A spinoff in television is a new series which contains either characters or theme elements from an old series. They are particularly common in situation comedy.
Four main types of television spin-off exist:
- a supporting character or characters in an existing series is given their own show in which they become the main focus. The original series continues and there may be some crossover of characters between the shows on occasion (eg. Rhoda from The Mary Tyler Moore Show)
- new characters are specially incorporated into an existing series for the sole purpose of being launched into their own show that will feature no regular characters from the original series, except possibly as guest appearances (eg. Empty Nest from The Golden Girls)
- regular characters from a series continue in their own series after the original series ends (e.g. George and Mildred and Robin's Nest from Man About the House; Frasier from Cheers)
- a new series is started with the same theme as an existing series, though not with the same characters. Examples of this type are the Star Trek, Law & Order, and CSI series.
- From All in the Family
- The Jeffersons
- Checking In
- Archie Bunker's Place
- Maude
- Gloria
- 704 Hauser
- The Jeffersons
- From Baywatch
- Baywatch Hawaii
- Baywatch Nights
- From Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- From Cheers
- Frasier
- The Tortellis
- From The Cosby Show
- A Different World
- A Different World
- From CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
- CSI: Miami
- CSI: New York (to premiere in fall 2004)
- From Dallas
- Knots Landing
- Knots Landing
- From The Danny Thomas Show / Make Room For Daddy
- The Andy Griffith Show
- Gomer Pyle USMC
- Mayberry RFD
- The Andy Griffith Show
- From Diff'rent Strokes
- From Everybody Loves Raymond
- From Home Improvement
- Soul Man
- Soul Man
- From Law & Order
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- From Love, American Style
- Happy Days
- Laverne and Shirley
- Mork and Mindy
- Joanie Loves Chachi
- Blansky's Beauties
- Out of the Blue
- Happy Days
- From Man About the House
- George and Mildred
- Robin's Nest
- From The Mary Tyler Moore Show
- From M*A*S*H
- Trapper John M.D
- After M*A*S*H
- From Porridge
- Going Straight
- Going Straight
- From Soap
- Benson
- Benson
- From Star Trek
- From Three's Company
- The Ropers
- Three's A Crowd
- From The Tracey Ullman Show