Shows I consider spinoffs, Shows I don't consider spinoffs - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TVFactFan · 12-03-2002, 10:51 PM

These shows below I consider spioffs because there was always a link to it's parent show. Shows like Laverne and Shirley, The Jeffersons, A Different World and Mork and Mindy

1. Laverne &Shirley had the Fonzie character as a guest star about 4 times and L&S made guest appearances on Happy Days 2 times.

2.Archie or Edith from All in the Family never guest starred on the Jeffersons but they were mentioned in Jeffersons episodes and George and weezie returned to visit the Bunkers

3. The Huxtables visited Denise at College on a Different World about 5 times.

4. Fonzie also guest starred on Mork and Mindy and Mork returned to Happy Days as a guest star.

These shows I don't consider spinoffs

Good Times, Family Matters

Good Times is not a spinoff of Maude because Florida Evans never mentioned Maude on her show and Maude never appeared on Good Times. Plus on Maude, Florida was living in the state of New York and then on Good Times she is living in Chicago. Doesn't make much sense.

Family Matters is not a spinoff of Perfect Strangers to me because Harriet Winslow never mentions Larry or Balki on Family Matters or did Larry and Balki appeared on Family Matters. So there was no Link between the two shows at all

ThomasE · 12-05-2002, 12:00 AM

Who says there had to be a link? The character or idea originated from a parent. That's like saying child did not come from the womb of a mother. Most kids don't live with their parent after growing up. They get their own place. Does that mean they have to stop saying so and so is my mother. Empty Nest is a Golden Girls spinoff but the pilot was totally revamped. The character Oliver became Charley Dietz. The Weston house was used but the characters were redone for the spinoff. If Harriette played the same part on "Strangers" as on "Matters" she/idea/or whatever was spun from "Strangers" to "Matters" would make it a spinoff. The creation of these characters did not just pop up nowhere when it was time for them to get their own show did it. Do you check the E Hollywoodstory and how one crew member of Good Times said the the show was a Maude spinoff. Florida did not need to mention Maude nor Harriette with Larry and Balki. Also note that one episode of Fam Matters that Harriette went back to the chronicle to get another job. Plus she also mentions that she was an eleveator operator the Fam Matters ep at the chronicle which is true if you look back at Perfect Stranger. It's too bad that she did get the job at the chronicle and it's funny how She Larry and Balki did not cross paths. LOL.

TVFactFan · 12-05-2002, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ThomasE
Who says there had to be a link? The character or idea originated from a parent. That's like saying child did not come from the womb of a mother. Most kids don't live with their parent after growing up. They get their own place. Does that mean they have to stop saying so and so is my mother. Empty Nest is a Golden Girls spinoff but the pilot was totally revamped. The character Oliver became Charley Dietz. The Weston house was used but the characters were redone for the spinoff. If Harriette played the same part on "Strangers" as on "Matters" she/idea/or whatever was spun from "Strangers" to "Matters" would make it a spinoff. The creation of these characters did not just pop up nowhere when it was time for them to get their own show did it. Do you check the E Hollywoodstory and how one crew member of Good Times said the the show was a Maude spinoff. Florida did not need to mention Maude nor Harriette with Larry and Balki. Also note that one episode of Fam Matters that Harriette went back to the chronicle to get another job. Plus she also mentions that she was an eleveator operator the Fam Matters ep at the chronicle which is true if you look back at Perfect Stranger. It's too bad that she did get the job at the chronicle and it's funny how She Larry and Balki did not cross paths. LOL.

It took me years to find out that Family Matters was a spinoff from Perfect Strangers because there was no sign of the show coming from PS So Good Times and Family Matters never made any type of reference to the show the main character played on before the spinoff started.

ThomasE · 12-05-2002, 08:04 PM

SOLOMON don't you ever wonder why they don't even make mention of Larry and Balki. the flaw in PS was that Carl and Harriette told Larry and Balki that they were moving into Larry and Balki's building one episode of PS, then months later, she is on Fam Matters.

TVFactFan · 12-05-2002, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ThomasE
SOLOMON don't you ever wonder why they don't even make mention of Larry and Balki. the flaw in PS was that Carl and Harriette told Larry and Balki that they were moving into Larry and Balki's building one episode of PS, then months later, she is on Fam Matters.

I'm not sure i understand what you mean. The episode that Harriet and Carl said that was it near the end of the season before the following TV season whem FM started?

ThomasE · 12-05-2002, 08:49 PM

I'm not sure if I understood you too. One 1989 ep of PS had Carl and Harriette telling Larry and Balki that they were moving into the building. It was just a flaw that I saw with the crossover from PS to Fam Matters, that all.

TVFactFan · 12-05-2002, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ThomasE
I'm not sure if I understood you too. One 1989 ep of PS had Carl and Harriette telling Larry and Balki that they were moving into the building. It was just a flaw that I saw with the crossover from PS to Fam Matters, that all.

OKay i understand now-So i wonder what would be the why Maude was never mentioned on Good Times. Florida did mention she was a maid on Good Times but didn't say anyhing about Maude.

ThomasE · 12-05-2002, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SOLOMON

OKay i understand now-So i wonder what would be the why Maude was never mentioned on Good Times. Florida did mention she was a maid on Good Times but didn't say anyhing about Maude.

Ok now that is good. At least she mentioned that. I never knew that she mentioned that she was a maid.

TVFactFan · 12-05-2002, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ThomasE

Ok now that is good. At least she mentioned that. I never knew that she mentioned that she was a maid.

She mentioned in the episode The Check Up when James was laid off and Florida wanted to work in someone's kitchen. Actually Good Times and Family Matters have a lot in common. Both Shows spinned off a husband and wife who were overshadowed by two goofballs-Urkel and J.J

jon123 · 12-06-2002, 03:44 AM

I agree that Good Times is not a spinoff of Maude because although Florida had the same name, Henry became James and the Evans family suddenly lived in Chicago.

TVFactFan · 12-06-2002, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jon123
I agree that Good Times is not a spinoff of Maude because although Florida had the same name, Henry became James and the Evans family suddenly lived in Chicago.

My point exactly-Different names, different city-what a horrible transition.

Sean Snow · 12-07-2002, 01:37 AM

As ThomasE said, someone from the crew of Good Times said it was a Maude spinoff. Are you saying you know better then this person who was working on the show? Yes, the name change was a mistake, and the city change was done on purpose for whatever reason (probably to set the tone of the series, ie the Evans family living in a particular area of a particular town.

Spinoffs do not have to have guest appearences - usually they're done to get the show off to a good start.

I'm pretty sure the creators of Family Matters knew it was a spinoff of Perfect Strangers . . . I'd trust them more. Why would they take the same character, and a person who had guest starred on the parent show as a character, and put them on a show that is unrelated to the parent show? If they did that, they would probably have to change the names of the characters.

There is no rule saying that a spinoff has to have a guest appearence by a person from the parent show or a reference to someone from the parent show, is there?

TVFactFan · 12-07-2002, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sean Snow
As ThomasE said, someone from the crew of Good Times said it was a Maude spinoff. Are you saying you know better then this person who was working on the show? Yes, the name change was a mistake, and the city change was done on purpose for whatever reason (probably to set the tone of the series, ie the Evans family living in a particular area of a particular town.

Spinoffs do not have to have guest appearences - usually they're done to get the show off to a good start.

I'm pretty sure the creators of Family Matters knew it was a spinoff of Perfect Strangers . . . I'd trust them more. Why would they take the same character, and a person who had guest starred on the parent show as a character, and put them on a show that is unrelated to the parent show? If they did that, they would probably have to change the names of the characters.

There is no rule saying that a spinoff has to have a guest appearence by a person from the parent show or a reference to someone from the parent show, is there?

Well explain how someone will know Family matters is related to PS if they never watched PS? I knew that the jeffersons was related to All in the Family beore I watched the parent show. Also how would someone know Good Times is related to Maude if they never watched Maude?

Sean Snow · 12-07-2002, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SOLOMON

Well explain how someone will know Family matters is related to PS if they never watched PS? I knew that the jeffersons was related to All in the Family beore I watched the parent show. Also how would someone know Good Times is related to Maude if they never watched Maude?

They wouldn't. But I probably wouldn't be able to tell that The Ropers and TC are related even though they had the stars guest star. If I hadn't seen TC, I'd probably be like "Who are these people? Who is Jack? and Janet? and Chrissy?". While I'd figure out that they were the Ropers former tenants, I might not figure out they were from TC. So that theory doesn't exactly work, SOLOMON.

. . . and what if they saw the episode of L&S that DIDN'T have anybody from HD in it? They wouldn't be able to tell it was a spinoff of HD since they're watching episodes from later in the series.

SOLOMON, I think the people behind Good Times and Family Matters knew what they were doing.

ThomasE · 12-08-2002, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sean Snow
As ThomasE said, someone from the crew of Good Times said it was a Maude spinoff. Are you saying you know better then this person who was working on the show? Yes, the name change was a mistake, and the city change was done on purpose for whatever reason (probably to set the tone of the series, ie the Evans family living in a particular area of a particular town.

Spinoffs do not have to have guest appearences - usually they're done to get the show off to a good start.

I'm pretty sure the creators of Family Matters knew it was a spinoff of Perfect Strangers . . . I'd trust them more. Why would they take the same character, and a person who had guest starred on the parent show as a character, and put them on a show that is unrelated to the parent show? If they did that, they would probably have to change the names of the characters.

There is no rule saying that a spinoff has to have a guest appearence by a person from the parent show or a reference to someone from the parent show, is there?

Thank You! I think some people are just set in their ways as to what a spinoff is. Ponit blank, Fam Matters and Good Times are spinoffs but the transitions were not smooth. I used to think that a spinoff is when a character is moved to their own show(which it is) but ideas are can be counted for as a spinoff too, ie the Golden Girls and Empty Nest. Empty Nest was a pilot but all the charcters changed when it came to making the first episode then crossovers were done between both shows. Good Times, the characters were the same except for the location and some other things:

Henry's name was changed to James
the setting was Chicago
James went from fireman to forman
James mellowed a little bit

The consistencies were:

On Maude, Florida has three children
She is still the same person

If you talk to these creators and producers of the shows you'll have a better understanding. SOLOMON as you know I don't necessarily agree with your opinion but respect it and it makes great conversation on this particular subject.

12-03-2002, 10:51 PM	#1
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 98,949	Shows I consider spinoffs, Shows I don't consider spinoffs These shows below I consider spioffs because there was always a link to it's parent show. Shows like Laverne and Shirley, The Jeffersons, A Different World and Mork and Mindy 1. Laverne &Shirley had the Fonzie character as a guest star about 4 times and L&S made guest appearances on Happy Days 2 times. 2.Archie or Edith from All in the Family never guest starred on the Jeffersons but they were mentioned in Jeffersons episodes and George and weezie returned to visit the Bunkers 3. The Huxtables visited Denise at College on a Different World about 5 times. 4. Fonzie also guest starred on Mork and Mindy and Mork returned to Happy Days as a guest star. These shows I don't consider spinoffs Good Times, Family Matters Good Times is not a spinoff of Maude because Florida Evans never mentioned Maude on her show and Maude never appeared on Good Times. Plus on Maude, Florida was living in the state of New York and then on Good Times she is living in Chicago. Doesn't make much sense. Family Matters is not a spinoff of Perfect Strangers to me because Harriet Winslow never mentions Larry or Balki on Family Matters or did Larry and Balki appeared on Family Matters. So there was no Link between the two shows at all

12-07-2002, 01:37 AM	#12
Sean Snow moo Forum Fanatic Join Date: May 06, 2001 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,407	As ThomasE said, someone from the crew of Good Times said it was a Maude spinoff. Are you saying you know better then this person who was working on the show? Yes, the name change was a mistake, and the city change was done on purpose for whatever reason (probably to set the tone of the series, ie the Evans family living in a particular area of a particular town. Spinoffs do not have to have guest appearences - usually they're done to get the show off to a good start. I'm pretty sure the creators of Family Matters knew it was a spinoff of Perfect Strangers . . . I'd trust them more. Why would they take the same character, and a person who had guest starred on the parent show as a character, and put them on a show that is unrelated to the parent show? If they did that, they would probably have to change the names of the characters. There is no rule saying that a spinoff has to have a guest appearence by a person from the parent show or a reference to someone from the parent show, is there?
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12-05-2002, 12:00 AM	#2
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	Who says there had to be a link? The character or idea originated from a parent. That's like saying child did not come from the womb of a mother. Most kids don't live with their parent after growing up. They get their own place. Does that mean they have to stop saying so and so is my mother. Empty Nest is a Golden Girls spinoff but the pilot was totally revamped. The character Oliver became Charley Dietz. The Weston house was used but the characters were redone for the spinoff. If Harriette played the same part on "Strangers" as on "Matters" she/idea/or whatever was spun from "Strangers" to "Matters" would make it a spinoff. The creation of these characters did not just pop up nowhere when it was time for them to get their own show did it. Do you check the E Hollywoodstory and how one crew member of Good Times said the the show was a Maude spinoff. Florida did not need to mention Maude nor Harriette with Larry and Balki. Also note that one episode of Fam Matters that Harriette went back to the chronicle to get another job. Plus she also mentions that she was an eleveator operator the Fam Matters ep at the chronicle which is true if you look back at Perfect Stranger. It's too bad that she did get the job at the chronicle and it's funny how She Larry and Balki did not cross paths. LOL.

12-05-2002, 08:04 PM	#4
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	SOLOMON don't you ever wonder why they don't even make mention of Larry and Balki. the flaw in PS was that Carl and Harriette told Larry and Balki that they were moving into Larry and Balki's building one episode of PS, then months later, she is on Fam Matters.

12-05-2002, 08:49 PM	#6
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	I'm not sure if I understood you too. One 1989 ep of PS had Carl and Harriette telling Larry and Balki that they were moving into the building. It was just a flaw that I saw with the crossover from PS to Fam Matters, that all.

12-06-2002, 03:44 AM	#10
jon123 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 04, 2002 Location: Temecula Valley, CA Posts: 395	I agree that Good Times is not a spinoff of Maude because although Florida had the same name, Henry became James and the Evans family suddenly lived in Chicago.