The Originals season 5: Former exec on spin-off possibilities
When you think about the wide array of different characters on The Originals, it’s easy to feel as though the spin-off possibilities are endless. With that being said, there are many different hurdles to jump through to make them happen. For one, it’s coming up with an idea that is good enough to present it to executives, and then it’s getting one that will win over new fans while also satisfying some longtime fans of the current show. The former is more challenge, and a spin-off here would need more viewers given that The Originals is one of the lower-rated series on The CW as it is. It does fare well enough to survive, but not much more than that.
To date, the prevailing The Originals spin-off theory has to do with creating a story all about Hope now that the character is being aged up and living in Mystic Falls at the supernatural school. As for whether or not that happens, it’s in the hands of Julie Plec. She is co-running The Originals next season with Jeffrey Lieber, who is coming on board after the exit of Michael Narducci.
As for how much Narducci knows about the future of The Originals and its spin-off possibilities, he said the following to The Hollywood Reporter:
“Every show, as a matter of pride, hopes of success and imagines that their characters are so amazing, that their storylines are so rich and have such depth, that there’s a spinoff element possible. We’ve always joked about what spinoffs we could tell on our show. Certainly, since my days on The Vampire Diaries, we’ve talked about what the show would look like from the werewolves’ point of view or from the vantage point of the witches. Julie and I had had some preliminary discussions and she had pitched me some ideas, but all of that going forward exists in the mind of Julie Plec. I definitely think there’s some amazing potential.”
We’re keeping the ideas in our head for a possible The Originals spin-off, but we’re also not counting on it given the recent spin-off track record. While Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders lasted two seasons, some other recent ones including Chicago Justice and The Blacklist: Redemption lasted a season each before being kicked to the curb. The challenge with spin-offs is that you’re often limiting yourself in terms of your total audience size.
Beyond with Hope, do you have any ideas for Originals spin-offs? Share below!
Also, check out this link to get some other news right now on the subject of the show’s finale ratings and possibilities for Caroline to appear. (Photo: The CW.)