
Shows like Doctor Who and Quantum Leap are entirely based on the premise that they send their lead characters all throughout various points in time. Terra Nova isn't jumping all over the place, but instead just sends a handful of people 85 million years back, in some sort of alternate timeline, in order to save a few members of mankind. While they seemingly can't save the folks in our existence who can't see the sun, or breathe on their own or eat oranges or have more than two children without getting arrested, they do have a plan on saving humans as a race by sending them through a portal back 85 million years to create a new society. Or something. We're a little fuzzy on the details.

We're not sure that the world really needs a spinoff to Criminal Minds, but then again, we didn't think sub-divisions of Law & Order were necessary and SVU and Criminal Intent proved us wrong by being far more enjoyable than their mothership. And while spinoffs may not always grab us right off the bat (like NCIS: Los Angeles), sometimes a new series just needs a little time before it starts improving upon its predecessor. Case in point: The City returned this week with new characters and a compelling new focus that made it far more watchable than the now totally contrived LC-less The Hills. But these aren't the only shows that have been better than their originals. Here's our look back at the best spinoffs from the past two decades: