'Empty Nest' Was A One of A Kind Spin-off! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 07-10-2010, 09:44 PM

The show had a rather bizarre lineage from Golden Girls to Empty Nest. You see, the show was a spin-off of the Golden Girls without any of the lead characters actually ever appearing on an episode of The Golden Girls!

On May 16, 1987, the season 2 finale of the Golden Girls aired. Titled “Empty Nests,” it was about a married couple (played by Paul Dooley and Rita Moreno) who were having marital problems while dealing with “empty nest syndrome,” which is when older couples deal with the fact that their children have, you know, left the “nest.” The couple (George and Renee Corliss)’s daughter had just left home for college.

Show creator (and Golden Girls creator and, now that I mention it, Nurses creator, as well) Susan Harris was dealing with “empty nest syndrome” herself at the time, but the network felt that even with a sweet Golden girls lead-in, a show about a bickering older couple would grow tired.

So (according to Harris) “we killed the wife” and the show suddenly became about a widowed pediatrician and his adult daughters moving back home, and in October of 1988, Empty Nest debuted and the rest is TV history!

David Leisure was on the original version, but as a test pilot neighbor named Oliver instead of the now familiar cruise ship pursor Charley. Also, the same set was used for the house.

Still, I find it quite amazing that, here, a CONCEPT was spun-off rather than actual CHARACTERS!

http://legendsrevealed.com/entertain...ds-revealed-1/

Mr. Television · 07-10-2010, 10:03 PM

I wonder if Solomon would call this a true spinoff?

Brian Damage · 07-10-2010, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

I wonder if Solomon would call this a true spinoff?

Somebody call Solomon!......Let the debate begin!

catlover79 · 07-11-2010, 02:12 AM

I always loved Empty Nest - and also when Dreyfuss would still make the occasional cameo on The Golden Girls.

Smartboy · 07-12-2010, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

The show had a rather bizarre lineage from Golden Girls to Empty Nest. You see, the show was a spin-off of the Golden Girls without any of the lead characters actually ever appearing on an episode of The Golden Girls!

On May 16, 1987, the season 2 finale of the Golden Girls aired. Titled “Empty Nests,” it was about a married couple (played by Paul Dooley and Rita Moreno) who were having marital problems while dealing with “empty nest syndrome,” which is when older couples deal with the fact that their children have, you know, left the “nest.” The couple (George and Renee Corliss)’s daughter had just left home for college.

Show creator (and Golden Girls creator and, now that I mention it, Nurses creator, as well) Susan Harris was dealing with “empty nest syndrome” herself at the time, but the network felt that even with a sweet Golden girls lead-in, a show about a bickering older couple would grow tired.

So (according to Harris) “we killed the wife” and the show suddenly became about a widowed pediatrician and his adult daughters moving back home, and in October of 1988, Empty Nest debuted and the rest is TV history!

David Leisure was on the original version, but as a test pilot neighbor named Oliver instead of the now familiar cruise ship pursor Charley. Also, the same set was used for the house.

Still, I find it quite amazing that, here, a CONCEPT was spun-off rather than actual CHARACTERS!

http://legendsrevealed.com/entertain...ds-revealed-1/

I am not sure if I got the full gist of what you wrote, but it seems to me that you are saying that none of the main characters on "Empty Nest" ever appeared on the "Golden Girls". This is not exactly true. In one episode, Rose was confronted by a crimenil called the Chees-Man. Barbera Weston appeared on this episode. There was also the one in which Rose won the Saint Olif Woman of the Year Award. Harry appeared to bring the girls their accumulated mail at the end.

TV_on_the_Porch · 07-13-2010, 12:18 AM

I think the point was that those characters were not spun off from Golden Girls, rather were created for Empty Nest and became part of GG's 'reality'. It is a similar situation to the way Green Acres is/isn't a spinoff of Petticoat Junction.

Marvo301 · 07-13-2010, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDRyan

I think the point was that those characters were not spun off from Golden Girls, rather were created for Empty Nest and became part of GG's 'reality'. It is a similar situation to the way Green Acres is/isn't a spinoff of Petticoat Junction.

Good comparison!

Smartboy · 07-13-2010, 06:45 PM

Another comparison that you could make is "Silver Spoons" not being a spin-off of "Different Strokes". The characters on "Silver Spoons" were created in their own right. However, there was one first-season episode in which Gary Coleman's character from "Different Strokes" appeared on "Silver Spoons". Because of this one episode, the two will always be in the same TV universe!

megamanj2004 · 07-14-2010, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smartboy

Another comparison that you could make is "Silver Spoons" not being a spin-off of "Different Strokes". The characters on "Silver Spoons" were created in their own right. However, there was one first-season episode in which Gary Coleman's character from "Different Strokes" appeared on "Silver Spoons". Because of this one episode, the two will always be in the same TV universe!

Same case with Hello, Larry. Some assume that when Larry (McLean Stvenson) along w/ some of the other cast members from said show appeared on DS thought that Hello Larry was a spin-off of DS, when in truth it was more of a cross-character appearance in which had Larry and Mr. Drummond as old army buddies.

ThomasE · 07-31-2010, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Somebody call Solomon!......Let the debate begin!

Don't even think about it!

ThomasE · 07-31-2010, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDRyan

I think the point was that those characters were not spun off from Golden Girls, rather were created for Empty Nest and became part of GG's 'reality'. It is a similar situation to the way Green Acres is/isn't a spinoff of Petticoat Junction.

Actually, Green Acres is a spinoff of Petticoat Junction. It's two stars were added to the spinoff concept just like Empty Nest and Nurses.

McGillicuddy · 07-31-2010, 09:22 AM

All of the cast of Empty Nest (including Dreyfuss) made appearences on The Golden Girls at one time or another. David Leisure (as Charley) appeared in the scene where Dorothy dreamed she was on Jeopardy.

07-10-2010, 09:44 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	'Empty Nest' Was A One of A Kind Spin-off! The show had a rather bizarre lineage from Golden Girls to Empty Nest. You see, the show was a spin-off of the Golden Girls without any of the lead characters actually ever appearing on an episode of The Golden Girls! On May 16, 1987, the season 2 finale of the Golden Girls aired. Titled “Empty Nests,” it was about a married couple (played by Paul Dooley and Rita Moreno) who were having marital problems while dealing with “empty nest syndrome,” which is when older couples deal with the fact that their children have, you know, left the “nest.” The couple (George and Renee Corliss)’s daughter had just left home for college. Show creator (and Golden Girls creator and, now that I mention it, Nurses creator, as well) Susan Harris was dealing with “empty nest syndrome” herself at the time, but the network felt that even with a sweet Golden girls lead-in, a show about a bickering older couple would grow tired. So (according to Harris) “we killed the wife” and the show suddenly became about a widowed pediatrician and his adult daughters moving back home, and in October of 1988, Empty Nest debuted and the rest is TV history! David Leisure was on the original version, but as a test pilot neighbor named Oliver instead of the now familiar cruise ship pursor Charley. Also, the same set was used for the house. Still, I find it quite amazing that, here, a CONCEPT was spun-off rather than actual CHARACTERS! http://legendsrevealed.com/entertain...ds-revealed-1/ Attached Images
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

07-10-2010, 10:03 PM	#2
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,125	I wonder if Solomon would call this a true spinoff?
	__________________ Sonny

07-11-2010, 02:12 AM	#4
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	I always loved Empty Nest - and also when Dreyfuss would still make the occasional cameo on The Golden Girls.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

07-13-2010, 12:18 AM	#6
TV_on_the_Porch anything good on? Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Posts: 879	I think the point was that those characters were not spun off from Golden Girls, rather were created for Empty Nest and became part of GG's 'reality'. It is a similar situation to the way Green Acres is/isn't a spinoff of Petticoat Junction.

07-13-2010, 06:45 PM	#8
Smartboy Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 06, 2007 Location: South Orange, NJ Posts: 4,231	Another comparison that you could make is "Silver Spoons" not being a spin-off of "Different Strokes". The characters on "Silver Spoons" were created in their own right. However, there was one first-season episode in which Gary Coleman's character from "Different Strokes" appeared on "Silver Spoons". Because of this one episode, the two will always be in the same TV universe!

07-31-2010, 09:22 AM	#12
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	All of the cast of Empty Nest (including Dreyfuss) made appearences on The Golden Girls at one time or another. David Leisure (as Charley) appeared in the scene where Dorothy dreamed she was on Jeopardy.