A spin-off in television is a new series containing characters or settings that originated in a previous series, but with a different focus, tone, or theme. For example, the series Frasier was a spin-off of the earlier series Cheers : the character Frasier Crane was introduced as a secondary character on Cheers, and became the protagonist of his own series, set in a different city, in the spin-off. Spin-offs are particularly common in sitcom. A related phenomenon, not to be confused with the spin-off, is the crossover.
Some spin-offs are "engineered" to introduce a new character on the original television series, just so that that character can anchor the new spin-off – that episode of the original series is often known as a "backdoor pilot". For example, the character Avery Ryan appeared in two episodes of the Las Vegas-based CSI: Crime Scene Investigation before the premiere of CSI: Cyber . [1]
A revival, a later remake of a preexisting show, is not a spin-off. This is the case in Doctor Who, where the 2005 series which begins with a new Doctor but maintains the existing continuity. An exception to this rule can be made to series such as The Transformers where the lines of continuity are blurred. If a television pilot was written but never shot, it is not considered a spin-off. When a show undergoes a name change, it is not necessarily a spin-off.
Neither is a reboot series, a term recently invented for motion pictures, which can also occur in television (e.g. The Battlestar Galactica series of 2003 is a reboot, not a spin-off of the 1978 version [2] ). This is distinct from a revival in that there is little or no attempt to retain continuity, or casting, with the original. A recent example is the 1987 series Beauty and the Beast , rebooted as the 2012 CW television series Beauty & the Beast , [3] which keeps only the main premise of a female law enforcement official aided by a man-beast, the New York City locale, and the names of the two main characters. The CW's Beauty & the Beast was later rebooted again as a Max series starting in 2023.
NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999-), which is the spin-off of NBC’s Law & Order (1990-2010; 2022-), is the longest-running spin-off series in American TV history with its landmark 25th season set to premiere on January 18, 2024.
The following is an alphabetical list of television spin-offs by their respective parent series.
Parent series | Spin-off series | Ref |
---|---|---|
7 vidas (1999–2006) | Aída (2005–2014) | |
9-1-1 (TV series) (2018) | 9-1-1: Lone Star (2020) | |
19 Kids and Counting (2008–2015) (17 Kids and Counting in 2008, 18 Kids and Counting in 2008–09) | United Bates of America (2012) | |
Jill and Jessa: Counting On (2015) | ||
16 and Pregnant (2009–2014) | Teen Mom (2009–2012; 2015) | |
Teen Mom 2 (2011–2022) | ||
Teen Mom 3 (2013) | ||
The 20th Century Fox Hour (1955–1957) | Broken Arrow (1956–1958) | |
21 Jump Street (1987–1991) | Booker (1989–1990) | |
24 (2001–2010, 2014) | 24: Legacy (2017) | |
60 Minutes (1968–) | 60 Minutes II (1999–2005) | [4] |
60 Minutes+ (2022) | [5] | |
No. 73 (1982–1988) | 7T3 (1988) | |
77 Sunset Strip (1958–1964) | Bourbon Street Beat (1959–1960) |
Parent series | Spin-off series |
---|---|
EastEnders (1985–present) | Civvy Street (1988) |
EastEnders: E20 (2010–11) | |
Redwater (2017) | |
The Electric Company (1971–1977) | The Electric Company (2009–2011) |
The Electric Playground (1997) | Judgement Day (2002–2007) |
The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) | Bethenny (2012; test run only) |
Emergency Vets (1998–2002) | E-Vet Interns (2007) |
Empty Nest (1988–1995) | Nurses (1991–1994) |
Encantadia (2005–2006) | Etheria: Ang Ikalimang Kaharian ng Encantadia (2005–2006) |
Encantadia: Pag-ibig Hanggang Wakas (2006) | |
Encantadia (2016 TV series) (2016) | |
Essence of Emeril (1994–1996, 2000) | Emeril Live (1997–2007) |
Every Witch Way (2014–2015) | WITS Academy (2015) |
Extreme Makeover (2002–2007) | Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (2003–2012) |
Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition (2011) | |
Entertainment Tonight (1981–present) | Hard Copy (1989–1999) |
Real TV (1996–2001) | |
Maximum Exposure (2000–2002) | |
The Insider (2004–2017) |
Parent series | Spin-off series |
---|---|
Pakdam Pakdai (2013-present) | Sammy Squirrel Show |
Party of Five (1994–2000) | Time of Your Life (1999–2000) |
Pardon the Interruption (2001–) | Around the Horn (2002-) Cold Pizza (2003–2007) |
The Partridge Family (1970–1974) | Getting Together (1971–1972) |
Partridge Family 2200 A.D. (1974) | |
Password (1961–1967, 1971–1975) |
|
Pawn Stars (2009–) |
|
Pebble Mill at One (1973–1986) |
|
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show (1971–1972) | The Flintstone Comedy Hour (1972–1973) |
The People's Court (1981–93, 1997–present) | Judge Wapner's Animal Court (1998–2000) |
Perfect Strangers (1986–1993) | Family Matters (1989–1998) |
Perry Mason (1957–1966) | The New Perry Mason (1973–1974) |
Petticoat Junction (1963–1970) | Green Acres (1965–1971) |
That Peter Kay Thing (2000) | Phoenix Nights (2001–2002) |
Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere (2004) | |
Phineas and Ferb (2007-2015) | Take Two with Phineas and Ferb (2010–2011) |
Pingu (1990-2000, 2003-2006) | The Pingu Show (2006–2007) |
Pingu in the City (2017-) | |
The Pink Panther Show (1969–1980) | Pink Panther and Sons (1984–1985) |
The Pink Panther (1993–1995) | |
Pink Panther and Pals (2010) | |
Play for Today (1970–1984) | Rumpole of the Bailey (1975–1992) |
Boys from the Blackstuff (1980–1982) | |
Please Sir! (1968–1972) | The Fenn Street Gang (1971–1973) |
Bowler (1973) | |
Pokémon (1997–) | Pokémon Chronicles (2001-2005) |
Police Story (1973–1978) | Police Woman (1974–1978) |
Joe Forrester (1975–1976) | |
David Cassidy: Man Under Cover (1978–1979) | |
Popeye the Sailor (1960–1962) | The All-New Popeye Hour (1978–1982) |
Popeye and Son (1987) | |
Popstars (1999) (Original series and resulting franchise) |
|
Porridge (1974–1977) | Going Straight (1978) |
Postman Pat (1981) | Guess with Jess (2009–2012) |
Pound Puppies (1985) |
|
The Practice (1997–2004) | Boston Legal (2004–2008) |
Pretty Little Liars (2010–2017) |
|
Primeval (2007–2011) | Primeval: New World (2012–2013) |
The Professionals (1977–1983) | CI5: The New Professionals (1999) |
Project Greenlight (2001–2005) |
|
Property Brothers (2011–present) |
|
Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2011) | Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story: Magia Record (2020) |
The Pupil (2010–2011) | Code of Law (2012–2020) |
Derek (2019) | |
Forensik (2020) |
Parent series | Spin-off series |
---|---|
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (2003–2007) | Queer Eye for the Straight Girl (2005) |
Queer Eye (2018-present) |
Parent series | Spin-off series |
---|---|
The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017) | The Originals (2013–2018) |
Legacies (2018–2022) | |
VeggieTales (1993) |
|
Vic Reeves Big Night Out (1990–1991) | Les Lives (1993) |
Victorious (2010–2013) | Sam & Cat (2013–2014) |
The Virginian (1962–1971) | Laredo (1965–1967) |
Vision On (1964–1976) | Take Hart (1977–1983) |
Viva La Bam (2003–2005) | Bam's Unholy Union (2007) |
Bam's World Domination (2010 special) | |
Voltron (1984–1985) | Voltron: The Third Dimension (1998–2000) |
Voltron Force (2011–2012) |
Parent series | Spin-off series |
---|---|
The X Factor (2004–present) | The Xtra Factor (2004) |
The X Factor: Battle of the Stars (2006) | |
The X-Files (1993–2002) | Millennium (1996–1999) |
The Lone Gunmen (2001) | |
The XYY Man (1976–1977) | Strangers (1978–1982) |
Bulman (1985–1987) | |
Xiaolin Showdown (2003–2006) | Xiaolin Chronicles (2013–2015) |
Parent series | Spin-off series |
---|---|
Z-Cars (1962–1978) | Softly, Softly (1966–1969) |
Zoom (1972–1978) | Zoom (1999–2005) |
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction media franchise created by Glen A. Larson. It began with the original television series in 1978, and was followed by a short-run sequel series, Galactica 1980, a line of book adaptations, original novels, comic books, a board game, and video games. A reimagined version aired as a two-part, three-hour miniseries developed by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick in 2003, followed by a 2004 television series, which aired until 2009. A prequel series, Caprica, aired in 2010.
Glen Albert Larson was an American television producer, writer, and composer. He created many series, including Alias Smith and Jones, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo, Quincy, M.E., The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, B. J. and the Bear, The Fall Guy, Magnum, P.I., and Knight Rider. Active on television until the early 2010s, he was also a member of the folk revival/satire group The Four Preps.
Mary Eileen McDonnell is an American film, stage, and television actress. She received Academy Award nominations for her roles as Stands With A Fist in Dances With Wolves and May-Alice Culhane in Passion Fish. McDonnell is well known for her performances as President Laura Roslin in Battlestar Galactica, First Lady Marilyn Whitmore in Independence Day, and Rose in Donnie Darko. She was featured as Captain Sharon Raydor during seasons 5–7 of the TNT series The Closer and starred as Commander Sharon Raydor in the spin-off series Major Crimes on the same network. In 2023, she played Madeleine Usher in the miniseries The Fall of the House of Usher on Netflix.
Richard Lawrence Hatch was an American actor and writer. He began his career as a stage actor before moving on to television work in the 1970s. Hatch is best known for his role as Captain Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica television series. He is also widely known for his role as Tom Zarek in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica.
Sister shows, also known as companion series, are two or more television series which exist in the same fictional universe and which may have crossovers. They differ to a degree from spin-offs, in that they are established independently from one another. The popularity of most series is limited to a few seasons, and sister shows allow expanding the immediate audience and ratings share. This is accomplished by using mostly different actors and production facilities. Sister shows often shift styles or target audience slightly, for a larger overall market. Thus The Beverly Hillbillies emphasizes slapstick, while Green Acres emphasizes surreal humor.
Ronald Dowl Moore is an American screenwriter and television producer. He is best known for his work on Star Trek, as well as on the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series, for which he won a Peabody Award, and on Outlander, based on the novels of the same name by Diana Gabaldon. In 2019, he created and wrote the series For All Mankind for Apple TV+.
Grace Park is an American-Canadian actress and model, known for her roles in the science-fiction series Battlestar Galactica, as Shannon Ng in the Canadian teen soap opera series Edgemont, as Officer Kono Kalakaua in the police procedural Hawaii Five-0, and as Katherine Kim in A Million Little Things.
Katee Sackhoff is an American actress. She is known for playing Lieutenant Kara "Starbuck" Thrace on the Sci Fi Channel's television program Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009), Niko Breckenridge on the Netflix series Another Life (2019–2021), Victoria "Vic" Moretti on the A&E / Netflix series Longmire and Bo-Katan Kryze on the Disney+ series The Mandalorian (2020–2023). She also provided the voice for Kryze in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels (2017) and Star Wars: Tales of the Empire (2024), as well as the voice of Bitch Pudding on Robot Chicken (2005–present). She was nominated for four Saturn Awards for her work on Battlestar Galactica and won the award for Best Supporting Actress on Television in 2005.
Jamie St John Bamber Griffith, known professionally as Jamie Bamber, is a British actor, known for his roles as Lee Adama in Battlestar Galactica and Detective Sergeant Matt Devlin in the ITV series Law & Order: UK. He also had a supporting role as 2nd Lt. Jack Foley in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, as Lieutenant Archie Kennedy in the Hornblower series and was a regular on the British series Ultimate Force and Peak Practice. In 2013, Bamber starred in the TNT medical drama Monday Mornings and, in 2014, in the Sky 1 drama The Smoke.
Tahmoh Penikett is a Canadian actor. He is known for playing Karl "Helo" Agathon on SyFy's 2004 television series Battlestar Galactica. He has appeared in TV series Supernatural, Dollhouse, the Showcase time travel show Continuum, and as the antagonist Darius in the 2006 racing video game Need for Speed: Carbon.
Alessandro Juliani is a Canadian actor and singer. He is notable for playing the roles of Tactical Officer Lieutenant Felix Gaeta on the Sci-Fi Channel television program Battlestar Galactica, Emil Hamilton in Smallville, Jacapo Sinclair on The CW series The 100, and Dr. Cerberus on the Netflix series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. He is also known for voicing the character L in the English version of the anime series Death Note and its live action films, as well as several other animation projects. Juliani provided the voice of Toa Vakama of the Bionicle and later of Aaron Fox on Nexo Knights.
Battlestar Galactica has been adapted to the comic book format since its inception, with six publishers to date taking on the project of relating the story of the Colonial Fleet and their adversaries, the Cylons, at different points.
Battlestar Galactica is an American military science fiction television series, and part of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. The show was developed by Ronald D. Moore and executive produced by Moore and David Eick as a re-imagining of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series created by Glen A. Larson. The pilot for the series first aired as a three-hour miniseries in December 2003 on the Sci-Fi Channel, which was then followed by four regular seasons, ending its run on March 20, 2009. The cast includes Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Katee Sackhoff, Jamie Bamber, James Callis, Tricia Helfer, and Grace Park.
Mark Andreas Sheppard is an English actor and musician. Sheppard is known for playing the demon/King of Hell Crowley on Supernatural and for his recurring roles as lawyer Romo Lampkin on the Battlestar Galactica reboot, Interpol investigator James Sterling on Leverage, and small-time crime lord Badger on Joss Whedon's Firefly. He also plays the character Willoughby Kipling on Doom Patrol.
David Weddle is an American television writer and producer known for episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1996–1999), The Twilight Zone (2002–2003), Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2009-2011), Falling Skies (2011-2013), and The Strain (2014-2017) with writing partner Bradley Thompson. They are currently writing for the series For All Mankind, which debuted on Apple TV+ on November 1, 2019. They also wrote for the short-lived series Ghost Stories (1997) and The Fearing Mind (2000).
Battlestar Galactica: Razor is a television film of the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series. It premiered in the United States on Sci Fi, in Canada on the Space channel and in the United Kingdom on Sky One.
CSI is a media franchise of American television series created by Anthony E. Zuiker. The first three CSI series follow the work of forensic scientists as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious deaths, while the fourth series, CSI: Cyber, emphasizes behavioral psychology and how it can be applied to cyber forensics.
Sasha Roiz is a Canadian actor known for his portrayals of Sam Adama in the science-fiction TV series Caprica and Captain Sean Renard in the American fantasy TV series Grimm.
CSI: Cyber is an American police procedural drama television series that premiered on March 4, 2015, on CBS. The series, starring Patricia Arquette and Ted Danson, is the third spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and the fourth series in the CSI franchise. On May 12, 2016, CBS canceled the series after two seasons.
Arquette previously appeared on CSI in a backdoor pilot episode for Cyber last spring.
...Sci Fi Channel's critically exalted reboot of the 1978–79 TV series about space-faring humans fleeing genocidal robots known as Cylons...
Becoming Human, the online extension to BBC3 drama Being Human, is to reach its finale via a simulcast aired online and on the digital channel.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, the spin-off.
ABC Entertainment Group president Paul Lee has a theory about why Once Upon a Time in Wonderland didn't work out. The network executive suggests the Once Upon a Time spin-off was undermined by its time slot.
The Sarah Jane Adventures – which was created by Russell T. Davies (Torchwood) specifically for her – and its spin-off, Sarah Jane's Alien Files.