.....Who Would You Choose?

Sue Ann Nivens. I would love to see what Betty White would do with Sue Ann as a lead character instead of the supporting character she was on TMTMS.

Sue Ann Nivens. I would love to see what Betty White would do with Sue Ann as a lead character instead of the supporting character she was on TMTMS.


Excellent choice Marv! That was my 1st thought as well. Boy oh boy, did MTM Enterprises really screw up that opportunity....

Excellent choice Marv! That was my 1st thought as well. Boy oh boy, did MTM Enterprises really screw up that opportunity....
Did they ever! When they finally got around to giving Betty her own show (The Betty White Show) they had her playing a Sue Ann like character who wasn't Sue Ann and had Georgia Engel co-starring as a Georgette like character who isn't Georgette. I think the folks at MTM where a little intimidated by the less than stellar success of "Phyllis" and decided to give Betty and Georgia's characters different names to distance them from TMTMS.

Did they ever! When they finally got around to giving Betty her own show (The Betty White Show) they had her playing a Sue Ann like character who wasn't Sue Ann and had Georgia Engel co-starring as a Georgette like character who isn't Georgette. I think the folks at MTM where a little intimidated by the less than stellar success of "Phyllis" and decided to give Betty and Georgia's characters different names to distance them from TMTMS.

Didn't they also have "that guy" from the Lucy Show on there??? Sorry, his name escapes me at the moment.

Didn't they also have "that guy" from the Lucy Show on there??? Sorry, his name escapes me at the moment.
No Gale Gordon wasn't on this show. It was John Hillerman who later played Higgins on Magnum P.I.

I wouldn't have spun off anyone. They all worked best as a unit, IMHO.

Yes Marvo,a planned ue-Ann spinoff din't go through as they felt Phyllis had been toned down as a weekly character on Phyllis and Sue-An would be toned down too so they tried "The Betty White Show".

I liked the Phyllis spinoff,the first season better than the 2nd but the intelligence of Phyllis was toned down form TMTMS.

I agree with Monika, the characters all worked best as a whole. "Lou Grant" succeeded because it took the character in a dramatic direction. I really think any other attempts at comedy wouldn't have worked.

Well...maaaaybe Armand Linton. :lol:

I wouldn't have spun off anyone. They all worked best as a unit, IMHO.


Even a really minor character like say 'Chuckles???' ;) :lol:

I agree with Monika, the characters all worked best as a whole. "Lou Grant" succeeded because it took the character in a dramatic direction.

Not to mention that Lou Grant was spun off into his own dramatic series after TMTMS had gone off the air. To this day, I think Lou Grant is still the only dramatic series to be spun off from a sitcom. Ed Asner is still the only actor to receive Emmys in both the comedy and drama categories for playing the same character.

Even a really minor character like say 'Chuckles???' ;) :lol:

If it was a kid's show, maybe. :crazy:

Not to mention that Lou Grant was spun off into his own dramatic series after TMTMS had gone off the air. To this day, I think Lou Grant is still the only dramatic series to be spun off from a sitcom. Ed Asner is still the only actor to receive Emmys in both the comedy and drama categories for playing the same character.

I think you are correct. Dennis Franz kind of did the opposite when he spun off his "Buntz" character from Hill Street Blues into "Beverly Hills Buntz" which was a pseudo comedy spun off from a drama. :)

I think Sue Ann would have been a good spin off, they already knew who she was and just needed someone to work off of.

Not to mention that Lou Grant was spun off into his own dramatic series after TMTMS had gone off the air. To this day, I think Lou Grant is still the only dramatic series to be spun off from a sitcom. Ed Asner is still the only actor to receive Emmys in both the comedy and drama categories for playing the same character.


There was the drama The Bradys, spun-off from The Brady Bunch.

Sue Ann for sure!

Sue Ann for sure!


Agreed! That's why it didn't make much sense for MTM Enterprises to give Betty White her own show and NOT make it about Sue Ann.

The idea of a Sue Ann spinoff is interesting, but it would need work. For starters, her bitc**ness was tolerable on MTMTS because there were nice characters on the show to balance it. If there weren't such characters in a Sue Ann show, it would falter; Sue Ann's meanness would begin to grate on viewers.

All of this also makes Monika's point stronger. The only character who was really worthy of a spinoff was Rhoda. This spin-off worked because Rhoda was INTERESTING; her personality had a nice contrast - on one hand she had that hard-ass Bronx attitude, AND on the other, she was a kind person -almost Mary's equal in that regard.

The idea of a Sue Ann spinoff is interesting, but it would need work. For starters, her bitc**ness was tolerable on MTMTS because there were nice characters on the show to balance it. If there weren't such characters in a Sue Ann show, it would falter; Sue Ann's meanness would begin to grate on viewers.

All of this also makes Monika's point stronger. The only character who was really worthy of a spinoff was Rhoda. This spin-off worked because Rhoda was INTERESTING; her personality had a nice contrast - on one hand she had that hard-ass Bronx attitude, AND on the other, she was a kind person -almost Mary's equal in that regard.


All great points :)

Phyllis was mean spirited on MTM and the way (I guess) the toned her down was by dumbing her down to be more likeable.

MTM put her on The Betty White Show immediately after MTMS co-starring Georgia Engel. they should have kept her as Sue Ann though

Betty White has said on an interview there was thought of giving Sue Ann a spinoff but after Phyllis had been toned down for the spinoff Phyllis and not really been a success,they decided not to give Sue Ann a spinoff but created The Betty White Show instead.