Nowadays, it is not very uncommon for popular TV shows to inspire spin-off shows. These new series, although they have their own stories, typically feature characters or settings that appeared in the previous shows that inspired them. What is rarer, however, is when the spinoff manages to maintain the same level of quality as the original. Too often, TV networks just try to capitalize on the preexisting popularity of a character or setting and fail to deliver their own entertaining stories.
Happily, Some of the best spinoffs manage to impress, using preexisting characters but still managing to create inventive new stories that captivate their viewers in new and exciting ways. TNot only do these shows stand out as excellent programs in their own right, but they also manage to attract new viewers to the original series. While there will always be some dedicated viewers debating which series is better, these spinoffs manage to deliver the same level of quality as the shows they are based on.
10
Better call Saul
Breaking Bad spin-off
Being among the most popular and critically acclaimed television shows of all time, it was no big surprise when Vince Gilligan decided to make a spin-off series based on characters from Breaking Bad. The spin-off, dubbed Better call Saulprimarily follows Jimmy McGill as he gradually evolves into the ethically questionable lawyer, Saul Goodman, who has become a popular part of Breaking Bad. Several other characters from the original series also play important roles in Better call Saulincluding fixer Mike Ehrmantraut and notorious drug dealer Gus Fring.
The danger of doing Better call Saul lied about the inherent difficulty that would be involved in meeting the immense standards set by his predecessor. Impressively, the prequel series managed to live up to this high standard. Although it surprisingly failed to win any, the series was nominated for a remarkable 53 Emmy Awards across a wide range of categories. With all six seasons receiving a minimum of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s safe to say that Better call Saul did not disappoint fans of Breaking Bad.
9
Young Sheldon
Big Bang Theory Spinoff
Sitcoms are generally the most common type of TV to receive a spinoff, but Young Sheldon managed to give a unique touch to the idea. Instead of focusing on a character’s life after the events of The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon decided to explore what the character Sheldon’s life was like for many years before the original series began. This creative spinoff serves as a prequel of sorts, highlighting the unconventional childhood of young genius Sheldon Cooper, exploring his and his quirky family’s lives in Texas.
Young Sheldon stands out as one of the few spinoffs to get a spinoff of its own.
General, Young Sheldon received reviews very comparable to its comedic predecessor, with praise for the show’s charming cast and creative departure from the source material. In fact, the series was successful enough to inspire its own spinoff series. Georgie and Mandy’s first weddingwhich premiered on CBS in October 2024 and chronicles the lives of Sheldon’s older brother and his new wife. Young Sheldon stands out as one of the few spinoffs to get a spinoff of its own.
8
Frasier
Spin-off from Health
Sometimes when a sitcom ends, not all of the characters’ stories are ready to end. This was the case with the titular character of the acclaimed comedy series Frasier. The character Frasier Crane first appeared in the extremely popular sitcom, Healthdebuting in the show’s third season and gradually becoming more and more prominent as the show progressed. In September 1993, a few months later Health ended, Frasier received his own spin-off show, chronicling his new life in Seattle with his father and brother.
However Health certainly set a high standard, Frasier has consistently managed to live up to that, thanks to its charming cast and smart, heartfelt approach to comedy. Both series ran for an impressive eleven seasons and racked up an ample supply of Primetime Emmy Awards. Frasier was very popular while it was on air, but it has also gained a huge following in recent years (thanks to streaming) and has even been revived on Paramount+ starting in 2023.
7
The Originals
Vampire Diaries Spinoff
The CW drama series, the Vampire Diarieshas inspired several spin-offs over the years, but none have rivaled its quality as much as The Originals. The Originals follows Joseph Morgan’s character Klaus Mikaelson, a vampire-werewolf hybrid who returns to New Orleans, becoming deeply involved in the region’s complicated supernatural world. Although Klaus is the clear protagonist of The Originalsseveral other characters from the Vampire Diaries appear in the series as well, creating many interesting ties for fans of the parent series.
In fact, three seasons of the show managed to secure a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The same could also be said about the Vampire Diaries (although that series ran for eight seasons in total). While the supernatural world may not be for everyone, viewers who enjoy the universe created by the Vampire Diaries will probably love the sequel provided by The Originals.
6
Laverne and Shirley
Spin-off from Happy days
With its widespread success and popularity, it wasn’t too surprising that Happy days has accumulated an extensive list of spin-offs over the years. While some of these spinoffs have certainly been very creative (Mork and Mindy especially), none were as successful as Laverne and Shirley. Although they only appeared in a few Happy days episodes, Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney’s characters were an immediate hit with audiences, inspiring the network to give them their own one-off series.
Laverne and Shirley follows the duo as they live together and work side by side at a brewery in Wisconsin. While on air, the series It was one of the most watched programs on television. The series ran for eight full seasons, totaling an impressive total of 178 episodes. Audiences loved following the adorable, believable friendship between the main characters and seeing the hilarious use of physical comedy.
5
Daria
Beavis and Butt-Head spin-off
Mike Judge’s animated sitcom, Beavis and Butt-HeadIt may not be the kind of show that wins awards shows, but it’s impossible to deny its widespread popularity and influence on American culture. Its enormous popularity, especially among young adult audiences, made it an excellent candidate for a spin-off, paving the way for Daria. In the original series, Daria was a supporting character whose sarcastic wit provided a nice balance to the series’ immature protagonists. Daria’s character resonated with audiences, eventually earning her her own show.
Just like its predecessor, Daria is less about having an overarching narrative and more about providing a realistic representation of high school life for the average American teenager. Each episode follows Daria as she absorbs all the eccentricities of the world around her, never failing to showcase her intelligence and natural humor. Daria offered the comedy and atmosphere that fans of Beavis and Butt-Head beloved, while also presenting a new perspective through the eyes of a drastically different character.
4
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit
Law and Order Spinoff
One of the longest-running spinoffs of all time is, without a doubt, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (or SVUfor short), clocking up an impressive 26 seasons and over 550 episodes so far. The series is a spin-off of Law and Orderthe classic NBC police procedural that initially began in the early ’90s. SVU employs similar structure and style to its predecessor, with each episode showing the characters investigating a new crime, typically inspired by true events.
Throughout its 26 seasons SVU it remained consistently popular and received much critical praise. SVU managed to effectively maintain the elements that attracted people to Law and Order first and foremost, while also expanding the series with new and fresh ideas to differentiate itself. Although many programs that last this long often start to wane after a while, SVU in fact, it was praised for its improvement in quality after the first few seasons.
3
American horror stories
American Horror Story spin-off
The creators of American Horror Story reunite to launch American Horror Stories, a horror anthology series created for FX and Hulu. Centering on a new and unique horror story each episode, AHS follows several new characters each episode as they experience their own terrifying stories, often including the supernatural.
- Cast
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Sierra McCormick, Paris Jackson, Merrin Dungey, Matt Bomer, Naomi Grossman, John Carroll Lynch, Charles Melton, Billie Lourd
- Release date
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July 15, 2021
- Seasons
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2
- Writers
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Manny Coto, Brad Falchuck
Given the similarity of their titles, it is obvious that American horror stories and American horror story are connected in some way. However, in terms of the narratives they present, the two series are almost completely separate from each other. American horror stories is a spinoff of Ryan Murphy’s original spooky series. Both series feature many of the same actors and have very similar tones, but one important detail sets them apart.
American horror stories It may not have achieved the same level of popularity as its predecessor, but it still offers a satisfyingly scary experience for fans of short-form horror.
While American horror story highlighted a distinct narrative for each season, American horror stories takes the idea a step further, making each episode its own self-contained horror fest. The new series, which began in 2021, has everything fans loved about the original series, while also employing a structure that allows the show to diversify and explore even more realms of the horror world. American horror stories It may not have achieved the same level of popularity as its predecessor, but it still offers a satisfyingly scary experience for fans of short-form horror.
2
Lou Grant
Mary Tyler Moore Show Spin-Off
The vast majority of the time, when a TV show inspires a spin-off show, the two series have an incredibly similar tone. A rare exception to this is Lou Grantthe acclaimed CBS series, which follows the newspaper’s titular editor as he adapts to his new life and work in Los Angeles. Interestingly, this drama series was the spinoff of the popular comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Showin which Lou consistently appears as Mary’s grumpy but good-hearted boss.
Lou Grant surprised audiences by showing how the same character could work effectively across different genres. For his portrayal of Lou in the two different series, Ed Asner even won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Lou Grant racked up 13 Emmy wins in total, solidifying it as a solid (if drastically different) follow-up to The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
1
The Colbert Report
Daily Show Spinoff
When creating a spin-off series, nightly comedy news shows are certainly not the most common source of inspiration. Regardless, Comedy Central found great success when it created The Colbert Reportan unusual spin-off of the network’s iconic comedy news program, The daily program. Presented by Stephen Colbert (who embodies a fictional and exaggerated personality), The Colbert Report is a satirical news program that functions as a parody of several conservative political talk shows.
What started as a recurring segment on The daily program it quickly blossomed into a unique and hilarious show. Putting a comedic spin on the daily news wasn’t anything particularly new in and of itself, but having an entire program serve as a parody of an entire branch of media was something very exciting for viewers. Even with his more openly political perspective, The Colbert Report it attracted a large audience and became a staple of late-night television for many years.