When a series gets popular, the audience always wants more, but sometimes things get cut short. The logical solution is to have a spin-off. It gives the characters more room for development and the writers more room to experiment with what they already have while introducing new and innovative ideas. With any show, it can either be a success or fall flat. That just leaves us wondering what it actually takes to make a good spin-off.
The Big Bang Theory Spin-Offs
One show that has started a chain of spin-offs is The Big Bang Theory with Young Sheldon, George and Mandy’s First Marriage, and most recently announced, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. Starting right at the beginning, The Big Bang Theory does have a creative concept behind it. It’s not just about nerds and their love for science and comic books but their approaches to life. The show does well in showing their personal journeys and growth.
When reflecting on The Big Bang Theory, a recurring character who doesn’t seem to get as much recognition as the main cast is Stuart Bloom. Stuart is first introduced in Season 2 as an awkward comic book storeowner that the guys visit. In the beginning, he’s the outsider, sometimes listening to the gang’s drama but as the series progresses, everyone subtly starts to include him more often by inviting him to events. It even results in Howard and Bernadette trusting him to take care of Howard’s mother. He also gets to have a life of his own by moving in with his girlfriend.
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe has strong potential for him to continue to build up his confidence. Unlike the other two spin-offs which focused on the main characters from each show, this is a clever way for us to see the insight of a former recurring character. However, although the actors from The Big Bang Theory have expressed their excitement, it’s hard to predict how the show will go, especially knowing that spin-offs haven’t always been successful in the past.
From Friends to Joey
The Big Bang Theory still remains a long-running sitcom but they’re not the only ones on the list. It has frequently been compared to Friends for its humour, relationships and character personalities. In some sense, it could easily have been a more nerdy spin-off of Friends but with different characters!
These six taught us about caring for the people you love and built a strong foundation with their chemistry. It stands its ground as one of the most popular sitcoms on television and still has a significant impact today. When the series ended in 2004, its spin-off Joey came on the air a few months later with episodes still available.
In this series, Joey moves to LA, living with his nephew, Michael and his sister, Gina, next door. It takes on a chaotic adventure of him trying to find work as a struggling actor. The reason this may not work so well for the audience is because Friends was already an ensemble show. Friends has been known for its strong chemistry so having Joey alone in a new city loses its originality. However, one thing that I do admire from the series is his resilience as shown in the first episode. He always makes the best of every situation he’s in and tries to find solutions to problems. Even though he’s in a different city, he still has the caring and selfless nature that secured his friendships.
The series itself did not last long and the reviews rapidly went down during its 3 years. Although it briefly showed Joey starting to mature, it felt unnatural not having all the original Friends cast there. When a cast builds a strong connection as they did, it feels more promising to have them as a team rather than just being mentioned. That can be why people feel hesitant about spin-offs.
Saved by the Bell Franchise
Saved by the Bell actually didn’t start as Saved by the Bell. Instead, it was a spin-off from the series, Good Morning Miss Bliss, telling the story of a middle school teacher and her class.
First, there’s Zack Morris, the snippy troublemaker who’s joined by his friends – Screech Powers, sweet but prone to accidents along with Lisa Turtle – a sassy fashionista who’s not afraid to call out Zack’s antics. With their contrasting personalities, these characters set the stage for some crucial development and surprisingly it does make sense. While Miss Bliss is a caring protagonist, it almost feels too natural to have her as a main character.
The spin-off action started a few months after Good Morning Miss Bliss was replaced with Saved by the Bell. Zack is now the protagonist as he, Screech, and Lisa try to get through high school. To further change the pace of the show, the friendship group is expanded with environmentalist Jessie Spano, pro-wrestler A.C. Slater and high school sweetheart, Kelly Kapowski.
With a new concept, the show became a comedy of errors with its constant fourth wall breaks. Every episode started with Zack first introducing the story and sometimes even calling a “time out” in the middle of the scene. If only that could happen in real life…
Things took a major turning point after the third season. Instead of just the sitcom tropes it used more crucial and mature themes such as gender stereotypes, and even drunk driving as a way of making it more relatable. For that reason, Saved by the Bell became one of the most popular sitcoms, although most of the jokes and plotlines may not land so well today. It was one of my favourite shows in teenage years, especially for its nostalgia.
The show went on to have 2 more spin-offs transitioning to their adult lives, even having a reboot in 2020. Each series remains fairly consistent but this could also be a negative. Because Saved by the Bell first aired in the early 90s, it had an 80s feel from the clothing, sets and atmosphere which felt engaging. By the reboot, it feels unnatural and almost recycled. It starts to lose the authenticity of the original show. This can be why audiences are skeptical of spin-offs, as it can feel too dragged on.
Are Spin-Offs Always the Answer?
When we look at spin-offs from a wider perspective, we can start to see the real meaning behind them. They aren’t necessarily gimmicks to draw the audience’s attention, but they act as a way to move the story along. It’s a way for the writers to take a step forward and develop the characters’ stories. However, when looking back, what really makes a spin-off stand out is a balance between new elements and not forgetting its roots. It’s hard to say whether Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will be successful but that doesn’t mean that the audience shouldn’t give the series a try at all.
Stuart was a character even I didn’t appreciate as much but the development for his new show does sound intriguing. It could be a nice break for the audience from the characters they’re used to. With the character development in the main cast, it feels more than likely that Stuart will have the same opportunities too.
