Hey there, fellow TV lovers! While we all remember the big hits of the 1980s, there were quite a few spin-offs that might have slipped under your radar. Some lasted just a few episodes, while others had decent runs but have since faded from memory. Let’s dust off the VCR and take a look at some forgotten gems from television’s golden age.
Table of Contents
- 1 1. Joanie Loves Chachi (1982-1983)
- 2 2. AfterMASH (1983-1985)
- 3 3. Beverly Hills Buntz (1987-1988)
- 4 4. The Tortellis (1987)
- 5 5. Gloria (1982-1983)
- 6 6. Checking In (1981)
- 7 7. A Man Called Hawk (1989)
- 8 8. Mrs. Columbo (1979-1980)
- 9 9. Hello, Larry (1979-1980)
- 10 10. W*A*L*T*E*R (1984)
- 11 11. Flo (1980-1981)
- 12 12. The Law and Harry McGraw (1987-1988)
- 13 13. Three’s A Crowd (1984-1985)
- 14 14. The Ropers (1979-1980)
1. Joanie Loves Chachi (1982-1983)
This Happy Days spin-off followed Joanie Cunningham and Chachi Arcola as they pursued their music career in Chicago. Despite the popularity of the parent show and stars Erin Moran and Scott Baio, the series lasted 17 episodes across two seasons. The show tried to capture the magic of Happy Days but struggled to find its own identity.
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2. AfterMASH (1983-1985)
Following the end of M*A*S*H, this series continued the stories of Colonel Potter, Klinger, and Father Mulcahy at a stateside veterans’ hospital. Despite strong initial ratings and the return of beloved characters, the show couldn’t maintain the quality of its predecessor and was cancelled after two seasons.
3. Beverly Hills Buntz (1987-1988)
This Hill Street Blues spin-off starred Dennis Franz as Norman Buntz, who leaves his detective job to become a private investigator in Beverly Hills. The show attempted to blend comedy with drama but only lasted 13 episodes. It’s remembered mainly as an early starring role for Franz before his success on NYPD Blue.
4. The Tortellis (1987)
This Cheers spin-off centered on Carla’s ex-husband Nick Tortelli and his new wife Loretta. The show moved the action to Las Vegas but couldn’t capture the magic of its parent series. Despite the talented cast, it was cancelled after just 13 episodes, making it one of the shorter-lived spin-offs of the era.
5. Gloria (1982-1983)
Sally Struthers reprised her All in the Family role as Gloria Stivic, now divorced and working as a veterinary assistant in upstate New York. Despite Struthers’ popularity and the success of the original series, the show lasted only one season as it struggled to find its footing without the rest of the Bunker family.
6. Checking In (1981)
This spin-off of The Jeffersons featured Florence Johnston becoming the executive housekeeper at a hotel. Marla Gibbs’ popular character seemed perfect for a spin-off, but the show was cancelled after just four episodes. Florence promptly returned to her role on The Jeffersons, with her hotel burning down in the storyline.
7. A Man Called Hawk (1989)
This Spenser: For Hire spin-off starred Avery Brooks as the enigmatic Hawk, now working as a private investigator in his own right. The show attempted to develop the popular character further but lasted only 13 episodes. Brooks would later find greater success as Benjamin Sisko on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
8. Mrs. Columbo (1979-1980)
Kate Mulgrew starred as the wife of the famous detective, working as a newspaper reporter solving her own cases. The show went through several name changes (including Kate Columbo and Kate Loves a Mystery) in an attempt to find an audience, but lasted only 13 episodes. Peter Falk never appeared as Columbo in the series.
9. Hello, Larry (1979-1980)
This Diff’rent Strokes spin-off starred McLean Stevenson as a radio talk show host raising his teenage daughters in Portland. Despite being introduced through the popular parent show, Hello, Larry became synonymous with failed spin-offs. It ran for two seasons but is often remembered as one of the era’s most notorious flops.
10. W*A*L*T*E*R (1984)
This M*A*S*H spin-off focused on Radar O’Reilly’s life after the war as a police officer in St. Louis. Despite Gary Burghoff reprising his beloved role, the show never made it past the pilot episode. It aired once in the Eastern and Central time zones but was pre-empted on the West Coast by President Reagan’s speech about tax reform.
11. Flo (1980-1981)
A spin-off of Alice, this series followed Florence Jean Castleberry as she returned to her hometown in Texas to run a roadhouse called Flo’s Yellow Rose. Polly Holliday’s popular character seemed perfect for a spin-off, and while the show started strong with high ratings, it couldn’t maintain its momentum and was cancelled after 29 episodes.
12. The Law and Harry McGraw (1987-1988)
This Murder, She Wrote spin-off starred Jerry Orbach as private detective Harry McGraw. Despite Orbach’s charismatic performance and occasional crossovers with the parent show, the series lasted only one season. The character remained popular enough to make return appearances on Murder, She Wrote even after his show’s cancellation.
13. Three’s A Crowd (1984-1985)
Following the end of Three’s Company, this spin-off followed Jack Tripper’s new life with girlfriend Vicky Bradford. John Ritter continued his role, but without the original show’s supporting cast and familiar premise, the series struggled to find its audience. Despite Ritter’s popularity, the show was cancelled after one season.
14. The Ropers (1979-1980)
This Three’s Company spin-off followed landlords Stanley and Helen Roper after they sold their apartment building and moved to an upscale neighborhood. Norman Fell and Audra Lindley reprised their roles, but despite their popular chemistry, the show lasted only 28 episodes across two seasons. The series struggled to recreate the magic of the original show’s dynamic, and the Ropers never returned to Three’s Company after their spin-off ended.
