10 shows that did not need spin-offs

Some TV shows are so definitive, their narrative feels finished the moment the last credits appear. But in the era of spin-offs, no favorite program appears to be safe from being protracted past its inherent conclusion. Although some spin-offs come off independently, others bomb either because they do not have the same heart as the original, misunderstood what audiences really craved, or simply exist to profit from nostalgia.

In this piece, we look back at 10 shows that did not require spin-offs, whether they were axed shortly or succeeded, never justifying their place. From sitcoms to sci-fi icons, these instances illustrate how the enlargement of a universe is not always a good idea.

Occasionally, it is best to leave great stories where they should have ended before familiarity breeds contempt. If you've ever seen a spin-off and wondered, "Why did they even make this?" you're not alone.

---

10 shows that did not need spin-offs

1. Friends - Joey

NBC tried to keep the magic alive by quickly launching Joey after Friends went off with a high in 2004. But take Joey Tribbiani away from his strong suit of his famous group, and you find out how one-dimensional the character was. The show was lacking the comedic rhythm and the kind of warmth that made Friends a cultural phenomenon.

Even in a 2023 retrospective, the executive producer, Kevin Bright, said that trying to "mature" Joey was a mistake. Mostly, fans just pretend the show never happened. Today, Joey is the textbook example of why not every fan-favorite character can or should carry an entire show by themselves.

---

2. Breaking Bad - Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul then established its own niche and emerged as a critically successful prequel. Nevertheless, there are some who feel that Breaking Bad had such a flawless ending in 2013 that any addition, no matter how great, threatened to ruin that perfection. Vince Gilligan himself was not certain if the spin-off was a good idea.

While Better Call Saul expertly mapped out Jimmy McGill's evolution and added richness to secondary characters, it also altered the recollection of some viewers of the original story. It's an unusual instance of a great spin-off that makes one question not quality but necessity.

---

3. How I Met Your Mother - How I Met Your Father

How I Met Your Father certainly had large shoes to fill, and almost every step was a trip. Despite putting together a cast including Hilary Duff, Kim Cattrall, and so many others, the spin-off never quite got to that same emotional or comedic area. The dialogue was far too modern, the plot too conventional, and worst of all, the characters had zero chemistry.

With its cancellation just after two seasons in 2023, somehow, no one really cared. One more example of a clever concept that gets tired on its second iteration, proving that not all genres warrant a reboot.

---

4. The Office (U.S.) - The Farm

NBC originally considered keeping a spin-off focused on Dwight Schrute's beet farm, The Farm. Instead, the pilot was released as an episode during The Office's last season and was quickly forgotten. Critics and viewers alike concurred that it had too much of one without the other, which made The Office succeed.

Now, The Farm is a pop culture footnote, a reminder that not all supporting characters require more time on the screen. Sometimes a television show ends with perfection because it lets there be enough left unsaid to preserve the magic.

---

5. Pretty Little Liars - Ravenswood / The Perfectionists

Pretty Little Liars had only wrapped up in 2017 when two spin-offs, Ravenswood and The Perfectionists, tried to keep the mystery burning. But neither ignited the same fan craze as its predecessor. Ravenswood lasted one season before being canceled; The Perfectionists followed suit in 2019. Critics faulted complicated plots, underdeveloped characters, and a frantic attempt to remain relevant.

In 2024, PLL: Summer School premiered to improved reception; timing and tone can be everything. The previous spin-offs weren't so much unnecessary as they were premature and out of sync with what audiences actually wanted.

---

6. Supernatural - The Winchesters

The Winchesters attempted to ride Supernatural's coattails by exploring the backstory of John and Mary. Although off to a good beginning and starring Jensen Ackles, the series was canceled after its first season in 2023. Critics complimented its nostalgia but faulted its patchy storytelling and timeline discontinuity. Most longtime fans considered the original series to have concluded all main arcs and did not require additional mythology.

Even Ackles confessed it was an "experiment" in fan outreach. In retrospect, the show seemed more of a reluctant prequel than a labor-of-love endeavor, reminding us that it's alright sometimes to let a tale conclude.

---

7. Sex and the City - The Carrie Diaries

The Carrie Diaries premiered in 2013 as a Sex and the City teen drama spin-off, but faltered with an identity crisis. It appealed to Gen Z viewers who were not familiar with the original but drove away existing fans with inconsistencies in Carrie's past. The over-the-top CW style conflicted with SATC's mature content.

Despite good performances, it was discontinued after two seasons. The reunion of the original cast in And Just Like That… only served to highlight how misplaced The Carrie Diaries really was.

---

8. That ’70s Show - That ’80s Show

That '80s Show premiered only three years after That '70s Show hit its stride, but it never gained any rapport, either literally or emotionally. It had no new characters and used hackneyed '80s gags instead of character-based humor. The series lasted only 13 episodes, canceled in 2002 by critics who dubbed it "lazy nostalgia with no soul."

In 2023, That '90s Show demonstrated that you can reboot a franchise if you really care about its origins. That '80s Show is remembered as a failure sparked by network desperation instead of creative vision. It's best remembered as a warning sign.

---

9. M*A*S*H - AfterMASH

When M*A*S*H concluded as one of the top-rated series finales ever, CBS premiered AfterMASH, a sitcom about life after war. But viewers didn't crave peace; they craved closure. The transition from combat to hospital red tape deflated the emotional tensions. Despite having original characters, it was stale and sappy. Critics in 2024 continue to rank it as one of the worst legacy spin-offs.

The series was canceled after its second season. Though M*A*S*H is a classic of television history, its spin-off lives only to serve as a reminder that great finales should not be revisited.

---

10. The X-Files - The Lone Gunmen

When The Lone Gunmen debuted in 2001, viewers eagerly watched the conspiracy team from The X-Files shine. But the tone soon changed to cringeworthy humor, and Mulder and Scully's absence was sorely felt. In spite of a traumatic premiere eerily paralleling 9/11, the series never quite got on track and was axed after 13 episodes.

In 2024 retrospectives, it's included as one of the worst sci-fi spin-offs. Even its most die-hard fans acknowledge it had no substance. Rather than enlarging the X-Files universe, it erred by undermining its mystery with campy trash.

---

Spin-offs have the potential to be a great way of returning to beloved worlds, but they do not always keep the essence of the originals. As these ten shows demonstrate, taking a show on for the sake of it can at times cause more damage than good.

Fans yearn for closure as much as they do for nostalgia, and sometimes the most courageous artistic choice is to leave off while the story still lingers. Because not all goodbyes require a sequel.