Ah, the spinoff. It can work beautifully, a la Frasier, Better Call Saul, and Fear the Walking Dead, or it can go horribly wrong (anyone remember Friends spinoff Joey? Didn’t think so.) But when they work, they really work. Here are 5 new spinoffs in the works that we’re hoping will deliver — or at least fail miserably in a really fun way!
The Blacklist spinoff
While a full series pickup of this yet-to-be-titled spinoff isn’t set in stone, NBC is hoping viewers will be on board for a show that focuses on Ryan Eggold’s mysterious and troubled character from the original, Tom Keen. If it moves forward following the pilot, Eggold would still appear on The Blacklist with crossover appearances. An episode set to air on May 12 will serve as the setup for the spinoff. According to Deadline, it will focus on Tom’s relationship with his handler Susan (Famke Janssen; How to Get Away With Murder). Janssen will make her debut appearance in an upcoming episode of The Blacklist to introduce the character, who will have a similar relationship to Tom Keen as Raymond “Red” Reddington (James Spader) has to Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone) in the original series. The new show will be created and produced by the same creative team, which should help it get at least a first season pickup.
24: Legacy
It’s hard to imagine any 24 iteration without Kiefer Sutherland’s iconic tough guy, Jack Bauer, but Fox seems to be excited about landing rising star Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton, The Walking Dead) as its new protagonist for Legacy. According to Variety, Hawkins’ character won’t be a Jack Bauer 2.0, but rather a man who comes from a tough upbringing who turned his life around by joining the Army Rangers. After returning to the U.S., he encounters some trouble, leading him to request the assistance of the government’s CTU (Counter Terrorist Unit) to help save both his life and that of other Americans. Only the pilot episode has been ordered thus far, but given Hawkins’ proven acting abilities and the rabid 24 fanbase, chances are it has a good shot at a full series run.
Sons of Anarchy spinoff
With both a spinoff and a prequel rumored to be in the works once creator Kurt Sutter gets inspired and finds the time to put pen to paper, fans of FX’s Sons of Anarchy may once again satisfy their cravings for guns, drugs, violence, and motorcycles. While there isn’t a specific timeline for either series, we do know that the spinoff will likely focus on the Mayans Motorcycle Club, one of SAMCRO’s biggest rivals in the original series. Sutter has said that he’d want the shows to stand wholly on their own like successful Breaking Bad spinoff Better Call Saul. Hopefully the new spinoff will fare better than his short-lived period drama, The Bastard Executioner, which Sutter himself cancelled.
Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders
Following the lead of procedural-spinoff tornadoes like Law & Order, NCIS, and CSI, this marks the third spinoff in the Criminal Minds franchise (the second being the short-lived Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior). Beyond Borders debuted on March 16, and airs immediately following the original so fans can binge two-hours worth of creepy procedural drama. Gary Sinise leap frogs from former spinoff series CSI: NY to head up the cast, which was expected to include Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), but she only appeared in the pilot for unknown reasons. As the name implies, this version follows an elite FBI team solving cases involving Americans in other countries. It debuted to fairly solid ratings on CBS’ formulaic programming schedule, though it’s still too early to tell whether this one will make it for the long haul, or face the fate of its predecessor.
Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove
In a complete switch of genres, fans of Discovery’s Deadliest Catch will likely be excited for the upcoming spinoff that will follow fishing families in Newport, OR, which is one of the last fishing towns in existence along the space known as the “Graveyard of the Pacific.” As with the original reality series, you’ll see the tremendous sacrifices these families make, and dangers they face, trying to catch enough Dungeness crabs to earn a solid living. The show will premiere this fall.
