It is not unusual for a successful show on television to have a spin-off of that show. ABC believes the network can capitalize on two of its popular reality shows by having a spin-off of both shows. The risk the network is taking is that the spin-off can become more popular than the original, and people will drop the original in favor of the newer version.
According to Variety, ABC has ordered spin-offs of "The Bachelor" and "Dancing with the Stars" to premiere next year.
'The Bachelor' spin-off
'The Bachelor' spin-off will be a sports-themed series called "The Bachelor Winter Games." It will have contestants from past seasons of both "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette." It is so named because of the Winter Olympic Games.
The participants will live at a luxurious winter resort and try to win winter-themed challenges in addition to trying to find love. The series will premiere in February 2018 and will be on the air opposite NBC's coverage of the Winter Olympic Games.
"The Bachelor Winter Games" will not be the first spin-off of "The Bachelor." Those who have been watching the shows where contestants try to find love over the years will also know about the other spin-offs include “The Bachelorette,” the summer series “Bachelor In Paradise” and the former “Bachelor Pad.”
News about "The Bachelor Winter Games" comes at the time ABC is getting ready to air "The Bachelorette." Also, it has been announced that "The Bachelor" has been renewed for Season 22.
'Dancing with the Stars' spin-off
"Dancing With The Stars Junior" will premiere in the spring of 2018 as a "Dancing with the Stars" spin-off. As the name suggests, the series will be about kids instead of adults. Celebrity kids and kids of celebrities will be partnered with kids who are professional ballroom dancers.
Just like the adult version, the kids will be judged by ballroom experts on their dance routines.
The cast of the new show and the judges have not been announced yet, but it will be interesting to find out who they will be.
Like "The Bachelor," this is not the first time "Dancing with the Stars" has had spin-offs. However, none of them lasted for long. In fact, they were so short-lived people have forgotten they even existed.
How many of your remember "Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann" that was on the air in 2008? It lasted only one season. Do you remember the figure skating spinoff, "Skating with the Stars" in 2010? That series lasted only one season. Perhaps "Dancing with the Stars Junior" will be more successful.
News about the junior version comes at the time Season 24 of "Dancing with the Stars" is coming to an end. ABC has announced that the series has been renewed for Season 25.