Last month, the CW made headlines for axing a bulk of their TV shows, something that the network had never done before. A handful were spinoff series like Legends of Tomorrow and Legacies.
Despite their unexpected cancellation, these spin-offs had several seasons to expand on their universe. Unfortunately, many spin-offs like Ravenswood and The Lone Gunmen ended by their first season for reasons like a different tone and absent favorite characters did not resonate well with fans. There's an argument that they weren't given a chance, but fans of the original series might argue that these spinoffs should never have been made in the first place.
The Lone Gunmen (2001)
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Stemming from The X-Files, the series revolves around private investigators who happen to be conspiracy theorists. The last episode's events, which end in a cliffhanger, are resolved in the parent show's season 9.
Part of The Lone Gunmen's failure has to do with the fact that it deviated from the paranormal theme, which is signature to The X-Files’ premise. Instead, the spinoff took a drastic shift in tone, focusing on terrorism, corporate crime, and government agendas. It could be argued that the termination was a good thing as it allowed one of the creators (Vince Gilligan) to come up with an even better offering a few years later: Breaking Bad. Gilligan may very well have been too occupied to write about Walter White if The Lone Gunmen had a lengthy run.
24: Legacy (2017)
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Set three years after the original's last season, the spinoff follows Eric Carter, an ex-Army Ranger as he attempts to find out why he and his former colleagues are being hunted down. The cast is primarily composed of new characters, though one popular CTU agent from 24 makes a cameo appearance.
24: Legacy has two major problems in that it's quite brief (only 12 episodes) compared to the usual 24. And Carter is a brand new character. In most successful offshoots, the protagonist is normally borrowed from the original series. Kiefer Sutherland's character, Jack Bauer, is a major reason the franchise was successful, so his absence was felt.
Law And Order: Trial By Jury (2001)
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Law & Order is now one of the TV shows with the most spinoffs but two decades ago, attempts to expand the franchise almost failed. Trial by Jury kept the story in the courtroom but viewers didn't buy the concept. Luckily, many more spinoffs emerged since.
As the main procedural drama already features courtroom segments in each episode's final act, a different series focusing only on judges, plaintiffs, and defendants felt unnecessary. A major reason the franchise remains successful is because of the compelling detective charcters. Cutting them out was, therefore, always going to be a bad move.
Katy Keene (2020)
Stream On Netflix
Set five years after the events of Riverdale, the musical drama follows a fashion designer eager to make it in New York. The lives of several other Archie Comics characters are also explored.
Katy Keene's cancelation is unfortunate because it was such a great show. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an impressive score of 91%, which is higher than Riverdale. A fresh setting, adult themes, and joyous musical scores make it a worthy watch. So, why the cancellation? The network blamed low ratings for the impromptu end via Deadline.
Checking In (1981)
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After the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence Johnston, accepts a hotel job in the season 7 finale, her new journey gets explored through a new series. Sadly, only four episodes ever got to air.
Given the popularity of The Jeffersons, a character leaving seemed like a misstep, but that didn’t stop Florence from attempting to prove the naysayers wrong. According to an archived article from the LA Times, the cancellation was blamed on low ratings and it assumably has to do with the fact that fans of this universe were more interesting in following a family tale rather than a workplace.
The Finder (2012)
Stream On Disney+
After an IUD explosion damages his brain, Major Walter Sherman, an Iraq war veteran acquires unusual investigative abilities. The character is first introduced in Bones' season 6.
The Finder struggles to match Bones because its premise isn't exactly original. Also, the leads were lacking the chemistry that made Bones and Booth such a charming pair. Throw in inconsistent storylines, and The Finder's early end was inevitable.
That '80s Show (2002)
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In the year 1984, a group of young adults tries to make the best out of life in San Diego. Despite the similar name and premise, no character from That '70s Show is included.
Poor timing could be blamed for That '80s Show's failure as it aired concurrently with That '70s Show was still airing yet it failed to borrow any of the characters. Furthermore, fans who love the main series enjoyed the teen drama, so a mature spinoff was not of interest.
Once Upon A Time In Wonderland (2013)
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Based on Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, this ABC fantasy drama revolves around a young girl's time in a strange land known as Wonderland. There are multiple crossover events with Once Upon a Time, too.
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland draws heavily from fairy tales but struggles to enthrall because of its supporting characters. Most are unlikable and unfamiliar yet the plot still favors them. Events are also quite muddled, making the series hard to comprehend. On a positive note, the visuals are quite stunning.
Ravenswood (2013)
Stream ON HBO Max
A group of five residents from Ravenswood, Pennsylvania try to figure out why they have become victims of a curse that has plagued the town for a long time. Ravenswood is set in the same world as Pretty Little Liars.
Fans of the parent series might have struggled to keep up with the spinoff because it's quite dark. With plenty of scary moments stemming from supernatural elements, the aura is different from the original's mysterious tone. And on several occasions, events are linked back to Pretty Little Liars in a way that isn't quite convincing.
Young Americans (2000)
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Introduced in Dawson's Creek's season 3, Will goes on his own journey when he gets admitted to a prestigious school. Soon, his life almost falls apart when he confesses that he cheated on the entrance exam.
Young Americans does a great job of exploring morality, classism, and gender discrimination. However, the blatant product placement feels odd. A major brand name appears on the opening credits and in each episode, select brands are directly mentioned or placed strategically for viewers to see.