Hate it or love it, reality shows are big business these days. In a time where the average Joe (and Jane) long to be television stars, reality TV provides an outlet with Vh1 and MTV as top holders of such shows. Reality TV incorporates an age old technique called the spinoff.
The spinoff is deriving new works from existing ones (thanks Wikipedia). In television some of the biggest users of spinoffs are syndicated sitcoms. Sitcoms are comedic TV shows; the syndication of a show comes when the network that made the original show is done making a particular show but sells it to other networks to be re-run. The magic of the spinoff comes in to know that the main character of The Jefferson’s (George) was a once neighbor to the lovable bigot Archie Bunker from another 70’s sitcom All in the Family. All in the family spawned a TV show called Maude which later became Golden Girls (of Betty White fame). The spinoff “works” because of us as viewers caring about interesting people or characters. Sure you thought Archie Bunker was a little hard on George but you enjoyed watching him an all his loudmouth glory moving on up to the eastside. Whitney Port might not deserve her own show in some eyes but thanks to the Hills and before that Laguna Beach, we would not have known thee at all. Spinoffs are like keeping up with an old high school friend that moved out of state for college. Yeah they probably got fat or rich, for some reason you still want to know how they’re doing. Somebody understood that human aspect, Vh1, MTV and many more perfected it, and whether it’s good for viewing or just ratings I think spinoffs are awesome!
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By new TBSYNW contributor Eddie Nelms
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Hi my name is Eddie Nelms I am a 25 year old male born and raised in Atlanta Ga. Like many of you that grew up in the 80's/latchkey kid era, I was basically raised by t.v. I'm a Journalism major...dropout (going back to get that degree don't worry), that enjoys to blog in the meantime. Hopefully you'll be able to learn a little more about me in my writing and enjoy these views and opinions on some of the newest, oldest, popular shows that this great media outlet know as t.v. has to offer.
I think that’s Eddie Nelms lol
You hit it right on the nose Eddie NELMS. Sitcoms are the best when they are a spin off. The characters who gets the spin off are usually funny or just have an air of mystery about them, that it is easy to forget they weren’t the orginial man characters from jump. Not all spin offs are the best. Do anyone remember Joey from Friends’ spinoff? I was a big fan of That’s so Raven (childish, but who cares) but when Corey got his own show it was the pits to me. Excellent written article!
(after scrambling to fix mistake) Of course its Eddie Nelms…whatever are you talking about?