Top TV Spinoffs That Failed to Live Up to the Original Series

Summary

Spinoffs of successful shows often fail to live up to the original series, even if they last for years.

Introducing new characters in a spinoff can be a challenging task to keep fans interested.

Many poorly received spinoffs, such as

Joey

and

Once Upon A Time In Wonderland

, should never have happened in the first place.

Many successful shows have been followed by disappointing spinoffs that fail to live up to the original series. Networks often assume that fans will continue to follow the show and its characters in a new adaptation, but this is not always the case. Even when a spinoff lasts for years, it is often not as good as the original.

While there have been a few successful spinoffs, such as Fuller House and And Just Like That..., it is difficult to maintain fans' interest in a spinoff series. This challenge becomes even greater when the spinoff introduces a new cast of characters. Some spinoffs succeed, while others fail. Here are 10 poorly received spinoffs that unfortunately belong to the latter category, proving they should never have been created in the first place.

10 Joey

9 Once Upon A Time In Wonderland

Following the success of Once Upon A Time, ABC introduced Once Upon A Time In Wonderland, which centered around Alice's journey back to Victorian England after her adventures in Wonderland. Despite Alice's popularity as a beloved Disney character, the show struggled to resonate with viewers due to its dark storyline that unfolds with Alice being confined to an asylum following the death of her true love, Cyrus. Unfortunately, Once Upon A Time In Wonderland only aired for one season, while the original series continued for seven seasons.

8 That '80s Show

7 How I Met Your Father

That '70s Show catapulted Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis into stardom, transporting viewers back to the groovy '70s even though it aired in the '90s. This nostalgic hit served as the inspiration for That '90s Show, a new Netflix spinoff that has been renewed for a second season. Nevertheless, there was a previous attempt at a spinoff called That '80s Show, which paled in comparison. While it wasn't precisely a sequel, it shared the same creative minds as its predecessor. Unfortunately, That '80s Show faltered and only lasted for 13 episodes.

The first How I Met Your Mother spinoff featured Greta Gerwig; however, How I Met Your Dad did not progress beyond the pilot episode. Nonetheless, the same concept was revived in How I Met Your Father. Although Hilary Duff was delightful and Kim Cattrall portrayed a perfect future Sophie, sadly, the series failed to measure up to the original show. The humor differed, and the supporting characters were not as compelling as those in How I Met Your Mother, resulting in its cancellation after merely two seasons. Regrettably, it never received an official conclusion, leaving the identity of Sophie's children's father shrouded in mystery.

6 The Brady Bunch Hour

The Brady Bunch, a beloved show from the '70s, holds a special place in the hearts of those who grew up watching it. However, its spinoff, The Brady Bunch Hour, failed to make a lasting impact. This series depicted the family's relocation to Southern California in order to star in a variety TV show. Unfortunately, the spinoff couldn't live up to the original and ended after just one season.

5 The Golden Palace

For the past 38 years, Rose, Blanche, Dorothy, and Sophia have been the epitome of friendship in retirement. The Golden Girls aired seven seasons, portraying the adventures of these women both within and beyond their Miami abode. However, as the original series concluded, The Golden Palace emerged as its successor. With Dorothy's marriage marking a departure in the series finale, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia embark on a new endeavor—running an understaffed hotel. Regrettably, the charm of witnessing their shared lives and finding joy in simplicity dwindles as they relocate to the hotel. Ultimately, the spinoff met an untimely demise after just one season, leaving fans longing for more.

4 The Tortellis

Cheers enjoyed a successful decade-long run, but its spinoff, The Tortellis, failed to achieve the same level of success. During Cheers' peak, NBC decided to create a spinoff centered around the characters Nick and Loretta Tortelli. Unfortunately, the spinoff had a short-lived existence, running only from January to May 1987. It was disheartening to witness the characters' inability to captivate audiences on their own series as effectively as they did on Cheers. Consequently, they returned to the original show after the cancellation of the spinoff.

3 Ravenswood

Pretty Little Liars, one of the most popular teen series of the 2010s, managed to captivate audiences despite its confusing storylines, frustrating plot holes, and unexpected reveals. With a successful run spanning seven seasons, the show even birthed several spinoffs. Among these was Ravenswood, which followed Caleb, Hannah's boyfriend, as he ventured into a mysterious town outside of Rosewood. While Ravenswood introduced a different mystery unrelated to Allie's disappearance and the A messages, it failed to reach the same level of intrigue as the convoluted storylines of Pretty Little Liars. Unfortunately, Ravenswood was short-lived, lasting only one season, and Caleb eventually returned to Pretty Little Liars after the spinoff's cancellation.

2 Saved By The Bell: The New Class

1 Baywatch Nights

Saved by the Bell catapulted Mario Lopez, along with others, into the limelight during the 1980s. The show's characters, with their trendy fashion and memorable quotes, became an integral part of the decade. However, the spin-off series, Saved by the Bell: The New Class, failed to capture the same allure. With only Screech returning, the show couldn't live up to the original's legacy, and the new characters lacked the same charm. Despite running for an impressive seven seasons, the characters didn't leave the same lasting impact on popular culture as Kelly Kapowski and Zack Morris.

While the original Baywatch created iconic fashion moments and introduced Anderson to television audiences, its successor, Baywatch Nights, failed to make a significant cultural impact. Fans had developed a strong attachment to the original characters and did not respond positively to the new cast in the spinoff. Despite the return of David Hasselhoff, the spinoff suffered from an unusual plot and even ventured into the realm of science-fiction during its second season. This bizarre shift in genre only further hindered the series, leading to its cancellation after just two seasons.