The Littlest Known Sitcom Spin-Offs

[mickeymouseclubfan]

1. The Simpsons -- On the air since December 17, 1989, "The Simpsons" is the FOX Television Network's longest-running series. Created by Matt Groenig, "The Simpsons" originated as 48 1-minute segments of the FOX Variety Show "The Tracey Ullman Show" during its first 2 seasons (1987-1989).

2. Wings -- This 1990s sitcom classic spun off from the hit 1980s sitcom "Cheers." Though like "Empty Nest" 2 years earlier (spun off from "The Golden Girls") it didn't spin-off any major characters, "Wings" does clarify as a spin-off nonetheless. A number of "Cheers" characters were recurring characters on the show, including John Ratzenberger & George Wendt (as their "Cheers" characters Norm and Cliff), Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Frasier Crane (before his own successful "Cheers" spin-off, "Frasier"), and Kirstie Alley as Rebecca Howe (weeks before the 2-hour "Cheers" finale), each of whom made one-time appearances. "Wings," despite having 15 time changes, lasted 7 successful seasons from April 19, 1990 - May 21, 1997.

3. The Andy Griffith Show -- This hit 1950s sitcom, created by Sheldon Leonard, was conceived in 1959. Sheldon invented the spin-off by having this sitcom classic's pilot episode used as an episode of "The Danny Thomas Show" where Danny Thomas is arrested by Andy Griffith for rolling through a stop-sign in the fictional small town of Mayberry, North Carolina.

4. Mama's Family -- This hit 1980s sitcom, created by Joe Hamilton, was spun off from a series of sketches on "The Carol Burnett Show."

[factsoflife]

Originally Posted by mickeymouseclubfan

2. Wings -- This 1990s sitcom classic spun off from the hit 1980s sitcom "Cheers." Though like "Empty Nest" 2 years earlier (spun off from "The Golden Girls") it didn't spin-off any major characters, "Wings" does clarify as a spin-off nonetheless. A number of "Cheers" characters were recurring characters on the show, including John Ratzenberger & George Wendt (as their "Cheers" characters Norm and Cliff), Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Frasier Crane (before his own successful "Cheers" spin-off, "Frasier"), and Kirstie Alley as Rebecca Howe (weeks before the 2-hour "Cheers" finale), each of whom made one-time appearances. "Wings," despite having 15 time changes, lasted 7 successful seasons from April 19, 1990 - May 21, 1997.

"

Actually, Wings is NOT a spin-off of "Cheers" AT ALL. The only "Cheers" spin-off's ever produced were "The Tortellis" and "Frasier".

Wings; however was produced by the same production company as Cheers (Paramount TV); and was set in the same state as "Cheers" (Cheers was set in a Boston bar, Wings in a Nantucket Airline); and "Wings" was created by several "Cheers" producers; thus the reason for several "Cheers" characters appearing on "Wings". But NO, it is NOT a spin-off, not at all.

A Spin-off is when a character (or characters) from one show are used to create another series; or when characters are introduced within an episode or episodes of one series for the purpose of creating a new series. Prior to "Wings" airing, none of the principal characters ever appeared on "Cheers" thus, it is not a spin-off.

In fact, here is what Wikipedia has to say about "Wings" and "Cheers":

Although not a spin-off, Wings takes place in the same universe as Cheers, and by extension, its spin-off Frasier. Several episodes had tie-ins with Cheers; Kelsey Grammer (who was nominated for an Emmy for his guest appearance), Bebe Neuwirth, George Wendt, John Ratzenberger, and Kirstie Alley all appeared on Wings playing their Cheers characters.

Cliff Clavin and Norm Peterson visit Nantucket in the season two episode "The Story of Joe". Their goal is ostensibly to go fishing, but the two never seem to get any farther than the island's drinking establishments.
Frasier and Lilith Crane were the focus of the season three episode, "Planes, Trains, & Visiting Cranes." In the episode, Frasier and a skeptical Lilith come to Nantucket to put on a motivational seminar, but run into opposition from Helen Chappel, a dissatisfied former customer of Frasier's program. In the Cheers episode "License to Hill", which aired the same night as that particular Wings episode, Frasier even mentions that he and Lilith are going to Nantucket, foreshadowing their crossover appearance. (An additional note: Nine years later, at the beginning of the Frasier episode "Bla-Z Boy", Niles plays the Wings theme on the piano.)
Rebecca Howe has a cameo appearance in the season four episode "I Love Brian", whose plot revolves around Brian's attempt to infiltrate a post-concert party in Clint Black's hotel room. As Rebecca is seen being asked to leave by Black's bouncer, she begs Black to come to the bar in Boston where she works so she can prove to the others there that she knows him. Black responds, "Maybe next year," causing Rebecca to exclaim right before she is kicked out of the party, "But none of you know where we're going to be next year!", a reference to how Cheers was in its final season on television.
Roz Doyle's character is named as a tribute to a producer of the television series Wings (having the same creators as Frasier), who died from breast cancer in 1991.[6]

[Sal]

I guess "Happy Days" would qualify here too. It was spun off from an episode of "Love American Style" called "Love And The Happy Days" in which Ron Howard and Anson Williams became the only cast members to appear in both series. Flashback scenes were shown in the Season 2 episode "Who's Sorry Now?"

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by Sal

I guess "Happy Days" would qualify here too. It was spun off from an episode of "Love American Style" called "Love And The Happy Days" in which Ron Howard and Anson Williams became the only cast members to appear in both series.

And Marion Ross.

[UMFaninMD]

Nurses was a spin-off from Empty Nest, itself a spin-off from The Golden Girls.
I watched that show too but completely forgot about it.

[tooltime1987]

Soul Man was a spin off from Home Improvement and Roseanne on ABC in 1997-1998 and it did not last long!!!