http://whatculture.com/tv/5-seinfeld-spin-offs-you-wish-had-happened.php

Sitcom spin-offs are so common we often don’t realize that some of most beloved sitcoms are spin-offs. The Simpsons is a spin-off of The Tracy Ullman Show. Of course not all spin-offs enjoy the same kind of success, like the Friends spin-off Joey, or M*A*S*H spinoff AfterMASH. There have been many over the years.

But one show that never got a spin off that many of us with had, was Seinfeld. It’s hard to believe that Seinfeld, now a staple of comedy syndication, is still earning Jerry Seinfeld loads of money. His show about nothing went off the air 15 years ago—feel old?—and is still funnier than most of what passes for comedy these days.

The lack of a spin-off sitcom is largely due to Jerry Seinfeld himself opposing the idea. It’s a shame, really. There was so much potential for a number of successful spin-offs (and in a way Curb Your Enthusiasm works as a somewhat spin-off… but not really)

Here are five that I think could have worked.


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I don't think any of the Seinfeld characters could have evolved into their own successful spin off.

The Soup Nazi was a perfect character...for one episode. Any more than that wouldn't have worked. You can't keep telling the same joke over and over and expect to get more laughs.

The Soup Nazi wasn't even that funny in the Seinfeld finale. And that was only his second appearance.

Frank and Estelle were awesome as George's parents, but I don't think that people would sit through more than a few episodes of them starring in their own show. You couldn't make a whole series out of the two of them. They're not likable.

In the case of Seinfeld, I think the whole was always greater than the sum of the individual parts. The characters needed each other to make it work...that goes for the four main characters as well as all of the incredible supporting talent.

George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer are two of the greatest supporting characters in the history of TV... and Jason Alexander and Michael Richards were perfect for those roles... but they both tried their hand in their own sitcoms and bombed miserably.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is the only performer from that show who had the talent AND appeal to star in another hit comedy. All of the other performers are just supporting/ensemble actors. Individually, they just don't have star power.

Not every actor, no matter how talented, can create a great spin off. The Mary Tyler Moore Show was one of the great sitcoms of all time (I'd say definitely top 10 and maybe in the top half of that)... but as great as Rhoda and Phyllis were on that show, I personally think their spin off shows were just bad...and neither of them are even watchable today (I know a number of folks here in S.O. land would disagree, but that's MHO). I do have to say I liked "Rhoda" at first, but it didn't last long for me, and I wouldn't watch it today. I never got into "Lou Grant" although it was a hit for a few years. I never liked "Phyllis".

Seinfeld was wise to not spin off anything or do a reunion show. I think any such attempt would have been a disaster.