Jane Austen might never have imagined that her 1816 novel "Emma" could be turned into a fresh and satirical look at ultra-rich teenagers in a Beverly Hills high school in "Clueless."

In season two, "Jericho" has fulfilled the promise of an uneven first year and become possibly the most gripping and action-packed hour of prime time television. Of course barely anyone knows that...

The logic behind the spin-off is very sound. Take a beloved character or concept from a pre-existing series and create an entire new show. You have an established character or brand and thus a bu...