A spinoff 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 spinoff 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 spinoff. Spinoffs are particularly common in sitcom. A related phenomenon, not to be confused with the spinoff, is the crossover.
Some spinoffs are "engineered" to introduce a new character on the original television series, just so that that character can anchor the new spinoff – 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 spinoff. 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 spinoff. When a show undergoes a name change, it is not necessarily a spinoff.
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 spinoff 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 The 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–present), which is the spinoff of NBC's Law & Order (1990–2010; 2022–present)), is the longest-running spinoff 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 spinoffs by their respective parent series.
| Parent series | Spinoff 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–present) | 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 | Spinoff 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 | Spinoff series |
|---|---|
| Pakdam Pakdai (2013–present)) | Sammy Squirrel Show |
| Party of Five (1994–2000) | Time of Your Life (1999–2000) |
| Pardon the Interruption (2001–present) | Around the Horn (2002–present) 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–present) |
|
| 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, 1997–2023) | 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–present) | |
| 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–present) | 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 | Spinoff series |
|---|---|
| Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (2003–2007) | Queer Eye for the Straight Girl (2005) |
| Queer Eye (2018–present)) |
| Parent series | Spinoff 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 | Spinoff series |
|---|---|
| The X Factor (2004–present) | The Xtra Factor (2004) |
| The X Factor: Battle of the Stars (2006) | |
| The X-Files (1993–2002, 2016-2018) | Millennium (1996–1999) |
| The Lone Gunmen (2001) | |
| X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997) | X-Men '97 (2024–present) |
| The XYY Man (1976–1977) | Strangers (1978–1982) |
| Bulman (1985–1987) | |
| Xiaolin Showdown (2003–2006) | Xiaolin Chronicles (2013–2015) |
| Parent series | Spinoff series |
|---|---|
| Z-Cars (1962–1978) | Softly, Softly (1966–1969) |
| Zoom (1972–1978) | Zoom (1999–2005) |
Arquette previously appeared on CSI in a backdoor pilot episode for Cyber last spring.
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