# I just realized--{blank} and {blank} are basically the same show! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 26, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101 "2009-06-26T19:46:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/61 "2009-06-27T15:33:29Z")
“The Sarah Connors chronicles” is about a young man destined to save mankind who faces a different superpowered menace-of-the-week every episode and is followed around by a girl who can’t show human emotions. Yep, it’s “Smallville” all over again. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/62 "2009-06-27T15:40:50Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Keeping in mind that Fred was voiced by Alan Reed, and Barney by Mel Blanc. I don’t know if Daws Butler worked on the show at all. My bad. According to Imdb, Daws gave voice to Barney in 18 episodes between '59 and '65. He also played some bit parts, and celebrity impersonations. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/63 "2009-06-27T15:52:33Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Keeping in mind that Fred was voiced by Alan Reed, and Barney by Mel Blanc. I don’t know if Daws Butler worked on the show at all. I knew Reed and Blanc were the voices of Fred and Barney. (I didn’t realize Daws Butler did Barney in a few episodes- that must have been when Mel was recovering from a car accident.) I was referring to the fact that most Hanna-Barbera characters voiced by Daws Butler are meant to mimic well-known actors’ voices: Yogi Bear is Art Carney, Snagglepuss is Bert Lahr, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/64 "2009-06-27T16:46:26Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > TNT (I think it’s TNT…) has a show called “The Closer” that has Keyra Sedwick as a “tough as nails older, blond, chick cop who doesn’t take no guff from nobody!” > > TNT has another show called “Saving Grace” that has Holly Hunter as a “tough as nails older, blond, chick cop who doesn’t take no guff from nobody!” Grace & Closer couldn’t be less alike. The blond cop aspect is pretty much the only thing they have in common. Grace the show is replete with magic realism, while Closer is grounded pretty firmly in the real world; the dynamics of the character relationships are entirely different; and Brenda, while something of a lying bitch, is not in fact a nutjob. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/65 "2009-06-27T21:30:46Z")
_Dusty’s Trail_ is basically _Gilligan’s Island_ without the island. ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/66 "2009-06-27T21:43:49Z")
Family Guy = American Dad ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/67 "2009-06-27T21:50:10Z")
> [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](#): > > Family Guy = American Dad Now that doesn’t make a lick of sense. American Dad is, after all, _funny_. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/68 "2009-06-27T22:11:28Z")
Family Guy, American Dad (and soon to be The Cleveland Show?) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/69 "2009-06-27T23:47:55Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Street Hawk was Airwolf on a motorcycle. There was another high tech crime fighting vehicle show in there too that I can’t think of. Not Knight Rider or Automan. [Viper](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suIHb6x6lDw) ---
**Author:** ![emcee2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2009, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/70 "2009-06-28T00:43:34Z")
Suddenly Susan was just a really crappy NewsRadio. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/71 "2009-06-28T01:33:17Z")
> [@emcee2k](#): > > Suddenly Susan was just a really crappy NewsRadio. Actually, _NewsRadio_, _Wings_, _Veronica’s Closet_, _Spin City_, _Just Shoot Me_, and _Suddenly Susan_ all had that “We’re hoping to be as good as _Cheers_” ensemble comedy approach. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/72 "2009-06-28T01:35:41Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Actually, _NewsRadio_, _Wings_, _Veronica’s Closet_, _Spin City_, _Just Shoot Me_, and _Suddenly Susan_ all had that “We’re hoping to be as good as _Cheers_” ensemble comedy approach. Nitpicking your nitpick, I’d say Spin City was actually aiming to be Family Ties: Now That Alex Is All Growed Up. For Zeus’ sake, Meredith Baxter actually appeared as Mike’s mother! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/73 "2009-06-28T02:11:47Z")
And the Wikipedia entry on Cheers says that they were trying for a workplace ensemble comedy like The Mary Tyler Moore Show. So everything is modeled on something earlier. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2009, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/74 "2009-06-28T03:02:55Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > So everything is modeled on something earlier. Gene Roddenberry once called _Star Trek_ “_Wagon Train_ to the stars.” ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2009, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/75 "2009-06-28T03:37:40Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > Family Guy, American Dad > > (and soon to be The Cleveland Show?) God dammit, didn’t see there was a second page to this thread. Now I look silly :smack: ---
**Author:** ![GythaOgg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@GythaOgg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GythaOgg)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2009, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/76 "2009-06-28T16:06:41Z")
‘Eureka’ = ‘Andy Griffith’ - single-parent Sheriff in a rural town, dealing with the colorful locals, and trying to find romance. In ‘Eureka’, Aunt Bee is the talking house. The ‘Eureka’ writers are quite aware of the parallels - Carter gets referred to as ‘Mayberry’ at least once, and a character called ‘Sheriff Andy’ is being introduced this season. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2009, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/77 "2009-06-29T02:54:40Z")
> [@Chanteuse](#): > > _Starsky and Hutch_ and _CHiPs_ were essentially the same. Two cops of differing physical types (so we have something for ALL the ladies!) who go all out to solve/prevent crime and who always have each other’s backs. Both shows even featured one partner who was called by a shortened version of his surname (Hutch=Hutchinson/Ponch=Poncherello). And they were always doing something unorthodox that would irritate their superiors, but would be just the thing necessary to “break the case.” Whic also happened to be the same premise of _77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Bourbon Street Beat_, and _Surfside 6_, right down to the “colorful” sidekick characters. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/78 "2009-06-30T19:43:22Z")
CBS Evening News NBC Nightly News ABC World News Tonight 20/20 60 Minutes Dateline Oprah Dr Phil ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/79 "2009-06-30T20:19:48Z")
I have always thuoght of Burn Notice as a revamped MacGuyver, not Magnum, PI. MacGuyver never used guns, though, until he got promoted to Lt Colonel. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101/80 "2009-06-30T20:30:14Z")
80 posts and nobody notes ‘Medium’ and ‘Ghost Whisperer’? They’re so similar, a network (CBS?) picked up one of them and will be running them back to back this season. Also, hat tip to the Dukes/Knight Rider comparison. Great observation! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-realized-blank-and-blank-are-basically-the-same-show/501101.md?page=5)