Spinoff Question

[jacktripperfan]

I was reading somewhere that they were thinking about possibly making a spin-off that centered around Larry.

Do you think this would have been successful if it went ahead?

[opus]

Originally Posted by jacktripperfan

I was reading somewhere that they were thinking about possibly making a spin-off that centered around Larry.

Do you think this would have been successful if it went ahead?

The Ropers
The Tortelli's
Joanie loves Chachi
Joey
Gloria

and so on. I'll vote no. If someone wants to counter argue with Frasier or another success, go ahead.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by jacktripperfan

I was reading somewhere that they were thinking about possibly making a spin-off that centered around Larry.

Do you think this would have been successful if it went ahead?

Nope.

[JackJanetChrissy]

Originally Posted by opus

I'll vote no. If someone wants to counter argue with Frasier or another success, go ahead.

What about Maude? Or Family Matters? Rhoda? Mork and Mindy? There are a lot of good arguments for a spinoff, although both the existing Three's Company spinoffs were doomed.

Larry may have worked, just because he was such a fringe character. People liked him, but he wasn't integral to the show. There may have been room for him to grow on his own show.

Fun fact: the British version of "The Ropers" spinoff George and Mildred was even more successful than A Man About the House. So I guess it just depends on timing, audience, and writing.

[robyrob]

it depends on the likability main character and how good of a cast they build around them; I think a Larry spin-off would have worked if they had given him some good characters to work off of, but as with the Ropers if they just stick those characters in a different situation it just doesn't cut it.

[BigManMike]

I liked The Ropers. I thought it was good.

[JackJanetChrissy]

Originally Posted by robyrob

it depends on the likability main character and how good of a cast they build around them; I think a Larry spin-off would have worked if they had given him some good characters to work off of, but as with the Ropers if they just stick those characters in a different situation it just doesn't cut it.

This is so true. I think what killed The Ropers and Three's a Crowd was the supporting cast (and the writing that went with them). In The Ropers, the neighbor family was unfunny and bland, and in TAC Vicki was blah and her father was a jerk. Other than the Three's Company characters, there was nothing to keep interest.

I also think "ease of world-building" is important. Larry was a fun character, but he could have been a blank slate in a new show. The Ropers and Jack Tripper already had such indelible characterizations from Three's Company, it was hard to separate them from Three's Company in their new shows.

[JSP]

I'm just not sure the Larry character was meant to grow. Are we supposed to want to see him married with a wife and kids? Not sure how a Larry that matures and becomes less of a cad could make for a funny show. And if Larry stayed the cad he was, maybe he wouldn't have gotten the audience's empathy often enough. He's a supporting character, not meant to lead, at least not if the goal is to leave the audience happy.

[JackJanetChrissy]

Originally Posted by JSP

I'm just not sure the Larry character was meant to grow. Are we supposed to want to see him married with a wife and kids? Not sure how a Larry that matures and becomes less of a cad could make for a funny show. And if Larry stayed the cad he was, maybe he wouldn't have gotten the audience's empathy often enough. He's a supporting character, not meant to lead, at least not if the goal is to leave the audience happy.

You make a good point.

[pkripper001]

I think that since Three's a crowd supporting cast was the problem as mentioned earlier was the case. Chrissy wanted to be in Three's a crowd,that alone would have made the show. Since that did not happen,here is what I think could of happened. Lets say the spin off is centered around Larry and Three's a crowd never happened. Larry would have a new girlfriend every week and take her out to eat at Jack's Bistro and he would tease Jack how good the single life is. Larry would be selling used cars,but would be like Chevy Chase in the movie Fletch,where he would pretend to be a doctor one episode and an airline pilot the next episode,etc.Like Fletch,he would come in Jack's Bistro using a made up name every episode wearing what ever profession he pretends to be that week.Like Fletch charging everything to the Underhills, Larry would have a running gag that he too would go around charging tabs to a same name person the whole series.

[TVFactFan]

Yes because we would have seen Larry's job, more of his apt, and his family. Plus he was a bachelor and a lot younger than the Ropers so yes I would have watched

[JackJanetChrissy]

It would've been like Three's Company, only instead of nice-guy Jack, we'd have sleazy-guy Larry, and the hilarity would have gone wild. I totally would have watched a Larry spinoff.

[opus]

What we have named it ? Hello, Larr......oh wait, never mind.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by JackJanetChrissy

It would've been like Three's Company, only instead of nice-guy Jack, we'd have sleazy-guy Larry, and the hilarity would have gone wild. I totally would have watched a Larry spinoff.

A Larry spinoff could have worked around the time of Seinfeld and Married with Children when they were rebelling against typical sitcom messages, but not in 1984 when family-friendly was the norm. Maybe if they waited a few years after Three's. The time to have done a Larry spinoff would have been in the mid-late 90s if you ask me. In 1984, though? Audiences weren't quite ready for crazy Larry and his adventures in trying to get laid.

[cleverfun3000]

Originally Posted by JSP

I'm just not sure the Larry character was meant to grow. Are we supposed to want to see him married with a wife and kids? Not sure how a Larry that matures and becomes less of a cad could make for a funny show. And if Larry stayed the cad he was, maybe he wouldn't have gotten the audience's empathy often enough. He's a supporting character, not meant to lead, at least not if the goal is to leave the audience happy.

Are you saying in order for a spin-off to be successful, the audience has to "like" the kind of person the character is??