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" For whatever reason, it seems we only hear about the unsuccessful TV spin-offs (Joey, anyone?). We forget that some of our favorite shows\u2014like The Simpsons and NCIS\u2014originated from other shows. WD tracked down the best small-screen spin-offs to give you a little historical insight into your most-loved programs.  Family Feud (from Match Game)  You can&amp;#039;t always predict whether or not a show will do well\u2014or, more specifically, why. In the case of Match Game, it was the humor, the timeslot and one of the celebrity panelists: British-born actor Richard Dawson, who joined the show from 1973 to 1978. Dawson went on to host Match Game&amp;#039;s successful game show spin-off, Family Feud,in 1976 (while still on Match Game). He continued to host until 1985, and the show has since had several different hosts, including a short stint by Dawson again in 1994. Photos courtesy of Comcast.com and NBC.com.  The Simpsons (from The Tracey Ullman Show)  It was on The Tracy Ullman Show, a variety show featuring sketch comedy and musical numbers, that The Simpsons first appeared as hilarious 30-second clips that aired before and after commercials. But proving too big for bumpers, the show, created by Matt Groening, launched into a half-hour series in December 1989. The still-running satirical comedy responsible for &amp;quot;D&amp;#039;oh,&amp;quot; the catchphrase used around the world, now holds the record for longest-running scripted prime-time U.S. television series. Photos courtesy of YouTube.com and Fox.com.  Family Matters (from Perfect Strangers)  Perfect Strangers&amp;#039; character Harriette Winslow, and her later-introduced husband, Carl, went on to spawn one of the most popular American sitcoms to join the TGIF lineup in 1989. And the minds at Thanks Goodness It&amp;#039;s Funny should be especially thankful for Steve &amp;quot;No Sweat, My Pet&amp;quot; Urkel; his snorting, calamitous ways propelled Family Matters\u2014which outlived its predecessor\u2014into American TV fame. Photos courtesy of WarnerBros.com and ABC.com. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (from Extreme Makeover)  In time, reality TV show Extreme Makeover, which ran from 2002 to 2005, proved too superficial in its mission to transform someone&amp;#039;s appearance with plastic surgery and more. However, its spin-off, which started as a special in 2003 and later premiered in 2004\u2014starring the dreamy and talented Ty Pennington\u2014can hold its proverbial head much higher. Today, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition focuses on building a fantastic home for a deserving family, which leads up to a ceremony that runs dry millions of tear ducts each episode. Photos courtesy of YouTube.com and ABC.com.  Frasier (from Cheers)  Cheers was a hugely popular sitcom that ran for 11 years. But we suppose not everyone was comfortable\u2014or wanted their kids to think they were comfortable\u2014with a bar being the place &amp;quot;where everybody knows your name.&amp;quot; However, the upper-class status and highbrow wit of one of the show&amp;#039;s supporting characters, Dr. Frasier Crane, must have resonated with a large percentage of American audiences, because in 1993 he became the star of his own show. Frasier also ran for 11 years, making it one of the most popular comedic sitcoms in recent TV history.Its series finale aired in 2004. Photos courtesy of NBC.com. The Facts of Life (from Diff&amp;#039;rent Strokes)    In The Facts of Life&amp;#039;s nine-year run, it bravely approached topics including suicide, drug addiction, breast cancer and abortion, but the quirky, all-girl cast of characters is what really made the spin-off intriguing. It all started with the Diff&amp;#039;rent Strokes housekeeper character, Mrs. Garrett, who left the show in 1979 to play house-mother at the Eastland School for Girls. Though Gary Coleman&amp;#039;s catchphrase, &amp;quot;What&amp;#039;chu talkin&amp;#039; about, Willis?&amp;quot;, helped make Diff&amp;#039;rent Strokes a very close competitor throughout the &amp;#039;80s, The Facts of Life eventually proved more successful in terms of ratings, and ended in 1988, two years after Diff&amp;#039;rent Strokes went off the air. Photos courtesy of NBC.com.  Pinky and the Brain (from Animaniacs)  Pinky and the Brain, which first appeared in 1993 as a recurring segment on the show Animaniacs, eventually accomplished what the duo set out to do at the beginning of each episode\u2014take over the world (or at least the cartoon-loving part of it). Its parody-plotted style did well with viewers, and the duo got their own show in 1995. Though its run didn&amp;#039;t outlast Animaniacs, we vote in favor of the two adorable, endlessly entertaining genetically enhanced mice who brought into common language the neologism &amp;quot;narfistic.&amp;quot; Photos courtesy of WarnerBros.com. NCIS (from JAG)  Boasting more in-the-field action, character development and humor-riddled dialogue than its parent program, JAG, NCIS, which started in 2003,has accomplished what not many shows can: a steady rise in viewership as the seasons progress\u2014up to 20 million viewers in its present seventh season, up from 17 million in its sixth season and 15 million in its fifth. Today, it&amp;#039;s one of the only shows that can hold its own during what&amp;#039;s commonly known as the &amp;quot;death slot&amp;quot;\u2014the phrase used to describe the timeslot up against American Idol. Photos courtesy of CBS.com.  Knots Landing (from Dallas)  By the time of its conclusion in 1993\u2014after a 14-season run\u2014Knots Landing had become one of the longest-running prime-time soaps in U.S. television history. Though its parent program, Dallas, was also prized for its longevity and good acting, Knots Landing was liked for its laid-back family feel, not overly outlandish plots and much-loved actors, including Julie Harris and Michelle Phillips. We can&amp;#039;t say, however, that the formula inspired any of today&amp;#039;s prime-time dramas, which are chockful of more not-very-laid-back drama than we can handle. Photos courtesy of CBS.com.  Private Practice (from Grey&amp;#039;s Anatomy)  Here at WD, we&amp;#039;re split right down the middle on which ABC prime-time medical drama rules, but we can all agree that there was no better time for a spin-off to be spun. In 2007, just as the drama died down concerning Isaiah Washington&amp;#039;s real-life unrenewed contract with ABC and before Grey&amp;#039;s fifth season, in which character Izzie Stevens&amp;#039; deceased fianc\u00E9 Denny Duquette started reappearing as a ghost, fan favorite Addison Montgomery got her own show. Enter Private Practice. Starring hunky actors Tim Daly and Taye Diggs, this California-based drama is anything but mellow, creating fair competition\u2014viewer ratings aside. Photos courtesy of ABC.com.   "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/life/entertainment/a1210/10-tv-spin-offs-that-are-better-than-the-originals-102119/>