TV hits are not all that common, so networks want to make them count!  In Part 1 of a 2 Part feature, check out the laziest attempts by networks to cash in on a good thing.

There are many things in life to be thankful for.  If you're a man, it's a sports game played by hot women in lingerie.  If you're a twelve-year old girl, it's a Twilight film.  If, however, you're a television executive, you're thankful for hit shows.  In fact, you're so thankful that you refuse to let them go.  Like a little kid who will wear that Spider-Man shirt until it has more than six holes in it, they want to prolong success as much as possible.  To that end, they invented the Spin-Off.  This is when you take a hit show, take a certain character from it and give them their own hit show that is a lot like the other one people already love.  In the case of stuff like Frasier, it can work out very well.  In the case of stuff like Joey, it can not.

This topic is too big to handle in just one Top 12 List, so it gets to.  This first one is going to focus on the laziest attempts to do a Spin-Off.  They're sad, cheap and usually obscure.  When these things fail, a lot of them fail quietly and they are forgotten within months.  It's time to change that, people!  As you read it, make a running tally of how many you actually remember.  Will you need both hands?

12. Joanie Loves Chachi: Out of the ones you'll see, this is probably the most famous- at least by name.  This Spin-Off took two Happy Days characters and had them trying to get into the music business.  Each episode began and ended with the pair singing.  How much did this show change the formula?  Well, the show lasted two seasons before low ratings (get used to hearing this) ended it's run.  Once that happened, the characters showed up again on Happy Days for it's final season.  Oh, were you gone?

11. Barnaby Jones: This popular Spin-Off lasted a long time, but didn't quite branch out far.  The show came from Cannon, a less famous show than this one.  Jones was a detective who worked with the titular detective in his 'introductory episode,' only to get this show.  There were a few tie-ins as both series' ran on, however.  This begs the question: if the two shows are related, why are they two different shows?

10. Checking In: You can take the maid out of the show, but you can't make her stay.  During the run of The Jeffersons, the network decided to give the maid character Florence her own show.  The premise is that she's still a maid, just working for a fancy hotel.  After four episodes, the show did not draw enough ratings and was cancelled.  Lo and behold, Florence returned.  When asked about what happened, she said that the hotel burned down and life went on.  Alright then.

9. The Golden Palace: How creative is it when they don't even bother to change the theme song?  Three out of the four members of the Golden Girls' cast came on for this show.  The premise: they buy a hotel and run it.  Unfortunately, this show did not get Bea Arthur, so not a lot of people cared.  Moving on...

8. Eerie, Indiana- The Other Dimension: Yes, this exists.  The cult show is about a pair of kids who investigate weird, funny occurrences in their titular town.  This show is the same thing.  New scripts, but the same premise.  If you aren't trying, I won't either.

7. The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.: A man, a plan...a girl?  After The Man From U.N.C.L.E., we get a show with a female spy.  That's the best you've got.  I can't believe that I'm reporting this as a true thing...

6. Three's A Crowd: When in doubt, do things again!  As Three's Company ran to an end, the network got antsy and tried to keep the gravy train coming.  To that end, they used the final episodes to set-up this show.  No, really.  The show involves Jack and his new lady moving into a building whose landlord is the lady's father.  Fun fact: Jessica Walter plays the snooty, rich mother.  Typecasting is fun, huh?  The bottom line: it's still Jack doing pratfalls and trying not to get caught by a landlord- only this time it's not the Deputy from Mayberry.

5. The Bionic Woman: This show lacks one thing: balls.  They took the Six-Million Dollar Man and made a female character.  Same music, same slow-motion and silly use of super-strength.  The only thing dumber than this concept is a film in where the two of them teamed up with a third bionic person.  Oh right- they made that too...

4. Archie Bunker's Place: You can't get enough Archie!  When All in the Family ended, the network said 'nay' and kept going.  This show just kind of kept the story going, although problems arose.  The actress that played Ms. Bunker got tired of playing the role and left.  What did the writers do?  They just said that she died and life moved on.  When the show was cancelled, Carol O'Connor vowed never to work for the CBS network.  Naturally, he returned for In The Heat of the Night.  Sigh.

3. The Colbys: You can't end a Dynasty!  The network wanted to make more money from the fans of Dynasty, so they took a couple characters and brought them here.  The show had a big budget & featured such stars as Charlton Heston and Barbara Stanwyck.  It ran for two seasons, before it's ratings could not justify the cost.  What happened?  Two of the characters simply returned to Dynasty for it's final two seasons.  It's the TV equivalent of 'Hey, look over there!'

2. Rhoda: A popular show gets called out for being...well, what makes it popular.  The Mary Tyler Moore Show led to a number of Spin-Offs, but let's focus on this one.  Her friend Rhoda got a show which was a comedy designed around silly situations and funny banter.  I recall seeing that show before...also featuring this 'Rhoda' lady before.  No offense, but is this all you could think of?  It's not a bad show- it's just kind of the same show.

1. Law & Order- Trial By Jury: With so many Spin-Offs, it's hard to pick just one.  Law & Order has led to Spin-Offs that cover rape, major case squads and even a squad of young lawyers.  This one, however, just kind of felt silly.  In this show, two cops investigate crimes, go to an attorney and try to convict people.  I love that they got Jerry Orbach in his final performances, but this show was not destined to last.  Somehow, the preachy show (S.V.U.) and the show filled with casting turmoil (Criminal Intent) have outlasted this show by a country mile!  Sorry, Jerry- you were still the man right up until the end.

For more TV/Movie talk, go to my blog.  It smells like teen spirit...and Axe.

Up next, Part 2 covers the opposite side of the spectrum.  These Spin-Offs did a complete 180% turn for the better or worse.  Stay tuned...