Spin-Off City

The concept of the spin-off is commonplace in the world of television. Just take All in the Family as an example. It spawned the Jeffersons and Maude, which in turn gave birth to Good Times. Spin-offs generally come as a result of a minor or recurring character that has been played with such élan that the public finds them as interesting as the main characters. One simple, signature line can catapult and actor or actress into a starring role; hence, the success of “Kiss my grits” Flo. Some spin-offs are wildly successful. Other…well, painful to watch.

Soon we will even be subjected to a slightly different type of spin-off series…borne from the ad campaign of an insurance company. Yes, the Cavemen of the Geico Insurance commercials are going to be featured in a comedy series.

While the genre of the spin-off is entrenched in TV land it has yet to take a toehold in the realm of the written word. Authors seem to crave originality. At the same time, formulaic plotting has become the norm in certain genres.

I think that truly creative authors are also avid readers. They devour books, infusing their literary hunger with soul-satisfying timbre, and they are constantly on the lookout for innovation. There have been some attempts to bring minor characters (sometimes with a bare mention) to life with richly woven storylines.

The past decade has provided us with a glimpse in the Red Tent, a novel from the viewpoint of Dinah, Jacob’s only daughter in the Bible. We have waited at home for our seafaring husband to return, knowing that his obsession will keep him away forever in Ahab’s Wife.

Did you ever wonder what happened after “God bless us, everyone?” Louis Bayard tries to answer that question in Mr. Timothy, a continuation of Tiny Tim’s story of healing and the ghosts that now haunt him. How did the Wicked Witch of the West get so angry? Well, in Wicked, we get a good idea of the reasons why.

Sometimes a story just screams for another perspective. We know of Dr. Jekyll’s tortured mind and experiments, but what about those who worked with him or for him. Mary Reilly by Valerie Martin tries to illuminate the story through the eyes of the good doctor’s chambermaid.

I have thoroughly enjoyed these books and crave more in this budding genre.

There are a couple of questions that come to mind:

Are there any books you have read that are continuation or spin-off stories of other literary characters?

Do you read books with a discerning eye and devour every character that graces the pages?

And…
From the pages of classic literature, what character would you like to find out more about?

Who’s small part demands extra attention?