As a child of the 2000s, I can vividly remember the exhilaration that swept through me when Disney Channel brought together the casts of three beloved shows – That’s So Raven, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, and Hannah Montana – for an unforgettable crossover event. Growing up, these characters were more than just fictional characters; they were my friends, my confidants, and my role models. Seeing them interact in a way that transcended the boundaries of their individual shows was nothing short of magical.
Among the many delights in the media world, nothing quite compares to the fun of creative crossovers. For a long time now, artists have come up with fascinating ways to blend different properties together. This fusion is particularly prevalent in television shows, and audiences have been rewarded with some truly entertaining productions that bring multiple series together. To shed light on this topic, let’s explore 32 outstanding examples of small-screen crossovers.
Batman/The Green Hornet
In the 1960s, the TV series “Batman” and “The Green Hornet” shared some minor connections throughout their respective seasons, but their most significant crossover took place over two episodes in the Batman series. These episodes were titled “A Piece of the Action” and “Batman’s Satisfaction.” In these shows, Batman and Robin joined forces with Green Hornet and Kato, creating an uneasy alliance that led to an hour of pure action-packed entertainment filled with pulpy excitement.
Full House/Family Matters
Do you recall when Steve Urkel from “Family Matters” made an appearance on “Full House”? In the fourth season’s episode titled “Stephanie Gets Framed,” Steve visited San Francisco for a science fair, where he provided advice to Stephanie Tanner about her new glasses. This led to a rather charming episode that served as a connection between two of ABC’s popular Friday night comedies.
The Jetsons/The Flintstones
In 1987, the main characters from Hanna-Barbera’s ancient and futuristic animated sitcoms united for the TV movie titled “The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones“. This unique gathering featured time travel, allowing each group to experience life in the other’s era. The outcome was an entertaining production that might just have you shouting “Yabba Dabba Doo” with delight!
The Beverly Hillbillies/Petticoat Junction/Green Acres
It’s well-known that CBS’ shows such as “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “Petticoat Junction,” and “Green Acres” all take place within the same imaginary world. Not only did they share this common setting, but they also crossed over on numerous occasions. However, one of the most heartwarming instances was likely the Season 7 episode of “The Beverly Hillbillies,” titled “The Thanksgiving Spirit.” In this episode, the casts of these three comedies came together to enjoy a meal with each other, creating a delightful shared experience.
St. Elsewhere/Cheers
Both “Cheers” and “St. Elsewhere” share the same setting in Boston, making it perfectly logical to establish a link between these two NBC series. The connection was established during Season 3 of the medical drama when a group of doctors made a visit to the iconic pub from one of television’s greatest sitcoms. Catch the thrill of this unique blend, and enjoy Rhea Perlman’s character Carla Tortelli scolding a bunch of medical professionals in the process.
Diff’rent Strokes/Hello, Larry
Frankly speaking, “Hello, Larry” wasn’t particularly captivating on its own, but its three two-part crossovers with another NBC sitcom, “Diff’rent Strokes”, were quite strong. The final get-together of the casts, titled “Thanksgiving Crossover,” was especially enjoyable and showcased character interactions in an entertaining manner.
Boy Meets World/Sabrina The Teenage Witch
As a devoted admirer, let me share that the captivating Melissa Joan Hart graced our screens briefly, embodying Sabrina the Teenage Witch in the final scene of “The Witches of Pennbrook,” an episode from Boy Meets World’s fifth season. Although her appearance may not be recognized as part of the series’ continuity today, it was undeniably thrilling to witness this magical moment back then.
Scooby-Doo/Josie And The Pussycats
During the course of the 2-season span of “The New Scooby-Doo Movies,” Mystery Incorporated encountered quite a few well-known individuals, both actual and fictional. As expected, they crossed paths with their Hanna-Barbera counterparts from “Josie and the Pussycats.” In the episode titled “The Haunted Showboat,” these two groups joined forces to crack a mystery, making for an enjoyable adventure.
NCIS/NCIS: Los Angeles/NCIS: Hawai’i
In early 2023, NCIS introduced its first three-way crossover episode, merging characters from the main series with those from the LA and Hawaii spinoffs. The teams from each show combined to explore the seemingly self-inflicted death of a retired military officer. To put it simply, this crossover event, reminiscent of the Avengers, was definitely worth the anticipation.
Happy Days/Laverne & Shirley
In the shared TV world devised by producer Garry Marshall, the shows Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley frequently intertwined. One of the most memorable instances of this was during the two-part crossover event titled “Shotgun Wedding.” In this storyline, Shirley and Laverne got engaged to Richie Cunningham and The Fonz respectively, in an attempt to escape from prearranged marriages.
The Mask: Animated Series/Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
It’s fitting that the television series adaptations of “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” and “The Mask: Animated Series,” both based on Jim Carrey movies, intersected in a unique crossover event. This exciting two-part storyline, spanning both shows, was an unpredictable adventure filled with antics involving swapped brains, a journey to outer space, and much more.
Friends/Mad About You
Amongst the many outstanding and amusing episodes of “Friends”, stands out the memorable two-part episode titled “The One with Two Parts”. In these episodes, Joey Tribbiani finds himself smitten by Phoebe Buffay’s twin sister, Ursula, who was introduced from the show “Mad About You”. The entertaining episodes also included humorous appearances by Helen Hunt and Leila Kenzle, portraying their characters from “MAU”.
The Golden Girls/Empty Nest/Nurses
Three-show crossovers can sometimes be challenging, but NBC managed to create an entertaining one back in 1991 with “The Golden Girls,” “Empty Nest,” and “Nurses.” The event called “Hurricane Saturday” showcased the characters from these Florida-set sitcoms dealing with a massive storm and adding humor as their paths crossed during the stormy ordeal.
The King Of Queens/Everybody Loves Raymond
Due to a bridge linking them being constructed later, shows like “Everybody Loves Raymond” and “The King of Queens” had multiple instances where they interacted during their respective runs. Notably, one of the most memorable crossovers took place in the first season of “The King of Queens,” specifically in the episode titled “Road Rayge.” This is a humorous installment where Doug Hefferman and Raymond Barone become friends after meeting at the DMV.
Power Rangers In Space/Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation
In “Power in Space” episode titled “Shell Shocked”, a cherished childhood fantasy became reality when the rangers collaborated with the turtle ninjas from “Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation”. Unfortunately, this series ended prematurely after just one season. Here, the turtles found themselves under Astronema’s control, using them to seize command of the power team’s spaceship.
The Office (U.S.)/The Office (U.K.)
In two different versions of “The Office,” an unexpected meeting occurred when Ricky Gervais’ character, David Brent, appeared in a Season 7 episode of the American series. During this episode, David crossed paths with his U.S. counterpart, Michael Scott (played by Steve Carell). It’s hard to decide which was more amusing: watching the two bosses get along surprisingly well or Michael stumbling over the news that Dunder Mifflin wasn’t hiring David.
Supergirl/The Flash
The Arrowverse showcased a number of great team-ups over the years, but the first was a fun crossover between The Flash and Supergirl, in which the titular hero of the former show found himself in Kara Danvers’ universe. As fun as the Supes Season 1 episode is, what’s even more amazing is that this event happened before the Melissa Benoist-led show moved from CBS to The CW to join its slate of DCTV fare.
Sister, Sister/Smart Guy
In a fitting collaboration, hit shows from The WB, namely “Sister, Sister” and “Smart Guy”, were combined, with the former serving as the host for this special crossover event. The story unfolded when 10-year-old genius T.J. Henderson was enlisted to tutor twins, Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell, in preparation for their SATs. Using some non-traditional yet successful tactics, T.J. managed to help the twins excel in their studies.
The Fairly Oddparents/Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
scarcely can rival the grandeur of the three-hour crossovers between Nickelodeon’s The Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, collectively known as The Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour. In these episodes, characters from both shows, Jimmy Neutron and Timmy Turner, encountered interdimensional clashes on numerous occasions. To this day, the sight of characters hailing from two of Nickelodeon’s finest shows of the 2000s still brings a sense of joy.
New Girl/Brooklyn Nine-Nine
It came as quite a surprise that a fusion of the sitcoms New Girl and Brooklyn Nine-Nine took place, but that’s exactly what happened in 2016 for viewers to enjoy. This crossover occurred over two episodes that spanned both shows, making it an exciting spectacle to watch as characters like Andy Samberg’s Jake Peralta, Zooey Deschanel’s Jessica Day interacted and created chaos together.
Luke Cage/Iron Fist
Following numerous requests from enthusiastic viewers, the Netflix series “Luke Cage” brought together a genuine superhero duo, Luke Cage and Danny Rand (from “Iron Fist”). Although the reception towards “Iron Fist” and its lead character was somewhat lackluster, fans were thrilled with how Danny Rand’s character evolved in “Cage”. In summary, it was a team-up that lived up to the legendary status of “Heroes for Hire”.
The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air/In The House
One connection often overlooked is the crossover between “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “In The House”. In an episode titled “Dog Catchers”, Alfonso Riberio, who played Carlton Banks in “Fresh Prince”, appeared as a guest star. Similarly, Tatyana Ali, who portrayed Ashley Banks, also made an appearance. The narrative revolved around Carlton (unintentionally) revealing to Marion Hill, played by LL Cool J, that Tiffany Warren’s new boyfriend was deceiving her with Ashley.
The Simpsons/Futurama
In “Simpsorama,” an episode from Season 26 of “The Simpsons,” we saw the beloved Springfield family interact with the characters from “Futurama” for the first time. The crew from Planet Express traveled back in time to avert a potential disaster caused by Homer and his friends in the future. This exciting crossover combined the signature wit found in both Matt Groening-created shows while maintaining the emotional depth that fans have grown to love.
Scandal/How To Get Away With Murder
In a memorable crossover event in 2018, the characters portrayed by Kerry Washington (Olivia Pope) and Viola Davis (Annalise Keating) from the shows “Scandal” and “How to Get Away with Murder,” respectively, had their first meeting. This multi-episode arc found the crisis manager and defense attorney teaming up to tackle a class action lawsuit. Both actresses delivered outstanding performances in this heartfelt narrative, which also included thoughtful social commentary.
Supernatural/Scooby-Doo
It came as a surprise to many when it was announced in 2017 that Supernatural would incorporate Scooby-Doo characters for a crossover episode. However, “Scoobynatural” ended up winning critical acclaim and appreciation from fans. Honestly, watching Sam and Dean Winchester working alongside Mystery Inc. on a case (against the setting of one of the classic episodes in the animated series) was incredibly entertaining.
The X-Files/Cops
Have you ever pondered about how The X-Files’ characters Mulder and Scully’s peculiar escapades might appear if they were presented like an episode of Cops? If so, you should check out the Season 7 episode titled “X-Cops,” as it placed them in a similar situation. Although the concept seemed far-fetched initially, it turned out to be quite engaging television.
Archer/Bob’s Burgers
In a surprising twist, the fusion between “Bob’s Burgers” and “Archer,” which took place in the latter series, is seldom surpassed. The episode titled “Fugue and Riffs” presented an intriguing scenario where amnesiac Sterling Archer found himself as the head of the Belcher family from “Bob’s Burgers.” This blend was entertaining, given that H. Jon Benjamin, who regularly voiced both Archer and Bob, lent his talent to both shows.
That’s So Raven/The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody/Hannah Montana
In the 2000s, Disney Channel delighted kids everywhere with an extraordinary television event: the three-part special titled “That’s So Suite Life of Hannah Montana“. This unique occasion brought together the stars from popular shows such as “That’s So Raven“, “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody“, and Hannah Montana for a hilarious get-together that continues to be cherished by fans.
Doctor Who/Torchwood/The Sarah Jane Adventures
The fourth season finale of Doctor Who concluded triumphantly, featuring a two-part episode that reunited the title character and his companions with figures from the spinoff series, specifically Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures. Not only did the writers of Who successfully create a blend of excitement from the crossover, but they also concluded several significant storylines in the process.
Generator Rex/Ben 10
rarely do two extraordinary, altruistic heroes share the same screen, but Ben 10/Generator Rex: Heroes United was a rare instance that showcased this perfectly. It was thrilling to witness their eventual alliance, yet equally intriguing to observe their initial confrontations when they first met.
Bones/Sleepy Hollow
The idea of characters from the shows “Sleepy Hollow” and “Bones” joining forces for a two-part tale might seem odd at first glance, and indeed it is unusual. However, it was fascinating to see Special Agents Seeley Booth, Temperance “Bones” Brennan, FBI Agent Abbie Mills, and Ichabod Crane collaborate in investigating a decades-old corpse found on Halloween.
Arrow/The Flash/Supergirl/Batwoman/Legends Of Tomorrow
In an astonishing feat, the creators of “Crisis on Infinite Earths” managed something remarkable by bringing together not just two, three or four casts from the Arrowverse shows, but all five series that were airing at that time. What made it even more impressive was the inclusion of Black Lightning’s title character, making it a truly unprecedented small-screen crossover event.
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2024-09-13 17:08