As the old saying goes, "There's nothing new under the sun." Arguably, there's no place where that's more true than your TV screen. Sometimes, the borrowing of characters and plots is painfully obvious. But in many cases, you might watch your favorite show for months or years without ever noticing the eerie similarities between the show and major pop culture properties.
Sometimes, those shows intentionally draw on pop culture touchstones, while other shows do it unintentionally. Here are some prime examples of TV shows that bear a striking resemblance to famous films, comics, or shows.
"Suits" is Just "Batman" With lawyers
The next time you're watching an episode of this engrossing legal drama, consider this: Mike Ross has more than a few things in common with Batman. Strange but true: Fake attorney Mike Ross and billionaire orphan Bruce Wayne have remarkably similar backstories.
Both lead double lives. Both were orphaned in a tragedy that took both parents at the same time. Both were raised by an elderly person after their parents died. Both bend the letter of the law in order to make up for the death of their parents. And both men are incredibly intelligent, far more so than most other people around them.
The odds of Mike Ross running around Manhattan in a cape are pretty low, but you never know what twists the show might take in later seasons.
"Revolution" is "Star Wars" with a female Luke Skywalker
Eric Kripke has been very clear about his hopes that "Revolution" will echo the mythic quests and hero's journey from the "Star Wars" trilogy. In the pilot, Charlie is even seen holding a "Star Wars" lunchbox. Here are some similarities between Charlie and Luke Skywalker:
1. Both Charlie and Luke begin their quests after the brutal murder of their parental figures.
2. Charlie and Luke are both assisted by a British mentor figure who dies early in the course of the story.
3. Both characters go to a bar, where they seek help from a reluctant loner with great weapons skills.
4. Both Charlie and Luke must face off against a massive number of evil goons wearing stupid costumes.
5. Both Charlie and Luke align themselves with a group of rebels who are massively inferior to the bad guys in terms of weapons.
6. Both Charlie and Luke try to rescue a sibling who has been kidnapped by the bad guys.
"Merlin" is Basically "Superman" With Swords
This is a tricky one, since the Merlin legend predates the Superman character by centuries. But the "Merlin" TV series is actually quite similar to the origins of Superman, as told in the series "Smallville." Both shows center around a teenager with secret powers, who can only confide in an adoptive father figure. Both Merlin and Clark have a best friend who will one day learn the secret about the superpowers, and both characters start off as friends with the people who will eventually become their archenemies.
