# Newer shows that remind you of unrelated older shows **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 22, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-shows-that-remind-you-of-unrelated-older-shows/582814 "2011-05-22T21:09:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-shows-that-remind-you-of-unrelated-older-shows/582814/1 "2011-05-22T21:09:48Z")
Some TV shows have (perhaps unintended) similarities to older shows. To me, one such show is _Burn Notice_, which always reminds me of the old _Mission: Impossible_ TV series (not the crappy movies). The way they are always setting up complex plots to fool the bad guys hearkens back to M:I. What other shows are following in the footsteps of their TV ancestors? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-shows-that-remind-you-of-unrelated-older-shows/582814/2 "2011-05-22T22:23:55Z")
**Leverage** reminds me a lot of **Hu$tle**. They probably took the entire concept from the British show. **Body of Proof** is **House** with a female medical examiner instead of doctor. Both lead characters are brilliant, obnoxious, don’t care what anyone thinks when they’re on a case, and have a physical disability that makes them more sympathetic. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-shows-that-remind-you-of-unrelated-older-shows/582814/3 "2011-05-23T03:04:20Z")
Burn Notice reminds me more of The Equalizer; ex-CIA/spy guy is kicked out of/retires from the spy game, helps people in need, uses elaborate plots to hoist the bad dudes by their own petards, gets a little help from his friends. BN has more humor (tho TE had some here and there), but I can see a more middle-aged Michael having the resigned world-weariness of McCall. ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-shows-that-remind-you-of-unrelated-older-shows/582814/4 "2011-05-23T11:33:09Z")
Just my opinion, but: _ **Leverage** _ is a smarter, more high-tech\*\*\* A-Team\*\*\*. The teen show _ **Big Time Rush** _ is an updated version of _ **The Monkees** _. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-shows-that-remind-you-of-unrelated-older-shows/582814/5 "2011-05-23T13:55:26Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Burn Notice reminds me more of The Equalizer; ex-CIA/spy guy is kicked out of/retires from the spy game, helps people in need, uses elaborate plots to hoist the bad dudes by their own petards, gets a little help from his friends. BN has more humor (tho TE had some here and there), but I can see a more middle-aged Michael having the resigned world-weariness of McCall. I never watched The Equalizer, but it sounds like BN stole from both.