I'm sure this has been asked before. But what spin-off was equal or better than the show it spun from?

I think Laverne and Shirley ended up better than Happy Days. Besides the ill-fated final season it was a solid show and probably does better in reruns than Happy Days. Happy Days lost it for me for a couple of reasons. They went to a live audience in season 3. Also when wardrobe and hair styles went from the 50's straight to the '80's, especially the hair. Also look at Tom Bosley wearing '80's style glasses.

https://images.app.goo.gl/o2kwNdWpLtTDZwx76

I also think that in their own way the shows spun from All in the Family were at least equal shows. I'm talking Maude, The Jeffersons, and Good Times which I guess could be called a spin-off's spin-off. Has there ever been another successful second generation spin-off show?

A lot of people would probably say The Facts of Life is equal to or better than Diff'rent Strokes.

One of the biggest arguments on SO is whether Good Times is a spin-off from Maude, but for those who say it is (I don't), they might say Good Times is equal to or better than Maude.

Although I like Rhoda, I think that sitcom had too many problems to say it measured up to MTM.

Frasier- better than Cheers
Benson- much better than Soap
The Jeffersons- better than All in the Family
NCIS- better than JAG
The Facts of Life- slightly better than Diff'rent Strokes
The Andy Griffith Show- likely better than The Danny Thomas Show
Happy Days- likely better than Love, American Style
Diagnosis Murder- likely better than Jake and the Fatman
(I have never seen the last three parent shows.)

A lot of people would probably say The Facts of Life is equal to or better than Diff'rent Strokes.

One of the biggest arguments on SO is whether Good Times is a spin-off from Maude, but for those who say it is (I don't), they might say Good Times is equal to or better than Maude.

Although I like Rhoda, I think that sitcom had too many problems to say it measured up to MTM.

I would also say Rhoda, but it was way too inconsistent. A lot of parent shows were better than the spinoffs, the only one I would say would be better might be Laverne and Shirley from Happy Days. Laverne and Shirley was much better than Happy Days, but Happy Days is a classic. Maude and The Jeffersons I would also say are rare exceptions at almost being better than the show they spun off from. Probably Jake and the Fatman since Diagnosis Murder was awful. Soap was better than Benson, Benson fell off after the first two or three seasons hard. Cheers is also infinitely better than Frasier, so Soap, Cheers, and All in the Family are better than the shows they spun off.

Green Acres is better than Petticoat Junction.

Frasier is better than its parent show Cheers.
Benson's infinitely better than its parent show Soap.

Ed.

Pettitcoat Junction >>> The Beverly Hillbillies

Benson >>>> Soap

Knots Landing >>> Dallas

Family Matters >>> Perfect Strangers

The Andy Griffith Show >>> The Danny Thomas Show/Make Room For Daddy

Green Acres is better than Petticoat Junction.

I don't think Green Acres derived from Petticoat Junction. Normally doesn't a spin-off have to have an episode or character(s) actually on the show it was spun from?

Green Acres and Petticoat Junction did alot of crossovers but Green Acres wasn't part of Petticoat before it started.

Yet if it actually was a spin-off then I would agree with you assessment.

Pettitcoat Junction >>> The Beverly Hillbillies

Benson >>>> Soap

Knots Landing >>> Dallas

Family Matters >>> Perfect Strangers

The Andy Griffith Show >>> The Danny Thomas Show/Make Room For Daddy

As with Green Acres being spun from Petticoat Junction, Petticoat Junction was never part of the Beverly Hillbillies. There were only crossover episodes. If it was then I would disagree with Petticoat Junction being better than Beverly Hillbillies.

The Simpsons was better than The Tracy Ullman Show.

A lot of people would probably say The Facts of Life is equal to or better than Diff'rent Strokes.

One of the biggest arguments on SO is whether Good Times is a spin-off from Maude, but for those who say it is (I don't), they might say Good Times is equal to or better than Maude.

Although I like Rhoda, I think that sitcom had too many problems to say it measured up to MTM.

I agree with The Facts of Life being better than Different Strokes.

Good Times did have Florida Evans who was the maid for Maude. Now the problem is that Good Times is set in Chicago and began as if she was always there. But if part of the spin-off criteria is a character on one show moving to a different one then Good Times was spun from Maude.

In addition to Happy Days being better than Love American Style you can add Wait til Your Father gets Home to the list of better than Love American Style.

I don't think either Rhoda or Phyllis are even in the same league as The Mary Tyler Moore Show

"Normally doesn't a spin-off have to have an episode or character(s) actually on the show it was spun from?"

Sam Drucker, of course, was on Petticoat Junction. A spinoff, though, doesn't rigidly require that a human character transfer to the new show, because not all characters are human. Hooterville itself is a major character in Green Acres, and I would argue in the early years of Petticoat Junction - a place ruled by illogic.

"Normally doesn't a spin-off have to have an episode or character(s) actually on the show it was spun from?"

Sam Drucker, of course, was on Petticoat Junction. A spinoff, though, doesn't rigidly require that a human character transfer to the new show, because not all characters are human. Hooterville itself is a major character in Green Acres, and I would argue in the early years of Petticoat Junction - a place ruled by illogic.

Fair enough.

I would say the following series:

Frasier absolutely equal to, if not better than Cheers

Facts of Life, better than Different Strokes

The Simpsons better than The Tracy Ullmann Show (in fact it has so eclipsed the show that most people don't even realize it is a spin-off)

Law & Order: SVU better than or equal to Law & Order

Melrose Place better than Beverly Hills, 90210

Knot's Landing better than Dallas