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For Sale Apr 9, 2026 at 5:55 PM

What would have made a good Seinfeld spin-off or worked as a backdoor pilot?

Posted by -Clayburn

Seinfeld has so many iconic side characters, and it feels like if this were the Norman Lear days, you'd easily see a bunch of spin-offs as we follow the life of Babu Bhatt or J. Peterman or whoever else. So it's almost surprising that there were no spin-offs or apparent attempts at one, especially with how successful the show was. Obviously nobody wants to change history, but in your mind what character or premise might have had the most potential for a successful spin-off or what episode could have worked as a backdoor pilot for one?
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MrX16 Apr 9, 2026 +17
Jackie Chiles Attorney at Law
17
BackgroundTell8918 Apr 9, 2026 +6
peterman catalog company would be perfect setup for workplace comedy. all those ridiculous product descriptions and the whole eccentric boss dynamic with employees trying to keep up with his wild stories from travels
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AfraidoftheLark Apr 9, 2026 +1
Apparently, something like this was actually considered at one point: https://www.listnook.com/r/seinfeld/comments/1d8kmja/jackie_chile_was_gonna_have_his_own_spin_off/
1
MrX16 Apr 9, 2026 +2
Theres a strong possibility that I read about this a long time ago and kept it in my subconscious
2
KTOWNTHROWAWAY9001 Apr 9, 2026 +1
It, also outside of the nature of the finale (the trial), is also why he is heavily featured in the final episode.
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AlienVoice Apr 9, 2026 +8
The Newman Show
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NBCaz Apr 9, 2026 +2
Yeah this one.
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Greenfieldfox Apr 9, 2026 +7
Flowers for Puddy (Algernon). That’s right.
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MrWright Apr 9, 2026 +2
Presented by Arby’s and the NJ Devils.
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geddy76 Apr 9, 2026 +6
The Comedy Stylings of Cosmo Kramer - Kramer wants to follow in Jerry’s footsteps and begins a career in stand-up comedy. Unfortunately, the series is cancelled after just one episode…
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weedtrek Apr 9, 2026 +6
Del Bocca Vista. Jerry's parents and all the old folks and their shenanigans. Could have even had George's parents come down for an episode to sell their townhouse.
6
wtocel Apr 9, 2026 +8
How about Elaine as, oh, I don’t know, the vice president?
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paulc899 Apr 9, 2026 +3
Frank Costsnza gos back to his younger days hitting the road with Estelle trying to sell the Manzier as a door to door salesman.
3
smaffron Apr 9, 2026 +3
A buddy comedy with Mickey and Kramer
3
Senators_1992 Apr 9, 2026 +3
Had Kramer stayed in LA, his life as a struggling actor might have worked (he could have returned later in the season and won the part of “Kramer” in the pilot) but, at the same time, a lot of what made his character work were his interactions with Jerry, George and Elaine, so who knows.
3
AfraidoftheLark Apr 9, 2026 +3
>Had Kramer stayed in LA, his life as a struggling actor might have worked I always thought that three-episode L.A. storyline was particularly great, especially with the on-location shooting. It really felt like a Seinfeld movie. Something like that could work. Like there might be something Twin Peaks-y about Kramer and/or Newman in another town, their own eccentricities mixing with those of the locals... But my fundamental problem is that I find it too depressing to imagine the central Seinfeld characters living far apart. (For whatever reason, "Frasier" didn't have the same obstacle, since taking that character out of Boston didn't necessarily upset any established vibe or order.)
3
InappropriateTA Apr 9, 2026 +3
This character was in a mental institution (where he was immune to electroshock therapy), worked at a condom factory, contracted rabies, sold replica Russian hats made of rat fur, and came up with the idea for the rubber band to attach the balls to toy paddles (before that they would just hit the ball and it would fly away). I am talking, of course, about Bob Sacamano.
3
Little_Employment_68 Apr 9, 2026 +2
I think part of what made those spinoffs work was the captive audience, and a commitment by the network. Not saying they weren’t good. The Jeffersons and Good Times were amazing. Archie Bunker’s Place, not so much. But still, it seems spinoffs have a tougher hill to climb these days.
2
viscosity-breakdown Apr 9, 2026 +1
Bania Revisited
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Darmok47 Apr 9, 2026 +1
A show where we follow Kramer, Bob Sacamano, Lomez, and Ramirez (or Jay Reimenschneider) as they have adventures, meet at their own coffee ship every week, etc. Kramer could occassionally mention his friend George Costanza or Jerry Seinfeld and what little minutae of everyday life they were dealing with, to contrast with their over the top insane adventures every week.
1
-Clayburn Apr 10, 2026 +1
Was Bob Sacamano even real?
1
Darmok47 Apr 10, 2026 +1
When Jerry lives in Kramer's apartment, they talk on the phone.
1
-Clayburn Apr 10, 2026 +1
Allegedly.
1
[deleted] Apr 9, 2026 -3
[deleted]
-3
UmbertoEcoTheDolphin Apr 9, 2026 +4
Seinfeld did end around eight years before that incident, though, so maybe.
4
NBCaz Apr 9, 2026 +4
That was nearly a decade after the show was off the air.
4
Gust_Gred-10101 Apr 9, 2026 -2
There was basically a sequel-in-spirit, called Mulaney. It aired around 2015, and did NOT go well.
-2
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