# Mary Tyler Moore show had three spin-offs - is that a record? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 5, 2017, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061 "2017-02-05T14:31:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/1 "2017-02-05T14:31:26Z")
There were three spin-offs from the Mary Tyler Moore Show: Rhoda; Phyllis and Lou Grant (two comedies, one drama). Is that a record for number of spin-offs from one show? ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/2 "2017-02-05T14:38:05Z")
_All in the Family_ had five: > [@](#): > > Maude > The Jeffersons > Archie Bunker’s Place > Gloria > 704-Hauser ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/3 "2017-02-05T14:38:27Z")
The _Law and Order_ franchise has it beat. After the original show came: [ol] [li]L&O: Special Victims Unit[/li][li]L&O: Criminal Intent[/li][li]L&O: Trial By Jury[/li][li]L&O: UK[/li][li]L&O: Los Angeles[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/4 "2017-02-05T14:40:01Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/5 "2017-02-05T14:41:46Z")
LOVE, AMERICAN STYLE begat HAPPY DAYS, which in turn begat MORK AND MINDY and LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY and JOANIE LOVES CHACHI and BLANSKY’S BEAUTIES. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/6 "2017-02-05T14:44:39Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > _All in the Family_ had five: Six, you forgot Good Times. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/7 "2017-02-05T14:45:44Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > The _Law and Order_ franchise has it beat. After the original show came: > [ol] > [li]L&O: Special Victims Unit[/li][li]L&O: Criminal Intent[/li][li]L&O: Trial By Jury[/li][li]L&O: UK[/li][li]L&O: Los Angeles[/li][/ol] In the wake of the original STAR TREK and STAR TREK: THE ANIMATED SERIES, we got STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION as well as STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE as well as STAR TREK: VOYAGER as well as STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE, with the latest spinoff apparently on its way in a matter of months. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/8 "2017-02-05T14:45:57Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > LOVE, AMERICAN STYLE begat HAPPY DAYS, which in turn begat MORK AND MINDY and LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY and JOANIE LOVES CHACHI and BLANSKY’S BEAUTIES. And Out of the Blue [Out of the Blue (1979 TV series) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_of_the_Blue_%281979_TV_series%29) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/9 "2017-02-05T14:47:39Z")
Do reality shows count? I’m always hearing my sisters talk about Real Housewives so I just went and counted them. Not counting the original show (Orange County), there’s: 8 Cities 14 shows “spun off” from other RH shows (ie Vanderpump Rules, Bethenny Ever After) 9 International RH shows. That would be 31, if we’re counting reality shows. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/10 "2017-02-05T14:48:14Z")
Some that match or beat it, just off the top of my head… All in the Family had 4 - The Jeffersons, Gloria, Maude and 704 Hauser (arguably Archie Bunker’s Place, too). The Jeffersons and Maude both had spinoffs of their own (… Both about their maids, actually) - Checking In (where Florence went to work at a hotel) and Good Times (Maude’s maid Florida’s home life, after she moves away). MASH technically had 3, although WALTER never got more than the pilot made (but it did air, so it still counts)…The other two (AfterMASH an Trapper John, MD (also a drama) did well though (2 seasons and 6 seasons, respectively). Star Trek has The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, and the upcoming Discovery, though the distinction between spinoff and sequel/prequel is hard to define for them. But if you count them as spinoffs, that’s 6. Happy Days had Laverne & Shirley, Blansky’s Beauties, Mork & Mindy, and Joanie Loves Chachi, so 4, even without considering the Fonzie cartoon. [Edit - Jesus, I spent too long writing this post and looking up titles of ones I’d forgotten - 704 Hauser, Checking In, WALTER, and Blansky’s Beauties - and got beaten to most of these. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/11 "2017-02-05T14:51:48Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Six, you forgot Good Times. Good Times is a spinoff of Maude, so interesting, but not an AitF spin-off, per se, and you also forgot Checking In. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/12 "2017-02-05T15:06:43Z")
I don’t really feel like the Law and Order franchise are “spin offs”. More of a repeated formula. But I don’t make the rules. 🙂 I was thinking Happy Days too but a couple of them seem to be “backdoor pilots” which I have a problem with calling a real spinoff. Which brings me to a thought: Can any show top the backdoor pilot chain of JAG -\> NCIS -\> NCIS:New Orleans&LA? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/13 "2017-02-05T15:43:49Z")
We just did this a few months ago. Can’t find the thread though. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/14 "2017-02-05T15:56:18Z")
Do international adaptations count as spin-offs? For instance, “All in the Family” was an Americanized version of a British sitcom “Man About the House”. If such adaptations count, then “the Office” would be a strong contender with [eight official versions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Office). There are also a host of international versions of “Charlie’s Angels”, though I don’t know how many. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/15 "2017-02-05T16:01:17Z")
There is, of course, a Wikipedia article about this: > **[List of television spin-offs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_television_spin-offs)** > > A spin-off in television is a new series containing characters or settings that originated in a previous series, but with a different focus, tone, or theme. For example, the series Frasier was a spin-off of the earlier series Cheers: the character Frasier Crane was introduced as a secondary character on Cheers, and became the protagonist of his own series, set in a different city, in the spin-off. Spin-offs are particularly common in sitcom. A related phenomenon, not to be confused with the spi... You make up your own mind about what really counts as a spin-off. The article lists the most spin-offs from _Popstars_. These shows were basically copies for other countries. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/16 "2017-02-05T16:26:43Z")
I’d consider a spin-off to be a new show including cast member(s) from the previous show. Hence the ‘spin-off’; a character spins off to create a new show in the same ‘world’. I’m not familiar with Real Housewives or L&O enough to say, but if they’re all new casts in a new location than I wouldn’t call it a spin-off. Of course, by my definition, even Star Trek: TNO isn’t a spin-off so much as a continuation on the formula. I’m okay with that but I could see where others wouldn’t be. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/17 "2017-02-05T16:46:57Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > Good Times is a spinoff of Maude, so interesting, but not an AitF spin-off, per se, and you also forgot Checking In. 😛 In that case _Love American Style_ cannot count in the _Happy Days_ bloodline ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/18 "2017-02-05T16:53:46Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > Do international adaptations count as spin-offs? For instance, “All in the Family” was an Americanized version of a British sitcom “Man About the House”. I think you got your wires a little crossed, there. _All in the Family_ was a remake of the British _Till Death Us Do Part_. _Man About the House_ was remade in America as _Three’s Company_. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/19 "2017-02-05T17:35:19Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > Happy Days had Laverne & Shirley, Blansky’s Beauties, Mork & Mindy, and Joanie Loves Chachi, so 4, even without considering the Fonzie cartoon. > [@Andy\_L](#): > > And Out of the Blue [Out of the Blue (1979 TV series) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_of_the_Blue_%281979_TV_series%29) Should _Blanksy’s Beauties_ and _Out of the Blue_ be counted as _Happy Days_ spinoffs? The only reason those shows’ main characters appeared on HD was to promote them for their own shows. It’s like claiming that _Hello Larry_ was a spinoff of _Diff’rent Strokes_. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061/20 "2017-02-05T17:36:05Z")
Does the common character need to be the main character of the new show? Because if not, then we can at least count _Deep Space Nine_ as a spinoff of _Star Trek: The Next Generation_, with O’Brien (and later Worf) in common. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-tyler-moore-show-had-three-spin-offs-is-that-a-record/779061.md?page=2)