The Best TV Spinoffs and Sequels (Since 2000)

by Amber Dowling, for Metacritic – October 10, 2022

Sometimes a show is so beloved that viewers just need to spend more time in that world when it ends. Whether that means hanging out with a fan-favorite character for a bit longer, delving into the origins of a remarkable story or premise, or even moving locations to spice things up, spinoffs, sequels, and even prequels are an important part of the TV landscape.

These shows aren’t rare, but finding one that’s just as good as — if not better than — the original that inspired it, is. As soon as Game of Thrones ended, HBO threw no less than six spinoffs into development to try and keep that Westeros magic alive. (So far fans and critics alike are still divided on the one that’s made it to air, House of the Dragon.) When Friends reached its conclusion in 2004, NBC poured another cup of coffee and ordered up a new series starring Matt LeBlanc reprising his role of Joey Tribbiani. It miraculously lasted 46 episodes before it was ultimately canceled.

Creatives never know when lightning will strike twice and these days though, and with so many TV shows premiering on broadcast networks, cable networks, and streaming services, it takes a lot for any show to stand out. Having an established premise or character, not to mention a built-in fanbase, can help.

Read on for the best scripted spinoffs, sequels, and prequels to debut since 2000, ranked by Metascore. And don’t confuse any of these with reboots and revivals, the best of which you can find here.

Photo: Ursula Coyote/Sony Pictures Television

7 of 22 photo by DGE

71 grown-ish (Freeform, 2018-present)

(tied at #14)
spinoff from black-ish (2014-22)

The first spinoff in the black-ish universe, this comedy revolves around the eldest Johnson child, Zoey (Yara Shahidi), as she heads to college at Southern California University and learns to live on her own. Over time, the series expanded to welcome the second oldest Johnson child, Junior (Marcus Scribner) into the mix, shifting the perspective from a young Black woman’s to a young Black man’s, but still dealing in modern young adult issues and relationships. The series has proved to be more popular than mixed-ish and wrapped its fifth season in 2022, with two primetime Emmy nominations for cinematography on its resume.

“Ms. Shahidi’s laid-back, dry performance, a great fit with the more antic black-ish ensemble, takes getting used to as the focus of a series. What grown-ish does have from the get-go is a sense of itself and a lot to say.” —James Poniewozik, The New York Times

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