Spin-Off Characters (Do they ever Return..) - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

McGillicuddy · 02-24-2011, 07:05 PM

Someone raised the question that if the spin-off Rhoda had failed, would the character been welcome back to the parent show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show?

How was this handled with other spin-offs that did not succeed?

Some examples I'm aware of:

Marla Gibbs (Florence) spin-off series, Checking In failed, and she eventually returned to The Jeffersons.

Polly Holliday (Flo) spin-off series, Flo failed, its not likely she would have wanted to return to Alice.

Norman Fell and Audra Lindley were assured they could return to Three's Company if The Ropers failed, but the producers apparantly backed out on their promise. They only came back for one episode.

robyrob · 02-24-2011, 07:53 PM

Joanie and Chachi (and Al) came back to Happy Days after Joanie Loves Chachi ended

Zoneboy · 02-24-2011, 07:58 PM

Enos Strate returned to The Dukes of Hazzard after Enos ended it's brief run

Retro4Life · 02-24-2011, 08:10 PM

The Lone Gunman returned to the X-Files (and died!) after their series bombed.

Marvo301 · 02-24-2011, 08:17 PM

Norman Fell ans Audra Lindley were told they could return to Three's Company if there spinoff "The Ropers" failed in less than a season. The show lasted exactly a season so on a technicality the producers didn't need to keep their promise to allow them back on Three's Company. But the real reason they didn't come back was because Don Knott's had established himself as the new landlord and the producers didn't care to make any more changes.

JamesG · 02-24-2011, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvo301

Norman Fell ans Audra Lindley were told they could return to Three's Company if there spinoff "The Ropers" failed in less than a season. The show lasted exactly a season so on a technicality the producers didn't need to keep their promise to allow them back on Three's Company. But the real reason they didn't come back was because Don Knott's had established himself as the new landlord and the producers didn't care to make any more changes.

Not quite right.

The deal was if they lasted more than one year they could come back to the show. "The Ropers" was canned about a month after the contractual year ended.

"The Ropers" lasted 2 seasons with 28 eps.

McGillicuddy · 02-25-2011, 10:53 AM

John James (Jeff) and Emma Samms (Fallon), returned to Dynasty, after spin-off series, The Colbys, was cancelled after two seasons.

McGillicuddy · 02-25-2011, 11:05 AM

Did Abe Vigoda return to Barney Miller at all after Fish was cancelled? Actually, I think he appeared on both shows when Fish first started, but then his character retired, from what I remember.

Dr. Thong · 02-25-2011, 12:29 PM

I believe Abe Vigoda did return once to Barney Miller, visiting the squadroom and catching up with everyone, but I'm not 100% sure. Someone like Monika would know better than me.

70s show watcher · 02-25-2011, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

I believe Abe Vigoda did return once to Barney Miller, visiting the squadroom and catching up with everyone, but I'm not 100% sure. Someone like Monika would know better than me.

yes he did come back for one ep in 1981 but the odd thing was that fish and his return were basically the subplot of the ep and not the main story

McGillicuddy · 02-25-2011, 12:50 PM

Although the spin-off, Diff'rent World succeeded, the original central character, Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet), did not stay with the series and eventually returned to The Cosby Show.

catlover79 · 02-25-2011, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

I believe Abe Vigoda did return once to Barney Miller, visiting the squadroom and catching up with everyone, but I'm not 100% sure. Someone like Monika would know better than me.

Yup, he did come back for a visit late in the show's run.

Dr. Thong · 02-25-2011, 09:49 PM

I knew Monika would know.

catlover79 · 02-26-2011, 03:10 AM

But of course!!

Sadly, I haven't seen all that much of the show's later seasons (due in large part at the glacier slow pace at getting the show on DVD, hulu doesn't seem to have any episodes on past Season 4, so I've had to rely on YouTube). It's a shame. A show as great as this definitely deserves better and so does its fans!!

02-24-2011, 07:05 PM	#1
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	Spin-Off Characters (Do they ever Return..) Someone raised the question that if the spin-off Rhoda had failed, would the character been welcome back to the parent show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show? How was this handled with other spin-offs that did not succeed? Some examples I'm aware of: Marla Gibbs (Florence) spin-off series, Checking In failed, and she eventually returned to The Jeffersons. Polly Holliday (Flo) spin-off series, Flo failed, its not likely she would have wanted to return to Alice. Norman Fell and Audra Lindley were assured they could return to Three's Company if The Ropers failed, but the producers apparantly backed out on their promise. They only came back for one episode.

02-24-2011, 07:53 PM	#2
robyrob certified wackball#3 Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Aug 03, 2003 Location: hiding under the third booth at Arnold's Posts: 58,179	Joanie and Chachi (and Al) came back to Happy Days after Joanie Loves Chachi ended
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02-24-2011, 07:58 PM	#3
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,349	Enos Strate returned to The Dukes of Hazzard after Enos ended it's brief run
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02-24-2011, 08:10 PM	#4
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	The Lone Gunman returned to the X-Files (and died!) after their series bombed.
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02-24-2011, 08:17 PM	#5
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,452	Norman Fell ans Audra Lindley were told they could return to Three's Company if there spinoff "The Ropers" failed in less than a season. The show lasted exactly a season so on a technicality the producers didn't need to keep their promise to allow them back on Three's Company. But the real reason they didn't come back was because Don Knott's had established himself as the new landlord and the producers didn't care to make any more changes.
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02-25-2011, 10:53 AM	#7
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	John James (Jeff) and Emma Samms (Fallon), returned to Dynasty, after spin-off series, The Colbys, was cancelled after two seasons.

02-25-2011, 11:05 AM	#8
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	Did Abe Vigoda return to Barney Miller at all after Fish was cancelled? Actually, I think he appeared on both shows when Fish first started, but then his character retired, from what I remember.

02-25-2011, 12:29 PM	#9
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,546	I believe Abe Vigoda did return once to Barney Miller, visiting the squadroom and catching up with everyone, but I'm not 100% sure. Someone like Monika would know better than me.
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02-25-2011, 12:50 PM	#11
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	Although the spin-off, Diff'rent World succeeded, the original central character, Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet), did not stay with the series and eventually returned to The Cosby Show.

02-25-2011, 09:49 PM	#13
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,546	I knew Monika would know.

02-26-2011, 03:10 AM	#14
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	But of course!! Sadly, I haven't seen all that much of the show's later seasons (due in large part at the glacier slow pace at getting the show on DVD, hulu doesn't seem to have any episodes on past Season 4, so I've had to rely on YouTube). It's a shame. A show as great as this definitely deserves better and so does its fans!!