I Smell a Spin-off

Welcome to what I hope will be an occasional segment on my blog titled I Smell a Spin-off. For those who aren't aware of the concept, spinoffs are when part of a successful show, usually characters, but sometimes a general concept, are taken and given a second show of their own.

From a producer's perspective, it's a chance to explore other aspects of a concept. Actors can find opportunities to grow in their craft, as well as rise in importance by moving from just being part of an ensemble to having a show built around them. For the networks, it's a chance to establish a show with a built-in audience, making it that much easier for them to sell advertising. And for audiences it's an opportunity to watch a show that expands on the characters and ideas of a program we already love and watch.

Television fans can be an obsessive bunch, and since the rise of online media and forums, now more than ever fans have the ability to voice what they think a good spin-off of their favourite television program would be. At one stage or another most long-running and successful television shows, whether the idea of the writers or network executives, or yes, even the sometimes over obsessed fans, consider the creation of a spin-off.

One of my favourite television shows of all time, Angel (above), is a spin-off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer that lasted five seasons. Angel, a popular and well known character on Buffy, and one half of the famous lovers, left the show at the end of season three, hoping to give Buffy a normal life. He moved to Los Angeles and attempted, with the help of new characters and old, to redeem himself for his past mistakes as a vampire buy helping the helpless through a supernatural detective agency. While it maintained some similarities to its parent show, including its humour and monster-of-the-week beginnings, spin-offs have the ability to become something not only apart of, but more than, it's parent show.

Anyway, as a TV nut, I often see promise in minor characters, plots, and situations that just aren't given as much attention as I'd like in the grand scheme of some television shows. That's why, with my I Smell a Spin-off segment I plan to highlight these ideas and give them a little justice by creating a mock spin-off for them. Things I'll be discussing will include: what characters will be involved, possible plots, how it will link from it's parent show, and most importantly, could it ever actually happen? I hope you all enjoy reading these, and please feel free to post your own spin-off ideas in the comments. I'd love to hear them!