Sitcoms have a way of becoming fan favorites as they deal with daily life, cooky families, bizarre drama, and good laughs. The sitcoms audiences have come to love might have started out on another show or even film. There are many lovable characters over the years on television and those characters were given the opportunity for their own show.
The acclaimed American sitcom All In The Family from 1971 actually birthed another popular sitcom. Archie Bunker's Place soon continued with its own story after the end of the parent series after nine seasons. These aren't the only shows that graced the television screens and gained popularity and were actually spinoffs.
Maude (1972-1978): 7.1
The sitcom All In The Family was the backbone behind many other famous sitcom spinoffs. It's one of the only sitcoms to have this many spinoffs. The 1972 show, Maude, was one of them. The title character Maude Findlay (Beatrice Arthur) made two appearances in the original show.
The outspoke, middle-aged and liberal woman got her own show that detailed her life in the suburbs of Westchester County, New York. The show became a hit as it tackled political issues and gender equality tied with Maude's outspoken personality that often got her in trouble.
Good Times (1974-1980): 7.3
Believe it or not, Maude also birthed its own sitcom titled Good Times that did slightly better. The show became television's first Black two-parent sitcom. It focused on the family life of Florida (Esther Rolle) and James Evans (John Amos) and their children.
Florida appeared in Maude as the family housekeeper in New York while her husband was a New York firefighter. For the spinoff show, small changes were made in order to fit a storyline that was already underway. The show resonated with audiences as the family struggled to make it out of poverty and family issues.
Mama's Family (1983-1990): 7.3
Mama's Family isn't a spinoff of another show, but a series of comedy sketches. The show was originally titled "The Family" and appeared on The Carol Burnett Show. The sketches first became a film before being reworked into a television show.
The show when through a rough patch as it was canceled after two seasons but later revived two years later. Like most sitcoms, it followed the lives of a suburban family called the Harpers, their neighbors and friends. In the center of it all was the matriarch named Thelma (Vicki Lawrence) who is snarky, quick-witted, and had a short fuse.
Raven's Home (2017): 7.4
At the mere mention of the popular Disney show, That's So Raven, fans may burst into song. It became one of Disney's more successful sitcoms starring Raven Symone as the main character. Years after her exit from the company, Simone returned to star in a new sitcom and spinoff show titled, Raven's Home.
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This time the characters fans loved are now grown-ups. The show also split the focus between Raven and her children - one of which has the same psychic abilities as her. Raven is now a single mother alongside her best friend as they navigate life alongside their families.
The Jeffersons (1975-1985): 7.4
All In The Family has a streak of developing multiple spinoffs. One of them was The Jeffersons, starring Isabel Sanford as Louise and Sherman Hemsley as George. The show gained mass success and became one of the longest-running television sitcoms.
The character of Louise was the first to make her appearance in the original show. Soon after she and her family moved in next door to the Bunkers, the main characters. For the start of their spinoff, they say goodbye to the Bunkers and move to a luxury high-rise in Manhattan. The show tackled a bit of everything when it came to themes and issues such as alcohol, racism, and even gun control. But there were some inconsistancies that didn't translate well in the show when it came to storylines.
Young Sheldon (2017): 7.4
The Big Bang Theory is an accumulation of fun and comical characters that won over the hearts of many viewers. The 2007 sitcom became a hit as it followed the lives of two best friends and roommates who are geniuses and work at the Califonia Institute of Technology along with their friends.
One of the show's main characters, Sheldon (Jim Parsons), became especially popular for his unique personality that often raised questions. So much so that he was given a spinoff show that also served as a backstory. The show told his story starting at the age of nine living with his family in Texas.
Drake & Josh (2004-2007): 7.7
When it came to watching television as a kid, there were a handful of networks that were popular. Nickelodeon developed many popular shows that young audiences adored. The Amanda Show was a kid version of an adult talk show starring Amanda Bynes.
From this show came one of Nickelodeon's most recognized sitcoms. The main actors for Drake & Josh originally appeared on The Amanda Show. After its's end, the producers decided to develop the new series with them in the main roles. The two teens learn to become friends as well as step-siblings when their parents get married.
Frasier (1993-2004): 8
Everyone in one way or another has heard of the American sitcom, Frasier. The birth of the show came from another popular sitcom from 1982 titled Cheers. Cheers was about a bar owner and bartender and his daily stories and adventures with the characters that walk into his establishment.
One of the series regulars, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), got his own spinoff titled simply: Frasier. As in the original show he was a regular customer and psychiatrist. After his failed marriage and the end of his life in Boston, he returns home as a new bachelor who comes to take in his retired father.
The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968): 8.3
The Andy Griffith Show originated partly from an episode in The Danny Thomas Show. It starred actor and comedian Andy Griffith in the main role as Andy Taylor.
Andy Griffith's role on The Danny Thomas Show evolved from being a newspaper editor to the sheriff of Mayberry, North Carolina. The spinoff followed his life as sheriff of a dreary and boring town and is often disliked by moonshiners and criminals for his common-sense approach to law enforcement.
M*A*S*H (1972-1983): 8.4
M*A*S*H is a popular spinoff sitcom that didn't originate from another show. Instead, the war comedy-drama was adapted and made into a spinoff series from the 1970 feature film of the same name. It follows the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital made up of a team of doctors and staff stationed in South Korea during the war.
The show became one of television's highest-rated shows in history and combined the gruesome reality of war with comedic relief. M*A*S*H walked a fine line between being a dark comedy and showcasing more serious matters and commentary on the war.