Name a sitcom that spawned a dramatic spinoff.

[Courtesy Flush]

Mary Tyler Moore spawned Lou Grant (that was a real WTF moment in television), and M*A*S*H spawned Traper John, M.D.

Others?

[targetpractice]

1. M*A*S*H spawned Trapper John, M.D.

Or from the film, MASH, maybe.

[Rosie1223]

2. "Friends" spun off "Joey"

which wasn't funny at all. Does that count?

[Courtesy Flush]

4. I'd categorize that as a tragedy. nt

[jobycom]

3. "Mork and Mindy" spawned "Hill Street Blues."

Yeah, that's not true, but you got the only two I could think of.

[driver8]

10. Ha Ha -- I was thinking, "WTF???" n/t

[TroubleMan]

5. Joanie Loves Chaci?

..spun off from Happy Days.

I don't really remember it that well. I can't remember if it was a sitcom or a love saga.

[MilesColtrane]

6. "All In the Family" spawned "Maude".

And, what could be more dramatic than Adrienne Barbeau's sweater puppies?

[Fire Walk With Me]

14. I thought All In The Family spawned In The Heat Of The Night.

Perhaps Adrienne has distarcted me. Distradted. Um, distracted.

[Courtesy Flush]

17. Some of the old spinoffs really stretch the concept

In my book, Maude wasn't a true spinoff, because it was an entirely separate concept, but they tied it into a single episode of All in the Family so they could call it a spinoff.

Believe it or not, The Andy Griffith Show was a spinoff of the Danny Thomas Show. As far as I know, they did only one Danny Thomas episode that included Andy, then called it a spinoff. Otherwise, there was no connection between the two shows (except behind the scenes).

To me, a true spinoff takes a regular character from one show (Like Frasier), and gives him his own show.

[MilesColtrane]

19. Actually, there was no plan for a "Maude" series when Bea Arthur's character was introduced on AITF.

Viewers liked the character so much that the network execs asked Lear to write a show for her.

A short preview version of "Maude" was incorporated into an episode of "All In the Family" in which Bea Arthur made her second appearance.

I wouldn't call "Maude" and entirely different concept than "All in the Family". They were both half hour situation comedies that used very opinionated characters playing off of the supporting cast. Both shows dealt with topical political issues and they also veered into drama occasionally.

The fact that the main characters had politically opposite viewpoints didn't alter the politically tinged, sitcom/dramedy formula.

[HopeHoops]

7. Wasn't "Sanford & Son" a spinoff of "All In The Family"?

[ceile]

8. The Jeffersons n/t

[MilesColtrane]

20. And "Maude" begat "Good Times", a spin off of a spin off.

[WolverineDG]

13. It was the American version of the BBC's "Steptoe & Son" nt

[Gold Metal Flake]

9. M*A*S*H spawned AfterM*A*S*H

I don't know for sure if AfterM*A*S*H was a drama, but it sure as hell was not funny.

[driver8]

11. "Cheers" gave birth to "Frasier".

I loved "Cheers", and "Frasier" had some funny moments.

[WinkyDink]

18. "Frasier" was a sit-com, 100%.

[driver8]

22. I missed the "Dramatic" part of the original post...my bad. n/t

[jobycom]

12. I think basketball is descended from the Mayan sport of tlachtli

Hey, it has about as much to do with dramas from sitcoms as the rest of these answers. :rofl:

[AngryAmish]

15. Soap and Benson

[BlueIris]

16. Tough.

Can't come up with a single suggestion. I'm much better with dramas that spun off comedies (The X-Files spawning The Long Gunmen.)

[kentauros]

21. "The Long Gunmen" ?

Sounds like a porn title :P

I think you meant "The Lone Gunmen" :hi: