You might be surprised at how many television spinoffs not only exist, but have been incredibly successful.

Take Good Times, for example, which is a spinoff of Maude, which itself is a spinoff of All in the Family. Don’t forget, too, that The Jeffersons was a spinoff of All in the Family as well.

With The Paper, a spinoff from The Office, set to release, it feels like a good idea to get a pulse of television fans and find out which TV spinoffs are better than the original.

Young Sheldon

There’s no denying the power of The Big Bang Theory. It was a ratings juggernaut for a reason, despite being a formulaic sitcom.

By removing the laugh track and adding in a surprising amount of heart, Young Sheldon is a far better show.

Boston Legal

Both a spinoff and continuation of The Practice, Boston Legal was nominated for over 25 Primetime Emmy Awards and was a ratings hit for ABC.

While The Practice was a successful ’90s legal drama, Boston Legal arguably had the bigger star power with William Shatner and James Spader.

Happy Days

Yes, technically, Happy Days is indeed a spinoff, premiering on Love, American Style, an anthology series on ABC under the name “Love and the Happy Days.”

The pilot didn’t get any attention until Ron Howard starred in American Graffiti, and the rest was history.

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NCIS

Do you remember JAG, the show that seemed to air every Sunday after the NFL on CBS?

Well, believe it or not, its success led to a spinoff: NCIS, one of the most popular television dramas of the modern era. NCIS in itself has led to several spinoffs over the years.

Better Call Saul

This is not to say that Breaking Bad is a bad show because it’s obviously not. It’s one of the greatest shows of all time.

Better Call Saul, despite all the odds stacked against it, exceeds Breaking Bad in every way. It’s tense, it’s thrilling, and it’s incredible television.

Frasier

Again, no knock on Cheers. Another great show and one of the best sitcoms of all time.

This is more a testament to how good Fraiser is. Somehow, the “smartest show on television” spun off from the sitcom that took place at a bar.

Xena: Warrior Princess

A spinoff from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Xena: Warrior Princess saw widespread success and even critical acclaim during its six-season run.

One big reason for its success? Lucy Lawless, whose charisma and performance helped make the spinoff more famous than Hercules.

Family Matters

Perfect Strangers was a good show, but it failed to create a lasting legacy.

Family Matters had Steve Urkel, who literally stole the show.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

As iconic as the original Star Trek series is, there’s no denying that its quality is a little uneven.

The Next Generation, however, not only reignited the franchise but also led to several movies and spinoffs of its own.

Law & Order: SVU

Look, I understand Law & Order‘s place in the history of television as one of the all-time great crime dramas.

Having said that, I watched countless reruns of SVU on the USA network in college, not Law & Order. Plus, the show is still airing new episodes today!

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