# Spinoffs that change genres **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 3, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661 "2012-03-03T19:17:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/1 "2012-03-03T19:17:11Z")
We all know spinoffs retain characters from the primary show. And almost ways, they retain the genre as well. Cheers, a half hour sitcom, produced Frasier, a half hour sitcom. All in the Family’s vast brood of progeny were all sitcoms. I can only think of one exception: a spinoff character from a half hour sitcom went on to be the title character in an hour drama. Any others? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/2 "2012-03-03T19:21:54Z")
Is the exception you’re thinking of “Trapper John, MD”, or “Lou Grant”? Because they were both dramas that spun off of sitcoms. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/3 "2012-03-03T19:23:30Z")
Those were the ones I was going to mention. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/4 "2012-03-03T19:26:11Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I can only think of one exception: a spinoff character from a half hour sitcom went on to be the title character in an hour drama. …please? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/5 "2012-03-03T19:27:17Z")
_Baywatch_’s spin-off, _Baywatch Nights_ eventually evolved into a third-rate _X-Files_ clone. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/6 "2012-03-03T19:30:12Z")
Lou Grant ftw. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/7 "2012-03-03T19:39:12Z")
In a sense _The Honeymooners_, _Mama’s Family_ and _The Simpsons_ might fit. They were sitcoms that were spun off from sketch variety shows (_The Jackie Gleason Show_, _The Carol Burnett Show_ and _The Tracey Ullman Show_) ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/8 "2012-03-03T19:48:04Z")
_Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2_ are history plays, and basically serious dramas (with some “comic relief”). _The Merry Wives of Windsor_, a spinoff featuring Sir John Falstaff (the major source of “comic relief” in the _Henry IV_ plays) is a comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/9 "2012-03-03T19:53:38Z")
I was thinking of Lou Grant, but I see it’s not alone! ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/10 "2012-03-03T20:13:08Z")
Star Trek spun off a half-hour cartoon. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/11 "2012-03-03T20:14:24Z")
> [@Ephemera](#): > > Star Trek spun off a half-hour cartoon. But it was still a science fiction show. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/12 "2012-03-03T20:19:20Z")
A character from the drama _NYPD Blue_ (Upstairs John) ended up in the sitcom _Public Morals_. I’m not sure how much of a spin off that is/was, though. And it only lasted one episode. _Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman_ a soap opera had the spin off _Fernwood 2 Night_ a parody talk show. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/13 "2012-03-03T20:36:01Z")
_Hill Street Blues_ begat _[Beverly Hills Buntz](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092320/)_, a half-hour comedy that lasted 13 episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/14 "2012-03-03T21:51:05Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > _Baywatch_’s spin-off, _Baywatch Nights_ eventually evolved into a third-rate _X-Files_ clone. I remember seeing a few episodes of that. It was pretty bizarre. ---
**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:** [March 3, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/15 "2012-03-03T22:06:32Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > In a sense _The Honeymooners_, _Mama’s Family_ and _The Simpsons_ might fit. They were sitcoms that were spun off from sketch variety shows (_The Jackie Gleason Show_, _The Carol Burnett Show_ and _The Tracey Ullman Show_) You can add to this list the britcom **Absolutely Fabulous** - it began originally as a skit on **the French & Saunders Show** (with Dawn French playing the Saffy role, and no Patsy.) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/16 "2012-03-03T22:08:01Z")
**Love: American Style** – an anthology show – spun off **Happy Days** – a sitcom. **Amazing Stories** (another anthology show that concentrated on fantasy, usually with no sense of humor whatever) briefly spun off **Family Dog** – an animated comedy. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/17 "2012-03-03T23:01:52Z")
Speaking of **The X-Files** it, like **Angel** , was a drama with a handful of comedic episodes. **The Lone Gunmen** was meant to be funny every episode. It wasn’t, but it was meant to be. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/18 "2012-03-03T23:22:40Z")
Not sure if this counts, but _The Muppet Show_ and the various Muppet movies were aimed at least as much at adults as children. The animated _Muppet Babies_, which was inspired by a fantasy sequence in _The Muppets Take Manhatten_, aired on Saturday mornings and was plainly meant for children. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/19 "2012-03-04T00:18:14Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > A character from the drama _NYPD Blue_ (Upstairs John) ended up in the sitcom _Public Morals_. I’m not sure how much of a spin off that is/was, though. And it only lasted one episode. > > _Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman_ a soap opera had the spin off _Fernwood 2 Night_ a parody talk show. And the Benson sitcom was a spin off of the soap opera parody Soap. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661/20 "2012-03-04T00:48:22Z")
I didn’t watch it so maybe not, but wasn’t Daria a very different type of cartoon than Beavis and Butt-head was? Speaking of MTV, didn’t Real World have spin offs that were competition type reality shows as opposed to “bunch of yahoos in a house” type reality show of the original? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoffs-that-change-genres/614661.md?page=2)