3.06.2008

TV Ripoff?

Note: See comment #4 for some inside information on this.
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There's a show debuting this weekend on the National Geographic Channel called "Aftermath: Population Zero." It's about what would happen to the Earth if all people disappeared. Basically, it will tell you how fast things decay; buildings, cars, etc., as well as what will happen to wild and domestic animals. It looks pretty interesting, but I'm not going to watch it for two reasons:
  1. I don't have the National Geographic Channel.
  2. The History Channel did the same exact thing a few weeks ago with "Life After People."
Seriously, the previews for the NGC show look just like what I saw on the HC. I learn from some blog comment that both of these shows are similar to Alan Weisman's book, "The World Without Us," as well. What's up with that?

5 comments :

  1. Tv shows rip each other off all the time.

    Especially between countries.

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  2. That is true with the networks (Fox seems to be the worst) but I would have expected better from National Geographic.

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  3. Well, those small, narrowly-focused cable channels just don't have that much to work with.

    And Fox is terrible about that. It even rips itself off (see: American Dad, which is a more terrible Family Guy, which is a more terrible Simpsons).

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  4. I know the folks at Nat Geo - no one ripped each other off - these shows have been in production for over a year - there was a race to see who could get first when they found out they were both doing the same concept. This isn't like a broadcast network stealing a concept - these shows take a lot longer to producer

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  5. Thanks for the info, anonymous commenter. So it looks like a situation where NGC unfortunately finished second, opening themselves to the appearance of unoriginality. I suppose one who thinks they copied the History Channel would have to think they put together the series in an impossibly short amount of time.

    ReplyDelete