No matter the popularity of a character or concept, spin-off series are a gamble. They can be the source of excited anticipation or plain confusion. If they can’t hook the original series’s fans as well as grow a new audience, they flounder. The archives of TV Guide are riddled with one-season could-have-been-great spin-off series that just couldn’t get traction as they struck out on their own.
Below, we’ve collected five “unicorn” spin-offs, times where the stars aligned and the cast and creatives successfully captured new lightning in a bottle. Not only did these series avoid the freshman season hatchet, but they also broke new ground, sometimes even spawning spin-offs of their own.
Degrassi Junior High > The Kids of Degrassi Street
Up in the northern wilds of 1980s Canada, a phenomenon called Degrassi hatched in the mind of Toronto school teacher Linda Schuyler. The Kids of Degrassi Street ran 26 episodes between December 1979 and January 1986. Although, chronologically, they had seven seasons, only Seasons 6 and 7 were more than five episodes long, with Seasons 1, 2 and 5 being only a single standalone episode.
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However, Degrassi had captured the hearts and minds of the viewers and the network’s execs. CBC ordered a spin-off/continuation of the story of the kids we had grown to love, and in January 1987, Degrassi Junior High premiered. With its unflinching way of addressing real-life teen issues like pregnancy, abuse, homosexuality, shoplifting, drugs and alcohol, it informed viewers and provided conversation starters for families rather than preaching a moralistic adult-centered stance.
Degrassi Junior High ran 42 episodes for three seasons, won 37 television awards (including an International Emmy), and became a cultural phenomenon within Canada while growing cult followings in scores of countries. PBS in the United States began showing Degrassi Junior High in September 1987, and by November 1988, it was airing in over 40 countries.
Degrassi’s Legacy
While The Kids of Degrassi Street launched the franchise, Degrassi Junior High is indisputably the crown jewel. On the momentum of DJH, three major productions found a place in prime time. Degrassi High debuted in November 1989 and ran for two seasons. Following its finale, six Degrassi actors filmed a documentary, Degrassi Talks, where they traveled around Canada talking to teens about health and social issues. Degrassi Talks debuted in Feb 1992. There was also the Degrassi TV movie School’s Out, which aired in Canada in January 1992. It premiered in the US on PBS in June 1994.
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Degrassi continues to be a going concern. In October 2001, Degrassi: The Next Generation, featuring Emma (Miriam McDonald), the baby born to teen mom Spike (Amanda Stepto) in Degrassi Junior High. Degrassi: The Next Generation would go on to run for 14 seasons and spawn Degrassi: The Next Class, which concluded on Netflix in 2017. Currently, a second revival series and a docu-series are being actively discussed.
Degrassi Junior High is available to stream on Prime Video.
The Simpsons > The Tracey Ullman Show
If anyone could’ve predicted an animated short about a dim-witted, dysfunctional family that aired as a segment of Tracey Ullman’s comedy variety show in April 1987 would become the longest-running American animated show, longest-running American sitcom, and longest-running American scripted primetime television series … well, their name’s probably Matt Groening, but that’s not even a sure thing.
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The Tracey Ullman Show ended in 1990 after four seasons, a year after The Simpsons debuted on Fox as a half-hour prime-time show. Now going into its 36th season, The Simpsons is a cornerstone of television viewing for multiple generations. Its characters are easily recognizable even by those who don’t watch the show, and many of its humorous plot points have been weirdly accurate predictions of the future.
Stream The Simpsons on Disney+.
NCIS > JAG
You’d think that a series that ran 10 seasons and 227 episodes on two major networks in the era before streaming would be pretty hard to beat, wouldn’t you? And yet, JAG, a legal drama about the Judge Advocate General in the US Navy, has to bow to its spin-off, NCIS, a police procedural about the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which premieres its 22nd season this fall.
NCIS has been such an exceptional success that the franchise is named for it. It has already spawned four spin-offs — NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, NCIS: Hawai’i and NCIS: Sydney. A prequel series, NCIS: Origins, is slotted to premiere in the 2024-25 season, while a character-driven spin-off, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, has been ordered.
All 21 seasons of NCIS are currently streaming on Paramount+.
The Colbert Report > The Daily Show
Comedy Central’s The Daily Show has evolved a lot since its 1996 premiere with Craig Kilborn through its (arguably) Golden 1999-2015 era with host Jon Stewart, globally-inclusive seven seasons (including COVID) with Trevor Noah, and year of guest hosts, only to return in 2024 with Jon Stewart anchoring the Monday night hosting duties.
Of the many correspondents The Daily Show has brought up and then set free on the world of comedy and entertainment in general, Stephen Colbert stands out with how he was about to pivot from occasional schtick segments on The Daily Show to his own satirical talk-TV series The Colbert Report.
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Because The Daily Show‘s formula continues to change and morph with the times and its cast, it’s constantly reinventing itself. Conversely, The Colbert Report delivered a singular and cohesive comedy message throughout its nine seasons. The character of Stephen Colbert, a conservative political pundit personality, debuted in a proto-form on The Dana Carvey Show in 1996 but found a place on The Daily Show in occasional ads for the (then) fictional Colbert Report.
Comedy Central hit the jackpot when they picked up Colbert’s pitch in 2004. The Colbert Report was an immediate success and kept viewers tuned to Comedy Central with The Daily Show as its lead-in. If CBS hadn’t come calling just as Colbert’s contract was up for renewal in 2014, who knows how long that train could’ve run?
Episodes of The Colbert Report can be seen on Apple TV+.
Elsbeth > The Good Wife
All right, all right. I get that this is going to be a hot take for most fans of the soapy legal political drama of The Good Wife, anchored by the talented Julianna Margulies, which ran seven seasons and won 28 major television awards and garners 190 nominations.
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But seriously, Elsbeth is just so much more fun to watch. Fight me on this, but The Good Wife never left me smiling or even in that good of a mood. Carrie Preston was one of several recurring guest stars on the O.G. series that I always looked forward to seeing. It’s about time that Elsbeth Tascioni got to step into the spotlight with her quirky fashion sense and keen insights, making friends everywhere she goes. Except maybe with the folks she sends to prison. And sometimes, even then.
Yes, in many ways, this spin-off series is the spiritual heir to classic detective procedurals like Columbo and Murder, She Wrote, but there’s nothing wrong with that. She sets right wrongs and does it with kindness and understanding. And it’s not like she’s not called out on her signature style of clothing or investigation. People notice she’s eccentric, but they also understand that she’s really good at what she does. What’s even more amazing is that she does too.
So, yeah, Elsbeth > The Good Wife. I stand by it, and so should you. Catch up with Season 1 on CBS.com, and don’t miss the Season 2 premiere on October 17.
Did we include your favorite spin-off series? Let us know in the comments.
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