Backdoor pilotstypically signify one of two things. The unique episodes denote that a show has enjoyed a lengthy, successful run-up until the planning for a backdoor episode. A combination of rave reviews, immaculate worldbuilding, and a loyal audience that could not bear the thought of leaving their precious universe too soon. Comedies, dramas, and various forms of fantasy enjoy a similar degree of probability for their shows to recent backdoor pilots and thus, expand on different character’s storylines while introducing new protagonists that could revive interest in a given narrative and guide it toward a new, equally stimulating direction.
Much like film sequels, prequels, and companion projects, backdoor pilots are baked into the prevailing storylines of the respective show. Some have been presented under the veneer of a filler episode, spending anywhere from fifteen minutes to an hour deviating away from the main plot. Others are planted amid a series' climax, giving audiences some level of assurance that the intriguing storylines slowly coming to an end will reflect real life. In that, the sequel series will find new characters dealing with the ripple effects of their predecessor’s conclusion.
Thus, when heavily anticipated spin-offs such asSupernatural’s Wayward Sisters or the aptly titledThe Farmfails to materialize, audiences are left disappointed, hoping for what could have been. Nevertheless, plenty of the best backdoor pilots have developed into full-fledged fan favorites in their own right, prioritizing underdogs of a given series and thrusting them into an exciting, new community of fresh faces.
8The Flash
AfterArrow’s successful debut on television, the second season introduced a key figure in the DC Universe. Barry Allen, portrayed by Grant Gustin, lent his talents to the Star City heroes. The episodes titled “The Scientist” and “Three Ghosts” finds Barry in Star City, on the hunt for a superhuman responsible for the murder of his mother. With news of the superhuman wreaking havoc for Queen Consolidated, Allen aligns himself with the Green Arrow (Stephen Amell) and his cohort to prevent the rogue superhuman from causing additional chaos.
Related:Every Show in the Arrowverse on CW, Ranked
During his two-episode run, his appearances impressed both viewers and executives, ultimately resulting in Allen getting an entire show dedicated to his life and the greater Central City Community. Since its premiere,The Flashhas also developed a large fandom of its own, boasting a successful run of nine seasons.
7The Facts Of Life
Conceived as a spin-off ofDiff’rent Strokes,The Charlotte Rae-led spin-off followed the career of Edna Garrett (Rae), housemother to private school students at Eastland School, an all-girls academy. Previously a housekeeper for the Drummond family, Ms. Garrett was portrayed as sensible and caring, taking the feelings and beliefs of Arnold, Willis, and Kimberly into her consideration. Her undying adoration for her children led her into a new world.
After the first season, Edna and Kimberly travel to the Eastland School, seeing as though Kimberly was attending the school at the time. The episode, titled “The Girls' School”, saw the pair visiting a dorm that needed some form of direction. Despite her initial decision to remain Mr. Drummond’s housekeeper, she later decides to consider and ultimately accept the position.
The Facts Of Lifeclimbed to the top of NBC, earning the title of the channel’s highest-rated comedy during its eight-year run, balancing serious discussions about sex education, self-image, and suicide with light-hearted fun.
NCIShas grown to become one of the most iconic franchises in American television. Just like most successful cinematic universes, the desire to expand beyond a single project is a natural reaction. However, the show was originally conceived as a spin-off to the American legal dramaJAG.
JAG, or The Judge Advocate General, was a series that followed a group of individuals that would prosecute or defend members of the US Navy, the Air Force, and the Marine Corps.
The two-part backdoor pilot, named “Ice Queen” and “Meltdown”, opens with a gruesome discovery. The subsequent involvement of NCIS agents Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), Vivian Blackadder (Robyn Lively), and Anthony Dinozzo Jr. (Michael Weatherly) prove to complicate the case, especially when one of the JAG members is accused of murder.
After the episodes aired in April,NCISwas picked up by CBS for a September premiere. Debuting in the fall of that year, NCIS was lauded for its unique contributions to thepolice dramas that have permeated television screensfor years. Given the success of the series today, it is safe to say that CBS made one of the best decisions for its television department
5Station 19
Grey’s Anatomyhas not produced one but two spin-offs. Celebrated for its willingness to slip in and out of already-established universes. Grey’s Anatomy released a backdoor pilot for its initial spin-offPrivate Practice.With the release of its second backdoor pilot in 2018,Station 19was picked up as a series and soon grew into a successful show on its merit.
Appearing in the thirteenth episode of Grey’s Anatomy’s fourteenth season, firefighter Andy Herrera (Jaina Lee Ortiz) is rushed to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital after rescuing two young boys from a house fire. With her hand trapped inside one of the patients, Herrera gets a new first look inside the medical world.
Related:Station 19: Unpacking the Show’s Latest Heavy Drama
Premiering only a few weeks after its backdoor pilot,Station 19saw the complete introduction of Andy Herrera, as well as, current fan favorites such as Dr. Ben Warren (Jason George), Lt. Jack Gibson (Grey Damon), and Victoria Hughes (Barrett Doss). Centering on the role of firefighters, the show has produced six, well-received seasons that seamlessly fit into the rest of the popular shows under Shondaland.
4The Originals
Inspired by the novel series of the same name,The Vampire Diarieswas easily one of the most captivating series on the CW. Airing during what arguably could have been the peak of the channel, the series included the largely celebrated Mikaelson family to avid watchers. Noted for their immense power and nigh-omnipresent influence, the Mikaelson siblings would prove to be formidable enemies to Elena, The Salvatore family, and the greater Mystic Falls community.
In the season four episode, titledThe Originals, Klaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan) returns to New Orleans after news spreads of a conspiracy to smite him, despite his history as the king of the city’s supernatural quarter. He comes across old faces, specifically his mentee Marcel (Charles Michael Davis), and comes across new adversaries.
An invested interest in the history of the Mikaelsons already existed among fans. Thus, the announcement of a complete series only added a tremendous amount of interest in the franchise as a whole, eventually producing a second spin-off.
3All American Homecoming
Based onthe life of pro-football player Spencer Paysinger, the CW seriesAll Americanfollows prospective football star Spencer James (Daniel Ezra) during his turbulent yet informative adolescent years. Becoming a staple on the CW, the show mixes amusing scenes with discussions about racism, substance, abuse, family trauma, and stress. Giving viewers an inside look into the mind ofhigh school footballers, the show has cultivated a loyal fandom of its own. Edits of characters such as Spencer, Layla (Greta Onieogou), Olivia (Samantha Logan), and Jordan (Michael Evans Behling), can be found throughout the internet alongside conversations about their development and their relationships.
Introduced as Jordan’s girlfriend, Simone (Geffri Maya) leaves the sunny streets of Los Angeles in exchange for Bringston University, a fictional historically black university known for its highly esteemed sports program. Accompanied by Olivia, the two tour the school, attend an exciting party, and come across new love interests, all of which contribute to Simone’s staying in Atlanta.
InAll American: Homecoming, with hopes of being a professional tennis player, Simone navigates the grand world of academia with basketball prodigy Damon (Peyton Alex Smith), her aunt and journalism professor Amara Patterson (Kelly Jenrette), and Coach Marcus Turner (Cory Hardict).
2Better Call Saul
Breaking Badstands as one of the most respected programs on television. Thus, the demand for a spin-off has always lingered in the distance. In the second season, fans were introduced to Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), otherwise known as Jimmy McGill as a morally-compromised attorney with a perchance for assisting drug traffickers.
Goodman, who wouldn’t receive his show until 2015, has been a celebrated character in theBreaking Baduniverse. Thus, when a spin-off was announced, anyone who actively consumes media was immediately intrigued. The series, much like its predecessor, follows the moral decline of the titular Saul, a lawyer with a complicated backstory. Since its release,Better Call Saulhas earned considerable acclaim with critics naming it as a worthy successor toBreaking Bad,expanding the meaningful universe and examining conflicting yet significant stories about morality and corruption.
If every spinoff in television series were compiled and evaluated for its impact on American television,Maudewould most likely be considered the pinnacle. TheAll In The Familyspin-off was first materialized after the character, introduced as Edith Bunker’s (Jean Stapleton) “favorite cousin”, appeared in the episode “Maude.”
During the backdoor pilot, the Bunker family vacates to Tuckahoe, New York for a wedding where the couple comes across the titular Maude, mother of the bride.
Recognized for her liberal perspective,Maudewas a breath of fresh air for an audience of Americans that were living in a time of great social progress and the corresponding political legislation that either affirmed progressive beliefs or was passed to circumvent said progress.
Her appearance came as a shock, with many fans ofAll In The Familycoming to appreciate Maude’s distinct perspective while reveling in her relatable rivalry with the staunch conservative Archie. ThroughMaude,many audiences saw an American woman living outside the bounds of traditional American femininity. She was married four times and during the series runs, tackled issues such as abortion, alcoholism, mental health, and domestic violence.
Creating a successful spinoff is difficult on its own however, the inclusion of the Maude-centric episode and its subsequent spin-off would have significant, rippling effects throughout the entertainment industry and American perception of women in the 20th century, renderingMaudeas an increasingly influential series.
