As her stint on Dancing With the Stars proved, everyone loves Cloris Leachman. But apparently not enough to watch her in a starring role. Her stint in Phyllis — a spin-off featuring her beloved character from the Mary Tyler Moore Show — was well-received initially, and even won Leachman a Golden Globe. But, unfortunately for CBS, Phyllis was no Rhoda, and the ratings tanked in the second season.

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20339290,00.html#20731291

http://www.serietivu.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Phyllis.jpg

Phyllis was far from a classic but it was no way one of the worst spinoffs of all time.

Of all 15 of the shows listed, Phyllis, would be the first I would disagree with. Besides does a show that lasted to full seasons belong on this list. The Jeffersons spin-off, Checking-In, lasted 4 weeks!

Of all 15 of the shows listed, Phyllis, would be the first I would disagree with. Besides does a show that lasted to full seasons belong on this list. The Jeffersons spin-off, Checking-In, lasted 4 weeks!


That is very true, Checking In was not even listed

Phyllis wasn't as bad as

Flo
Lewis and Clark
Mork and Mindy

Phyllis wasn't as bad as

Flo
Lewis and Clark
Mork and Mindy


Off topic, but Sol, have you ever seen the Mary Tyler Moore Show? I think that show would be right up your alley!

Off topic, but Sol, have you ever seen the Mary Tyler Moore Show? I think that show would be right up your alley!


Nope still waiting for it to be picked up by some station. I'm sure I will like it

Nope still waiting for it to be picked up by some station. I'm sure I will like it


It is excellent! I have the dvds if you are ever interested

I don't think it was Cloris Leachman people didn't want to watch it was Phyllis Lindstrom. Phyllis was never a likable charcter on TMTMS and therefore not a good choice to be the lead character of a spinoff. Phyllis was the kind of character who was fun to see as a supporting character in small doses on TMTMS but you didn't want to spend 30 minutes a week with her!

I don't think it was Cloris Leachman people didn't want to watch it was Phyllis Lindstrom. Phyllis was never a likable charcter on TMTMS and therefore not a good choice to be the lead character of a spinoff. Phyllis was the kind of character who was fun to see as a supporting character in small doses on TMTMS but you didn't want to spend 30 minutes a week with her!


Excellent point Marv, I think Ted Baxter would've *perhaps* been a better choice to spinoff.

Excellent point Marv, I think Ted Baxter would've *perhaps* been a better choice to spinoff.
A spinoff featuring Ted and Georgette would have been very interesting and I suspect it would have been successful too!

A spinoff featuring Ted and Georgette would have been very interesting and I suspect it would have been successful too!


I agree! Unfortunately I doubt Ted Knight would've ever agreed to do a spinoff of his character.

I haven't seen the show since Nick at Nite showed it, but I didn't think it was THATbad; I wouldn't say it's one of the WORST spin-offs ever.

That would have to be "AFTER MASH".

I think we have to remember the first season of Phyllis was a big hit although the Phyllis character was definately dumbed down for the spinoff.

I think all the changes in the 2nd season,the laboured comedy in the office setting,too many new characters and the sad deaths of Barbara Colby(after only being in three episodes) and Judith Lowry during season2 really hit the show hard.

http://thiswastv.com/2012/11/05/1970s-fun-flops-phyllis/

The first problem with spinning off this character was that Phyllis had a husband. We never saw Lars—he was the inspiration for invisible spouses to come like Vera Peterson and Maris Crane—and he did cheat on her with Betty White’s Sue Ann Nivens, but she was still married, and you can’t build a show around a lead character with an invisible husband. So the pilot episode begins with Phyllis’s husband having suddenly dropped dead and left her penniless, with no insurance and no relatives of her own to turn to. (She had a brother in one episode of Mary, but forget him; he’s in Sitcom Heaven with Chuck Cunningham.) Her only option is to move to San Francisco to be with Lars’s mother, who has just gotten remarried to a wealthy judge.

But apart from the downbeat premise, everyone was aware that they were in danger of either creating a totally unsympathetic lead or watering her down completely. Phyllis is a delusional woman who thinks she is great—a great woman, a great liberal, the kind of person everyone naturally envies—when she is nothing of the kind. (A brilliant line in the pilot sums up her character beautifully: “What a wonderful child you are, Bess. I must be a wonderful mother.”) This was funny when she was a supporting character, trying to flaunt her advantages over Mary and Rhoda (while secretly envying their freedom and opportunities). But how will it be funny when she’s the person you have to root for?