Spinoffs that never happened!

[JamesG]

Michael Kelly recently discussed the "House of Cards" spin-off that was going to feature Doug Stamper.

"I had very real conversations with people about a spinoff that was actually fricking brilliant, and I would've loved to have done it before everything went away. It was a brilliant, brilliant idea for one and it was just like, Oh my god,' and then it didn't happen."



Kelly's not sure if his character's death was the nail in the coffin for the series, but the spin-off didn't happen "for whatever reason."

"I would've loved it 'cause it was a really very, very clever way to spin the show off," Kelly continued. "They wanted to do it kind of like in a Better Call Saul way where it had a little bit of comedic, a little bit funnier beats. It was gonna start with me trying to kill myself, I think, if I remember correctly, in prison and the pipe breaks. And he goes back to his cell to find a new cellmate and he's like, 'Huh' ... it was really cool, It was really great idea."

https://ew.com/michael-kelly-reveals...in-off-8732585

[JamesG]

Shonda Rhimes recently revealed she had ideas for "Grey's Anatomy" spin-offs, and one for "Scandal", that never happened.



Grey's Anatomy

“I felt like we could have done Chicago Anatomy, Boston. We could have done that. It just didn’t appeal to me to rebuild the same world. And then we thought about a lot of things.”

“I thought that there could be a spinoff with Amelia that was the Shepherd sisters. They’re all doctors. It could have been a Shepherd sisters show, which would’ve been very interesting.”




Scandal

“We wanted to do a B613 spinoff on Scandal. Yeah, there was a bunch. But we really tried to look for shows that could stand on their own two feet, that were their own thing.”

https://deadline.com/2025/03/shonda-...fs-1236352432/

[JamesG]

CBS has decided to not move forward with its planned spin-offs of "The Neighborhood" and "The Equalizer".

"The Neighborhood" spin-off was to focus on Malcolm (Sheaun McKinney) and Marty Butler (Marcel Spears), the adult sons of Calvin and Tina starting a new chapter of their lives in Venice Beach.

Also announced in its cast were Justin Long, Kara Royster, Angelique Cabral and Hunter King.



"The Equalizer" spin-off was to star Titus Welliver and Juani Feliz.

Queen Latifah’s Robyn McCall is contacted by Samantha Reed (Feliz) to help track down her father, missing ex-CIA agent Elijah Reed (Welliver).

[JamesG]

I was looking back on "Nip/Tuck" since Julian McMahon has died and saw that a spin-off never happened.

Rosie O'Donnell was going to lead the spin-off as her recurring character Dawn as she was a hit with fans. She confirmed back in 2006 that she was in talks with Ryan Murphy, but nothing ever came of it.

[JamesG]

Both scrapped spin-off pilots featured Selena Gomez:


- What’s Stevie Thinking?, a 2005 pilot featuring Gomez as Stephanie “Stevie” Sanchez, the younger sister of Lalaine's Miranda from "Lizzie McGuire".


- Arwin!, a 2007 pilot which would have focused on “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody's” lovable janitor, played by Brian Stepanek, and his kids.

https://deadline.com/2025/08/selena-...ts-1236481835/

[JamesG]

It was announced in May 2024 that Disney ordered a pilot for "Alice in the Palace", a spin-off of "Raven's Home". Raven-Symoné was an EP and directed the pilot.

The series was to star Mykal-Michelle Harris as Alice Baxter, Raven Baxter's young cousin, who returns to England and reunites with Duchess Clementine (also portrayed by Harris), a young royal who looks exactly like her.

In the process, Clementine gets a taste of the fun side of “normal” life, while Alice gets a taste of the finer side of “regal” life.




Mykal-Michelle Harris announced on her Instagram in July 2025 that "Alice in the Palace" was not picked up.

Everyone has been asking soooo… I want to say thank you so very much to EVERY SINGLE PERSON on the cast and crew who worked on my very own pilot that I not only played the titular character on… but also played opposite myself as another character (Alice and Clementine) AND was a PRODUCER on.

It was for sure a dream come true to make #AliceInThePalace. Ultimately, #disneychannel decided to take the strategy in a different direction that did not include our show. #thatsTheBusiness.

But I am so blessed to have accomplished this. To my new family that served as the lead cast…LOVE U FOREVER. To every member of the crew and production office… you were amazing !!!

[JamesG]

While not officially scrapped, the "Dexter" prequel on the Trinity Killer seems unlikely. It was originally announced in early 2023 w/ Clyde Phillips and Scott Reynolds as co-creators and EPs.

While out promoting "Dexter: Original Sin" in December 2024, Phillips had said, "We wrote the entire Trinity Killer series. At the moment, it is on the back burner. John Lithgow has agreed to be the voice of his younger self the way Michael C. Hall is doing [Original Sin]. There’s that and we’re doing another show with Michael C. Hall, [Resurrection]…

We were writing that while shooting Original Sin, so that’s fairly busy. We begin shooting [Resurrection] in January and it will air in June 2025."




In Sept. 2025, Phillips said on the Dissecting Dexter podcast that the Trinity Killer prequel seems unlikely.

"It's backburned. And I honestly don't think they're going to go for it. I just think they're interested in Resurrection. I mean, if they cancelled Original Sin, which is a built-in hit, how are they going to pick up Trinity?

If they do, I'd be delighted, but I don't see them doing it."

[TMC]

TV Series Finales That Teased Spin-Offs We Never Got

In TV land, there's no easy way to say goodbye. Some shows choose to extend their farewells via sequel series and backdoor pilots, but only a handful of programs have ended their runs by trying to spin their characters off into new situations. Unfortunately, while some of these shows — like "Cheers" and "The Practice" — managed to serve as successful launching pads for great new TV spin-offs ("Frasier" is one case, "Boston Legal" is another), many programs have sacrificed their final episodes to pitch concepts that did not lead to a fresh tomorrow for its world.

This bundle of attempted pilots and series continuations includes episodes where minor characters were elevated to prominence, shows where supporting characters were given a chance at helming a series, and outings where major characters broke away from their home shows and left to make fresh starts in new cities. Sadly, they all have one thing in common — none of them went to series.

[JamesG]

"Major Crimes", a spin-off of "The Closer", was supposed to get its own spin-off titled "S.O.B." (Special Operations Bureau) starring Jon Tenney and Laurie Holden.

TNT boss Kevin Reilly said back in 2015, “We’re not doing that. We’ve moved on.”

[JamesG]

Xena: Warrior Princess actress Renee O'Connor said that she almost had her own spinoff, but ultimately turned it down.

Speaking with CBR, O'Connor explained that, following the end of Xena, that they wanted to do a spinoff starring her character Gabrielle.

She turned down the show because she couldn't imagine doing it without Lucy Lawless (Xena) as they had great chemistry.

[JamesG]

10 Abandoned TV Spin-Offs We Still Wish had Happened
by Sam Stone
July 27, 2026


Windward Circle
from Gilmore Girls


One of the worst TV character exits of all time was the departure of Jess Mariano (Milo Ventimiglia) from "Gilmore Girls". The bad boy with a heart of gold was lighting the screen as a love interest for Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel), only to suddenly leave the picturesque New England town of Stars Hollow.

This was done to accommodate setting up Jess as the protagonist of his own spin-off series Windward Circle, taking the character to Venice Beach, California to search for his long-lost father. The proposed series received a backdoor pilot in Season 3 under the title "Here Comes the Son."



The network reportedly passed because the prospect of filming a series in and around Venice Beach was too expensive. This meant Jess was awkwardly absent for much of the subsequent seasons of "Gilmore Girls", occasionally resurfacing in an effort to reconnect with Rory.

With Jess being such an interesting character, he could've definitely carried an entire show on his rebel with a cause shoulders. Instead, we just had to settle on a rehash of his forced "Gilmore Girls" love triangle in the revival.







Rose Tyler: Earth Defense
from Doctor Who


When the British sci-fi series "Doctor Who" made its revival after a lengthy hiatus in 2005, the time-traveling Doctor's first companion was Rose Tyler (Billie Piper). Rose maintained an energetic and occasionally flirty dynamic with the Doctor, particularly forming romantic tension with the 10th Doctor (David Tennant).

After Rose was written off the series, she was intended to star in the spin-off series Rose Tyler: Earth Defence, protecting the planet from otherworldly threats. The spin-off went as far as to be ordered and budgeted by the BBC, only for "Doctor Who" then-showrunner Russell T. Davies to personally intervene and pull the plug.



Davies felt the idea of a show revealing Rose's life was just as fantastical without the Doctor undercut the impact of her exit from the main series. Instead, the series received a similar spin-off in "Torchwood", which positioned other recurring character Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) as leading Earth's defense against extraterrestrials.

Piper reprised her role as Rose, as well as other characters, several times in "Doctor Who", including a surprise appearance in the Season 15 finale. But we would have loved to see Rose draw from his cosmic adventures to defend Earth in a spin-off that could've decisively made her a hero in her own right.







Valley Girls
from Gossip Girl


Whereas "Gossip Girl" focuses on wealthy teenagers at a contemporary Manhattan private school, the show tried to set up a prequel spin-off in its second season. The penultimate episode, Valley Girls, served as a backdoor pilot to a proposed spin-off of the same name.

Throughout the episode, Lily van der Woodsen (Kelly Rutherford) recalls her own teenage years getting into trouble in '80s Malibu. The younger Lily is played by Brittany Snow, while her sister Carol is played by Krysten Ritter, forming the flashbacks' core dynamic.



The CW ended up passing on it, keeping its adventures firmly in the present rather than venture into period piece territory. Network executive Dawn Ostroff speculated that introducing the spin-off concept as a backdoor pilot instead of a traditional pilot order may have hurt its prospects.

While Ostroff kept the possibility for a spin-off open, it ultimately never moved forward. Nearly a decade after the conclusion of the original "Gossip Girl", the show received a revival in 2021, though this proved to be short-lived.







The Farm
from The Office


As "The Office" entered its ninth and final season, Rainn Wilson was still willing to play his fan-favorite character Dwight Schrute in some capacity. This led to the season containing a backdoor pilot starring the character called The Farm, with the episode maintaining the series' mockumentary format.

The episode has Dwight and his never-before-seen siblings Jeb (Thomas Middleditch) and Fannie (Majandra Delfino) inherit a farm. Convincing the two to relocate back into the country to keep their family legacy alive, the trio prepare to run the farm themselves.

NBC passed on The Farm because the network reportedly wasn't enthusiastic about the proposed spin-off's premise. It was decided that Dwight worked better in an office setting with other characters who weren't as weird as him rather than being the focus of a rural sitcom.







How I Met Your Dad
from How I Met Your Mother


Before "How I Met Your Father" aired on Hulu, there was a previous attempt with How I Met Your Dad. The pilot was produced in 2014 with creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas joined by co-creator Emily Spivey.

Retaining the original series' core structure, older protagonist Sally Javits (Meg Ryan) reflects on how she met her daughter's father, with the show set within flashbacks to these formative vignettes. The younger Sally (Greta Gerwig) is fresh off a separation from her first husband and rediscovering herself.

CBS ultimately passed on it.







Marvel's Most Wanted
from Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.


The second season of "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." added new main characters Bobbi Morse (Adrianne Palicki) and Lance Hunter (Nick Blood). The pair are ex-spouses and highly competent S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives who handle much of the season's action while navigating their messy personal dynamic.

After the third season, the pilot for a spin-off, titled Marvel's Most Wanted, starring the complicated couple after they disavow S.H.I.E.L.D. Oded Fehr was cast as a reportedly well-known Marvel character, though his role's identity was never officially confirmed.



After a pilot was produced for the spin-off, ABC passed on Marvel's Most Wanted and Agent Carter Season 3, feeling their prospects weren't as strong as they hoped.

In the aftermath, Lance briefly returned to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for a guest-starring role in Season 5, but Bobbi never resurfaced during the show's run.



The pilot for Marvel's Most Wanted has yet to publicly see the light of day, leaving its quality and direction a mystery. That makes the departure of Bobbi and Lance from the main series all the more frustrating, leaving for a spin-off that never coalesced.







Sue Sue in the City
from The Middle


The 2009 sitcom The Middle brought a more nuanced perspective to familial comedy as it delved into the dynamics of the Heck family in small-town Indiana. The family's middle child is teenager Sue Heck (Eden Sher), who was set to receive her own sequel spin-off series.

Shortly after the end of The Middle in 2018, Eden Sher confirmed they were shooting a pilot for the proposed continuation. Tentatively titled Sue Sue in the City, the spin-off was intended to follow an adult Sue as she relocated to Chicago.



The ill-fated Sue Heck spin-off from took place three years after the events of the main series, with Sher reprising her role.

ABC passed on the series by November 2018, leaving the adult adventures of Sue Heck unrealized along with the Heck family's television future.







Wayward Sisters
from Supernatural


Given that "Supernatural" was a staple on The CW for 15 seasons, the show saw several attempts at launching a spin-off series. The most intriguing spin-off premise that didn't get picked up was Wayward Sisters, which aired as a backdoor pilot during Season 13 of the main series.

The episode centers on recurring character Sheriff Jody Mills (Kim Rhodes) teaming up with her surrogate daughters Claire Novak (Kathryn Newton) and Alex Jones (Katherine Ramdeen) to face monsters.



Wayward Sisters did not go to series at The CW, leaving Jody's continuing monster-hunting adventures with Claire and Alex up to the imagination. Jody does appear in subsequent seasons of the main series and survives its events, but never takes the center stage once again.

"Supernatural" would instead get a prequel spin-off with "The Winchesters", in addition to an anime adaptation which was released in 2011. However, we still wish we got a chance to see a side to this universe outside of the Winchester family, especially given how rich its lore truly is.







Green Arrow and the Canaries
from Arrow


There was a time when the Arrowverse, an interconnected set of shows based on DC Comics properties, absolutely ruled The CW's programming line-up.

As the shared universe's inaugural show, Arrow, wrapped its run with its eighth and final season, it included a backdoor pilot to continue its legacy further. Titled Green Arrow & the Canaries, the show is set in an alternate future for the Arrowverse following the reality-altering crossover event "Crisis on Infinite Earths."

The proposed spin-off revolves around Oliver Queen's daughter Mia (Katherine McNamara) as she teams up with the time-displaced Black Canaries to defend the Star City of the year 2040.



With its trio of familiar crime-fighters, Green Arrow & the Canaries feels like a logical extension of the lingering plot threads from Arrow. McNamara brings a more buoyant energy to the proceedings that Stephen Amell did as the often sullen Oliver Queen, while Katie Cassidy and Juliana Harkavy are both reliably good.

Similarly, the action set pieces are right within the wheelhouse of "Arrow" and its tried-and-true fight choreography. Green Arrow & the Canaries was passed by The CW as the Arrowverse itself eventually came to an end with "The Flash" Season 9.







The 100 Prequel


One of the most brutal original series to air on The CW was "The 100", which was set in a post-apocalyptic future after Earth is devastated by nuclear weapons.

The seventh and final season of the series included a backdoor pilot for a proposed prequel spin-off series. While the spin-off itself never had a publicly confirmed name, the episode's title was "Anaconda," which opens with the fiery armageddon forcing humanity to shelter in fallout bunkers. Leading this small contingent of survivors is the fanatical Bill Cadogan (John Pyper-Ferguson), who becomes obsessed with finding a mysterious portal to other worlds.



Series creator Jason Rothenberg explained that the prequel was set up to chart the sibling rivalry between Callie (Iola Evans) and Reese Cadogan (Adain Bradley), Bill's children.

Rothenberg also shared that more than chronicling humanity's survival immediately after the apocalypse, flashbacks could shed a light on the world before the bombs fell. Ultimately, after two years in development, it wasn't picked up.

https://www.tvline.com/2219440/abandoned-tv-spin-offs/

[icecream]

Windward Circle would not have worked. Season 3 Jess was way too much of a douche to be the main character. Heart of gold my foot.. Jess had at least matured by his season 6 appearance.