The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase unoriginal, poor television writing and references and parodies many television series. When Troy McClure mentions that Fox can only fill up three slots for the next season, the three series are "Melrose Place", "The X-Files" and "The Simpsons" itself. In the museum of television, Troy walks by posters of spin-offs, such as "The Ropers" (spun off from "Three's Company"), "Laverne & Shirley" (spun off from "Happy Days"), "Rhoda", a show that Julie Kavner, the voice of Marge, once starred in, (spun off from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show") and "Fish" (spun off from "Barney Miller"), to demonstrate the power of
Lou Grant (TV series) series. The theme music "Lou Grant" was composed by Patrick Williams. "Lou Grant" aired on CBS from September 1977 to September 1982. A total of 114 episodes were produced. In the second half of the 1990s, in syndication, the show was carried on cable TV's A&E Network. For a list of episodes, see List of Lou Grant episodes. "Lou Grant" won several critical honors during its run, including 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Peabody Award, and two Humanitas Prizes. Asner won two Emmys for his portrayal of Grant; Marchand won an Emmy for "Outstanding Supporting Actress