# Spinoff of a spinoff **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 8, 2026, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467 "2026-01-08T11:57:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467/81 "2026-01-12T19:45:40Z")
True. It is cool that they continue to use same the FBI agent in charge on _The Rookie_ despite the _Feds_ show going belly up. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467/82 "2026-01-13T13:55:40Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Yeah the recent Law & Order was a crossover with L&O- Special Victims unit Speaking of spinoffs, there’s Law & Order → Law & Order: SVU (with Donald Cragen from L&O) → Law & Order: Organized Crime (with Elliot Stabler from SVU) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467/83 "2026-01-13T18:16:06Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > Beverly Hillbillies → Petticoat Junction-\> Green Acres As I understand it: When Paul Henning (creator of the first two shows, and executive producer of the third) was casting _The Beverly Hillbillies_, one of the actresses he was considering for the role of Granny was Bea Benaderet, with whom he’d worked on several radio and TV comedies, and who had become his friend. He ultimately decided that Benaderet was too buxom for the role (he had pictured Granny as being skinny and wiry), and after casting Irene Ryan as Granny, he gave Benaderet a recurring role as Jethro’s mother (and Jed’s cousin) Pearl Bodine – Pearl appeared frequently in the show’s first season, and became a breakout character. Due to the tremendous success of _The Beverly Hillbillies_, CBS offered Henning another time slot for a new show. He decided to give Benaderet a starring role, and built another rural comedy – _Petticoat Junction_ – around her. Though both shows had a rural focus, there weren’t initially any direct in-universe ties between the two, and Benaderet played a different character (Kate Bradley), with a very different personality from Pearl’s. _Petticoat Junction_ was, at most, an indirect spinoff of _The Beverly Hillbillies_, as it was a vehicle for an actor from the the initial series (but in a very different role), and also had that rural focus. When _Petticoat Junction_ was a hit, as well, CBS offered Henning yet another time slot. Feeling already overextended, he offered the slot to writer and producer Jay Sommers, who had been working with Henning on _Petticoat Junction_. Sommers then adapted a concept he had produced as a “summer replacement” radio comedy in 1950, _Granby’s Green Acres_…which had, ironically, starred Benaderet as the impractical wife. Sommers (and Henning) took advantage of _Petticoat Junction_’s popularity, and set _Green Acres_ in the same rural town (Hooterville), with many of the same supporting characters. So, not a direct spin-off, so much as a true “sister show.” _Petticoat Junction_ and _Green Acres_ had a number of episodes in which the stars of one show (as well as the supporting characters) appeared on the other show. And, finally, late in the run of all three series (before the 1971 “rural purge”), there were several episodes of _The Beverly Hillbillies_ which were set in Hooterville, featured characters from _Petticoat Junction_ and _Green Acres_, and finally established that _Hillbillies_ was, indeed, also in the same universe. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467/84 "2026-01-13T18:34:20Z")
Star Trek-Star Trek Discovery-Star Trek Strange New Worlds Technically Star Trek Prodigy is a spinoff of Star Trek Voyager but calling it this feels kind of forced ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467/85 "2026-01-13T18:35:24Z")
And _Star Trek: Strange New Worlds_ is a direct spin-off from Discovery, as well as a retcon prequel to the Original Series. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467/86 "2026-01-13T19:11:58Z")
Which characters on _Discovery_ are played by the same actors that played them on _TOS_? Once again, the OP’s explicit request for the thread: > Any other TV shows that one of the spinoffs had a spinoff that involved the same characters played by the same actors? The Big Bang Theory had the same characters (Sheldon, Mary, Meemaw) but different actors so George and Mandy doesn’t fit what I am asking. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467/87 "2026-01-13T19:32:12Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Speaking of spinoffs, there’s Law & Order → Law & Order: SVU (with Donald Cragen from L&O) → Law & Order: Organized Crime (with Elliot Stabler from SVU) Also L&O Criminal Intent. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467/88 "2026-01-13T20:31:32Z")
Was there any character from Law & Order who was in the main cast of L&O Criminal Intent (season 1)? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467/89 "2026-01-13T20:34:25Z")
John Munch, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467/90 "2026-01-13T22:41:24Z")
IIRC, yes for a few episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467/91 "2026-01-25T04:09:14Z")
Bumping for a completely random bit of trivia I just stumbled across. The Backdoor Pilot, introducing a character on an established show as a way to prepare audiences for a series with this new character, was invented by Sheldon Leonard. Who was Sheldon Leonard? Among his many acting roles (before becoming a director and producer) was Harry the Horse in _Guys and Dolls_. He collaborated with Danny Thomas a lot, and created the Andy Griffith show from an episode of the Danny Thomas Show. He’s also where the writers got the names for the leads of _The Big Bang Theory_. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467/92 "2026-01-25T12:12:41Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > The conditions in the OP called for the same actor to continue in the same role in the spinoff. > > I wasn’t replying to the OP, I was replying to **Spoons** comment about the Lou Grant character being unique. I think there’s a valid comparison between the two in that _MASH_ and _The MTM Show_ both had poignancy and moments of pathos, that grounded it in reality, and made the transition to a 1-hour drama show more believable. A show that was raucous, and “shallow” in terms of injecting real, emotional moments probably would have much more difficulty transitioning a character to a drama-- imagine trying to transition a character from _Seinfeld_ (“no hugging; no learning!”) or \*Married with Children." > [@Telemark](#): > > Bumping and therefore putting the thread top on my “Unread” page, so I have to comment! > [@Telemark](#): > > He’s also where the writers got the names for the leads of _The Big Bang Theory_. And the reason I kept wondering if either of the leads was supposed to be Jewish. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467/93 "2026-01-25T16:47:19Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > IANA Trekkie / Trekker. I have now (and had as a kid then) unsophisticated tastes in entertainment. Those two sentences don’t seem like they belong together. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467/94 "2026-01-25T17:22:44Z")
Not really. One is about tastes. The other is about fandom / enthusiasm. It’s possible to have unsophisticated tastes without being somebody who gets excited about dumb entertainment. IOW, it’s all meh to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoff-of-a-spinoff/1026467.md?page=4)