The Originals and the Imitators

[Paul Raven]

Networks are well known for jumping on the bandwagon when a show hits big with their own version/variation.

What are some shows you can think of that appeared after a similar show or theme had shown that viewers were interested?

One obvious example was I Dream of Jeannie NBC arriving on the heels of Bewitched ABC which was a smash finishing at #2 for the season.

Jeannie was never as popular but hung around for 5 seasons. i would have to be Team Bewitched.

Looking forward to your contributions and some good discussions!

[kalbir]

The Cosby Show and Growing Pains

Both shows were set in New York.

Both shows had a doctor father that worked from an office that was a part of their home.

Both shows had a teenage son that struggled academically.

 

Edited April 3, 2024 by kalbir

[Paul Raven]

Charlies Angels was a sensation for ABC in 76. For Fall 78 CBS had American Girls-2 beautiful reporters facing danger weekly. Didn't work.

[Paul Raven]

Laugh In revolutionized TV comedy with it's fast pace and edgire humor and was a smash for NBC.

They quickly commissioned Soul, a black version from the same producers which aired as a pilot, but wasn't picked up.

And ABC aired the infamous 'Turn On' which lasted one episode (and on some stations, not even that as local managers took it off the air during the show)

ABC also aired "What's It All About World?' which had Laugh In influence but was short lived.

CBS went a more traditional route with Hee Haw, a rural knock off which was a success.

[te.]

Revenge got a lot of buzz in the 2011-12 season. Next season NBC premiered the show Deception, about a woman working to infiltrate her best friends rich family after she dies of a suspicious overdose to get to the bottom of what happened and get... revenge.

Recently, we saw a lot of This Is Us-inspired shows - A Million Little Things being the obvious one, but then also Council of Dads and The Village to cash in on that 30-something drama trend. Oh, and of course ABC ordered a reboot of said thirtysomething that never made it to the air.

Edited April 7, 2024 by te.

[DRW50]

Speaking of Turn-On, it's as good a time as ever to mention that George Schlatter had not only the first episode put on Youtube, but also the unaired second episode (with France Nuyen and Robert Culp), and a third patched together from unused footage.

Clown Jewels - YouTube

[soapfan770]

One of the oldest examples I immediately thought of was I Married Joan, NBC’s answer to I Love Lucy.

While not as memorable as Lucy, and the opening line about Joan Davis being “America’s Queen of Comedy” suspect, I found the show to be good fun and several episodes are downright hilarious thanks to Joan Davis’ own slapstick abilities. Unfortunately I recall Davis had to quit due to poor health, and died a few years later. Her daughter, who played the sister on the show also died a few years later. Jim Backus, who played Davis’ husband later gained bigger fame as the Millionaire in Gilligan’s Island. 
 

In the early 90’s ABC and CBS tried hard to get their own Simpsons like shows going especially with CBS and Family Dog but the attempts were all DOA.

[Khan]

I still remember some of those "Friends" clones that came in the wake of that show's success, lol.

[kalbir]

Seinfeld clones too.

NBC had so many garbage Thursday 8:30 pm/9:30 pm sitcoms in the Seinfeld/ER/Friends era. Some of those shows I have no memory of at all.

[Paul Raven]

TV Censored Bloopers NBC begat Foul Ups Bleeps and Blunders ABC

Knight Rider NBC 1982 Michael Long recovers from a fatal gunshot wound in the face. With a new look, he assumes a fresh identity as Michael Knight and wages a war against criminals with his indestructible supercar, KITT.

Street Hawk ABC 1984  Jesse Mach, a former motorcycle cop who was injured in the line of duty, is recruited for a top-secret government mission to ride Street Hawk -- a combat motorbike designed to fight crime.

[DRW50]

The laziest were often from NBC themselves. They never got that Friends was a success because of the cast (and I didn't even like most of the cast).

Remember ABC's Townies, which was also meant to be a comeback for Molly Ringwald?

[te.]

ABC's Not Dead Yet comes across as very much something they ordered because of the success CBS had with Ghosts. Apparently it went through three re-toolings in season one alone.

[Khan]

Oh, dear, lol.

Speaking of ABC, remember when "Lost" became this gigantic, out-of-the-box hit and so every network including The Weather Channel and Playboy TV tried to cash in with their own versions?

Edited April 8, 2024 by Khan

[Paul Raven]

Diff'rent Strokes NBC/Webster ABC. Cute black orphan taken in by benevolent white family.

The Fugitive ABC. 1963/Run For Your Life NBC 1965

Although the premise for each show was different The Fugitive had a man on the run from the law, and Run For Your Life had a man given a death sentence through illness, the similarity was that they moved all over the country encountering new people in new situations.

The lead actors David Janssen and Ben Gazzara were similar laconic personality types.

[I Am A Swede]

I'm a bit surprised that no one has yet to mention Dallas and its role as the inspiration for shows like Dynasty and Falcon Crest.