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Recently, I asked the BuzzFeed Community which TV spin-offs are actually much better than the original shows they were based on.
Here are 18 of the top answers:
Note: Some responses have been edited for length/clarity.
1. "Young Sheldon is 100 times better than The Big Bang Theory. It’s funnier and has more heart, and it doesn’t rely on negative or one-dimensional stereotypes."
"It’s currently at the point in the story (which is cannon via TBBT, so they can’t change certain things) where serious things are happening, and the writers are handling the topics with grace and respect."
2. "The Simpsons started as part of a sketch comedy show [The Tracey Ullman Show] and became one of the most successful shows on television."
3. "I loved Perfect Strangers back during TGIF days, but who would have thought Family Matters — a spin-off featuring the elevator operator's family — would become so damn iconic?"
"Thanks in part to a certain nerd."
4. "I love Henry Winkler to death, but Laverne & Shirley was way funnier than Happy Days."
"I always thought I was alone in this thought! I honestly think people gave more credit to Happy Days because Laverne & Shirley was a show led by two females. They got their credit, but certainly not enough."
5. "Breaking Bad was great, but Better Call Saul was something else!"
"Better Call Saul is better than Breaking Bad. I never expected to think that, but they did such a fantastic job of showing Saul's backstory and how he ended up where he did that it's better."
6. "Private Practice was way better than Grey’s Anatomy — mostly because of Taye Diggs!"
"But also because the characters on PP are much more evolved in the sense that they’re not being killed off every season and replaced with new ones, so we actually get to know them and love them."
7. "Law & Order is fine, but Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is great. The chemistry between Benson and Stabler was fantastic, and the types of cases are more interesting to watch."
"The characters are great, and the guest stars list is unmatched. It seems like every actor has been in at least one episode of SVU."
8. "At this point, Law and Order: Organized Crime is far better than SVU. Stabler is great as per usual, but Jet and Bell are the standouts."
"They're such great characters and give solid performances; plus, their wardrobes are just amazing."
9. "The L Word: Generation Q was better than The L Word because it relied less on stereotypes and had a more diverse representation."
"The original L Word was kinda anti-trans, so I love that they did better on the reboot. Plus, I love that Bette, Shane, and Alice are in the reboot as well."
10. "Degrassi: The Next Generation is the best Degrassi, period."
—sr4
"I love all the Degrassi series, but Degrassi: The Next Generation was the best! I think it’s better than Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High, even though those were good, too."
11. "I honestly prefer Angel to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I like the grittier tone."
12. "Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin was way better than the OG PLL. It’s still got the campy elements that are fun, but it’s much darker, and the mystery was more compelling."
13. "Hands down, Xena: Warrior Princess is better than Hercules. Actually, when I first watched the show, I was sure that Hercules was the spin-off, not Xena."
14. "Daria! Beavis and Butt-Head is good, but Daria is golden!"
15. "Frasier is iconic! Cheers was brilliant, but who doesn't love the genius of Frasier?"
16. "I liked 9-1-1: Lone Star better than the original 9-1-1. The relationship between TK and Carlos is something magical."
17. "Personally, I quite enjoyed Stargate Atlantis more than Stargate SG-1. I had a hard time getting into SGA at first because, after so many seasons of SG-1, it was difficult getting used to a new cast, new location, new enemies, etc. But once I did, I found that it soon became my favorite between the two."
"Stargate Atlantis was better than the original Stargate series, in my opinion, because it didn't go on longer than it needed to. The original had nine seasons and really needed to be stopped."
18. And finally: "The Originals! The storylines, the family dynamic, the acting, the intensity...you name it, it was better than The Vampire Diaries."
"That show killed it, and Klaus will forever have my heart."
"It was more mature and had more substance, and the Mikaelsons were much more interesting than anyone on Vampire Diaries."
"In my opinion, The Originals was better because it showed the deep bond of the family and focused less on the romance of one character."
"While I loved Vampire Diaries, it kinda died through the last seasons, whereas The Originals showed much more interesting character arcs and plots, which made sense from the beginning through the end! It's one of the best shows ever, and the New Orleans ambiance definitely added so much to the series!"
We can’t fit every one into one post, so which other spin-off shows are better than the originals? Tell us in the comments below!
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