In recent years, the likes of Gen V, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, Better Call Saul, and more have become just as notable as their parent show, while classic series such as The Simpsons, NCIS, Frasier, and arguably surpassed the original. This level of success isn’t achieved by all TV spinoffs, however, with some, including How I Met Your Father, That ’80s Show, and The Golden Palace being among some of the most disappointing spinoffs, but there are some that had the recipe for success, yet still flopped dramatically.
3) Caprica (2010)
A year after Battlestar Galactica ended in October 2009, a prequel series took us 58 years before the celebrated sci-fi series. Caprica had the opportunity to feed off Battlestar Galactica’s important place in sci-fi history, and could have been an incredible prequel, exploring how humanity first created the Cylon androids who would later turn their back on their creators. This could have been an in-depth look into the existential, psychological, and philosophical arguments for and against artificial intelligence – which would have been way ahead of its time – but Caprica failed to replicate the original show’s humor, authenticity, and excitement.
2) The Lone Gunmen (2001)
The second spinoff from the popular The X-Files series, 2001’s The Lone Gunmen followed the titular trio of private investigators who run a conspiracy theory magazine. More grounded and less paranormal and extraterrestrial than The X-Files, The Lone Gunmen perhaps lost some of the magic of the original series. The trio fought escaped Nazis, government-sponsored terrorist plots, corporate crime, and conspiracy theories, which perhaps led to many viewers becoming bored, leading to the show’s cancellation after only one season. The Lone Gunmen was nowhere near as impressive as the eleven-season-long The X-Files.
The Lone Gunmen came to an end with a major cliffhanger on June 1, 2001, which was subsequently concluded in The X-Files season 9, episode 15, “Jump the Shark.” The Lone Gunmen did receive positive reviews during its run, but its failure to capture the audience’s imagination or achieve any kind of success means it was a poor spinoff from The X-Files – one of TV’s greatest shows. The X-Files’ first spinoff, 1996’s Millennium, was much more successful, getting three seasons and a special episode in the parent show, and being hailed as one of the best sci-fi shows ever.
1) Joey (2004 – 2006)
During its ten-season run between 1994 and 2004, Friends became one of the biggest and most successful sitcoms of all time – a title it still holds to this day. After the series came to an emotional end in ’04, many didn’t want to say goodbye, which meant that spinoff shows, such as Joey, should have been just as successful. Unfortunately, several bad decisions, including taking Joey from New York and putting him in Los Angeles with a cast of new personality-less characters, meant that Joey was an utter disappointment and a stain on the character’s legacy in TV history.
What are your least favorite TV spinoff shows? Let us know in the comments!
