ManyTV showswere so successful and popular that they continued after their end through spinoffs, and in some cases, they were better than the original show. Spinoffs are not uncommon in the world of TV, as they allow for a show to keep expanding through other characters and storylines, but unfortunately, not all of them succeed.
As popular and successful as the original TV show is, there has to be a careful selection of characters and stories for a spinoff to succeed. Many spinoffs were as good as their original show, but there have been some that managed to be even better, thanks to their engaging stories, interesting characters, and either similar or completely different tone.
The iconic warrior Xena (Lucy Lawless) had her beginnings in three episodes ofHercules: The Legendary Journeys, and they were enough to grant her her own show.Xenafollowed the title character, an infamous warrior looking for redemption by using her fighting skills to help the defenseless.
Xenaalso explored serious and complex topics like redemption, violence, and evil, and her dynamics with other characters were richer and more layered.
Xenawas a lot more popular thanHerculesand with good reason, as it perfectly blended action and drama, had strong character development, engaging storylines, andXena was a more complex and stronger lead character.Xenaalso explored serious and complex topics like redemption, violence, and evil, and her dynamics with other characters were richer and more layered.
Xena is now regarded as one of the best female lead characters in TV history, thanks to her complexity, backstory, action scenes, and Lawless’ iconic performance.Xenahas become part of pop culture, whileHerculesmostly became a forgotten TV show from the 1990s.
Dariais a spinoff of the acclaimed yet divisive and controversial animated showBeavis and Butt-Head. Daria Morgendorffer was one of Beavis and Butt-Head’s classmates, and she was granted her own TV show, with a completely different tone and animation style from that of the original show.
Dariafollows the title character, a smart but very cynical and physically inexpressive teenage girl living in the suburban town of Lawndale. Through her, the showcriticized and satirized society, high school life, adulthood, and pop culture, with relatable, charming, and funny characters and smart writing.
Surely,Beavis and Butt-HeadandDariahave completely different styles and types of comedy. Still,Dariawas a lot better developed and was more cohesive than its original show. The way it approached the topics, issues, and situations teenagers deal with in real life was better and more relatable than whatBeavis and Butt-Headdid.
Buffy the Vampire Slayerintroduced Angel (David Boreanaz), a vampire with a soul who became Buffy’s (Sarah Michelle Gellar) main love interest. The popularity ofBuffyand Angel led to the latter getting his own spinoff show, simply titledAngel, in whichhe moves to Los Angeles and starts working as a detective.
Angelis widely regarded as one of the best spinoffs of all time, though whether it’s better thanBuffyor not depends on each viewer – however, it can’t be denied thatit’s, at the very least, as good as its original series.
Angelis also considered by many to be more consistent in quality thanBuffy, but the truth is that both complement each other perfectly.
Angelhas a different tone and style, being darker, more mature, and with stronger character development, especially with Angel and Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter).Angelis also considered by many to be more consistent in quality thanBuffy, but the truth is that both complement each other perfectly.
TheLaw & Orderfranchisehas many great spinoffs, but the best is definitelyLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit.SVUfollows detectives Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) asthey investigate sexual crimes in Manhattan. Because of this,SVUis a lot darker.
Law & Order: SVUis more character-driven and explores the psychological impact on the victims, making it more personal and complex.SVUis grittier and more visceral, leading to it being more impactful and thus leaving a bigger mark on the audience.
Although all this also makesSVUmore disturbing thanLaw & Orderand thus can be a difficult watch for many, its complexity and realistic tone have made it superior to its original show.
Degrassiis one of the most successful franchises in Canadian history, and it has expanded through other media and spinoffs, the most successful and popular one beingDegrassi: The Next Generation. As the title says, the show follows a new generation of Degrassi students, some of them related to characters from the previous series, who are now part of the adult cast.
The Next Generationreceived a lot of praise for its realism, complexity, depth, and character development
Degrassi: The Next Generationsucceeded thanks toits respectful and relatable approach to serious topics and issues that teenagers deal with, such as bullying, teen pregnancy, homophobia, addiction, and a lot more.The Next Generationreceived a lot of praise for its realism, complexity, depth, and character development, and ran for 14 seasons.
Cheersis one of the most popular and successful sitcoms of all time, and it made way for an even better sitcom:Frasier, focused on psychiatrist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer).Frasierfollows the title character as he moves back to his hometown of Seattle, Washington, after his marriage ends. There, he takes his father, a retired police officer, in after he’s injured.
The show followsFrasier’s struggles to adapt to this new lifestyle as a single man and with his father, with whom he often clashes. While many will argue thatCheersis still superior,Frasierhad better writing, character development, relatable storylines, and wittier humor, building a loyal fanbase that’s still active.
The Simpsonsis a spinoff show, and it’s one of the best examples of a spinoff that is way better than its original show, though it has a slightly different origin than most spinoffs.The Simpsonsbegan as a series of animated shorts that were part ofThe Tracey Ullman Show, a sketch comedy variety show of the 1980s.
After three seasons,The Simpsonswas developed into a half-hour prime-time show, and it’s now the longest-running American animated series. For over 30 seasons,The Simpsonshas taken its title family to different places in and out of Springfield and to all types of adventures and conflicts.
Of course,The Simpsonsis superior to its original show and its original format becauseit’s a lot better developed in all ways, the animation gradually improved, and the personalities of the characters were also gradually defined. It’s not surprising, then, thatThe Simpsonshas stayed for so long.
This is one case where the spinoff is, at the very least, at the same level of greatness as the original show, with many considering it superior.Breaking Badis regarded as one ofthe best TV shows of all time, and so isBetter Call Saul, itsprequel spinoff series focused on Bob Odenkirk’s character Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman.
The show follows his journey in transforming into Saul Goodman, a criminal lawyer with links to the criminal underworld.
Set in the early to mid-2000s in Albuquerque, New Mexico,Better Call Saulfollows former con artist Jimmy McGill, who looks to gain some respect as a public defender. The show follows his journey in transforming into Saul Goodman, a criminal lawyer with links to the criminal underworld.
Better Call Saulhas a slower pace thanBreaking Bad, which allowed for better character development and exploration of moral ambiguity, all of which provide a more complete and complex backstory for the characters who later play a role inBreaking Bad. While the slower pace and less action might not be for allBreaking Badfans, the incredible quality ofBetter Call Saulcan’t be denied.
