Like obvious (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/RecycledScript/LiveActionTV) to the point (https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a823907/tv-show-recylced-plots-storylines/) in which you would think that someone in the writers room should have (https://diply.com/149606/10-tv-shows-that-used-the-same-plot-over-and-over-again) noticed (https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/tv-shows-that-recycle-plots-from-their-own-series-or-others.290608/) but they oddly, didn't.

On Diff'rent Strokes, Arnold had a bed wetting problem. Then a couple seasons later, Sam had the same problem. Arnold even brought it up that he used to have the same problem.

Dennis the Menace reused plots on lost big dogs, and lucky rabbit's feet

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The Spider-Man 1981 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man_(1981_TV_series)) series did the episode Web of Nephillia (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0804191/) about a scientist turning into a spider creature then Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man_and_His_Amazing_Friends_(1981_TV_series)) had Attack Of The Arachnoid (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0804163/) which did the exact same thing!

Hazel had her hand in saving or trying to save a playground, a lake, and a nature park.

Naturally, with variations of course, “Leave It to Beaver” had seemingly endless occasions of his friends goading him into doing something wrong (with Beaver knowing it’s already wrong), then getting in trouble, having himself (Beaver) take the rap, being punished, learning his lesson (supposedly) at the end…yada yada yada.

cd

The most obvious example for me was "Bewitched". When Dick Sargent replaced Dick York, the show would recycle plots from previous seasons to see how a different actor would do them hoping the audience wouldn't notice and also because they were running out of original ideas at this point. The best example was an episode where Darrin had to be in 2 places at once. That was going to be Dick Sargent's first episode but it was put off until later in the season for obvious reasons. Instead, the season premiere was "Samantha and the Beanstalk" which just happens to be my favorite episode. If you wish to compare them, you can watch both episodes here:

Bewitched - 2x33 - Divided He Falls - May 5, 1966 (https://ok.ru/video/1468603370224) (with Dick York)

Bewitched - 6x15 - Samantha's Better Halves - Jan. 1, 1970 (https://ok.ru/video/2142987553323) (with Dick Sargent)

Does the Honeymooners count? That show had a LOT of plot remakes due to the fact that if Jackie Gleason liked a script, it had a good chance of being reused especially in a situation where they had to use it in short notice (remember the lost episodes were done live.)

Of course, there were so many episodes with misunderstandings on “Three’s Company” that even an episode of “8 Simple Rules” poked fun at it.

John Ritter fell asleep and had a dream that he was in the original Three’s Company set. (I was not a viewer, so I am not sure; but I think her two daughters were made to look like Joyce & Suzanne.) There was some confusion with his older daughter, and she wryly asked, “Could it have been a…..MISUNDERSTANDING??”

Ah, satire.

cd

On My Favorite Martian Tim curiosity messed things up alot. He was always playing with Uncle Martin's things.

On My Favorite Martian Tim curiosity messed things up alot. He was always playing with Uncle Martin's things.

Maybe so, but among all the 60s “fantasy” sitcoms, at least Tim’s character didn’t come across as a bumbling idiot. He had to have SOME smarts; otherwise he wouldn’t be on a newspaper staff. He wisecracked a lot, unlike parallel characters in these other shows.

Not having watched many eps of MFM, it’s possible that he was made a little more goofy as time went on.

cd

The most obvious example for me was "Bewitched". When Dick Sargent replaced Dick York, the show would recycle plots from previous seasons to see how a different actor would do them hoping the audience wouldn't notice and also because they were running out of original ideas at this point. The best example was an episode where Darrin had to be in 2 places at once. That was going to be Dick Sargent's first episode but it was put off until later in the season for obvious reasons. Instead, the season premiere was "Samantha and the Beanstalk" which just happens to be my favorite episode.

The Wikipedia episode list gives great details on all the recycled scripts.

Right, no sitcom had more of them than Bewitched.

Maybe so, but among all the 60s “fantasy” sitcoms, at least Tim’s character didn’t come across as a bumbling idiot. He had to have SOME smarts; otherwise he wouldn’t be on a newspaper staff. He wisecracked a lot, unlike parallel characters in these other shows.

Not having watched many eps of MFM, it’s possible that he was made a little more goofy as time went on.

cd

Tim often didn't listen to Uncle Martin to not mess with things. Then the trouble starts. The whole episode is spent righting the wrong without anybody finding out what had happened.

Also in the final season there was alot of time travel episodes

Gee, practically every episode of Gilligan’s Island had Gilligan messing up a rescue. Yet I don't know if that would fit on this list.

For cartoons. South Park - Kenny gets killed in most every episode. Again, not sure if this fits the list criteria.

Gee, practically every episode of Gilligan’s Island had Gilligan messing up a rescue. Yet I don't know if that would fit on this list.

For cartoons. South Park - Kenny gets killed in most every episode. Again, not sure if this fits the list criteria.

Oh yes, thanks for reminding me, 24/7! I was gonna mention Gilligan. Somebody wrote about this, which is on YouTube. This explains everything:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cxLip8vTdoU

cd

Oh yes, thanks for reminding me, 24/7! I was gonna mention Gilligan. Somebody wrote about this, which is on YouTube. This explains everything:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cxLip8vTdoU

cd

No that's funny!

Of course, there were so many episodes with misunderstandings on “Three’s Company” that even an episode of “8 Simple Rules” poked fun at it.

John Ritter fell asleep and had a dream that he was in the original Three’s Company set. (I was not a viewer, so I am not sure; but I think her two daughters were made to look like Joyce & Suzanne.) There was some confusion with his older daughter, and she wryly asked, “Could it have been a…..MISUNDERSTANDING??”

Ah, satire.

cd

Speaking of Three's Company, there's an episode (https://threescompany.fandom.com/wiki/Look_What_I_Found) from the final season (https://jacksonupperco.com/2015/07/28/the-ten-best-threes-company-episodes-of-season-eight/) in which Jack, Janet, and Terri have to hide a stray kitten from Mr. Furley. This was awfully similar to an episode (https://threescompany.fandom.com/wiki/No_Children,_No_Dogs) from Season 1 (https://jacksonupperco.com/2015/06/16/the-twelve-best-threes-company-episodes-of-seasons-one-two/), in which Jack and his roommates have to hide a stray puppy from Mr. Roper.

I believe that John Ritter himself, came to the realization that it was time for Three's Company (https://greenmountainwriting.com/sitcom-rewind/threes-company/) to wrap up when they started recycling (https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/tv-shows-that-recycle-plots-from-their-own-series-or-others.290608/page-2) the "roommates must hide a stray animal from the landlord" plot.

On Diff'rent Strokes, Arnold had a bed wetting problem. Then a couple seasons later, Sam had the same problem. Arnold even brought it up that he used to have the same problem.

Diff'rent Strokes also recycled (https://www.tvyesteryear.com/recycled-tv-scripts-ive-seen-this-before/) at least one plot from The Brady Bunch. The episode (https://diffrentstrokes.fandom.com/wiki/Arnold%27s_Hero) of Diff'rent Strokes (https://basementrejects.com/review/diffrent-strokes-season-2/) in which Arnold pretends to be sick in order meet Muhammed Ali is awfully similar to the Brady Bunch episode (https://jimihaze68.com/2020/08/26/s5-e2-mail-order-hero/) involving Bobby pretending to be sick as a means of meeting Joe Namath.

One of the most infamous (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1nO-k1cw-w) episodes (https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-04-14-ca-1827-story.html) of Growing Pains is the one where Carol's boyfriend Sandy (https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/growing-pains-matthew-perry-character-death-tragic-backstory.html/) (played by Matthew Perry (https://jumpedthesnark.com/2012/09/14/groaning-pains-matthew-perry-goes-on-to-a-better-place-or-how-we-learned-about-drunk-driving/)) dies (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gGasjWuJlM) after driving while drunk. Well, the TV adaptation of the film Clueless (https://movieweb.com/clueless-movie-facts-trivia/), later had (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0543427/) an episode (https://theveryspecialblog.com/2015/03/17/clueless-none-for-the-road/) in which an old boyfriend of Cher's also dies after drunk driving. It makes perfect sense because the showrunner (https://m.facebook.com/kenreidcomedy/posts/i-achieve-a-life-long-goal-on-tv-guidance-counselor-this-week-as-i-welcome-write/10157029695315289/?locale=zh_CN) for the Clueless TV series (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=397340), Tim O'Donnell (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tv-guidance-counselor-episode-355-tim-odonnell/id821665905?i=1000439639812) had previously written for Growing Pains.

Little House on the Prairie recycled plots a lot! I can't remember them offhand, but I do recall that the later seasons recycled more or less some of the same stories from the first few seasons, but this time with some of the new cast members.

I Dream of Jeannie was the biggest offender of recycled plots. Larry Hagman reportedly hated the show because he said that after the second or third season, it was basically the same four scripts. He was actually generous. There were exactly three:

1. Tony or Major Healey does something to make Jeannie mad enough to curse them, then tries to get in her good graces so she'll lift the curse.
2. Either Dr. or Mrs. Bellow see something weird because of Jeannie's magic and Tony or Major Healey have to find a way to downplay it so they don't learn about Jeannie or they don't think he's crazy.
3. Jeannie gets Tony into some kind of jam that he has to squirm his way out of.

Speaking of Three's Company, there's an episode (https://threescompany.fandom.com/wiki/Look_What_I_Found) from the final season (https://jacksonupperco.com/2015/07/28/the-ten-best-threes-company-episodes-of-season-eight/) in which Jack, Janet, and Terri have to hide a stray kitten from Mr. Furley. This was awfully similar to an episode (https://threescompany.fandom.com/wiki/No_Children,_No_Dogs) from Season 1 (https://jacksonupperco.com/2015/06/16/the-twelve-best-threes-company-episodes-of-seasons-one-two/), in which Jack and his roommates have to hide a stray puppy from Mr. Roper.

There was a more obvious recycled plot on the show, involving the brunette actress, Elaine Giftos. The stories were so similar that I always got confused as to which one I was about to see as soon as she showed up. In the first episode, she was made out to be this amazingly beautiful, high class, smart ex-classmate of Chrissy who she worshipped and idolized but turned out to be a call girl. In the second, she was a friend of Janet's who turned out to be in an affair. Like in the first episode, she was talked up as a high class, beautiful and intelligent woman who Janet worshipped and thought was going places.

Makes me wonder if a writer loved Giftos so much in the role that they couldn't help bringing her back or if they had this same experience in real life and needed to get it out of their system. Or, worse yet, was envious of a classmate in real life and was secretly hoping they were really low class and not all that. :lol:

Full House once had an episode (https://therealfullhousereviewed.wordpress.com/2011/05/06/season-3-episode-15-lust-in-the-dust/) where Danny dates a woman who turns out to be a massive slob. Later on, Friends also had (https://www.reddit.com/r/fullhouse/comments/19a0xks/all_sitcoms_are_the_same_show/) an episode (https://friends.fandom.com/wiki/The_One_With_The_Dirty_Girl) where Ross dates a woman (played by Rebecca Romijn) who also has an untidy apartment.

Little House on the Prairie recycled plots a lot! I can't remember them offhand, but I do recall that the later seasons recycled more or less some of the same stories from the first few seasons, but this time with some of the new cast members.

I Dream of Jeannie was the biggest offender of recycled plots. Larry Hagman reportedly hated the show because he said that after the second or third season, it was basically the same four scripts. He was actually generous. There were exactly three:

1. Tony or Major Healey does something to make Jeannie mad enough to curse them, then tries to get in her good graces so she'll lift the curse.
2. Either Dr. or Mrs. Bellow see something weird because of Jeannie's magic and Tony or Major Healey have to find a way to downplay it so they don't learn about Jeannie or they don't think he's crazy.
3. Jeannie gets Tony into some kind of jam that he has to squirm his way out of.

For I Dream of Jeannie- Jeannie would make Tony the best at something. Two comes to mind. A singer, and a Pianist.

Jeannie's sister makes trouble for Tony who blames Jeannie (who has been bottled, imprisoned or somehow made helpless)

One of the color episodes of Petticolt Junction recycled the exact same plot from their first Christmas episode. They even reused footage of the decorated Cannonball at the end of the episode. Because of budget reasons, The Adventures Of Superman used recycled scenes in every episode.

Clip montage episodes of old sitcoms use recycled footage.

The Roman Holidays "Double Dilemma' episode recycled the script from The Flintstones episode "Fred Strikes Out'.

The "Dear Diary" episode of Punky Brewster ripped off the "I've Got a Secret" episode of The Jeffersons pretty bad, even using some of the same lines and also having quite a few at least very similar lines. Oddly enough, one of the cast members of Punky Brewster (Susie Garrett) was the real life sister of one of The Jeffersons cast members (Marla Gibbs).

The Roman Holidays "Double Dilemma' episode recycled the script from The Flintstones episode "Fred Strikes Out'.

H&B family cartoons, Flintstones, Jetsons, Roman Holidays, Where's Huddles? etc. Often shared stories.

The Flintstones and Jetsons had two similar stories shared. One where Fred and George shrinks to miniature size. The other where Fred and George were given misinformation on being deathly I'll.

BTW, does MRPITT refer to you being from Pittsburgh? I lived there for years.

BTW, does MRPITT refer to you being from Pittsburgh? I lived there for years.

Yes I recall the Flintstones and Jetsons episodes.


Actually one day in the early 00’s I was trying to come up with a short tv show related user name (on another site) and I happened to be watching the Macy’s Parade Seinfeld episode here Elaine’s boss Mr. Pitt wanted to hold the ropes of the Woody Woodpecker balloon in the parade. So I went with it. Had I known I would still be using it over 20 years later I woulda come up with something better.

The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis the last episode of the series was a remake of the first episode of the series.

Same production company: in 1975, The Mary Tyler Moore Show aired its death episode, "Chuckles Bites the Dust", just four weeks after The Bob Newhart Show aired "Death of a Fruit Man."

In 2004, King of Queens aired "Furious Gorge," where Doug lies about going to an overeaters group, just five days before Everybody Loves Raymond aired "Boys' Therapy," where the guys lie about seeing a psychiatrist together.

The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis the last episode of the series was a remake of the first episode of the series.

Plus there were episodes where characters played by Tuesday Weld and Yvonne Craig had the same concerns with finding a man/husband to provide for their families.

The most obvious example for me was "Bewitched". When Dick Sargent replaced Dick York, the show would recycle plots from previous seasons to see how a different actor would do them hoping the audience wouldn't notice and also because they were running out of original ideas at this point. The best example was an episode where Darrin had to be in 2 places at once. That was going to be Dick Sargent's first episode but it was put off until later in the season for obvious reasons. Instead, the season premiere was "Samantha and the Beanstalk" which just happens to be my favorite episode. If you wish to compare them, you can watch both episodes here:

Bewitched - 2x33 - Divided He Falls - May 5, 1966 (https://ok.ru/video/1468603370224) (with Dick York)

Bewitched - 6x15 - Samantha's Better Halves - Jan. 1, 1970 (https://ok.ru/video/2142987553323) (with Dick Sargent)

Also there were three episodes where adults where changed to children. A toy store worker, Darrin, and Larry all were reduced to kids.

One of the color episodes of Petticolt Junction recycled the exact same plot from their first Christmas episode. They even reused footage of the decorated Cannonball at the end of the episode. Because of budget reasons, The Adventures Of Superman used recycled scenes in every episode.

Clip montage episodes of old sitcoms use recycled footage.

There were at least two episodes where one of the Brady girls went away and returned sophisticated only to return to their old selves.