Worst Spin-Offs of Great TV Shows

Some spin-offs manage to honor a beloved original while carving out their own identity; others flame out fast, weighed down by awkward premises, network moves, or dwindling ratings. Below are notable examples that struggled to find their footing, with quick details on what they tried, how long they lasted, where they aired, and why they ultimately didn’t stick around.

‘AfterMASH’ (1983–1985)

This sitcom followed Colonel Potter, Klinger, and Father Mulcahy as they moved from wartime service to a stateside VA hospital in Missouri. It aired on CBS and tried to translate ensemble dramedy into a traditional hospital workplace format. The show ran two seasons with familiar guest appearances linking back to ‘MAS*H’. Scheduling shifts and audience erosion led to cancellation after its second season.

‘Joanie Loves Chachi’ (1982–1983)

Spinning out of ‘Happy Days’, this ABC series centered on Joanie and Chachi pursuing music and romance in Chicago. Erin Moran and Scott Baio reprised their roles, with occasional crossovers from the parent show. The series delivered two short seasons and a modest episode count. Declining viewership led ABC to end the run and return the characters to ‘Happy Days’.

‘Joey’ (2004–2006)

This NBC comedy followed Joey Tribbiani to Los Angeles as he chased acting jobs and moved in with his nephew. The series introduced new family characters while sprinkling references to ‘Friends’. It produced two seasons, with several episodes held back in the U.S. during its original run. Ratings slide and time-slot changes preceded cancellation.

‘That ’80s Show’ (2002)

Designed as a sibling rather than a narrative continuation of ‘That ’70s Show’, this Fox sitcom built a new cast and a new city. It relied on decade-specific jokes, music cues, and workplace beats rather than direct character carryovers. The show aired a single season before ending. Low ratings and limited character connection to the parent brand capped its run.

‘Baywatch Nights’ (1995–1997)

This syndicated offshoot followed Mitch Buchannon moonlighting as a private investigator away from the beach patrol. After a detective-focused first year, season two pivoted into supernatural and sci-fi plots. The format overhaul didn’t stabilize viewership. The series wrapped after two seasons.

‘CSI: Cyber’ (2015–2016)

As part of the ‘CSI’ franchise, this CBS entry focused on an FBI cyber unit handling digitally enabled crimes. The series leaned on case-of-the-week storytelling with a small main team and recurring lab specialists. It ran two seasons with crossovers to other franchise shows. Network decisions after season two ended further production.

‘Ravenswood’ (2013–2014)

A spin-off of ‘Pretty Little Liars’, this ABC Family series moved a core character into a cursed Pennsylvania town. The narrative emphasized supernatural mysteries instead of the parent show’s teen thriller format. It aired one season of serialized episodes. Ratings softness led to cancellation after its initial run.

‘Once Upon a Time in Wonderland’ (2013–2014)

Set in the ‘Once Upon a Time’ universe, this ABC series reimagined Alice, the Red Queen, and Jafar with portal-hopping mythology. It launched as a limited-style companion aiming to slot between breaks of the parent show. The production delivered one season with a closed ending. Network scheduling and inconsistent audience retention curtailed continuation.

‘The Lone Gunmen’ (2001)

This Fox spin-off centered on three conspiracy journalists lifted from ‘The X-Files’. It kept a lighter tone while threading occasional mythology links to the parent series. Thirteen episodes aired before the show concluded. An unresolved storyline was later addressed within ‘The X-Files’.

‘The Brady Bunch Hour’ (1977–1977)

A variety-show spin-off, this ABC series reunited the Brady family for musical numbers, sketches, and guest segments. It followed a successful special that led to an episode order. Most original cast members returned, with one daughter recast. Short ratings momentum ended the experiment within a season.

‘The Ropers’ (1979–1980)

Born from ‘Three’s Company’, this ABC sitcom followed Stanley and Helen Roper after they sold their building and moved to a new neighborhood. The show tracked their clashes with an upscale homeowners association and a status-conscious neighbor. It ran for parts of two seasons. Network scheduling and competition hindered its audience growth.

‘Three’s a Crowd’ (1984–1985)

This continuation of ‘Three’s Company’ followed Jack Tripper running a bistro while navigating life with his girlfriend and her disapproving father. ABC kept the farce structure but shifted to a smaller ensemble. The series aired one season before stopping. Syndication of the parent show overshadowed the new premise.

‘The Tortellis’ (1987)

Spinning out of ‘Cheers’, this NBC series centered on Carla’s ex-husband Nick and his new wife Loretta in Las Vegas. The story followed their chaotic family and showbiz aspirations. It premiered midseason and delivered a brief run. Limited ratings and mixed reception ended further production.

‘The Golden Palace’ (1992–1993)

A follow-on to ‘The Golden Girls’, this CBS sitcom moved most of the original roommates into ownership of a small Miami hotel. It introduced new staff characters while keeping episodic personal-story arcs. The show ran one season before ending. Syndication of ‘The Golden Girls’ continued separately.

‘The Brady Brides’ (1981)

This NBC spin-off followed Marcia and Jan as newlyweds sharing a house with their husbands. It started with a TV movie that led into a short episodic run. The show kept the Brady tone but focused on adult domestic stories. After a limited number of episodes, the series concluded.

‘Caprica’ (2010)

Set decades before ‘Battlestar Galactica’, this Syfy drama explored corporate rivalry, grief, and the birth of the Cylons on Caprica. It adopted a slower, character-driven approach instead of military space action. One season aired, with the back half moved off the original time slot. Production ended afterward without a second-year pickup.

‘The Finder’ (2012)

A ‘Bones’ spin-off at Fox, this series followed an eccentric investigator who located missing people and objects. It shared a universe through a backdoor pilot and occasional character crossovers. The show ran one season. Ratings softness and behind-the-scenes changes preceded cancellation.

‘The Carrie Diaries’ (2013–2014)

This The CW prequel to ‘Sex and the City’ followed a teenage Carrie Bradshaw balancing school and an early fashion-career foothold. It moved the setting to the 1980s and introduced new friends and mentors. Two seasons aired with a compact episode count. The network concluded the series after season two.

‘Melrose Place’ (2009–2010)

Rebooting the Fox brand from the original ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ spin-off, this series mixed new residents with returning legacy characters. It aimed to refresh the apartment-complex soap with mystery arcs and industry subplots. The show delivered one season before ending. Returning cast appearances did not translate into sustained ratings.

‘Law & Order: LA’ (2010–2011)

This NBC entry shifted the procedural template to Los Angeles with a split cast of detectives and prosecutors. Midseason retooling reorganized the ensemble and structure. One season aired across two programming blocks. The network ended the series during the broader franchise reshuffle.

‘Law & Order: Trial by Jury’ (2005–2006)

Focused on courtroom proceedings, this NBC spin-off emphasized juror dynamics and trial strategy over investigations. It shared occasional crossovers with other franchise shows. A single season aired in a competitive time slot. Subsequent franchise entries moved back to investigative formats.

‘Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders’ (2016–2017)

A spin-off of ‘Criminal Minds’, this CBS series followed an international response unit handling cases involving Americans abroad. It retained a procedural structure with a small specialty team. Two seasons aired before the network ended its run. The main series continued independently.

‘Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior’ (2011)

Also tied to ‘Criminal Minds’, this CBS offshoot introduced a rapid-response profiling unit. It premiered midseason with a compact episode order. Crossovers with the parent show established continuity. The series ended after its first year.

‘Sam & Cat’ (2013–2014)

This Nickelodeon spin-off merged characters from ‘iCarly’ and ‘Victorious’ as roommates running a babysitting business. It debuted with strong interest and frequent guest appearances. One season aired, extended in episode count but halted before a second-year pickup. Production concluded after its initial run.

‘The Winchesters’ (2022–2023)

Set years before ‘Supernatural’, this The CW prequel followed John and Mary hunting monsters in 1970s America. It framed the narrative with a legacy character’s voiceover to connect timelines. The show aired one season. Network ownership changes and slate reductions ended the series.

‘Walker Independence’ (2022–2023)

A prequel to ‘Walker’, this The CW drama shifted to the 1800s and tracked frontier law and community politics. It used a contained town setting with season-long arcs. One season aired before the network moved away from many scripted originals. No second season was ordered.

‘Class’ (2016)

Set at Coal Hill School, this BBC Three spin-off of ‘Doctor Who’ followed teenagers dealing with alien incursions while hiding secrets from teachers and family. The Doctor appeared briefly to anchor continuity. The series ran a single season released online and on television. Plans for additional episodes did not move forward.

‘K-9 and Company’ (1981)

This ‘Doctor Who’ offshoot teamed Sarah Jane Smith with the robot dog K-9 in a village-set mystery with science-fiction elements. It premiered as a Christmas special intended to seed a series. Only the pilot was produced. The character later returned to ‘Doctor Who’ and other spin-offs.

‘Saved by the Bell: The College Years’ (1993–1994)

A direct continuation of ‘Saved by the Bell’, this NBC sitcom moved Zack, Slater, and Screech to a university dorm. The show adopted a prime-time format with longer episodes and more serialized relationships. It lasted one season before concluding with a TV movie event. The Saturday-morning sequel ‘The New Class’ continued separately.

‘The Walking Dead: World Beyond’ (2020–2021)

This AMC spin-off told a limited two-season story about a group of teenagers leaving a protected community years into the apocalypse. It expanded mythology related to the larger franchise’s shadowy organizations. The series was designed to end after its second season. Characters and plot points fed into other franchise entries rather than continuing here.

What other spin-offs do you think missed the mark—share your picks in the comments!