We've talked about this a lot here at TV Squad: what are the worst spin-offs of all-time? Joanie Loves Chachi always makes such a list as does AfterMASH. So it's no surprise that both shows made Time's list of the 10 worst spin-offs of all-time. In fact, AfterMASH is in the number one slot.Other shows on the list are good examples of bad spin-offs too, including The Ropers, the Three's Company spin-off that was rather unnecessary; Joey, the Friends spin-off that just couldn't recapture the magic of the parent series; and Baywatch Nights, which always amazed me with the fact that Mitch Buchannon never mentioned to the other lifeguards at his day job on the beach that he was fighting monsters and evil spirits in his night job.
I'm impressed that they not only picked the Spenser: For Hire spin-off A Man Called Hawk but placed it so high on the list, at number three. That really was a disappointing show. Some characters are just more effective in supporting roles.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-03-2008 @ 11:46AM
Galley said...
The Lone Gunmen? What was wrong with that show?
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10-03-2008 @ 12:09PM
Wii60 said...
Sometimes, a show can be TOO good and TOO funny.
Also, ice cream isn't delicious and pigs can fly.
10-03-2008 @ 12:32PM
colby said...
I, for one, enjoyed the heck out of "Booker". Wouldn't classify SBTB: College Years a spin-off, but simply a continuation of the series.
All-time worst has to be "Top of the Heap" (another LeBlanc vehicle) that spun off from Married with Children. Although, not sure if you could consider that a spin-off because the Fox folks conceived the show before working it into Married with Children to gain an audience.
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10-03-2008 @ 1:51PM
jeff said...
Where is the cosby spinoff, A Different World, or something like that. That was horrible.
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10-03-2008 @ 9:17PM
Jojee said...
What? Different World should be nowhere on that list. Once Lisa Bonet and Marisa Tomei where gone...the show was great.
10-03-2008 @ 3:16PM
Randy Clark said...
This is a pretty ridiculous list. Obviously the programs listed were selected based on whether a youtube video was available. Does anyone really believe that A Man Called Hawk and The Lone Gunmen is a worse spin-off than Enos? Or that AfterMash is worse than Just the Ten of Us or Gloria, easily two of the worst sit-coms ever?
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10-03-2008 @ 3:32PM
iamhoff said...
Ummm, Galactica 1980 anybody?
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10-05-2008 @ 1:27AM
Oreo said...
Winner
10-03-2008 @ 4:29PM
Yvette said...
What about "Beverly Hills Buntz", a spin off from "Hill Street Blues" or "The Tortellis", a spin-off from "Cheers"?
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10-03-2008 @ 7:18PM
C C said...
I'm not sure this counts, as it wasn't technically a spin-off, but one of the worst "revivals"
I've ever seen was The "New" WKRP in Cincinatti. The original was so great, thanks to the brilliance of Hugh Wilson's writing. Whose idea was it to bring it back, with a mostly new cast and (I think) without Wilson's input? Just stupid.
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10-04-2008 @ 7:03AM
Brent McKee said...
There hangs a tail. The original MTM Enterprises was founded by Grant Tinker and produced the original "WKRP." In 1990 the company was sold to TVS Entertainment. TVS was then acquired by International Family Entertainment in 1992. That company was owned by evangelist Pat Robertson. Which means that the blame for doing a "New WKRP" goes right to him.
10-03-2008 @ 11:06PM
h0mi said...
Three's a crowd deserves mention.
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