T.V. Shows That Hold The Same Formula

[MajorKris]

While chillin' with my girlfriend and watching Television last night, I realized the similarities between certain shows, but yet I find myself enjoying one more than the other.

For example we were watching Medium. A show about a women who solves cases by talking to the dead, and sees the future in her dreams. While channel surfing during the commercials, another show was on called Ghost Whisperer. Which was about a single woman who spoke to the dead as well, but did it on her own time and not for the police. But when I pointed this out to my girlfriend, show was very defensive about how Medium was a much better show.

Other examples include Family guy and American Dad, same creator and formula but different plots.

House M.D. and Grey's Anatomy. Both doctor shows but yet Grey's Anatomy seemed to grow in popularity.

Law and Order series. Is there a specific one you enjoy?

So my question fellow Escapists, is there a show you love but can be comparable to another? Why do you enjoy this show more than the other? Is it the characters? The feel? Maybe you enjoy the show that is less popular?

First New Topic and search bar approved. Hope I did this right. xD

 

[CK76]

House M.D. and Grey's Anatomy. Both doctor shows but yet Grey's Anatomy seemed to grow in popularity.

I just wanted to say House at one point was the biggest show in the world, so it has done fine.

On issue of ideas, only so many of them, much of it is in the execution.

 

[The Maddest March Hare]

Everything by Seth McFarlane. Ever.

Most American Sitcoms are pretty much the same basis of one wacky character, one steadfast one and a couple of girls who roll their eyes and grin as their male friends make asses out of each other while a fake crowd roars with laughter at the slightest joke.

 

[Lullabye]

Every black family show.
My wife and kids
House of Pain
etc....

 

[Abedeus]

You shouldn't compare House to Grey's Anatomy. It's like comparing Halo 3 to Battlefield BC 2. Both are shooters/medical drama, but one is serious and realistic (BF/House) and the other is more about pleasing the crowds with more drama than medicine/more shooting than realism (Halo/GA). Seriously, even if reviewers give House a C or C- for Medicine, they still think/say it's better than Gray's Anatomy.

However, if it gets a D or lower...

 

[MajorKris]

House M.D. and Grey's Anatomy. Both doctor shows but yet Grey's Anatomy seemed to grow in popularity.

I just wanted to say House at one point was the biggest show in the world, so it has done fine.

On issue of ideas, only so many of them, much of it is in the execution.

I agree. I love House much more than Grey's Anatomy. The main reason I gave it as an example was because both shows began their line-up close to the same period when they started, none of my friends would watch it because they loved Grey's more.

 

[Dags90]

It's a mix genre and gender stereotypes.

Males almost always lead sitcoms and police procedural shows. Female sidekicks aren't uncommon, expect witty banter about how men and women think differently.
Medical dramas usually have well distributed ensemble casts with a male lead.
When it comes to sci-fi and fantasy settings, women are almost always put in a position that leads them away from being hit because hurting women is wrong. Expect to see fantastical versions of female gender stereotypes like empathy, telepathy, intuition, etc.

While these typecasts and stereotypes are usually unrealistic and show a lack of imagination on the writers part, sometimes a show is saved by remarkable acting or direction. A great example would be River Tam from Firefly. She's archetypal in that it's pretty much impossible for her to be hurt and she knows what other people are thinking, but the character is kept interesting by her backstory.

 

[Anarchemitis]

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FollowTheLeader [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FollowTheLeader]
If someone's idea is successful and you weren't an initial investor, make your own clone.

 

[MajorKris]

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FollowTheLeader [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FollowTheLeader]
If someone's idea is successful and you weren't an initial investor, make your own clone.

Thanks for the article, it's an interesting read!

 

[mrm5561]

just going to point this out. every show on mtv is the same and all of them need cancled

 

[RyQ_TMC]

(...) a fake crowd roars with laughter at the slightest joke.

I have to say this is what makes many, many of them unwatchable to me. I hate laughter track with a passion; it's this specific mix of "you're obviously a moron so we'll tell you when to laugh" and "we can't write any funny material, but if we claim it's funny enough times, maybe it will become so".

Mind you, there are a few shows which are so good that I don't care that much about the laughter track (Monty Python's Flying Circus had it, Blackadder and Allo Allo! had it...), but in most cases, it just turns me off.

Well, I got that out of my system, so OT: Eureka and Heroes have a somewhat similar premise (our everyday world, but with some special people, a company exploiting those specials for its own goals, everything served with a steaming pile of pop-science...), but the "make it or break it" part for me is that the former doesn't take itself seriously, the latter does. So I am perfectly happy to look past Eureka's ridiculous ideas if they make for a good plot, but the equally ridiculous ideas in Heroes act like a repellent.

Yes, I enjoy a show where a 10-year old girl grows a small Sun in her backyard and people can survive boiling temperatures thanks to antiperspirants. Yes, at the same time I criticize a show where a valid defense against a mind reader is thinking in a foreign language. Sue me.

 

[MajorKris]

(...) a fake crowd roars with laughter at the slightest joke.

Well, I got that out of my system, so OT: Eureka and Heroes have a somewhat similar premise (our everyday world, but with some special people, a company exploiting those specials for its own goals, everything served with a steaming pile of pop-science...), but the "make it or break it" part for me is that the former doesn't take itself seriously, the latter does. So I am perfectly happy to look past Eureka's ridiculous ideas if they make for a good plot, but the equally ridiculous ideas in Heroes act like a repellent.

Yes, I enjoy a show where a 10-year old girl grows a small Sun in her backyard and people can survive boiling temperatures thanks to antiperspirants. Yes, at the same time I criticize a show where a valid defense against a mind reader is thinking in a foreign language. Sue me.

Haha nothing wrong with that my friend! Thank you for the comparison! Everyone was kind enough to give examples but not partake in any of my questions, so I thank you very much for the input!