Sometimes a character on a TV show becomes so popular that viewers want to see more and more of them, so much so that the original TV show is no longer capable of meeting their needs. Other times a TV show plants the seeds of a narrative that is too promising to be neglected but too big to be crammed into its initial confines, meaning that it needs its own TV show to flourish. Whatever the exact cause, there have been numerous spin-offs on the TV screen, including a fair number that were outstanding on their own merits.

Here are 20 of the top TV spin-offs of all time:

ImageNumber 8: Xena: Warrior Princess

Xena started out as a recurring character who was scheduled to die after three episodes on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. However, she became so popular that she received her own TV show, Xena: Warrior Princess, which became so popular that it soon surpassed its source. As a result, there is still a cult following for the TV show as well as hundreds and hundreds of tie-in products, which speak volumes about its continuing influence.

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