# Spinoffs (NOT rebrands/renames) with the most appearances from the other show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2026, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-not-rebrands-renames-with-the-most-appearances-from-the-other-show/1026540 "2026-01-10T18:35:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**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 10, 2026, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-not-rebrands-renames-with-the-most-appearances-from-the-other-show/1026540/1 "2026-01-10T18:35:35Z")
(This is a spinoff of the spinoff of a spinoff thread.) I’m wondering about legitimate spinoffs (not continuations under a different name) that include the most cast members from the original series. _Angel_ comes to mind. Originally it was only Angel and Cordelia moved over from _Buffy_. But then they added Wesley, Darla, Drucilla, Harmony, and Spike. Plus five other regular _Buffy_ characters had at least one appearance (Buffy, Oz, Faith, Willow, and Tucker’s brother) plus Chanterelle/Lily/Anne who was in two _Buffy_ episodes and three _Angel_ ones, so that’s 13 characters crossing over. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-not-rebrands-renames-with-the-most-appearances-from-the-other-show/1026540/2 "2026-01-10T18:58:46Z")
I’d nominate “Better Call Saul”. It pulls waaaay ahead of “Angel” with [44 crossover characters.](https://breakingbad.fandom.com/wiki/Better_Call_Saul_(TV_series)) I also thought “Frasier” might count for this but not sure how many characters were crossovers. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-not-rebrands-renames-with-the-most-appearances-from-the-other-show/1026540/3 "2026-01-10T22:35:12Z")
Are we talking characters from the original series who became regular characters on the spin-off, or just made guest appearances on the spin-off? ---
**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 10, 2026, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-not-rebrands-renames-with-the-most-appearances-from-the-other-show/1026540/4 "2026-01-10T22:50:32Z")
Both. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-not-rebrands-renames-with-the-most-appearances-from-the-other-show/1026540/5 "2026-01-10T23:44:46Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I also thought “Frasier” might count for this but not sure how many characters were crossovers. Aside from Frasier himself, several characters from Cheers (Diane, Norm, Cliff, Sam, Carla, Woody at least) made one-time appearances (Diane was on 3 times). I don’t think there were any regular appearances on Frasier of characters from Cheers. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-not-rebrands-renames-with-the-most-appearances-from-the-other-show/1026540/6 "2026-01-11T03:58:59Z")
A few possibles that may not count under the rules: - The 80s sitcom _Duet_, which had a spin-off but was sort of the same show retooled called _Open House_. - _After MASH_. - _Arrow, Flash, Supergirl etc_ ---
**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 11, 2026, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-not-rebrands-renames-with-the-most-appearances-from-the-other-show/1026540/7 "2026-01-11T04:24:21Z")
I do consider _AfterMASH_ to be different enough to consider as a spinoff, not a continuation. Fairly low on the crossover characters, though. It looks like other than the three main stars (and Soon-Lee, who was in only 2 episodes of _MASH_) the only guests were Radar and Flagg. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-not-rebrands-renames-with-the-most-appearances-from-the-other-show/1026540/8 "2026-01-11T16:56:34Z")
I assume Archie Bunker’s Place would be considered a continuation. It has a lot of the same characters as All in the Family, ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-not-rebrands-renames-with-the-most-appearances-from-the-other-show/1026540/10 "2026-01-16T17:51:28Z")
When _The Rookie_ was launching its spinoff, _The Rookie: Feds_, I remember being taken aback by just how much support it was getting from the parent show to ensure a successful launch. A scan of IMDB shows five different actors from _The Rookie_ made multiple appearances, with a couple more showing up once. And it didn’t even work! _The Rookie: Feds_ sank after just one season. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-not-rebrands-renames-with-the-most-appearances-from-the-other-show/1026540/11 "2026-01-16T17:55:15Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Aside from Frasier himself, several characters from Cheers (Diane, Norm, Cliff, Sam, Carla, Woody at least) made one-time appearances (Diane was on 3 times). I don’t think there were any regular appearances on Frasier of characters from Cheers. Apart from Lilith. > **[Lilith Sternin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilith_Sternin)** > > Lilith Sternin (formerly Sternin-Crane), M.D., Ph.D., Ed.D, A.P.A. is a fictional character on the American television sitcoms Cheers and Frasier, portrayed by Bebe Neuwirth. The character first appears as a date for Frasier Crane, though mutual hostility and discomfort causes the evening to end badly. Several months later, Lilith meets Frasier again and, with some help from Frasier's ex-fiancée, Diane Chambers (Shelley Long), they start a romantic relationship, eventually living together, In ... ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-not-rebrands-renames-with-the-most-appearances-from-the-other-show/1026540/12 "2026-01-16T18:09:26Z")
Good catch. IMDb says she was on 12 times. I would call that a recurring character rather than a regular one, though, in a show with 263 episodes.