9 Days 'til Emmy Awards: Spin Offs & Ideal Hosts
Saturday, August 16, 2014 at 4:40PM 
As we approach the Emmy Awards, a little questionnaire silliness. I polled Friends of TFE and the staff, too.
1. Which character on which show would you kill to see get their own spinoff series?
Joe Reid: That American Horror Story's Myrtyle Snow never got to be a Project Runway judge is the real shame. But if we're talking whole-cloth spinoff, I really honestly think that Mad Men has stopped being able to give to Joan what Joan gives to the show. Watching her navigate the '70s would be amazing.
Mark Blankenship: Can we please, PLEASE follow the further adventures of Lincoln (Hannibal Buress) from Broad City? Maybe he can open a free dental dental clinic, and every week, we can see his zany adventures with his patients and their jacked up teeth.
Nathaniel R: I'd follow anyone from Mad Men through the 1970s... and I do mean anyone but I want to focus on shows that are so rich that even the outer periphery characters are awesome so can I pitch shows for?: Nurse Jackie's slutty new drug dealer (Michael Esper); Dawn & Shirley (Teyonnah Paris & Sola Bamis), the new secretaries of Mad Men; that gay hooker from Masters of Sex (Finn Wittrock); Archer's cyborg lovers Katya & Barry
Anne Marie: Freddy from House of Cards gets his own show where he turns his hole-in-the-wall restaurant into a food empire by taking advantage of the shady political maneuvering he's overheard for the last decade.
Jose: Anyone from The Big Bang Theory...oh sorry, I stopped reading after you said "kill".
Dancin' Dan: All I want for Christmas is "The Taystee and Poussey Make Fun Of White People Show".
How many binge-watching hours would you give that one?
2. Which reality host would you choose to host your real life?
Mark Blankenship: Tim Gunn. Obviously. Because he'd be proud of me if I put together a good look for brunch.
Anne Marie: Betty. Freaking. White.
Nathaniel R: Heidi Klum... but only if she invites me to her annual Halloween bash.
Joe Reid: This is not a question. This does not need more than a half-second's worth of thought. Cat Deeley now. Cat Deeley tomorrow. Cat Deeley forever.
YOUR TURN... who would host your life and which minor or central characters would you gladly follow up into their own spinoff series?
Reader Comments (20)
Maya Pope: International Lady of Mystery
I'd tune in weekly to see Khandi Alexander's character from Scandal jet around the world destabilizing governments, occasionally taking a break to roll her eyes at the state of her daughter's personal life.
For a spinoff show I would want Peggy Olsen to have a show where she spends her later years after leaving advertising as the owner of her building where she gets up to some hi jinks with the grown up little boy who has left her.
Cat Deeley is who I want to host because with her sweet British accent and great happy dance I would love her to be my host.
Alice from Luther deserves her own show.
And Ryan Seacrest to host my life because a) he's actually quite good at his job on Idol, no matter how rough that show gets, and b) he seems like he'd be fun to have around.
Clearly we need to follow Loras Tyrell into the homo underworld of Westeros. That'd be the true Gay of Thrones.
Cat Deeley would host because she's an expert at crisis management and super funny.
Red (Orange is the New Black) needs a spin off show about running with the Russian mafia. Like The Sopranos, only about dealing vegetables.
Allison Janney just won for her best-of-the-year-on-television performance on Masters of Sex, her fifth win. Considering she may win her sixth this month (and there are forthcoming seasons of both shows) she'll easily surpass Cloris Leachman's record of 8 wins in a career, right?
I mean, she has gigantic talent, so much goodwill, decades of acting ahead of her, and she's snug as a bug in TV roles.
Love The Americans and I am absolutely transfixed by the Margo Martindale character, though we barely see her this season. The last person you would expect to play a Soviet spy, and you can imagine mountains behind that stoic facade. I would love to see her at her day job, and love to hear her observations on the excesses of the 1980s vs. the grim realities of the rest of the world (Am I the only one who wishes the show were more 80sish?) Maybe team her up with a Melanie Griffith in Working Girl type, to whom she could explain that capitalism isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Dr. Morales from The Closer/Major Crimes. Gay Coroner in LA. That must lead to some very awkward/hilarious/distrubing dates.
I abhor reality shows and reality hosts. They are like that one night stand you really regret (you know, where you wake up in the morning, turn and think "OMG! I am never drinking again." and then swear off one night stands for at least a month but still have nightmares about it years later and one night stands are never quite the same.).
If someone is going to host my life, I want Whoopi Goldberg.
I feel like I can follow the majority of the guest actors that visit The Good Wife on their own spin offos, but why CBS has not already greenlighted a spin off around Carrie Preston's Elsbeth Tascioni is beyond me. Cast Alyson Hannigan as her wayward sister and have Alan Cumming make (frequent) appearances and it practically sells itself.
Host my life? Neil Patrick Harris can host anything so, him.
I would love Robert Osbourne to host my life. He makes everything seem like it is classic and deserves watching (even when it not)
I want The Sally Draper Diaries
Oh Carl! I was going to vote for Peggy, but "The Sally Draper Diaries"? Yes!
I also want to say that Robert Morse lost last night and I consider that a tragedy.
Some great suggestions here:
I second Robert G with a spin off for Red's life with the Russian mafia. Red in OITNB is a great character, and Kate Mulgrew is superb, (as usual).
Ryan T - How about "The Many Trials of Elspeth" as possible title for The Good Wife spin-off starring Carrie Preston.
Cat Deeley is the host of choice for me too, she may not have an Emmy but she is the best.
I used to say I wanted a spin-off with Pete and Bob Benson living together as roommates, Odd Couple style (Joan would make guest appearances), but since that's not feasible anymore, I'd just take Pete.
And I would want Tim Gunn to host my life because he's so positive and calm.
Peggy Sue - I agree about Robert Morse.
TRAGIC... so the mad men curse continues. no actors shall ever win for that show. *sniffle*
The Taystee and Pousey Make Fun of White People Show is the best idea this or any blog has had this year.
It was Cat Deeley for me before I read anyone's answers. She's the best.
Love all the Mad Men and OITNB suggestions. Taystee and Poussey really are amazing.
I suggest "Sophie Burset Explains the Birds and Bees Hour" as another possible OITNB spin-off.
I would also love "The Dowager Countess Social Etiquette Hour". With special guests Cersei Lannister, Diane Lockhart and Joan Holloway.
As for myself, I need a spinoff of Pam from Archer. That character must lead such an interesting life outside of office...
Reality Host: RuPaul. We can read, shade and kiki about all sorts of shit. Plus, when i'm down, Ru can say something inspirational that I will probably ignore.
Character spinoff: Ivy from Smash. She leaves Derek and set out to take Hollywood. Karen can make a cameo as a homeless person. It's criminal how Katharine McPhee has a show and Megan doesn't. I would literally smile after every one of Megan's performances on Smash.
Runner-Up: Pam from True Blood. Eric dies and she sets off away from Bon Temps, moves to LA and runs a boutique. Maybe a "reality" show?
Oh no question, it's Cat Deeley all the way. Heidi can deliver bad news with a shrug, but Cat delivers it with a hug.