Top Five Spin-Offs No One Asked For but We Watched Anyway

Spin-offs are funny things.

Nobody requests them.

Nobody campaigns for them.

And yet — there they are, quietly appearing on TV schedules until you realise you’ve somehow watched an entire series.

Here are five spin-offs that absolutely did not need to exist… but we still tuned in anyway.

5. Joey (2004–2006)

Did anyone think Joey Tribbiani needed his own show?

Apparently, yes.

Stripped of Friends, the spin-off gave us Joey navigating Hollywood with new supporting characters who were fine, but not Friends. It wasn’t terrible — it just felt like eating pizza without cheese.

Why we watched:

Hope. Pure, misplaced hope.

4. Saved by the Bell: The College Years (1993–1994)

High school was over.

The charm was gone.

And suddenly Zack Morris was giving lectures about adulthood.

The stakes were lower, the vibes were off, and the laugh track tried very hard to convince us this was still fun.

Why we watched:

Familiar faces + no other options = commitment.

3. AfterMASH (1983–1985)

Spinning off one of the most beloved TV shows of all time was a bold move.

Following a few MASH* characters into civilian life sounded interesting on paper — but in reality, the magic stayed at the 4077th.

Why we watched:

Loyalty. And confusion.

2. Xena: Warrior Princess (1995–2001)

A spin-off from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys that nobody specifically asked for — but everyone ended up loving.

It leaned harder, darker, and somehow became more iconic than its parent show.

Why we watched:

Because Xena absolutely ruled.

1. The Golden Palace (1992–1993)

A Golden Girls spin-off without Dorothy?

Risky.

Set in a hotel with some familiar faces and a very different dynamic, it never quite captured the lightning-in-a-bottle brilliance of the original.

Still — if it was on, you watched.

Why we watched:

Because saying goodbye felt impossible.