Are Spinoffs Worth Watching? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Arts Entertainment

Are Spinoffs Worth Watching?

Old sitcoms battle it out for a new generation of audiences.

87
Are Spinoffs Worth Watching?
https://pixabay.com/en/children-tv-child-television-home-403582/

In an age of television and movie spinoffs, it seems like nothing is original. As a result, it is often difficult for spinoffs to win the hearts of viewers. Viewers often watch spinoffs for nostalgic reasons. But nostalgia only goes so far. Bad ratings, new shows, and the competition for prime time slots and viewers' membership (in the cases of Netflix and YouTube Red) have ground many a spinoff to dust. The only spinoffs that seem to have avoided this are The Connors, Cobra Kai, and Fuller House.

But are these spinoffs even worth watching? What made them so successful where others have failed?

A spinoff is when television networks decide to reintroduce a formerly aired (often successful) T.V. show by developing new plotlines for former and new characters. The primary driver for success behind spinoffs is excellent marketing.

When watching advertisements for The Connors, Cobra Kai, and Fuller House, I realized that they all had common elements. Each ad evoked the nostalgia of the old T.V. shows (or movies in the case of Cobra Kai). The old characters were shown and the ads introduced the struggles the old characters are facing today. New characters were also introduced and the ads showed how they connect to the old characters. In the example of Fuller House, the old characters of D.J. and Kimmy were shown with their kids (new characters). The ad also displayed the struggles D.J., Kimmy, and Stephanie were facing as they try to raise the kids.

After watching both Cobra Kai and Fuller House, I have noticed that nostalgia is also not the main focus of the spinoffs. Nostalgia is an element of the shows, but it is not the main focus when it comes to the plot. Instead, the plot focuses mainly on the struggles the new and old characters are facing today.

This formula seems to be working as The Connors, Cobra Kai, and Fuller House have exceeded ratings expectations. As a result, networks and streaming services have been more than willing to renew these shows for more seasons. Fuller House has been renewed for four seasons. Cobra Kai was renewed for its second season soon after the first one was released. Even though The Connors have not yet been renewed for a second season, with their number two spot on ABC (with Grey's Anatomy being number one) fans will not be surprised if it is renewed for a second season.

Even though sitcom spinoffs seem like a way for networks to relive their glory days, I would encourage you to give them at least one of them a chance. Who knows? The spinoff's new plot (which is often adapted to fit today's culture) may interest you more then the plot of the original series.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

685
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 14 Stages Of The Last Week Of Class

You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

560
black marker on notebook

December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

28 Daily Thoughts of College Students

"I want to thank Google, Wikipedia, and whoever else invented copy and paste. Thank you."

1262
group of people sitting on bench near trees duting daytime

I know every college student has daily thoughts throughout their day. Whether you're walking on campus or attending class, we always have thoughts running a mile a minute through our heads. We may be wondering why we even showed up to class because we'd rather be sleeping, or when the professor announces that we have a test and you have an immediate panic attack.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Great Christmas Movie Debate

"A Christmas Story" is the star on top of the tree.

2504
The Great Christmas Movie Debate
Mental Floss

One staple of the Christmas season is sitting around the television watching a Christmas movie with family and friends. But of the seemingly hundreds of movies, which one is the star on the tree? Some share stories of Santa to children ("Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"), others want to spread the Christmas joy to adults ("It's a Wonderful Life"), and a select few are made to get laughs ("Elf"). All good movies, but merely ornaments on the Christmas tree of the best movies. What tops the tree is a movie that bridges the gap between these three movies, and makes it a great watch for anyone who chooses to watch it. Enter the timeless Christmas classic, "A Christmas Story." Created in 1983, this movie holds the tradition of capturing both young and old eyes for 24 straight hours on its Christmas Day marathon. It gets the most coverage out of all holiday movies, but the sheer amount of times it's on television does not make it the greatest. Why is it,
then? A Christmas Story does not try to tell the tale of a Christmas miracle or use Christmas magic to move the story. What it does do though is tell the real story of Christmas. It is relatable and brings out the unmatched excitement of children on Christmas in everyone who watches. Every one becomes a child again when they watch "A Christmas Story."

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments