiction comedy film starring Christopher Lloyd, Jeff Daniels, Daryl Hannah, Elizabeth Hurley, Wallace Shawn and Ray Walston, based on the 1960s television series of the same name. It was directed by Donald Petrie and written by original-series creator John L....
, Dudley Do-Right
Dudley Do-Right (film)
Dudley Do-Right is a 1999 romantic comedy film, based on Jay Ward's Dudley Do-Right, produced by Davis Entertainment for Universal Studios. The film stars Brendan Fraser as the cartoon's title character. It was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
), however, some have gone on to become successful film franchises (e.g. Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo (film)
Scooby-Doo is a 2002 American comedy film based on the Hanna-Barbera television cartoon series Scooby-Doo about a group of young detectives and their talking dog. It is the first installment in the Scooby-Doo live action film series...
, The Addams Family
The Addams Family (film)
The Addams Family is a 1991 American black comedy film based on the characters from the cartoon of the same name created by cartoonist Charles Addams....
, and Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible (film)
Mission: Impossible is a 1996 action thriller directed by Brian De Palma and starring Tom Cruise. Following on from the television series of the same name, the plot follows a new agent, Ethan Hunt and his mission to uncover the mole within the CIA who has framed him for the murders of his entire...
).
Cross-overs
Sometimes even where a show is not a spin-off from another, there will nevertheless be cross-overFictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
s, where a character from one show makes an appearance on another. A notable example of this is Ursula and Phoebe Buffay
Phoebe Buffay
Phoebe Buffay-Hannigan is a fictional character on the U.S. television sitcom Friends , portrayed by Lisa Kudrow...
, twin sisters played by Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Valerie Kudrow is an American actress, best known for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the television sitcom Friends, for which she received many accolades including an Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards...
who normally are on different shows, Mad About You
Mad About You
Mad About You is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 23, 1992 to May 24, 1999. The show starred Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a newly married couple in New York City. Reiser played Paul Buchman, a documentary film maker. Hunt played Jamie Stemple Buchman, a public relations specialist...
and Friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
respectively, but sometimes meet. This is also done by Ray Romano
Ray Romano
Raymond Albert "Ray" Romano is an American actor, writer and stand-up comedian, best known for his roles on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond and in the Ice Age film series. He recently starred in the TNT comedy-drama Men of a Certain Age.-Early life:Romano was born in Queens, New York to Italian...
and Kevin James with Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
and King of Queens. Additionally, Romano appeared on an episode of The Nanny
The Nanny (TV series)
The Nanny is an American television sitcom co-produced by Sternin & Fraser Ink, Inc., and Fran Drescher in association with TriStar Television for the CBS network...
where it was revealed that the characters Ray and Fran attended the same high school. Steve Urkel
Steve Urkel
Steven Quincy Urkel, generally known as Steve Urkel or simply Urkel, is a fictional character on the ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters, portrayed by Jaleel White...
from Family Matters
Family Matters (TV series)
Family Matters is an American sitcom about a middle-class African-American family living in Chicago, Illinois, which ran on national television for nine full seasons. The series was a spin-off of Perfect Strangers, but revolves around the Winslow family...
was also shown to be the cousin of one of D.J.'s friends on Full House
Full House
Full House is an American sitcom television series. Set in San Francisco, the show chronicles widowed father Danny Tanner, who, after the death of his wife, enlists his best friend Joey Gladstone and his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis to help raise his three daughters, D.J., Stephanie, and...
. The title character from Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal is an American legal comedy-drama series which aired on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who also served as the executive producer, along with Bill D'Elia...
appeared on episodes of The Practice
The Practice
The Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...
, both David E. Kelley shows. Steven Harper, the main character from Boston Public
Boston Public
Boston Public is an American drama television series created by David E. Kelley and broadcast on Fox. It centered on Winslow High School, a fictional public high school located in Boston, Massachusetts. The show was named for the real public school district in which it takes place...
who played the principal of a Boston high school, appeared as a client in Boston Legal
Boston Legal
Boston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC...
a year after Boston Public was taken off the air. These two were also David E. Kelley shows. Harper also was represented by Young, Frutt and Berlutti in The Practice
The Practice
The Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...
, the show that preceded Boston Legal
Boston Legal
Boston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC...
. Therefore, all four shows were in the same universe.
Sometimes (often in The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
and Futurama
Futurama
Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
, which also have a comic series named Crossover Crisis) characters will appear in the background, often as part of a crowd.
Sometimes crossovers are created in an attempt to provide closure to fans of another failed series. For example, Millennium
Millennium (TV series)
Millennium is an American television series created by Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files. Millennium aired on the Fox Network from 1996 to 1999. The series was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, though most episodes were ostensibly set in or around Seattle, Washington...
’s characters Frank & Jordan Black (played by Lance Henriksen
Lance Henriksen
Lance James Henriksen is an American actor and artist best known to film and television audiences for his roles in science fiction, action, and horror films such as the Alien film franchise, and on television shows such as Millennium....
and Brittany Tiplady
Brittany Tiplady
Brittany Alexandra Tiplady is a Canadian child actress best known for her role as Jordan Black in the television series Millennium . She won a 1998 Young Artist Award for "Best Performance in a TV Drama Series - Supporting Actress"...
) appeared alongside Fox Mulder
Fox Mulder
FBI Special Agent Fox William Mulder is a fictional character and protagonist in the American Fox television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, two science fiction shows about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of Alien existence. Mulder's peers consider his theories on...
and Dana Scully
Dana Scully
FBI Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, M.D. is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series The X-Files , played by Gillian Anderson. She also appeared in two theatrical films based on the series...
in the X-Files 1999 episode "Millennium" (episode #7.05). This allowed the fans to have some closure, as none was given when Millennium was abruptly canceled prior to the 1999 season.
Sometimes show producers will re-introduce a character from an older series into a later one as a way of providing a connectivity of that particular producer's television "universe". TV producer Glen Larson is particularly known for this; for example, the character of Jonathan Chase (played by Simon MacCorkindale
Simon MacCorkindale
Simon Charles Pendered MacCorkindale was a British actor, film director, writer and producer. MacCorkindale spent much of his childhood moving around due to his father's commission with the Royal Air Force. Poor eyesight prevented him from following a similar career in the RAF, so he instead...
) from Glen Larson's failed 80's show Manimal
Manimal
Manimal is an American action–adventure series that ran from September 30 to December 17, 1983 on NBC. The show centers on the character Dr Jonathan Chase , a shape-shifting man who possessed the ability to turn himself into any animal he chose...
appeared in an episode of Larson's syndicated 90's series Night Man
Night Man
Night Man is an American action/adventure/sci-fi series that aired in syndication from September 15, 1997 to May 17, 1999. The series is loosely based on a comic book published by Malibu Comics and was created by Steve Englehart and developed for television by Glen A...
.