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Old 06-28-2002, 12:25 PM   #1
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Default ripoffs galore

What sitcoms were ripoffs of another sitcom?

I always thought that Grace Under Fire was a single woman ripoff of Roseanne. But GUF was the unfunny version.
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Old 06-28-2002, 05:22 PM   #2
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Unhappily Ever After was a ripoff of Married with Children

Parker Lewis Can't Lose was a ripoff of Ferris Bueller's Day Off(the movie not tv show)

Step By Step was a modern day ripoff of The Brady Bunch.

Munsters were a rippoff of The Addams Family

Growing Pains was a ripoff of Family Ties
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Old 06-28-2002, 05:56 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally posted by briandamage

Munsters were a rippoff of The Addams Family
I don't think Munsters ripped off Addams Family..they both premired in fall of 1964, it would've been pretty hard to rip each other off.
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Old 06-28-2002, 06:01 PM   #4
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That happens all the time. Rival networks always have similar shows in development, mostly because shows get shopped around to many networks. Once one hears another is developing a show, they rush right in and develop thier own...
Case in Point, "Chicago Hope" premiered the same night as "E.R." Both medical shows. Coincidence?

One of the most blatant ripoffs I can remember was "Charlie And Company" starring Flip WIlson. The press had a field day declaring it a "Cosby Show" clone...
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Old 06-28-2002, 06:03 PM   #5
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Even though they aren't sitcoms, I think "One Life to Live" ripped off "Days of Our Lives," because we should only have one soap with the word Life or Lives in it....
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Old 06-28-2002, 06:31 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally posted by TJL
One of the most blatant ripoffs I can remember was "Charlie And Company" starring Flip WIlson. The press had a field day declaring it a "Cosby Show" clone...
Thank you! I wanted to post that show but I couldn't think of the name!

Even though there have been several primetime cartoons that have come and gone, there were 3 that tried to capitalize on the Simpsons initial success: Capitol Critters, Fish Police and Family Dog.

Last edited by Brian Damage; 06-28-2002 at 06:39 PM.
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Old 06-28-2002, 07:14 PM   #7
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"The Cosby Show" was a rip-off of "The Brady Bunch" in a black version.

"Laverne & Shirley" - - - I wouldn't say it was a rip-off, but an updated verson of "The Lucy Show".
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Old 06-28-2002, 07:36 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally posted by LucyFan
"The Cosby Show" was a rip-off of "The Brady Bunch" in a black version.

Are you the same person who said that in the Brady Bunch posts. That is so racist. The Brady Bunch is nothing like The Cosby Show.

But anyways I think the biggest ripoff in television history was Unhappily Ever After that ripoffed Married With Children and I recently found out why it was such a ripoff, Some of the people who did Married With Children also did Unhappilly Ever After.
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Old 06-28-2002, 08:28 PM   #9
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Another great ripoff was "You Can't Hurry Love," CBS's attempt to jump on the "Friends" bandwagon. Hoo-boy, what a mistake that was..

My apologies to the Nancy McKeon fans out there. I know she did her very best in that short lived sitcom, but it was not good...
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Old 06-28-2002, 09:02 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally posted by LucyFan
"The Cosby Show" was a rip-off of "The Brady Bunch" in a black version.
IMO, it is not a ripoff. I like the Cosby Show. Not all Brady Bunch fans think that it is. I don't think it is a ripoff. I am a big Brady Bunch fan. Also I am a big Facts of Life fan. I am a Cheers fan, too.
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Old 06-29-2002, 09:11 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally posted by LucyFan
"Laverne & Shirley" - - - I wouldn't say it was a rip-off, but an updated verson of "The Lucy Show".
I would say that Laverne & Shirley was more of a ripoff of the Odd Couple than anything else.
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Old 06-29-2002, 09:25 AM   #12
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I wouldn't call "Laverne And Shirley" a ripoff, because it aired after "Odd Couple" went off the air. It was also produced by the same people, so "L&S" has the same "buddy comedy" feel as "Odd Couple."

Probably the next ripoff to look out for is the various "Osbourne" clones that will be popping up. What celebrity family will be the next ones to allow us into thier homes?
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Old 06-29-2002, 04:54 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally posted by Will and Grace Fanatic


Are you the same person who said that in the Brady Bunch posts. That is so racist. The Brady Bunch is nothing like The Cosby Show.

But anyways I think the biggest ripoff in television history was Unhappily Ever After that ripoffed Married With Children and I recently found out why it was such a ripoff, Some of the people who did Married With Children also did Unhappilly Ever After.
And the original title was "Not a Married with Children Ripoff" so that says alot there!
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Old 06-29-2002, 06:21 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally posted by LucyFan
"The Cosby Show" was a rip-off of "The Brady Bunch" in a black version.
Nope, in my own unprejudiced mind, it was not a ripoff.

When I typed Cosby, I mean The Cosby Show, not the 90's Cosby. I just didn't want to type the whole thing out every single time.

Brady Bunch has two parents with 3 kids each who got married.

Cosby had 5 kids and the parents were already married when the show started.

Brady Bunch has 3 girls, 3 boys.

Cosby had 4 girls and a boy.

In Brady Bunch, all the kids lived at home (For the most part)

In Cosby, Sondra, Denise, Theo, and Vanessa had all moved out by the end of the show (Which left Rudy and Olivia )

Brady Bunch was set in a big house in Cali (Or so they say in the Brady Bunch Movies)

Cosby was set in an apartment in NY (Brooklyn I think)

Brady Bunch had a dog (For at least a while)

Cosby never had any permanent pets.

Brady Bunch became singers (Like the Partridge Family)

Cosby kids didn't become singers, but pursued real careers.


So you see my friends, after looking at just the basic info, The Cosby Show was no way a rip-off of Brady Bunch.
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Old 06-29-2002, 06:30 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally posted by LucyFan
"The Cosby Show" was a rip-off of "The Brady Bunch" in a black version.
Whatever. That is just so stupid to say LucyFan! The Cosby Show wasnt nearly as corny the Brady Bunch. The Cosby show dealth with issues taht would never be discussed on the Brady Bunch in some episodes. So how could they be a ripoff? I agree, he's racist....
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