Entertainment
Britney Spears Seen Out for First Time Since Selling Music Catalog
Britney Spears
Out & About After Catalog Cash-In!!!
Published
Britney Spears is carrying on as if nothing happened … spotted doing everyday errands like she didn’t just cash in one of the most iconic catalogs in pop history.
The pop legend was seen deep in conversation on her phone while cruising in her Mercedes G63 AMG near her Thousand Oaks home in the L.A. area Thursday.
Rocking shades and casual clothes, Britney kept it low-key during the solo outing — all just days after TMZ broke the news she sold the rights to her music.
BTW … if you’re eyeballing the ring she has on that finger … a source tells TMZ, Britney is completely single — she always wears rings on all her fingers!
As we reported, Britney sold her ownership stake to music publisher Primary Wave. The exact figure isn’t confirmed, but sources called it a “landmark deal,” with estimates hovering around $200 million.
Safe to say, Britney secured the bag — and we’re told she’s genuinely happy with the decision. And honestly, that’s the headline that matters most.
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This weekend might begin with Friday the 13th, but there is nothing unlucky about the quality of content available to stream. With the crime thriller The Rip, starring the iconic Hollywood duo of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, finally losing its momentum on the streaming charts, a new top title is ready to be crowned. However, the fight for streaming supremacy can often distract from the seemingly endless amount of great movies waiting to be discovered in the Netflix catalog. If you’d prefer to try something new this weekend, we’ve got a trio of suggestions to help you on your way. Without further ado, here’s a list of three movies you should watch on Netflix.
For more recommendations, check out our list of the best shows and movies on Netflix.
Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.
3
‘Boyhood’ (2014)
Rotten Tomatoes: 97% | IMDb: 7.9/10
Director Richard Linklater‘s recent comedy-drama Blue Moon has landed Ethan Hawke his fifth Academy Award nomination, with just over a month to wait until we find out if he’s broken his curse and won an Oscar. Ahead of the ceremony, why not check out Hawke’s last Oscar-nominated performance in yet another Linklater collaboration: Boyhood?
One of the most ambitious cinematic projects of this century, Boyhood tells the story of young Mason (Ellar Coltrane) as he grows from a child into a young man arriving at college. What makes this movie so impressive is that it was filmed in real time over 12 years, and the story was adapted along the way to fit with life beyond the lens. Earning six Academy Award nominations and winning one, Boyhood is a critical darling that deserves its plaudits.
2
‘Night at the Museum’ (2006)
Rotten Tomatoes: 42% | IMDb: 6.5/10
During these cold February nights, sometimes all you need is unmistakable comfort viewing to get you through. A new arrival to Netflix this month, Night at the Museum ticks all the boxes, telling the tale of Larry (Ben Stiller), a museum manager at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, whose life is turned upside down when he discovers the exhibits have come to life.
A heartwarming, pure story that puts entertainment first, Night at the Museum might not have been adored by critics, but it has since become a nostalgic favorite of many. Led by Stiller and featuring a star-studded ensemble headlined by Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt, this cozy comedy is sure to fill your heart with joy.
1
‘The Black Phone’ (2021)
Rotten Tomatoes: 81% | IMDb: 6.9/10
For a different type of escapism from Night at the Museum altogether, why not try the terrifying The Black Phone this weekend? Another new arrival to Netflix, having landed on Thursday, February 12th, The Black Phone follows the horrifying abduction of 13-year-old Finney (Mason Thames), as he is left locked in a basement with nothing but a phone that can seemingly contact the dead.
Based on Joe Hill’s 2004 short story of the same name, The Black Phone became an instant hit with 2021 audiences, who were dazzled by its nail-biting horror and the aforementioned Hawke’s sadistic villain, The Grabber. Not for the faint-hearted, this clever adaptation is both scary and accessible, making it the perfect watch for both horror fans and non-horror fans alike.
- Release Date
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June 16, 2022
- Runtime
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103 minutes
- Director
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Scott Derrickson
- Writers
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Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill
- Producers
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Jason Blum, C. Robert Cargill, Scott Derrickson
Days after the passing of “Dawson’s Creek” star James Van Der Beek, many have come forward to offer monetary support for the family he left. One of them is iconic director Steven Spielberg, who donated a significant amount.
The GoFundMe for the late actor’s family has surpassed its goal in less than two days, and donations still keep pouring in from all over the world.
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Steven Spielberg Was Among The Top Contributors
On February 11, Van Der Beek passed away from his years-long battle with colorectal cancer at 48 years old. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children, ages 4 to 15.
A GoFundMe page was set up to support Van Der Beek’s family, asking for financial support. “The costs of James’s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds. They are working hard to stay in their home and to ensure the children can continue their education and maintain some stability during this incredibly difficult time,” the page reads.
Many have responded to the call, with the funds reaching more than $1 million in a matter of hours. One of those who donated was Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, who gave $25,000.
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Spielberg is among the top contributors, alongside an anonymous donor who donated $30,000.
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Why Steven Spielberg’s Donation Resonates With ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Fans
Van Der Beek is most well-known for his portrayal of Dawson Leery in the TV series “Dawson’s Creek.” In the show, Dawson is an aspiring filmmaker who idolizes Spielberg, decorating his room with posters of the director’s films, including “Jurassic Park,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” and “Hook.”
According to the show’s creator, Kevin Williamson, he had to pen a letter asking permission from Spielberg to use the posters. “And I was like, ‘Please, Mr. Spielberg, you don’t know me, but I was this kid. I had this bedroom. I had all your posters in my bedroom. Can I please present Dawson the way that he really was?’” Williamson said, per Entertainment Weekly.
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He heard back from the director, who kindly wrote, “You can use everything.” His only condition was not to mention his wife or children in the show.
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James Van Der Beek Missed The ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Reunion
In September 2025, the cast of “Dawson’s Creek” reunited more than two decades after the show’s final episode aired. Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and Michelle Williams were present, together with their former castmates, including Busy Philipps, Meredith Monroe, and Kerr Smith.
Van Der Beek was noticeably absent due to an illness, but he sent a video message, saying, “I can’t believe I don’t get to hug my cast mates. I wanted to stand on that stage and thank every single person in this theater for being here tonight.”
The cast did a reading of the show’s pilot episode, and songwriter and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped in to fill Van Der Beek’s shoes.
The reunion was a charity event held to raise funds for Van Der Beek and the non-profit organization F Cancer. As previously reported by The Blast, Van Der Beek didn’t get residuals from the show due to a “bad” contract.
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Steven Spielberg Sent In A Video For The Reunion
When “Dawson’s Creek” began, Dawson was a high school student keen on becoming a filmmaker. In the series finale, six seasons later, audiences learn that Dawson has become the writer and executive producer of the show “The Creek,” a series based on his life growing up in Capeside.
During the reunion show, a short video clip that Spielberg sent was shown on the big screen. He had a few words for Van Der Beek, aka Dawson, saying, “Dawson, you made it. Maybe someday, I will get to have a Dawson’s closet.”
Donations To James Van Der Beek’s Family Surpassed $2 Million
A few months before his passing, Van Der Beek auctioned some “Dawson’s Creek” memorabilia to raise funds for his cancer treatment. “I’ve been storing these treasures for years, waiting for the right time to do something with them, and with all of the recent unexpected twists and turns life has presented recently, it’s clear that the time is now,” he said.
Donations to Van Der Beek’s family continue pouring in, and they have surpassed the $1.5 million goal in less than two days. As previously reported by The Blast, other celebrities who have donated to the cause include Zoe Saldana and Derek Hough.
As of writing, the contributions have reached $2.1 million.
High Potential is currently not airing new episodes so when does the show come back to ABC?
The hit series returned for season 2 in September 2025 before taking a pass for the holidays. Five episodes aired until the show went on another pause amid the 2026 Games.
High Potential follows a high-potential intellectual — Morgan (Kaitlin Olson) — who teams up with the LAPD to help solve murders. She gets paired up with Karadec (Daniel Sunjata), who is initially skeptical about Morgan’s involvement with the Major Crimes unit but ultimately starts to rely on her.
Before the hiatus, High Potential introduced Susan Kelechi Watson as Lucia a.k.a Karadec’s ex-fiancée. ABC teased that Watson’s character is “always chasing what’s next, not out of recklessness, but out of a real appetite for life. She follows her curiosity wherever it leads, whether that’s a new city, a new flavor, or a new chapter.”
Sunjata, 54, recently teased exclusively to Us Weekly about how Karadec’s personal life will be explored.
“Morgan meets a lot of people as she moves around,” he noted in September 2025. “She’s got options. Karadec probably has a few options too. We’ll see what happens.”
Keep scrolling to find out when High Potential returns — and what comes next:
When Does the Next Episode of ‘High Potential’ Air?
The new episode is slated to return to ABC during its regular Tuesday timeslot on March 3. Fans of the show can watch past episodes on Hulu with both season 1 and season 2 available to stream.
Why Is ‘High Potential’ on Hiatus Again?
After its usual midseason break, High Potential had to hit pause again due to competing coverage of the Winter Olympics.
Fan-favorite TV couples like 9-1-1’s Buck and Eddie, The Bear’s Sydney and Carmy and Tracker’s Colter and Reenie — or Billie — deserve to finally get together on screen in 2026. Based on Jeffery Deaver‘s novel The Never Game, Tracker has viewers tuning in each week to see their favorite fictional survivalist — a.k.a Colter […]
Where Did ‘High Potential’ Leave Off?
High Potential got fans excited about the future of the show when Karadec appeared to grow jealous of Morgan spending time with their boss Wagner (Steve Howey) in season 2.
“We do start to unpack a little bit of that as we move deeper into the season. For us, our approach is, you don’t know if it’s protection or jealousy,” executive producer and showrunner Todd Harthan exclusively told Us Weekly. “Is he worried about Morgan engaging in a relationship that could be dangerous or complicated in a way that is destructive? Or is part of him starting to develop real feelings for her?”
Harthan continued: “It’s that fine line that we walk on the show. I don’t ever really want to tell the audience definitively which way he’s feeling but we’re playing with a lot of that as we dig deeper into the season. Because things are going to start to get a little bit messier.”
When asked whether Karadec knows what he feels for Morgan, Harthan noted, “They’re both still figuring [that] out. Even in TV time, it hasn’t been that long between the two of them. It’s just complicated when you work together and you have such an amazing partnership that continues to grow and bloom and that you become even more attached to.”
Harthan didn’t rule anything out. “He’s still in the reconciling it sort of phase. But that’s where we’re at now,” he added. “It’s still that he’s not sure and that we’re trying to be honest about that in its execution within the episodes.”
The screenwriter also teased Morgan’s multiple possible love interests.
“We haven’t put a super fine point on it. But I’ve talked to Kaitlin about it quite a bit and she’s just got so many other things that are taking priority over her engaging in another meaningful relationship. Her priorities are her children and then now she has this career that she’s immersed herself in,” he explained. “A very small piece of the pie is left over for her and her personal life. It just isn’t one of those things that she’s engaging in as much as she is her children and her work. But we’re looking for the time in which that is going to bloom but we’ve been very slow to have her immerse herself into a long-standing relationship.”
“Real Housewives of Potomac” star Ashley Darby shocked fans of the show when she admitted to having a romantic encounter with the son of co-star Charrisse Jackson-Jordan. Since then, both Jordan and her son, Jordan Jackson, have spoken out about the “RHOP” star, and she has also shed light on the situation, including admitting that it occurred more than once. Now, Darby is sharing her reasoning for admitting to the encounter on the show.
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Ashley Darby Says She Wanted Charrisse Jackson-Jordan Back On ‘RHOP’
Darby appeared on the “What’s the Reality” podcast in February 2026, and the host asked why she chose to discuss the hookup with Jordan’s son. She stated in the clip, “It’s been just kind of sitting on me for a while. It’s been sitting on me for two years now.”
From there, she revealed that she brought it up because she wanted Jordan to return to the show as a main cast member, stating that she believed there would have been a more explosive reaction. According to Darby, “You know, I wanted Charrisse back on the show. I have. I almost told her umteen times, and I was gonna take it to my grave.”
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She continued, “I was like, ‘Hey girl, this could be your chance. Get you back on the show. In the scene, I thought she was gonna like throw champagne in my face, flip the table, do a whole thing, nothing of the sort.”
Regarding Jordan’s time on the show, she appeared as a full-time cast member for its first two seasons. She then appeared as a friend of the show for seasons three, seven, and eight. She has since made appearances in various seasons, including the most recent.
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The ‘RHOP’ Star Gave An Update On Where She Stands With The 27-Year-Old
Elsewhere in the interview, Darby was asked if she still speaks to Jordan’s son. She said, “No, we don’t speak.” However, she stated that after one of the events hosted during season 10 of “The Real Housewives of Potomac,” he attempted to “hang out.” Darby said, “Yeah, I put a stop to that. I’ve learned my lesson.”
From there, she went on to express regret, saying, “I mean, I do feel bad about it because if Charrisse genuinely feels the way she does, I am remorseful. I don’t like the way she’s going about it, and that’s where I’m losing respect for her, but if she’s genuinely upset and I can acknowledge that I crossed a line, then we can deal with it.”
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Later, she stated, “But if you’re going to keep defaming me and saying all this stuff and talking bad about my character, then we have another problem.” Darby also stated that Jordan has received a ton of attention thanks to the scandal and that she’s “happy she’s back in the fold.”
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Fans Are Reacting To The Revelation
Following Darby’s interview, “RHOP” fans shared their thoughts on her claim that she admitted to the affair to raise interest in Jordan’s return to the show. One person said on X, “The way she’s trying to spin this now. Ashley is a nasty -ss liar. Charrisse ain’t sh-t either, but Ashley is so trashy. She better not be on my screen season 11.”
Someone else wrote, “So Ashley is saying that because she wanted Charisse back on the show, she used the situation to get her back on? So, when people accuse her of making up storylines, why does Ashley deny it? Get her off. Now!”
A different fan of the show stated, “You know, Ashley really is the lowest of the low. She needs to go, there’s nothing else left for her on the show. These trash antics and then ‘Karen’ behavior after the fact are just too much.”
Finally, another fan said, “So, ‘hooking up’ with your friend’s child doesn’t speak to your character? It’s definitely giving cringe and predatory. (Not in an underage way, but in a ‘I’m waiting in the background to snatch you up the moment you turn legal’ way. Major Ick!”
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Ashley Darby Insinuated That The Hookup Was More Than A Kiss
Darby appeared on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live” in December 2025. Host Andy Cohen asked her about the romantic encounter, beginning with her reasoning for hiding it. She stated that the then 27-year-old asked her to keep it a secret.
Cohen also asked if there was more than a kiss. She responded by smiling, gazing up into the air, and then playing with her ear before saying, “Well.” When asked if she saw him “only the one time,” Darby said, “No, it was more than one time. Yes, it was.” She also claimed that she believed Jordan had learned about the affair from seeing footage from the security camera at her home; however, this wasn’t the case.
Cohen then clarified that the affair took place while he was living at her co-star’s home in 2023.
Charrisse Jackson-Jordan Has Given Her Thoughts
Jordan has offered her thoughts on Darby’s romantic encounter on multiple occasions. One of the most recent was in January 2026, when she appeared on “Sherri.” When asked how her life has been since the episode aired, she stated, “It’s been a whirlwind. A whirlwind.”
When asked about her reaction to the news, she said, “You know, Ashley does a lot on TV, so I really didn’t believe her. So, I’m waiting for the joke, and when she said my son initiated it, I know my child, he didn’t initiate nothing. Now, if something happened, she initiated it.” She also stated that she believed Darby hooked up with her son for a storyline, saying, “I mean, what woman would do this just for general purposes. We don’t do that, Sherri.”
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She also reveals the people she will happily throw under the bus this time.
Entertainment
Former Disney CEO calls dealing with Harvey Weinstein worst part of his career: 'a pig' who 'lied about everything'
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Michael Eisner compared buying Weinstein’s Miramax to “bringing a wolf into the hen house.”
Rehab Addict host Nicole Curtis is speaking out in a lengthy statement after HGTV canceled her show over an N-word controversy.
RadarOnline published footage on Wednesday, February 11, of Curtis, 49, using a racial slur, prompting HGTV to immediately pull new episodes of Rehab Addict that were due to premiere the same day. According to the outlet, Curtis used the offensive word on the set of the home restoration show.
In a Thursday, February 12, Instagram post, Curtis apologized for her use of the N-word in the clip but insisted that the footage was private and not related to the HGTV show. She claimed the video was stolen and “manipulated” and vowed to release the raw footage on Friday, February 13. (Us Weekly has reached out to HGTV for comment on Curtis’ claims.)
“This isn’t a post I ever thought I’d be writing and I’ve drafted this more times that I can count and nothing seems to be enough,” Curtis began.
She continued, “There is anger, there is hate, there is pain. I’m here to take it. I haven’t been hiding, ignoring, waiting for this to pass. I’ve just been playing this all over and over again and watching the video and having this all out together to say the right thing, do the right thing after doing the wrongest of wrongs.”
“I am sorry. I am filled with remorse and regret, just as much as I was one second after that word was said 4 years ago in 2022,” Curtis wrote. “I show this, I say this and I realize you are getting a limited view, as what has been circulating is a clip of MY footage that was stolen then manipulated, edited and sold to [a] tabloid to coincide with my return to television only to create this chaos of hate, anger, disappointment.”
Curtis said that she makes “no excuse” for the language seen on the video, writing, “I am not [a] victim. Nothing I say or do will take that moment 4 years ago away. I know it was wrong. This will never happen again.”
“I want to be clear that about this ….I’m not addressing this because I was ‘caught’. Im here because I am not okay with the fact that I said that,” she continued. “I am and have been submerged in the African American community my entire adult life. I’m a mom of two children, I chose to live and work in the inner cities of many major cities, but most famously Minneapolis and Detroit. Yes, I hear that word on [a] daily basis, people say it all around me, I listen to it in music, I’m not secluded on the suburbs. I am the white, small blonde in the neighborhood who knows that’s a word that represents evil, pain, torture, trauma when used by someone like me. And yet, it came from me…..”
Curtis went on to explain her inflammatory language in the footage, in which she can be heard saying “fart [N-word]” while appearing to struggle with part of a renovation.
“You ask — how did that just easily come out. I don’t have an answer for that. It did and it shocked me as shown. Now, you ask -what [were] you even saying? I throw together words, this is documented on 15 years of tv, interviews, posts of these random words,” she wrote. “The most famous ‘son of [a] beehive digger’ which took the place of SOB when I became a mommy and [could] not swear on TV. [In] recent years, I’ve added fart digger, fart knocker. It’s documented.”
Curtis continued her statement in the comments section of her post, writing about the impact that the controversy has had on her children.
“I have disappointed so many and that includes my children, who I had to tell. My youngest said ‘you don’t say that word’ and I had to say [I] did,” she wrote.
Curtis said she would release “raw footage” of the moment on Friday, writing that she made a “mistake that I realized right away and went into panic.”
“Not terrified this would ruin my career, no, terrified I put that terrible word into the universe,” she said. “That was all my footage, my cameras, my house — it was not for HGTV, not for a show, no one would have ever seen the footage — I just didn’t want it there because it was a moment of deep regret and shame. There was no fear of network, etc. I didn’t want to ever hear me say that again — it’s that simple.”
“HGTV was not aware because it was shot on my own personal time, done and equipment. No one was aware except the people in that room,” Curtis claimed. “No one had that footage drives except myself and my ex bf.”
Curtis concluded her post by apologizing again for the use of the racial slur and noted that she was releasing the statement “without a PR firm” and “against most people’s advice.”
“I’m sorry and I understand the hurt, the anger,” she added.
Florida
Woman Yanked Out of Car as Flames Engulf Wreck!!!
Published
Police in Florida saved a woman from a burning car in the nick of time … after an alleged carjacker stole another vehicle with a baby inside and crashed into her.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office released bodycam footage Thursday, showing the harrowing events following the fiery wreck on the night of February 8.
Police say Richard Younger used force to steal a vehicle before taking off with a 1-year-old child in the back seat. Police located the car and began a pursuit … Younger then allegedly rammed into a car that caught fire, trapping the female driver inside.
Check out the video … Officer Almin Residovic rushes up to the flaming vehicle and drags the woman from the passenger’s side with her hair on fire. Residovic promptly provided medical aid until paramedics arrived and took over.
Other officers rescued the 1-year-old from the other vehicle and arrested Younger, who was booked into the county jail for carjacking, leaving the scene of a crash without rendering aid, false imprisonment of a child, and fleeing from law enforcement.
Cops say the woman and the 1-year-old are doing okay … there was also a 14-year-old who fled from the burning car, but that person’s status was unclear.
Pink or red — either way, these ladies are turning up the heat and making it extremely hard to choose … Check out these BAD ‘N BOLD bods in eye-catching fits, and vote: Who’d You Rather?!
There’s a misconception that a spin-off is a retread of old material, because the best spin-offs were the result of creative and original thinking. It takes vision to imagine that an unlikely character can spawn an 11-season run, or to find the material for a hard-hitting drama within an iconic comedy.
The following shows are some of the very best TV spin-offs, each standing as an example of a must-watch program with mass appeal for all audiences. Whether it’s a sequel, a prequel, or an animated breakout hit, these are the spin-offs that are mandatory viewing, ranked by overall excellence and their ability to eat up days of your life while you binge.
10
‘Lou Grant’ (1977–1982)
Everyone is familiar with the groundbreaking sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show, but far less attention is paid to the dramatic spinoff, Lou Grant. The series saw Mary Richards’ (Mary Tyler Moore) former boss, Lou Grant (Ed Asner), move to Los Angeles to work as editor for the fictional newspaper, the Los Angeles Tribune. The series used current social issues to explore the fast-paced and high-pressure world of print journalism.
Lou Grant is typically rare to find as a streaming option, but all five seasons of the series can be purchased on DVD. While it’s uncommon to see a spin-off change formats from half-hour comedy to hour-long drama, the character of Lou made the transition well, with the series earning 13 Primetime Emmys and a Peabody award. In fact, Asner was the first performer to win comedic and dramatic Emmys for playing the same character.
9
‘Boston Legal’ (2004–2008)
Boston Legal took viewers into the unpredictable world of the lawyers who worked at the legal firm of Crane, Poole & Schmidt. New hire Alan Shore (James Spader) is a brilliant attorney unafraid to work outside ethical boundaries, but his winning record in the courtroom and his close friendship with senior partner Denny Crane (William Shatner) keep him from packing up his office. Each episode combined legal drama and wry comedy to create a unique legal series that broke genre conventions.
The character of Alan Shore was originally introduced on the acclaimed legal drama The Practice in its final season, serving as a problematic anti-hero to stir up drama. However, Boston Legal took a much more lighthearted approach to a legal procedural that featured an irreverent comic tone that would frequently step into the absurd. Boston Legal is an addictively fun watch, with the chemistry between Spader and Shatner a compelling reason to binge.
8
‘Young Sheldon’ (2017–2024)
Fans of The Big Bang Theory could see the origins of the eccentric genius Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) in the sitcom Young Sheldon. Predominantly set in the early ’90s, the series follows Iain Armitage in the role of the adolescent version of Sheldon Cooper as he grows up in Medford, Texas. Although fans saw brief glimpses of them in the original series, Young Sheldon fleshed out the boy genius’ relationship with his immediate family.
Some of the best spin-offs work because they can stand on their own without needing to be familiar with the original, which is the case with Young Sheldon. The series is a heartfelt and genuinely funny family comedy where the humor is based on the relationships developed through an excellent cast. Switching to a single-camera approach to Young Sheldon contributed to the series feeling like an authentic representation of growing up in the 90s, and the quality holds strong all the way up until its seventh-season finale.
7
‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ (1999–Present)
Nearing thirty years on the air, one of television’s longest-running spin-offs is Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Spinning off from the popular Law & Order, the series takes viewers along as the detectives of New York City’s Special Victims Unit take on cases that involve sex based crimes. The series has featured various detectives over the years, but most viewers think of partners Elliott Stabler (Christopher Meloni) and Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) as the marquee faces of the show.
When Law & Order: Special Victims Unit first premiered, it stood out in a crowded lineup of criminal procedurals with shocking stories about sexual assault and domestic violence, but the show also added a human element that was missing from some of its more cut-and-dry peers. The series explored more than the crime and who was responsible; rather, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit regularly dove into the impact the crime had on the victim, and the psychological roadmap that caused the perpetrator to commit their horrible act.
6
‘Daria’ (1997–2002)
No animated character had mastered the art of a sarcastic response like Daria Morgendorffer (Tracy Grandstaff). In her MTV show Daria, audiences saw the character move with her family from the Texas city of Highland to the new town of Lawndale. Attending High School with her popular younger sister, Quinn (Wendy Hoopes), Daria navigates the frustrating world of public education with her best friend Jane (Hoopes).
A spin-off from Beavis and Butt-head, Daria allowed MTV to connect with an underserved portion of its audience who saw little representation of their experiences on TV. Daria didn’t stake her emotional well-being on how popular she was, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t in need of friendship or desired a romantic partner. The series holds up remarkably well, and even though things like the current fashion have changed, the core message of Daria hasn’t lost any of its relevance.
5
‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ (1987–1994)
Image via Paramount
Whether it’s thought of as a spinoff or a sequel series, Star Trek: The Next Generation is one of the best pieces of science fiction on television. The series follows the exploratory mission of the USS Enterprise-D under the leadership of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) in the 24th century. In the crew’s goal to discover new life in undiscovered reaches of space, they would encounter adventure and danger that required quick thinking to overcome.
The original Star Trek is an iconic science fiction series, but Star Trek: The Next Generation builds on the premise with fan-favorite new characters such as android Data (Brent Spiner) and Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton). By shifting the focus away from the more action-oriented original series into a more thoughtful, character-driven narrative, Star Trek: The Next Generation set the tone for future installments of the franchise and created die-hard fans who followed along for all seven seasons.
4
‘Better Call Saul’ (2015–2022)
One of the best television dramas to never win an Emmy, Better Call Saul is a spinoff of top-tier quality. The series focused on the charismatic and morally flexible lawyer Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), going back to when he was still known by his real name, Jimmy McGill. Over six seasons, audiences were treated to the rise of Jimmy from a down-on-his-luck con man to a key figure in the criminal underworld of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Fans of Breaking Bad were excited to see a series based around Saul Goodman, but few were probably expecting to see a masterclass character study. Jimmy’s story never took the easy way out of making someone the villain or hero, but rather frequently allowed its characters to make decisions they thought were right in that moment. Odenkirk continued to outdo himself with his performance, and Jimmy’s relationship with Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn) will be remembered as one of the television greats.
3
‘The Jeffersons’ (1975–1985)
The Jeffersons holds such a noteworthy position as one of the best sitcoms of the ’70s that it’s easy to forget it’s a spinoff. The comedy follows George (Sherman Hemsley) and Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford) as they move to the Upper East Side of Manhattan after George’s dry cleaning business takes off. Episodes saw the married couple adjust to their new luxurious surroundings after a life of hard work and struggle.
George and Louise were recognizable characters on the game-changing sitcom All in the Family, but a spin-off that established the Jeffersons as successful business owners was an important and needed addition on television. Topics like racism and classism were explored through George and Louise’s experiences without losing the biting sense of humor the show was known for. The Jeffersons‘ combination of funny and fearlessness was a hit with viewers and carried the sitcom to an incredible 11-season run.
2
‘Frasier’ (1993–2004)
In Frasier, the smartest barfly in Boston, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), moves back to his hometown of Seattle. Although he’s still committed to mental health, Frasier takes a different approach to helping when he takes a job as a radio talk show host, counseling the many listeners who call into the show. When not in the studio, Frasier spends time reconnecting with his younger brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and his ex-cop father Martin (John Mahoney).
After eight seasons of being on Cheers, Frasier had gone through major life changes in front of the audience’s eyes, but the biggest were yet to come when the character moved home. By creating a complex family dynamic, Frasier could create noticeable long-term character arcs that were only enriched by some of the best casting ever done on a sitcom. Frasier was an awards favorite during the course of its time on NBC, and remains an example of how to build a sitcom around an already well-known character.
1
‘The Simpsons’ (1989–Present)
To call The Simpsons a successful spin-off is an understatement. With almost 40 seasons of the animated series produced, The Simpsons has forever established itself as one of the most important comedy series ever made. The day-to-day happenings of Homer Simpson (Dan Castellaneta) and his family in their hometown of Springfield are known the world over, where the word “D’oh” is translated into multiple languages.
Anyone who tuned in to The Tracey Ullman Show on Fox would have probably never guessed the strange animated shorts would become a juggernaut of a comedy series. However, once the Simpsons clan received their first full-length episode with the Christmas special “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire,” there was no looking back. The Simpsons have now starred in more than 800 episodes, one theatrically released movie, and a Simpsons Movie sequel on the way.
The Simpsons
- Release Date
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December 17, 1989
- Network
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FOX
- Directors
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Steven Dean Moore, Mark Kirkland, Rob Oliver, Michael Polcino, Mike B. Anderson, Chris Clements, Wes Archer, Timothy Bailey, Lance Kramer, Nancy Kruse, Matthew Faughnan, Chuck Sheetz, Rich Moore, Jeffrey Lynch, Pete Michels, Susie Dietter, Raymond S. Persi, Carlos Baeza, Dominic Polcino, Lauren MacMullan, Michael Marcantel, Neil Affleck, Swinton O. Scott III, Jennifer Moeller
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Homer Simpson / Abe Simpson / Barney Gumble / Krusty (voice)
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Julie Kavner
Marge Simpson / Patty Bouvier / Selma Bouvier (voice)
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