TV show spin-offs can sometimes be even more successful than the original series. However, not all planned spin-offs make it to the small screen. Despite being announced or even filmed, some spin-offs never aired for various reasons. In this article, we will discuss TV show spin-offs that were planned but ultimately never happened.
Friends: “Joey’s Friends”
After Friends ended, there were discussions about creating spin-offs based on the other beloved characters. Though Joey made it to air, there were early talks about spin-offs for Ross, Rachel, and Chandler. However, these projects never got beyond the planning stage. Joey itself, while airing for two seasons, was unable to capture the success of Friends.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: “Ripper”
Joss Whedon had planned a spin-off focusing on Rupert Giles, Buffy’s mentor. The show, titled Ripper, would explore Giles’ dark past and his experiences as a young Watcher. Despite interest from the BBC, the project stalled due to Whedon’s busy schedule and never came to fruition. Fans were disappointed, as Giles’ backstory was one of the most mysterious aspects of Buffy.
Breaking Bad: “The Rise of Gus”
A Breaking Bad spin-off centered around Gustavo Fring, the ruthless drug kingpin, was rumored. The show would have explored his rise to power in the drug world, focusing on his early days in Chile and how he became the feared man he was in Breaking Bad. Despite the intriguing premise, the idea never developed further, and instead, Better Call Saul was created as the official spin-off.
The Office: “The Farm”
Fans of The Office may remember the announcement of The Farm, a spin-off focusing on Dwight Schrute’s family beet farm. A backdoor pilot was filmed and aired as part of The Office‘s final season, but NBC ultimately decided not to move forward with the project. The episode remains a curious look at what could have been.
How I Met Your Mother: “How I Met Your Dad”
Following the success of How I Met Your Mother, CBS developed a spin-off called How I Met Your Dad. The show would have followed a female protagonist as she told her children the story of how she met their father. A pilot was filmed with actress Greta Gerwig, but the network decided to pass on the project, and it never aired.
Supernatural: “Supernatural: Bloodlines”
Supernatural is known for its passionate fan base and long run, so it was no surprise when a spin-off was planned. Supernatural: Bloodlines was meant to focus on the supernatural families running the underworld in Chicago. A backdoor pilot aired during the ninth season of Supernatural, but poor reception from fans and critics led the network to scrap the project.
Game of Thrones: “Bloodmoon”
Before the final season of Game of Thrones aired, HBO announced several spin-offs in development. The most high-profile of these was Bloodmoon, set thousands of years before the events of the main series. It was meant to explore the origins of the White Walkers and the Age of Heroes. A pilot was filmed, but HBO decided not to move forward, focusing instead on House of the Dragon.
Veronica Mars: “FBI Veronica”
After the original run of Veronica Mars, creator Rob Thomas pitched a spin-off where Veronica would join the FBI. The new show would follow her as she tackled major cases, taking her detective skills to the next level. A pilot was filmed, but the concept was ultimately shelved, though Veronica Mars was later revived through Kickstarter and a new season.
Sons of Anarchy: “First Nine”
First Nine was a planned spin-off of Sons of Anarchy, which would have focused on the original members of the SAMCRO motorcycle club. The prequel would have shown how the group was founded and the events that shaped the club’s future. While there was interest from fans, the idea never materialized, though Mayans M.C. was later developed as a different spin-off.
Scrubs: “Scrubs Interns”
After Scrubs ended, there were plans for a spin-off centered around the new interns introduced in the final season. The spin-off would have followed these young doctors as they navigated life in the hospital, similar to how the original series followed J.D. and his friends. The concept never took off, though the web series Scrubs: Interns provided a glimpse of what it could have been.
Gossip Girl: “Valley Girls”
Valley Girls was planned as a prequel to Gossip Girl, focusing on Lily van der Woodsen’s life as a teenager in the 1980s. A backdoor pilot aired as part of Gossip Girl‘s second season, but despite the hype, the project was not picked up by the network. Fans of the original series were left wondering what Lily’s rebellious younger years could have looked like.
Arrow: “The Huntress”
In the early seasons of Arrow, The Huntress, played by Jessica De Gouw, was a recurring character. There were plans to give her a spin-off series, exploring her life as a vigilante. However, the character didn’t resonate as much as hoped with viewers, and the spin-off idea was quietly shelved, though other characters from the Arrowverse later got their own shows.
The Walking Dead: “Cobalt”
Before Fear the Walking Dead became the official spin-off of The Walking Dead, AMC was considering another spin-off titled Cobalt. This series was set to focus on the early days of the zombie apocalypse in Los Angeles and would have shown the military’s response to the outbreak. While the idea eventually evolved into Fear the Walking Dead, the original Cobalt concept was never fully realized.
The Sopranos: “The Mayor of New York”
David Chase, creator of The Sopranos, once discussed the idea of a spin-off focusing on Johnny Sack, a major character in the original series. The show, tentatively titled The Mayor of New York, would have explored the mob boss’s rise to power in New York City. However, the concept never got off the ground, and no pilot was ever filmed.
Frasier: “Untitled Roz Doyle Spin-Off”
During Frasier‘s final season, there was some discussion about creating a spin-off centered around Roz Doyle, the character played by Peri Gilpin. The concept would have followed Roz’s life as a single working mother navigating her career at the radio station. Despite interest in expanding her character’s storyline, the project never moved forward, and no pilot was produced.
This article originally appeared on UnifyCosmos.
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