here’s to barking up that family tree
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
shows you didn’t know we’re spin-offs
before we begin we publish new videos
every day so be sure to subscribe for
more great content for this list we’re
ranking the television programs that got
their start being spun off from other
popular programs shows from all sorts of
TV genres will be considered as long as
their main characters were first
featured on another program before being
spun off onto their own number 10 The
Andy Griffith Show spun off from the
Danny Thomas show Andy Griffith is a
certified television legend but even his
biggest fans might not remember that the
celebrated actors beloved sitcom was
actually a spinoff take a look at mine
and you’ll discover that I’m somebody
well you know I you know I knew that the
minute I laid eyes on you the character
of sheriff Andy Taylor actually first
showed up on an episode of make room for
daddy
later known as the Danny Thomas show
[Music]
remember when Danny Thomas’s character
was arrested for running a stop sign
while driving through the fictional
Mayberry North Carolina the rest as they
say is history as The Andy Griffith Show
quickly became a ratings monster that
connected with young fans and old during
its eight-year run in the 1960s okay I
hope so number 9 diagnosis murder spun
off from Jake and The Fatman Dick Van
Dyke is another TV icon with a career
that spans multiple decades he may be
forever associated with the Dick Van
Dyke Show but the legend also thrived
during the 90s with a popular murder
mystery program titled diagnosis murder
what’s an Earl it’s an address you type
in to get to a site on the world wide
web boob-tube buffs may not remember
exactly how the show got off the ground
however namely as a spinoff from the
equally popular cop show Jake and The
Fatman he was already dead you guys
believe me don’t you doesn’t matter what
we believe mark
matters to me Van Dyke’s character of
dr. Mark Sloan first appeared as a
character there before moving on to
diagnosis murder where he solved
homicides alongside his son a homicide
detective on a weekly basis hospital
administrator number eight Knott’s
landing spun off from Dallas the 1970s
and 80s were a huge time for the
television soap opera and there was
arguably no primetime so bigger or more
widely watched than the ratings
juggernaut Dallas I’m sorry just drag me
right back into that family indeed the
continuing stories of the Ewing family
and company proved so popular that they
eventually spun off into another
nighttime soap legend Knots Landing well
I’ve been running all my life I got it
stopped sometime the show was spun off
from the third season of Dallas and
follows jr. Ewing’s middle son Gary as
he and his new wife Valene move away
from the family into what they think is
a quiet cul-de-sac Seaview circle
Knott’s landing was a huge hit packing
in audiences from 1979 all the way to
1993 again number seven the facts of
life spun off from Diff’rent Strokes
sitcoms were big business during the
1980s with the facts of life being one
of the most well remembered not as often
recalled as the show’s launching point
which can be traced back to yet another
popular sitcom Diff’rent Strokes veteran
character actress Charlotte Rae
portrayed the Drummond family’s
housekeeper during the first season of
Diff’rent Strokes before her character
of Edna Garrett was spun off into a
series of her own and remember men this
time when you wash the dishes use soap
not floor wax this time mrs. Garrett
would be taking care of a whole new
group of kids as the house mother for an
all-girls private school raised natural
charm and charisma translated well on
both shows with the facts of life
thriving on television for nearly a
decade anyway number six
Xena
warrior princess spun off from Hercules
The Legendary Journeys themes of swords
and sorcery enjoyed a big-time comeback
during the mid 90s thanks to the success
of a pair of popular shows pathetic if
you can’t learn to fight better than
that then you’re never gonna defeat
Hercules Kevin Sorbo starred as the
titular Hercules and The Legendary
Journeys but it was Lucy Lawless Xena
who arguably eclipsed her predecessor
when she was spun off into her own show
the character actually started off as a
villain when she first debuted on
Hercules but her strong personality and
fierce demeanor proved so popular that
Xena Warrior Princess showcased a
repentant Xena who was attempting to
right the wrongs of her past life fans
responded in droves and Xena was a
certified super star you don’t want to
make me mad now do you number 5
Mork & Mindy spun off from Happy Days
the classic sitcom happy days bore some
serious creative fruit during its
decade-long success on the small screen
Fonz eNOS pals may have been all about
1950s nostalgia but the laughs were
brought up to date with a number of
equally popular spin-offs Mork & Mindy
ushered in a young Robin Williams as
Mork from ork an alien who originally
attempts to abduct Richie Cunningham
before audience popularity saw him
rechristened with a more family-friendly
tone don’t tell my father were living
together I don’t understand he doesn’t
know you’re living meanwhile Laverne and
Shirley followed two of Fonzie single
friends as they enjoy life in the big
city with their equally big dreams I’m
sorry I already have a date with Arthur
Fonzarelli well that’s all right you can
bring him to Fonzie at a society party
both shows went on to thrive as pop
culture icons of their very own number 4
Family Matters spun off from perfect
strangers for many the Winslow family
exemplified the height of ABC’s
massively popular TGIF block of family
comedies now you put a smile on your
face are you gonna be in big trouble
in fact Family Matters endured for so
long that many seem to have forgotten
that the
show was actually a spinoff from another
TGIF mainstay perfect strangers the
Winslow matriarch Harriet was the sassy
and popular elevator operator who
debuted on the show mrs. Winslow lasted
for about two seasons of perfect
strangers before her character was
finally spun off into family matters a
show that would later introduce a
popular character of its own Steve Urkel
number three Daria spun off from beavis
and butt-head mic judges beavis and
butt-head often earned just as much
controversy for its content as it did
praise for its jokes its spin-off series
was more accepted by the mainstream
public thanks mainly to its presentation
of a smart funny and capable female lead
we’re talking of course about Daria who
started out her life as one of beavis
and butthead x’ classmates before
jumping off into a show of her own it’s
not easy moving to a whole new town
especially for you Daria right did we
move daria morgendorffer little sister
Quinn best friend Jane Lane and Co
brought together sarcastic wit and
angsty charm alongside plenty of laughs
making it a spinoff that can easily
stand up against its source show in the
nostalgia department what do you think
of this one
it stands proudly and proclaims I am
number two NCIS spun off from jag some
spin-offs take on a life of their own
lasting so long that viewers forget that
they’re actually tuning into a spinoff
series week after week you ever worked a
crime scene agent Todd I am a Secret
Service agent I thought that
NCIS could be counted as one such series
as many of its fans may have forgotten
that this crime procedural hit was
actually spun off from another small
screen action series jag TV producer
extraordinaire Donald P Belisario was no
stranger to cop show hits on the big
screen so it only made sense that he
would spin-off in C is a show about
Naval Criminal Investigation from the
legal drama jag number two
if you must know it summer for both
shows have proven immensely popular and
continue to rule in syndication to this
day
bless you what are you my priest before
we name our number one spin-off here are
some honorable mentions Oliver I don’t
need to hear this no what you don’t need
to hear is what goes on in the cockpit
that’s ok as long as you got the basil
better bacon bits came with my mother so
tell me what’s been going on in your
life oh let’s see where to start
um nothing the last words are for a good
time call Alice number one The Simpsons
spun off from The Tracey Ullman Show The
Simpsons are an animated family that’s
become a part of our own extended
households since they debuted that being
said even the biggest Simpsons fan could
be forgiven for forgetting that Marge
Homer Bart Lisa and Maggie started their
humble lives as a spin-off a series of
roughly animated Simpsons shorts were
first aired as a part of the Fox sketch
comedy series The Tracey Ullman Show
these shorts were mainstays on the first
three seasons of Tracey Ullman and were
granted full-time status as a result of
their incredible popularity with viewers
this is absolutely the last funeral we
ever take you cringe – meanwhile the
legacy of The Simpsons lives on today as
an all-time classic do you agree with
our picks check out these other great
clips from WatchMojo and subscribe for
new videos every day
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
shows you didn’t know we’re spin-offs
before we begin we publish new videos
every day so be sure to subscribe for
more great content for this list we’re
ranking the television programs that got
their start being spun off from other
popular programs shows from all sorts of
TV genres will be considered as long as
their main characters were first
featured on another program before being
spun off onto their own number 10 The
Andy Griffith Show spun off from the
Danny Thomas show Andy Griffith is a
certified television legend but even his
biggest fans might not remember that the
celebrated actors beloved sitcom was
actually a spinoff take a look at mine
and you’ll discover that I’m somebody
well you know I you know I knew that the
minute I laid eyes on you the character
of sheriff Andy Taylor actually first
showed up on an episode of make room for
daddy
later known as the Danny Thomas show
[Music]
remember when Danny Thomas’s character
was arrested for running a stop sign
while driving through the fictional
Mayberry North Carolina the rest as they
say is history as The Andy Griffith Show
quickly became a ratings monster that
connected with young fans and old during
its eight-year run in the 1960s okay I
hope so number 9 diagnosis murder spun
off from Jake and The Fatman Dick Van
Dyke is another TV icon with a career
that spans multiple decades he may be
forever associated with the Dick Van
Dyke Show but the legend also thrived
during the 90s with a popular murder
mystery program titled diagnosis murder
what’s an Earl it’s an address you type
in to get to a site on the world wide
web boob-tube buffs may not remember
exactly how the show got off the ground
however namely as a spinoff from the
equally popular cop show Jake and The
Fatman he was already dead you guys
believe me don’t you doesn’t matter what
we believe mark
matters to me Van Dyke’s character of
dr. Mark Sloan first appeared as a
character there before moving on to
diagnosis murder where he solved
homicides alongside his son a homicide
detective on a weekly basis hospital
administrator number eight Knott’s
landing spun off from Dallas the 1970s
and 80s were a huge time for the
television soap opera and there was
arguably no primetime so bigger or more
widely watched than the ratings
juggernaut Dallas I’m sorry just drag me
right back into that family indeed the
continuing stories of the Ewing family
and company proved so popular that they
eventually spun off into another
nighttime soap legend Knots Landing well
I’ve been running all my life I got it
stopped sometime the show was spun off
from the third season of Dallas and
follows jr. Ewing’s middle son Gary as
he and his new wife Valene move away
from the family into what they think is
a quiet cul-de-sac Seaview circle
Knott’s landing was a huge hit packing
in audiences from 1979 all the way to
1993 again number seven the facts of
life spun off from Diff’rent Strokes
sitcoms were big business during the
1980s with the facts of life being one
of the most well remembered not as often
recalled as the show’s launching point
which can be traced back to yet another
popular sitcom Diff’rent Strokes veteran
character actress Charlotte Rae
portrayed the Drummond family’s
housekeeper during the first season of
Diff’rent Strokes before her character
of Edna Garrett was spun off into a
series of her own and remember men this
time when you wash the dishes use soap
not floor wax this time mrs. Garrett
would be taking care of a whole new
group of kids as the house mother for an
all-girls private school raised natural
charm and charisma translated well on
both shows with the facts of life
thriving on television for nearly a
decade anyway number six
Xena
warrior princess spun off from Hercules
The Legendary Journeys themes of swords
and sorcery enjoyed a big-time comeback
during the mid 90s thanks to the success
of a pair of popular shows pathetic if
you can’t learn to fight better than
that then you’re never gonna defeat
Hercules Kevin Sorbo starred as the
titular Hercules and The Legendary
Journeys but it was Lucy Lawless Xena
who arguably eclipsed her predecessor
when she was spun off into her own show
the character actually started off as a
villain when she first debuted on
Hercules but her strong personality and
fierce demeanor proved so popular that
Xena Warrior Princess showcased a
repentant Xena who was attempting to
right the wrongs of her past life fans
responded in droves and Xena was a
certified super star you don’t want to
make me mad now do you number 5
Mork & Mindy spun off from Happy Days
the classic sitcom happy days bore some
serious creative fruit during its
decade-long success on the small screen
Fonz eNOS pals may have been all about
1950s nostalgia but the laughs were
brought up to date with a number of
equally popular spin-offs Mork & Mindy
ushered in a young Robin Williams as
Mork from ork an alien who originally
attempts to abduct Richie Cunningham
before audience popularity saw him
rechristened with a more family-friendly
tone don’t tell my father were living
together I don’t understand he doesn’t
know you’re living meanwhile Laverne and
Shirley followed two of Fonzie single
friends as they enjoy life in the big
city with their equally big dreams I’m
sorry I already have a date with Arthur
Fonzarelli well that’s all right you can
bring him to Fonzie at a society party
both shows went on to thrive as pop
culture icons of their very own number 4
Family Matters spun off from perfect
strangers for many the Winslow family
exemplified the height of ABC’s
massively popular TGIF block of family
comedies now you put a smile on your
face are you gonna be in big trouble
in fact Family Matters endured for so
long that many seem to have forgotten
that the
show was actually a spinoff from another
TGIF mainstay perfect strangers the
Winslow matriarch Harriet was the sassy
and popular elevator operator who
debuted on the show mrs. Winslow lasted
for about two seasons of perfect
strangers before her character was
finally spun off into family matters a
show that would later introduce a
popular character of its own Steve Urkel
number three Daria spun off from beavis
and butt-head mic judges beavis and
butt-head often earned just as much
controversy for its content as it did
praise for its jokes its spin-off series
was more accepted by the mainstream
public thanks mainly to its presentation
of a smart funny and capable female lead
we’re talking of course about Daria who
started out her life as one of beavis
and butthead x’ classmates before
jumping off into a show of her own it’s
not easy moving to a whole new town
especially for you Daria right did we
move daria morgendorffer little sister
Quinn best friend Jane Lane and Co
brought together sarcastic wit and
angsty charm alongside plenty of laughs
making it a spinoff that can easily
stand up against its source show in the
nostalgia department what do you think
of this one
it stands proudly and proclaims I am
number two NCIS spun off from jag some
spin-offs take on a life of their own
lasting so long that viewers forget that
they’re actually tuning into a spinoff
series week after week you ever worked a
crime scene agent Todd I am a Secret
Service agent I thought that
NCIS could be counted as one such series
as many of its fans may have forgotten
that this crime procedural hit was
actually spun off from another small
screen action series jag TV producer
extraordinaire Donald P Belisario was no
stranger to cop show hits on the big
screen so it only made sense that he
would spin-off in C is a show about
Naval Criminal Investigation from the
legal drama jag number two
if you must know it summer for both
shows have proven immensely popular and
continue to rule in syndication to this
day
bless you what are you my priest before
we name our number one spin-off here are
some honorable mentions Oliver I don’t
need to hear this no what you don’t need
to hear is what goes on in the cockpit
that’s ok as long as you got the basil
better bacon bits came with my mother so
tell me what’s been going on in your
life oh let’s see where to start
um nothing the last words are for a good
time call Alice number one The Simpsons
spun off from The Tracey Ullman Show The
Simpsons are an animated family that’s
become a part of our own extended
households since they debuted that being
said even the biggest Simpsons fan could
be forgiven for forgetting that Marge
Homer Bart Lisa and Maggie started their
humble lives as a spin-off a series of
roughly animated Simpsons shorts were
first aired as a part of the Fox sketch
comedy series The Tracey Ullman Show
these shorts were mainstays on the first
three seasons of Tracey Ullman and were
granted full-time status as a result of
their incredible popularity with viewers
this is absolutely the last funeral we
ever take you cringe – meanwhile the
legacy of The Simpsons lives on today as
an all-time classic do you agree with
our picks check out these other great
clips from WatchMojo and subscribe for
new videos every day
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