The spin-off is a TV technique as old as time, how else to keep loved characters on screen when a show has to die. It also gives the writers the handy head-start of not having to invent an entirely new lead character and spend time setting them up.
But it’s not a simple thing to pull off well, so what are the golden rules you have to abide by to give your show that X-factor that sets it apart from the crowd and lets it step out of its origins shadow.
The important thing to keep hold of is that any spin-off needs to offer something similar, but different to the show it came from. While that may seem like an impossible task it’s actually quite simple.
Go for the same genre, but a different angle.
Take Frasier for example. A spin-off of the extremely popular Cheers, Frasier stayed in the comedy wheelhouse, but changed tack completely. Cheers was about friendship, warm-heartedness and getting past social issues. Frasier, on the other hand, mocked people’s choices of wine and pretentiously prattled around.
The same rule applies to Torchwood, a sci-fi show just like Doctor Who, but with simply a more adult angle. The show had its occasional bum moments, but was an overall triumph.
Even the most successful spin-off of all time played by this rule
While Torchwood never hit the heights of Doctor Who, many spin-offs have bested their origins.
The clearest difference came in the shape of late nineties animation Daria. A spin-off of Beavis and Butthead, Daria moved the show onto a different level, ditching the adolescent humour of its parent show in lieu of sharp, cutting satire. To call Daria an improvement is a vast understatement.
The common link between these three though is following an underused but highly liked character. Frasier, Captain Jack and Daria never stared in their shows, so giving them a whole new platform just gave fans what they wanted.
Even the most successful spin-off of all time played by this rule. A spin off from The Tracey Ullman show, where the characters were only in two-minute long skits, Springfield’s first family have since taken over TV completely.
Not much more can be said about The Simpsons, a worldwide sensation that’s broken all sorts of records, made the FOX network in America what it is today and become a cultural mainstay for the last two decades.
Following a successful character can all go terribly wrong though.
After ten years of near unparalleled success, the writers of FRIENDS were at a loss. So, obviously, you take Joey and plonk him in LA. That’ll be funny right? Everyone loves Joey?
Turns out they were wrong. Despite good early ratings, the fan reaction to Joey was severe, with fans running away from the show. Only making it halfway through its second series, Joey didn’t have anything like the success the creators wanted.
While the axe doesn’t appear to be on the horizon for The Cleveland Show though, the Family Guy spin-off has received a less than generous response from its fan base. With viewing figures about half that of American Dad and a quarter of Family Guy, the public reaction has been predominantly negative.
All of these pale in comparison to Joanie Loves Chachi. A spin-off of Happy Days, the show was hated by critics, audiences and everyone in between, it will go down in history as one of TV’s most ill-advised gambles.
These failures, and the far more regular trips into mediocrity, outnumber the successes. Yet still, despite the evidence weighted against them, TV producers still green light new spin-offs. Quicker and easier than an entirely new show, the temptation is always going to be there.
If you follow the rules and put in that little extra spark that makes any TV show, new or old, that standout quality, the spin-off can delight fans and bank balances at the same time.
FemaleFirst Cameron Smith
Tagged in The Simpsons Frasier TV Torchwood