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Over the history of modern TV sitcoms, there have been many characters who would be perfect candidates to feature as the star of their own spin-off. Some are single characters who stood out among an ensemble cast, while others were introduced in supporting roles but deserved to be given more screen time. One thing that they all have in common, though, is that they stood out as characters who would work well as the star of their own spin-off show .
1) Dr. Perry Cox – Scrubs
While Scrubs is a TV show that took plenty of turns, one of the least surprising elements of its success was the character of Doctor Perry Cox. Dr. Cox served as the mentor of protagonist J.D. throughout the show’s run, with his story focusing on his complex personality and the way in which it affected the relationships in his life. Cox and J.D.’s own relationship served as one of the show’s most important, with John C. McGinley’s performance as the chaotic and irritable doctor standing out as one of the show’s funniest and most emotional.
While Dr. Cox was a main character on all nine seasons of Scrubs – something that couldn’t even be said for protagonist J.D. – he never served as its main character. His complicated nature makes him intriguing and comedic, and his continuing journey in medicine as an ageing doctor could make for a great spin-off. Alternatively, seeing Dr. Cox retire to a life without his career could make for equally compelling viewing, further proving him as one of Scrubs‘ most interesting characters that deserves his own spin-off.
2) Cosmo Kramer – Seinfeld
Despite having been off the air for more than two decades, Seinfeld remains one of the most popular sitcoms of the modern era of television. As well as its groundbreaking comedic premise – often described as a “show about nothing” – Seinfeld‘s success was built upon the strength of its core cast. Other than its eponymous star, Seinfeld featured Jason Alexander as the neurotic George Costanza, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Jerry’s amicable ex-girlfriend Elaine Benes, and Michael Richards as his erratic, energetic neighbor Cosmo Kramer. The latter proved to be the show’s breakout star.
For many years, a Kramer spin-off was one of the most popular ideas regarding a TV sitcom. This was largely down to the comedically exaggerated charisma of Kramer, combined with Richards’ scene-stealing performance. When a real-life incident later derailed Richards’ career, all talk of a Kramer spin-off seemed to stop, though the character himself as seen in Seinfeld remains an interesting figure who could easily have supported his own show.
3) Abed Nadir – Community
There are countless great episodes of Community, many of which pushed the show’s boundaries beyond the confines of traditional sitcom fare. The show, which was often bold in its approach to its comedy narrative, featured numerous great characters, many of which could easily star in a spin-off. However, it’s Community‘s Abed that remains its best spin-off prospect. The character featured as part of the show’s main cast throughout its run, and though he was never treated as its protagonist, he certainly had the most potential to lead his own show.
A considerable part of Abed’s characterization revolved around his implied autistic spectrum disorder, as well as his infatuation with all things TV and movie-related. Abed’s pop culture expertise and sub-par social skills led to many awkward, comedic, and heartwarming moments that quickly saw him become a fan-favorite character. As such, a spin-off following Abed’s life after Greendale would undoubtedly have been a hit, although his impending return in the Community movie makes a spin-off seem decidedly unlikely.
4) Jean-Ralphio Saperstein – Parks & Rec
Amid the global success of The Office, another workplace sitcom almost flew under the radar, although Parks and Recreation eventually received the attention it deserved. Parks & Rec featured a large ensemble cast, and was surprisingly able to deliver a balanced exploration of each of their lives and stories without diverging from its workplace format. For all its incredible characters, one of its recurring guest stars stands out as a prime candidate for a spin-off: Jean-Ralphio Saperstein.
Played by Ben Schwartz, Jean-Ralphio’s spoiled, obnoxious personality made for some of the show’s best comedic moments. Schwartz brought an unexpected charisma to the role that helped him secure his place as a comedy star, but also made Jean-Ralphio one of Parks & Rec‘s best supporting characters. A spin-off following the ill-advised schemes of Jean-Ralphio and his enabling father, played by Henry Winkler, could be potential comedy gold.
5) Phoebe Buffay – Friends
Although Friends featured many great guest stars over its run, the focus always remained on the relationship between its six core cast members. Though Joey (Matt LeBlanc) was later the star of his own short-lived spin-off, other members of the cast arguably deserved it more. Lisa Kudrow’s Phoebe would arguably have been the best candidate to lead a spin-off show, thanks in part to Friends‘ own handling of the character.
Of Friends‘ main cast, Phoebe’s past was the one most shrouded in mystery and tragedy. This saw Phoebe become one of the most intriguing and unique characters on the show, and her other qualities would make her the perfect choice to lead a whole new cast in a spin-off. A Phoebe-focused show could chronicle her life as she navigates being the parent she grew up without, and would also likely involve on-screen husband Mike (Paul Rudd), making her the Friends character with the most interesting spin-off concept.
6) Glenn Sturgis – Superstore
Superstore is one of the most criminally underrated sitcoms in recent history, as despite its relative success, it has rarely been talked about since its ending. Its focus on the lives and careers of employees at fictional big box store Cloud 9 made for great comedy and heartwarming human drama, with people from all backgrounds, ages, and cultures combining to make a comedic and often unenthusiastic workforce. Glenn served as the store’s manager for much of the show’s run, and his ending set up a perfect Superstore spin-off.
Glenn’s retirement was a part of the show’s final season, which went on to end with his reopening of his father’s old hardware store. Seeing Glenn rediscover his passion as an independent store owner was not just rewarding: it set up a potentially excellent sitcom of its own. Glenn hiring Mateo would have made for an interesting odd couple format, while also allowing for other Superstore characters to return. Glenn’s kind-hearted but naive nature made him a great comedic character, and his Superstore ending could easily have led to a perfect spin-off.
