I think I might have posted this before, but I think it would have been cool if they'd spun Sue Ann off onto a show kinda like "Newhart," where she could take over ownership of a small New England or Midwestern inn (or maybe just manage the kitchen) and have her deal with people in that type of setting. The "Undercover Woman" thing was just too weird, even the theme song was strange because it was this fast, exciting song set to slow-as-hell footage of Betty, Georgia, and Higgins from "Magnum PI" sitting on a couch. Never mind the honey-baked ham who played Betty's stunt double. They did Betty WRONG.

I totally agree about Teddy Wilson. I just went glance at the Sanford Arms opening credits to see who else were regulars, and they had a good cast...Esther, Bubba, and Grady were there, but none of them had what Redd had. Whitman Mayo wasn't sharp enough to star in his own show, which is funny considering Redd was way older than him. And the actress who played his daughter was horrible.

Another crap spin-off they could have put on there is That 80's Show. Whereas That 70s Show knew how to use the decade/era well while also developing the characters and giving us some hilarious episodes/scenes/lines, T8S was obsessed with being set in the 80s and it seemed like every other line was some obscure "Hey, hey, we live in 1984, dude! The 80s are AWESOME!" sh!t. The only thing I liked about it was when they did the Dynasty drinking game

What about the Designing Women spin-off Women of the House? It's so easy to forget that thing even happened. I very very vaguely remember watching it when I was like in kindergarten.

It will be out on DVD soon. I'm picking it up.

And Diane Ladd (who I believe got a BSA nom for Alice, maybe even the win?) was like a total bomb on the sitcom, she only lasted a season in typical sitcom third time's the charm recasting. Jolene was the better fit.

Woman of the House, yes, that was a turkey too. That was pretty much a peace offering to Delta after all the DW drama. I remember the first ep, she'd adopted a little asian girl which was a clear borrow from a DW episode where Suzanne molded a little asian foster child in her image. And at the end, they lipsynceded to And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going from Dreamgirls, Lawwwwd... But I seem to remember it being yanked and retooled and brougt back again, some recasting blah blah. It was pretty much DOA as excited as everyone was to see Suzanne again. Lifetime ran it in their DW package a few years back but I didn't even bother. They should have showed Filthy Rich instead! Though someone's been cool enough to upload a few of those to YouTube. Delta's eponymous sitcom Delta where she was a blonde, we never watched even one episode curiously enough.

I've never seen Checking In other than the backdoor pilot eps on The Jeffersons, and of course the eps where Maria from Dallas is the Jeffersons' new maid. On a similar note, Jackee got her own self-titled sitcom from 227 which is also shown as part of the 227 syndication package. We watched 227 every week and I do not remember Jackee at ALL, not sure if it even lasted beyond that first ep, but she was off the show and replaced (if you can even call it that) by Toukie Smith on 227. I *think* she eventually returned but I'm not even sure about that, maybe she didn't...

. I prefered Polly over Diane. I didnt think Diane was that funny. The Jolene character was even worse. She wasnt funny at all.

The rumors were that:

Polly's huge, award-winning success as Flo on "Alice" did not endear her to the titular star of the show, Linda Lavin, who was increasingly irritated at having the attention and the show stolen from under her. It was reportedly due to this friction that Polly was encouraged to leave for her own spin-off series "Flo"

The same thing happened with Diane Ladd. She got the Emmy nod and Lavin didnt and they fired her. It had nothing to do with Ladd not being popular.

I just read up on Jackee, and apparently it was a pilot made in the spring of 1989. NBC aired the episode but didn't order it to series. Jackee left 227 and made some guest appearances for the final season. And god yes, I remember watching the final season in reruns. Mr. Dylan McMillan and Stoney Jackson's random jheri-curl ass.

I don't think the characters of That 80s Show ever crossed paths with the Point Place gang, but I do remember that it was at least created by the same people who created T7S. Don't know about writing and what-not, though. Honestly, I wouldn't object to a That '90s Show springing up at this point.

WIth Three's Company, didn't the UK original show it was based on (which I think was called somethign else entirely) also have spin offs that were similar to The Roepers and Three's a Crowd, and were minor hits? I always found that interesting...

Brady Brides was a "dramedy" right? I never saw it but I remember how depressing I found as a kid one of the Xmas specials (wasn't someone an alcoholic?) It seemed bizarre to go from the extreme optimistic simplicity of the original Brady Bunch to that--still nothing tops the Variety Shoe (the cartoon which I think had a talkin dog or cat was odd too...)

I remember finding Time of Your Life awful, but I had pretty much given up on Party of Five by then too... On the other hand I kinda liked Pratt's Models Inc and I remember a fe wyears later when working on a play in university somehow we got talking about it and nearly half the cast had watched LOL (and were annoyed that they never solved the cliffhangar, though I believe they did film an ending for foreign showings).

And I was never a big Friends fan, so this feels weird to admit, but I never thought Joey was as bad as its rep has made it out to be. It was far from great or very good, but it still was better than a huge number of non spin off sitcoms that came and went at the same time--I guess it's rep is partly due to how incredibly beloved Friends was.

I forgot all about Living Dolls but I remember being excited to see it at the time. LOL

Where's Golden Palace? Or that spin off of another Golden Girls spin off--Nurses (spun off from Empty Nest) which I admit did have an ok run I guess...

Happy Days had so many spin offs--surely Blansky's Beauties or Out of the Blue were bigger disasters than Joanie loves Chachi--but I don't think anyone even remembers them...

Mr. Montreal

The Golden Palace wasn't the same without Dorothy. The show had its moments but wasnt funny. The Nurses and Empy Nest spin off I hated.

Edited February 17, 201114 yr by Soapsuds

That 80's Show was not considered a spin-off as they obviously didn't cross paths with That 70's Show since they took place in different decades. They did have the same creators and some writers and production staff worked on both.

I thought Alice had a ratings drop after Diane Ladd came in and the ratings went back up when Jolene came in.

I liked Flo but I also felt like she had run her course, they had used up the catchphrases. Bell's catchphrases were awful. Jolene seemed to be free of those and Celia Weston's comedy acting got better and better, and I liked the vibe.

I also had a crush on Vera's husband.

I thought Alice had a ratings drop after Diane Ladd came in and the ratings went back up when Jolene came in.

I liked Flo but I also felt like she had run her course, they had used up the catchphrases. Bell's catchphrases were awful. Jolene seemed to be free of those and Celia Weston's comedy acting got better and better, and I liked the vibe.

I also had a crush on Vera's husband.

They did drop but I think it was because Polly was gone. The ratings did stablize once Jolene came in but started tankng again.

Yup...Vera's husband was cute.

Charles Levin ...aka Elliot Novak

Not a great pic...lolCharles Levin... Elliot Novak Charles Levin... Elliot Novak

And there's Baywatch Nights, but no Baywatch Hawaii? All of those shows, including the original one, were horrid. How they became so popular world-wide is... a mystery. Even with naked people running around a Californian beach.

I'm a total Baywatch fan. I loved that show. Still do. It was just so dumb and fun and everyone was beautiful. And I LOVED the theme song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq9BN7rp5EY

I HATED, LOATHED, DESPISED Time of Your Life...it is, without question, the reason why I hate Jennifer Love Hewitt.

I'm a total Baywatch fan. I loved that show. Still do. It was just so dumb and fun and everyone was beautiful. And I LOVED the theme song.

Baywatch = greatness, the first six or seven seasons at least, up until Stephanie's death. Pure escapism, and I betcha Aaron was kicking himself for not getting his hands on it first.

ETA: That opening... I love the "Baywatch piano" from about 1:01 to 1:21 No matter what you're doing or where you're at, you hear those dulcet little tones and you immediately think of Baywatch. Jaason Simmons hauling ass is just too funny. Everybody's running except for poor Garner.

Edited February 18, 201114 yr by All My Shadows

I'm a total Baywatch fan. I loved that show. Still do. It was just so dumb and fun and everyone was beautiful. And I LOVED the theme song.

OMG! I just had a heart attack.

Are you serious? Then again, it had your Pammy in it.

The theme is catchy fun! I especially love the opening bars before the singing. And all those piano scales interspersed through it.

Not a great pic...lolCharles Levin... Elliot Novak Charles Levin... Elliot Novak

He looks a little better in the credits, although he might just be a certain "type" that comes over more than looks, a type I find very cute (slightly nerdy but handsome, Jewish...). Bill Maher, before he became repulsive and pathetic, was his partner on the show. I really liked him and was glad the show let Vera find love and be happy. Beth Howland was so underrated as an actress. I didn't realize how much until I saw her on MTM as a real b!tch. Linda Lavin meanwhile, is someone who does less and less for me as the years go by. I also noticed how little she was on the show in its last year or two, and there were a number of episodes where Alice wasn't around, or where Lavin was just playing the little old landlady. Ugh. At least the show had a great last episode though.

I didn't realize just how many different version Lavin did of the theme. There is one I really liked but it doesn't seem to be on Youtube.

This is the worst. It sounds like she is having bowel issues:

Edited February 18, 201114 yr by CarlD2

Baywatch = greatness, the first six or seven seasons at least, up until Stephanie's death. Pure escapism, and I betcha Aaron was kicking himself for not getting his hands on it first.

ETA: That opening... I love the "Baywatch piano" from about 1:01 to 1:21 No matter what you're doing or where you're at, you hear those dulcet little tones and you immediately think of Baywatch. Jaason Simmons hauling ass is just too funny. Everybody's running except for poor Garner.

Absolutely agree. Up until Stephanie died, it was amazing, just the most escapist piece of television ever. Aaron had to be dying that he didn't scoop it up. I just LOVE the opening, especially the very beginning, those bars make me pay attention!

OMG! I just had a heart attack.

Are you serious? Then again, it had your Pammy in it.

The theme is catchy fun! I especially love the opening bars before the singing. And all those piano scales interspersed through it.

Why else would I love Pamela Anderson if not for the show! I'm totally serious, I just love Baywatch. Love the whole thing. Excellent fun television.

LOL @Miss Lavin's bowel issues. My grandmother was convinced that she was the proverbial "somebody's niece" who got a lot of favors in the biz. Thinking about the Joel Grey episode now... "OMG, look, it's Joel Grey!" At any rate, The Simpsons took a great little dig at LL once, I'm forgetting the setup but I think it was about doing harm to someone and Bart offers, "Linda Lavin?" and Lisa says, "No, someone who doesn't deserve it."

I don't know if it's on Youtube but there was this particularly nasty little skit SCTV did which lampooned people like Linda Lavin, it was some sort of PBS spoof. You could tell they were not fans of hers.

Why else would I love Pamela Anderson if not for the show! I'm totally serious, I just love Baywatch. Love the whole thing. Excellent fun television.

It was too prudish, tame for me. I think that was what bugged me. All these nude people and zero sexual tension.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuqKt6ANgNk