'Grey's Anatomy' Meets 'Private Practice' And More Classic Crossover TV Episodes

You know you're in for a treat when your favorite TV characters from different shows cross paths. Whether it's to save the life of a patient, a la "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice" (Thurs., Feb. 16, 9 p.m. EST on ABC), or a nice wink and a nod to fans, crossovers usually bring big ratings and big smiles.

Of course, crossovers are always made easier when the shows are spinoffs of one another, like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel," but being on different networks doesn't always put the kibosh on crossover fun. Example? NBC's Detective John Munch of "Law & Order: SVU" (and "Homicide" before that) showing up on Fox's "Arrested Development," and several others.

As "Grey's" and "Private Practice" complete their latest in a long line of Shonda Rhimes crossovers, let's take a walk down memory lane and look at some of the most memorable crossover episodes in TV history. From "Cheers" and "St. Elsewhere" to "Full House" and "Family Matters," these are some of our favorite TV crossovers.

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Comments

[Jon Griff]

08:03 AM on 02/20/2012

Sorry, but the BEST crossovers EVER! were the six Million Dollar man and the Bionic woman crossovers "Kill Oscar" and "The Return of Bigfoot".

http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=YdiTHlWkN­_8

[ladyjoker7413123]

04:34 AM on 02/20/2012

I don't consider the Buffy/Angel thing crossovers. Angel was a spin off, in the same universe. I consider them to be a part of each other.

[john blahuta]

04:06 AM on 02/20/2012

and what about all the bellisario shows? JAG, NCIS,NCIS L.A., AIRWOLF etc. bellisario is a master of having people reappear, sometimes even the same guy in the same show but as a different character (like the ncis character mcgee in jag, in 2 different roles, steve culp etc etc

[Christine Garcia]

02:17 AM on 02/20/2012

Hey What about Gary from Knots Landing and Dallas? How quickly they forget!

[Mark Helfgott]

02:11 AM on 02/20/2012

Stop the insanity.

[maltedmilk22]

04:21 AM on 02/20/2012

lol, dont you mean linsanity???

[rsecond]

12:24 AM on 02/20/2012

can't believe no one mentioned the classic mary tyler moore, rhoda, and lou grant crossovers, or the dallas and knots landings crossover.

[anybdynthr]

12:08 AM on 02/20/2012

what happen to reporting the news with giving opinion

[sherpeace]

12:07 AM on 02/20/2012

Now I remember! His name is Isaiah Washington! Loved him! ;-)

[anybdynthr]

12:07 AM on 02/20/2012

i would ask for news but all you would give is an opinion

[anybdynthr]

12:06 AM on 02/20/2012

this is nothing but a spin off

[anybdynthr]

12:05 AM on 02/20/2012

pending

[anybdynthr]

12:05 AM on 02/20/2012

i do not watch tv I have not watch either of this shows and as drunk as I am I know private is a spin off of grey's an.

[Mitchell1]

11:47 PM on 02/19/2012

I used to think that "Good Times" was a spin-off of "Maude". After all, Esther Rolle was "Florida", her husband was played by John Amos (appearing in one episode of "Maude"). And yet, "Henry" became "James", went from a firefighter to an employee at a carwash and "Florida" somehow and suddenly had with a family and a childhood friend living next door... all living in Chicago!

[kariewcpa]

11:28 PM on 02/19/2012

You also left off the Live with Regis and tons of crossovers where he took the show to another show. Seinfeld is just one example.

[kariewcpa]

11:24 PM on 02/19/2012

I wouldn't agree that Frasier was in the same universe since all those other shows were East Coast and Frasier was set in Seattle. I often wonder why, when 90% of the shows are in NY, the characters NEVER seem to run into each other. So I loved the Mad About You spots with Seinfeld and Friends. And the Wings cross over was technically with Cheers, not Frasier, since He and Lilith were still married when they landed in Nantucket for the seminar.