The Spin-off

It’s almost Thanksgiving, so we’ll take a moment to reflect on some of TV’s biggest turkeys this year -- shows that bombed or failed to live up to expectations. And Sony jumps on the web TV bandwagon with Playstation Vue, but are viewers really rushing to drop their cable subscriptions? Finally, how long is too long when waiting for a show to find an audience?

With the continued shift in viewing habits, networks are really hoping you’ll ditch your DVR and catch up via VOD. Fox’s Gracepoint is the latest in a trend of adapting foreign series for a US market. And Twin Peaks returns. A continuation of David Lynch series is coming to Showtime. Plus, Amazon steps up their original content game with Transparent.

Fall TV season on the broadcast networks is just around the corner. On this episode of The Spin-Off, we talk new shows premiering and old shows returning, take a look at which networks are shaking things up with their nightly lineups, and which ones are hoping for success with more of the same.

This summer saw lots of new, original programming in both cable and broadcast networks. Not all of it was great, but much of it has been renewed. Some new reality projects are taking interesting risks, but are networks willing to give the shows the marketing boost they need? And after resolving contract disputes for the show's main stars, The Big Bang Theory will be back, though no one ever really doubted its return.

Another summer’s TCA press tour wraps up, and Emmy nominations are out with no major surprises, but are certain shows gaming the system by switching up categories? Fox Broadcasting announced a new leadership plan, and it’s something of a return to form.

Lots of big new shows launch this summer, and several cable channels get naming makeovers. Chelsea Handler will bring her late-night show, or some version of it, to Netflix, and AMC's Better Call Saul will be around for at least two seasons.

Hosted by TV journalists Michael Schneider and Joe Adalian, KCRW's The Spin-off is the podcast that takes you inside the television industry. Twice a month we feature in-depth conversations with people who are changing what and how we watch. You'll hear from showrunners, writers, actors, executives and other TV journalists tackling the latest news and evolutions in television.