Dueling Shows: Difference between revisions

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| ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!]]'' || ''[[Duel Masters]]'' || Anime show about kids/teens engaging in Card Games with the fate of the world at stake. || Yu-Gi-Oh was inspired by ''Magic: The Gathering''. Duel Masters was meant to be an anime version of ''Magic: The Gathering'', but end-up getting its own game. || Yu-Gi-Oh spanned three sequels (and counting) and the card game became even more popular than the one who inspired it. Duel Masters was discontinued in America, but still holds the fort (barely) in Japan.

|-

| ''[[Death Note]]'' || ''[[Code Geass]]'' || Anime show starring a megalomaniacal [[Teen Genius]] who [[Villain Protagonist|may]] or [[Anti-Hero|may not]] be a villain with a single, specific godly superpower. On the top of that, they even have a [[Secret Identity]]. Features strong [[Black and Gray Morality]]. || Both shows premiered in Japan at roughly the same time, although ''[[Death Note]]'' was based on a [[Manga]]. The tone of ''[[Death Note]]'' is somewhat [[Darker and Edgier|darker, grittier and more realistic]] and features [[Shinigami]], while ''[[Code Geass]]'' allows for occasional filler episodes, is [[Lighter and Softer|somewhat more cartoonish]] [[Family-Unfriendly Violence|while still somehow being more violent]] and still quite dark<ref>mostly because ''[[Death Note]]'' goes [[Beyond the Impossible]] on the grittiness</ref>, and features [[Humongous Mecha]]. || Critics-wise, ''[[Death Note]]'' was far more influential than ''Geass''. However, while interest in ''[[Death Note]]'' had diminished with the end of the franchise, ''Geass'''s hype is still strong among otaku fans, fueled by the promise of incoming new material.

| ''[[Death Note]]'' || ''[[Code Geass]]'' || Anime show starring a megalomaniacal [[Teen Genius]] who [[Villain Protagonist|may]] or [[Anti-Hero|may not]] be a villain with a single, specific godly superpower. On the top of that, they even have a [[Secret Identity]]. Features strong [[Black and Gray Morality]]. || Both shows premiered in Japan at roughly the same time, although ''[[Death Note]]'' was based on a [[Manga]]. The tone of ''[[Death Note]]'' is somewhat [[Darker and Edgier|darker, grittier and more realistic]] and features [[Shinigami]], while ''[[Code Geass]]'' allows for occasional filler episodes, is [[Lighter and Softer|somewhat more cartoonish]] [[Family-Unfriendly Violence|while still somehow being more violent]] and still quite dark,<ref>mostly because ''[[Death Note]]'' goes [[Beyond the Impossible]] on the grittiness</ref> and features [[Humongous Mecha]]. || Critics-wise, ''[[Death Note]]'' was far more influential than ''Geass''. However, while interest in ''[[Death Note]]'' had diminished with the end of the franchise, ''Geass'''s hype is still strong among otaku fans, fueled by the promise of incoming new material.

|-

| ''[[Code Geass]]'' || ''[[Guilty Crown]]'' || Anime show about a teenager who obtains a godly superpower on a fated encounter with a [[Ms. Fanservice|mysterious beauty]] by chance and joins [[La Résistance|a resistance group]] engaged in liberate an occupied Japan. || Both shows are written by the same author, set in a futuristic world with [[Humongous Mecha]] and lots of fanservice. || ''Code Geass'' is still a fad among fans, while ''Gulty Crown'' wasn't near as sucessful.

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| ''[[Kaitou Saint Tail]]'' || ''[[Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne]]'' || [[Nuns-N-Rosaries|Catholic]] [[Phantom Thief]] [[Magical Girl]]. || ''Jeanne'' is a [[Grimmification]] of the cute, fluffy ''Saint Tail'' premise, with the title character as a jaded [[Broken Bird]] whose [[Mission From God]] isn't actually as holy as she thinks it is. || Draw.

|-

| ''[[Kaze no Stigma]]'' || ''[[Shakugan no Shana]]'' || Female redhead protagonist, check. Flaming sword, check. Combat schoolgirl outfit, check. Accomanying/obligatory ''[[Zettai Ryouiki]]'', check. || Fanservice-laden supernatural/magical schoolgirl [[Light Novel|light novels]]/shows, with varying degrees of competent male sidekick/love interest. || ''Shana'', sort of: Although the ''Stigma'' light novels came out in January of 2002 and Shana's came out in November of the same year, the ''Shana'' anime was renewed for two more seasons, while ''Stigma'''s wasn't. Both manga adaptations continue, but ''Shana'''s light novel series is also continued and has nearly twice as many volumes as ''Stigma'''s, which stopped at 12. It probably helped ''Shana'' that the author of the ''Stigma'' light novels [[Author Existence Failure|passed away]].

| ''[[Kaze no Stigma]]'' || ''[[Shakugan no Shana]]'' || Female redhead protagonist, check. Flaming sword, check. Combat schoolgirl outfit, check. Accomanying/obligatory ''[[Zettai Ryouiki]]'', check. || Fanservice-laden supernatural/magical schoolgirl [[Light Novel|light novels]]/shows, with varying degrees of competent male sidekick/love interest. || ''Shana'', sort of: Although the ''Stigma'' light novels came out in January 2002 and Shana's came out in November of the same year, the ''Shana'' anime was renewed for two more seasons, while ''Stigma'''s wasn't. Both manga adaptations continue, but ''Shana'''s light novel series is also continued and has nearly twice as many volumes as ''Stigma'''s, which stopped at 12. It probably helped ''Shana'' that the author of the ''Stigma'' light novels [[Author Existence Failure|passed away]].

|-

| ''[[Serial Experiments Lain]]'' || ''[[Boogiepop Phantom]]'' || [[Mind Screw]] anime with similar designs || ''Boogiepop'' is technically older, being based off a book series which started a few months before Serial Experiments was released. || [[Serial Experiments Lain]]. It's considerably more well-known and considered one of the prime examples of anime, while Boogiepop is considered more of a [[Cult Classic]].

|-

| ''[[Saikano]]'' || ''[[Elfen Lied]]'' || Two ultimate weapon girls trying to live a normal life, despite that enemies are after them. || Both of these works are based on mangas and [[Darker and Edgier]] works. {{spoiler|Both have [[Downer Ending~~|Downer Endings~~]].}} || ''Elfen Lied'' wins in popularity, ''Saikano'' in overall quality.

| ''[[Saikano]]'' || ''[[Elfen Lied]]'' || Two ultimate weapon girls trying to live a normal life, despite that enemies are after them. || Both of these works are based on mangas and [[Darker and Edgier]] works. {{spoiler|Both have [[Downer Ending]]s.}} || ''Elfen Lied'' wins in popularity, ''Saikano'' in overall quality.

|-

| ''[[Rosario + Vampire]]'' || ''[[Vampire Knight]]'' || [[High School]] romance between a human and a vampire. || ''[[Rosario + Vampire]]'' is ([[Cerebus Syndrome|initially]]) a light-hearted comedy compared to the more dramatic ''[[Vampire Knight]]'', but both manga have their share of funny moments and tense ones. || Both sell pretty well in Japan, and [[Germans Love David Hasselhoff|even better in North America]].

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| ''[[Naruto]]'' || ''[[666 Satan]]/O-Parts Hunter'' || A [[Determinator]] with a demon inside him seeks to rule the place that abused him and makes friends and enemies along the way. || Well, the authors are ''twin brothers''... || ''Naruto'' by a mile.

|-

| ''[[Ikki Tousen]]'' || ''[[Koihime Musou]]'' || ''[[Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]'' [[Gender Flip~~|Gender Flips~~]] || ''Ikki Tousen'' is based on a manga series, is a [[High School AU]], has more fanservice, and focuses on fighting. ''Koihime Musou'' is based on a [[Visual Novel]], takes place in the Three Kingdoms period and focuses on [[Adventure Towns]]. ''Ikki Tousen'''s third season aired alongside ''Koihime'''s first, and was repeated again for their fourth and third seasons, respectively. || Draw. The series are different enough that they both have success. Both shows have actually [http://www.ikkitousen.com/ikkoi/ acknowledged] this and are working together.

| ''[[Ikki Tousen]]'' || ''[[Koihime Musou]]'' || ''[[Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]'' [[Gender Flip]]s || ''Ikki Tousen'' is based on a manga series, is a [[High School AU]], has more fanservice, and focuses on fighting. ''Koihime Musou'' is based on a [[Visual Novel]], takes place in the Three Kingdoms period and focuses on [[Adventure Towns]]. ''Ikki Tousen'''s third season aired alongside ''Koihime'''s first, and was repeated again for their fourth and third seasons, respectively. || Draw. The series are different enough that they both have success. Both shows have actually [http://www.ikkitousen.com/ikkoi/ acknowledged] this and are working together.

|-

| ''GR: [[Giant Robo]]'' || ''[[Raideen]]'' || [[Darker and Edgier]], CG-enriched remake of classic [[Giant Robot]] franchises. || It can't be a coincidence that these two shows launched within mere weeks of each other. They're very similar shows in many ways. They're also both very similar to ''[[RahXephon]]'', a series that was, itself, based on the original ''Raideen''. || They both flopped, but GR wasn't even [[Fan Sub|fansubbed]].

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| ''[[Bokurano]]''|| ''[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica]]''|| [[Deconstructor Fleet]] anime from [[Magical Girl|counterpart]] [[Humongous Mecha|genres]] featuring children mentored by small, white non-human beings || || ''Madoka'' has a huge following. ''Bokurano'' is more of a [[Cult Classic]] and isn't as well-known as [[Narutaru]], a previous work by the mangaka.

|}

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== Live-Action TV ==

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| Original || Clone || Capsule Pitch Description || Implementation || Winner?

|-

| ''[[Babylon 5]]'' || ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine|Star Trek Deep Space Nine]]'' || [[City of Adventure|Adventure Town]] [[Recycled in Space|IN SPACE!]] becomes a hotspot for interstellar politics and an important staging point in a war with [[Scary Dogmatic Aliens]]. || Very different, but with enough surface ~~similarities -- and~~ a documented pre-''Deep Space Nine'' pitch of ''B5'' to ~~Paramount -- to~~ merit accusations of [[Follow the Leader|plagiarism]]. It should be noted that there is little evidence the creators of ''Deep Space Nine'' ever knew about the pitch of ''B5'' to Paramount. Both shows were driven by a central [[Story Arc]], but ''Babylon 5'' was almost purely arc-based while ''Deep Space Nine'' was more episodic, but started shifting more towards arc-based in later seasons. || Both were winners, and so were the viewers. Though ''Deep Space Nine'' is better remembered because it's a part of [[Star Trek|one of the biggest franchises of all time]], both shows are also equally beloved by their fans.

| ''[[Babylon 5]]'' || ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine|Star Trek Deep Space Nine]]'' || [[City of Adventure|Adventure Town]] [[Recycled in Space|IN SPACE!]] becomes a hotspot for interstellar politics and an important staging point in a war with [[Scary Dogmatic Aliens]]. || Very different, but with enough surface similarities—and a documented pre-''Deep Space Nine'' pitch of ''B5'' to Paramount—to merit accusations of [[Follow the Leader|plagiarism]]. It should be noted that there is little evidence the creators of ''Deep Space Nine'' ever knew about the pitch of ''B5'' to Paramount. Both shows were driven by a central [[Story Arc]], but ''Babylon 5'' was almost purely arc-based while ''Deep Space Nine'' was more episodic, but started shifting more towards arc-based in later seasons. || Both were winners, and so were the viewers. Though ''Deep Space Nine'' is better remembered because it's a part of [[Star Trek|one of the biggest franchises of all time]], both shows are also equally beloved by their fans.

|-

| ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek the Original Series]]'' || ''[[Lost in Space]]'' || [[Wagon Train to the Stars]] || One is a classic of popular culture, the other is [[So Bad It's Good|cult kitsch]]. Notable in that Gene Rodenberry originally pitched ''Star Trek'' to [[CBS]], who listened to his ideas on how to pull off a space show on a weekly TV budget, rejected the pitch, then went on to use all the ideas he'd given them to make ''Lost In Space''. || Depends on how you look at it. On one hand, ''[[Lost in Space]]'' cleaned ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek the Original Series]]'''s clock in the ratings and lasted longer. On the other hand, who still watches ''[[Lost in Space]]'' some forty years after the fact? (The 1998 [[Revival Movie]] flopped badly.) We're giving this one to ''[[Star Trek]]''.

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| ''[[Survivor]]'' || ''[[Big Brother]]'' || Musical Chairs [[Reality Show]] || [[Country Mouse]] vs. [[City Mouse]]. It should be noted that, in the United States, both shows are "on the same side" since [[CBS|one network]] airs them both. || In the US? ''Survivor''. Outside the US? Arguably ''[[Big Brother]]''.

|-

| ''Thief'' || ''[[Heist]]'' || [[Damn, It Feels Good to Be a Gangster!|Glamourous gangster]] drama. || Subtle character drama vs. glitzy action series. || ~~Neither -- both~~ shows had single-digit episode counts; ''Thief'' was a miniseries that never saw renewal, though it did win Andre Braugher an Emmy.

| ''Thief'' || ''[[Heist]]'' || [[Damn, It Feels Good to Be a Gangster!|Glamourous gangster]] drama. || Subtle character drama vs. glitzy action series. || Neither—both shows had single-digit episode counts; ''Thief'' was a miniseries that never saw renewal, though it did win Andre Braugher an Emmy.

|-

| ''[[That Was Then]]'' || ''[[Do Over]]'' || [[The Eighties|80's]] [[Flash Back]] to [[High School]]. || One was a drama, the other a sitcom. || Neither was too successful; the [[Friday Night Death Slot]] and a concept only network execs enjoyed killed them both.

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| ''[[Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip]]'' || ''[[30 Rock|Thirty Rock]]'' || [[NBC]] Behind The Scenes of a [[Variety Show]] titled by its studio's multiple-of-30 address. || ''Studio'' is a [[Aaron Sorkin|Sorkin]] drama, ''30 Rock'' is a straight [[Sitcom]]. Plus, they're on the same network -- [[NBC]], which ''also'' has [[Saturday Night Live|the closest thing to the shows they go behind-the-scenes of!]] || ''30 Rock'' has made it to five seasons and counting, while ''Studio 60'' got the axe. It should be noted that NBC staff couldn't decide which one to greenlight, so they greenlit ''both''.

|-

| ''[[The Chair]]'' || ''[[The Chamber]]'' || [[Kimodameshi]] [[Game Show~~|Game Shows~~]] in which contestants were tortured. || ''The Chamber'' was perhaps more torturous; ''The Chair'' had a better known host. || Neither American version lasted 10 episodes, both beaten by the far less stressful ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?]]''.

| ''[[The Chair]]'' || ''[[The Chamber]]'' || [[Kimodameshi]] [[Game Show]]s in which contestants were tortured. || ''The Chamber'' was perhaps more torturous; ''The Chair'' had a better known host. || Neither American version lasted 10 episodes, both beaten by the far less stressful ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?]]''.

|-

| ''Bull'' || ''The $treet'' || Wall Street drama. || Pretty much the same. || Both were gone after one season, as apparently, [[Wall Street]] was better as a movie.

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| ''[[Homicide: Life On the Street]]'' || ''Angel Street'' || Rival cop shows set in the inner cities (Baltimore in the former, Chicago in the latter) with eerily similar premises. || ''Homicide'' (based on a book by [[David Simon]]) was greenlit first but ''Angel Street'' (shot under the name ''Polish Hill'') hit the airwaves first. A screening of the pilot revealed similarities between the two shows, leading Simon and producer Barry Levinson to consider a plagiarism lawsuit. || ''Homicide'', easily. ''Angel Street'' was canceled eight episodes while ''Homicide'' ran seven seasons and launched Simon's career in television.

|-

|''[[American Guns]]''|| ''[[Sons of Guns]]''|| Somewhat eccentric and abrasive gun shop owners make equally eccentric [[BFG~~|BFGs~~]] [[Index of the Week|Of The Week]]. || Oddly enough, ''both'' air on [[Discovery Channel]] ''simultaneously'', just two nights apart. The main differences end up settling on the shops' own specialties and eccentricities, with ''American Guns'' capitalizing on its "[[Old West]]" theme. || ''American Guns'' just started its freshman season, while ''Sons of Guns'' will complete at least two. Rumors and rumblings with production problems concerning ''Sons'' suggests ''American Guns'' may have been picked up as "insurance."

|''[[American Guns]]''|| ''[[Sons of Guns]]''|| Somewhat eccentric and abrasive gun shop owners make equally eccentric [[BFG]]s [[Index of the Week|Of The Week]]. || Oddly enough, ''both'' air on [[Discovery Channel]] ''simultaneously'', just two nights apart. The main differences end up settling on the shops' own specialties and eccentricities, with ''American Guns'' capitalizing on its "[[Old West]]" theme. || ''American Guns'' just started its freshman season, while ''Sons of Guns'' will complete at least two. Rumors and rumblings with production problems concerning ''Sons'' suggests ''American Guns'' may have been picked up as "insurance."

|-

| ''[[Doctor Who]]'' (post-2005) || ''[[Primeval]]'' || Time-travelling adventure shows, based first and foremost at children but written with adults in mind. || The shows were produced by and screened on the UK's two biggest broadcasters; [[The BBC]] in the case of ''Doctor Who'', and [[ITV]] for ''Primeval''. || ''Doctor Who'' was definitely the overall winner, as it had better ratings, generally better reviews, and spawned a series of spin-offs. ''Primeval'' couldn't quite boast the same level of success, but it wasn't a failure for ITV in any sense of the ~~word -- in~~ fact, it was widely regarded as one of their best shows since the turn of the century.

| ''[[Doctor Who]]'' (post-2005) || ''[[Primeval]]'' || Time-travelling adventure shows, based first and foremost at children but written with adults in mind. || The shows were produced by and screened on the UK's two biggest broadcasters; [[The BBC]] in the case of ''Doctor Who'', and [[ITV]] for ''Primeval''. || ''Doctor Who'' was definitely the overall winner, as it had better ratings, generally better reviews, and spawned a series of spin-offs. ''Primeval'' couldn't quite boast the same level of success, but it wasn't a failure for ITV in any sense of the word—in fact, it was widely regarded as one of their best shows since the turn of the century.

|-

| ''[[Pimp My Ride]]'' (MTV) || ''Overhaulin''' (TLC) || [[Alleged Car~~|Alleged Cars~~]] are turned into customized [[Cool Car~~|Cool Cars~~]] || ''[[Pimp My Ride]]'' is formatted more like ''[[Extreme Makeover]]'': The hooptie of the week is collected and the show follows the process of [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|"pimping the car out."]] ''Overhaulin'' goes half-"Makeover", half-[[Punked]], with the car's owner tricked into thinking his/her car has been stolen, impounded, or towed and the show's hosts giving them the run-around while the mechanics do their thing. || While both had long runs (Pimp - 6 seasons, Overhaulin - 5), Pimp was far more popular, spawning several spin-offs and [[Memetic Mutation|memes]]<ref>Yo Dawg! We heard you like hottipes!</ref>.

| ''[[Pimp My Ride]]'' (MTV) || ''Overhaulin''' (TLC) || [[Alleged Car]]s are turned into customized [[Cool Car]]s || ''[[Pimp My Ride]]'' is formatted more like ''[[Extreme Makeover]]'': The hooptie of the week is collected and the show follows the process of [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|"pimping the car out."]] ''Overhaulin'' goes half-"Makeover", half-[[Punked]], with the car's owner tricked into thinking his/her car has been stolen, impounded, or towed and the show's hosts giving them the run-around while the mechanics do their thing. || While both had long runs (Pimp - 6 seasons, Overhaulin - 5), Pimp was far more popular, spawning several spin-offs and [[Memetic Mutation|memes]].<ref>Yo Dawg! We heard you like hottipes!</ref>

|-

| ''[[Weeds]]'' || ''[[Breaking Bad]]'' || Suburbanites turn to drug dealing to provide for their families. || ''Weeds'' is about a widowed soccer mom who deals pot, while ''Breaking Bad'' is about a chemistry teacher dying of lung cancer who cooks crystal meth. Also, while ''Weeds'' started out as a [[Black Comedy]] before it underwent [[Cerebus Syndrome]], ''Breaking Bad'' was very dark from the beginning... and things only got [[Darker and Edgier|more bleak]] from there. || Both shows are critically acclaimed, though ''Breaking Bad'' has higher ratings and a much longer list of awards under its belt, while ''Weeds'' is entering its eighth season and counting (versus ''Breaking Bad'''s five, at which point the series has a definite end). The real winners here are TV viewers for getting two great shows.

|-

| ''[[Grandma's House]]'' || ''[[Friday Night Dinner]]'' || Sitcoms about dysfunctional Jewish families meeting up regularly for a meal. || ''Grandma's House'' focuses on the generational clash and is written by and stars [[Never Mind the Buzzcocks|Simon Amstell]] [[Adam Westing]]. ''Friday Night Dinner'', written by Robert Popper of ''[[Look Around You]]'', focused more on simple [[Fawlty Towers Plot~~|Fawlty Towers Plots~~]], with a cast including Tamsin Greig and Mark Heap of ''[[Green Wing]]'' and Simon Bird of ''[[The Inbetweeners]]''. || ''Grandma's House'' came first and has recieved generally better reviews, although ''Friday Night Dinner'' has been fairly well recieved too. ''Friday Night Dinner'' was also the first of the two shows to be picked up for a [[Trans Atlantic Equivalent|US remake]].

| ''[[Grandma's House]]'' || ''[[Friday Night Dinner]]'' || Sitcoms about dysfunctional Jewish families meeting up regularly for a meal. || ''Grandma's House'' focuses on the generational clash and is written by and stars [[Never Mind the Buzzcocks|Simon Amstell]] [[Adam Westing]]. ''Friday Night Dinner'', written by Robert Popper of ''[[Look Around You]]'', focused more on simple [[Fawlty Towers Plot]]s, with a cast including Tamsin Greig and Mark Heap of ''[[Green Wing]]'' and Simon Bird of ''[[The Inbetweeners]]''. || ''Grandma's House'' came first and has recieved generally better reviews, although ''Friday Night Dinner'' has been fairly well recieved too. ''Friday Night Dinner'' was also the first of the two shows to be picked up for a [[Trans Atlantic Equivalent|US remake]].

|-

| ''[[The IT Crowd]]'' || ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'' || Socially awkward nerds befriend a woman who knows nothing about technology or geek culture. || ''The Big Bang Theory'' is a fairly straight American [[Sitcom]] with [[Soap Opera]] elements. ''The IT Crowd'' is a surreal British [[Work Com]] more along the lines of Graham Linehan's previous series ''[[Black Books]]''. || Each one is popular in its country of origin. Graham Linehan referenced the supposed feud when he claimed intelligence reports said Bin Laden watched the ''The IT Crowd''... only to reveal it was actually ''Big Bang Theory''.

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|-

| ''Ferris Bueller'' || ''Parker Lewis Can't Lose'' || [[Sitcom]] about a [[High School Hustler]]. || Both aired in the very early ~~90s -- the~~ former on [[NBC]], the latter on [[FOX]]. And they were both an attempt to make a viable show out of the movie ''[[Ferris Bueller's Day Off|Ferris Buellers Day Off]]''. || ''Parker Lewis'' was generally regarded as being of higher quality, and ultimately got three seasons. ''Ferris'' got one.

| ''Ferris Bueller'' || ''Parker Lewis Can't Lose'' || [[Sitcom]] about a [[High School Hustler]]. || Both aired in the very early 90s—the former on [[NBC]], the latter on [[FOX]]. And they were both an attempt to make a viable show out of the movie ''[[Ferris Bueller's Day Off|Ferris Buellers Day Off]]''. || ''Parker Lewis'' was generally regarded as being of higher quality, and ultimately got three seasons. ''Ferris'' got one.

|-

| ''[[Blood Ties]]'' || ''[[Moonlight]]'' || Short-lived [[Vampire Detective Series]]. || The similarities are probably more due to the nature of the genre rather than direct copying. || Neither lasted more than a season. The lessons learned were applied to the later ''[[The Vampire Diaries|Vampire Diaries]]'' to much better success.

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| ''[[Joan of Arcadia]]'' || ''[[Wonderfalls]]'' || [[Too Good to Last]] [[Magic Realism]] [[Dramedy|Dramedies]], each featuring a [[Weirdness Magnet]] heroine, who's stuck in a dead-end job and starts hearing voices telling her to do things. || Both premiered in the same year. || ''[[Wonderfalls]]'' was canceled after one season, while ''Joan'' managed to last a couple of seasons before [[Executive Meddling]] [[Second Season Downfall|wrecked it]]. But really, both were good shows that got killed off, so who lost? The viewers.

|-

| ''[[Ghost Whisperer]]'' || ''[[Medium]]'' || Supernaturally-enhanced crime dramas. || The former sees ghosts; the latter has premonitions. Both are backed by "acclaimed" psychics. ''Medium'' started on NBC although it was produced by CBS. ''Whisperer'' began on CBS. When NBC cancelled Medium, CBS picked it up and put on the same night back-to-back with ''Whisperer''. || Moved from [[Dueling Shows]] to complementary shows. After one season together, CBS axed ''Whisperer'' but retained ''Medium.''

| ''[[Ghost Whisperer]]'' || ''[[Medium]]'' || Supernaturally-enhanced crime dramas. || The former sees ghosts; the latter has premonitions. Both are backed by "acclaimed" psychics. ''Medium'' started on NBC although it was produced by CBS. ''Whisperer'' began on CBS. When NBC cancelled Medium, CBS picked it up and put on the same night back-to-back with ''Whisperer''. || Moved from Dueling Shows to complementary shows. After one season together, CBS axed ''Whisperer'' but retained ''Medium.''

|-

| ''[[Living Single]]'' || ''[[Friends]]'' || A group of twenty-something friends/roommates living in New York City ||The most obvious difference was the main cast: ''Single's'' black, female-dominated cast vs. ''Friends'' ' white, gender-balanced cast. ''Living Single'' also tended less soap opera-ish and slightly more reality-based and avoided ''Friends''' mass-[[Flanderization]]. || ''Friends'' lasted ten seasons. ''Living Single'' lasted only five, though the rerun appeal of both programs remain high. ''Friends'' was a huge success internationally, while ''Living Single'' didn't really show up outside of the US. Also, ''Friends'' spawned a (not very successful) spin-off.

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| ''[[Psych]]'' || ''[[The Mentalist]]'' || [[Phony Psychic]] solves actual crimes not through ESP, but an unusually sharp ability to observe and deduce. || Very different in tone, which defrays some of the cries of "ripoff" from ''Psych'' fans. || ''The Mentalist'' is one of CBS's most successful new shows; ''Psych'' isn't quite as big for USA, but is pretty big nonetheless. Lampshaded /ShoutOut-ed/ [[Take That]]-ed in a farewell spot the "Psych" acknowledged [[Monk]] as "the second-most-observant guy I know... well, third after The Mentalist."

|-

| ''The Midnight Special'' || ''Don Kirshner's Rock Concert'' || Ninety minutes of live music by a variety of acts, with occasional taped shows and comedy. || ''Special'' debuted six months before ''Rock Concert''. ''Special'' aired on NBC, ''Rock Concert'' was syndicated. The biggest difference between the shows were the hosts: ''Midnight Special'' had Wolfman Jack as the announcer and a series of guest hosts, ''Rock Concert'' was hosted by Kirshner himself. || Both shows ended in 1981, but ''Midnight Special'' wins here because the concerts are offered on DVD via [[Nostalgia Filter]] [[Infomercial~~|Infomercials~~]], which make them more familiar.

| ''The Midnight Special'' || ''Don Kirshner's Rock Concert'' || Ninety minutes of live music by a variety of acts, with occasional taped shows and comedy. || ''Special'' debuted six months before ''Rock Concert''. ''Special'' aired on NBC, ''Rock Concert'' was syndicated. The biggest difference between the shows were the hosts: ''Midnight Special'' had Wolfman Jack as the announcer and a series of guest hosts, ''Rock Concert'' was hosted by Kirshner himself. || Both shows ended in 1981, but ''Midnight Special'' wins here because the concerts are offered on DVD via [[Nostalgia Filter]] [[Infomercial]]s, which make them more familiar.

|-

| ''The Weakest Link'' || ''Friend or Foe?'' || Antagonistic game show that whittles down team members round by round. Snarky Host.|| ''Friend or Foe'' is the more savage of the two, because while ''Weakest Link'' guarantees one player leaves with money, it was a distinct possibility that nobody could win anything of Friend or Foe. || The gimmickry didn't provide for particularly long runs for ''Friend or Foe'', so ''Weakest Link'' wins.

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| ''[[True Blood]]'' || ''[[The Vampire Diaries]]'' || Based on a book/series, featuring the attraction between a[n apparently] human woman and two vampires. || ''Diaries''' two vampires are brothers, and the older one wants to kill the apparently human woman because she resembles the vampire who sired them; while ''[[True Blood]]'' is an ensemble show that focuses more on vampire "culture" at large. Plus, ''[[True Blood]]'' being on HBO means it can be more liberal in the sex, violence and general edginess department. || Ratings between network and paid HBO are difficult to compare. Also, the reviews seem to mirror each other: Diaries is lauded as a show that is not as kitschy as its marketing, while [[True Blood]] bathes in its kitsch, to its benefit.

|-

| ''[[Leverage]]'' || ''[[White Collar]]'' || Skilled and rather flamboyant thief/thieves are recruited by the good guys to create some [[Asshole Victim~~|Asshole Victims~~]]. ||The difference is with their employers - ''Leverage'''s Nate is initially out for revenge and then takes up the charge to fight evil himself while ''White Collar''s conman is employed by the government.

| ''[[Leverage]]'' || ''[[White Collar]]'' || Skilled and rather flamboyant thief/thieves are recruited by the good guys to create some [[Asshole Victim]]s. ||The difference is with their employers - ''Leverage'''s Nate is initially out for revenge and then takes up the charge to fight evil himself while ''White Collar''s conman is employed by the government.

|-

| ''[[Supernatural (TV series)|Supernatural]]'' || ''Night Stalker'' || A pair of humans investigate paranormal and demonic activity while looking for clues about a particular demon. || ''Night Stalker'', a remake of ''[[Kolchak the Night Stalker]]'', starred [[The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen|Dorian Gray]] and was canceled after one season. || ''Supernatural'' is still around and torturing its two leads for our viewing pleasure.

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| ''[[The First 48]]'' || ''The Squad'' || [[True Crime]] shows [[X Meets Y|merging]] ''[[Cops (series)]]'' and ''[[Homicide: Life On the Street]]'' || ''[[The First 48]]'' covers two cases from different cities like Miami, Dallas, and Memphis. ''The Squad'' follows the Indianapolis PD's Homicide squad exclusively, going more in depth with the cases.

|-

| ''[[Family Matters]]'' || ''[[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]]'' || Family [[Sitcom~~|Sitcoms~~]] staring black families.||Both shows debuted a year apart from each other. Both have the fathers working in law and had heart attacks, annoying [[Drop-In Character|drop in characters]], [[Hollywood Nerd|Hollywood nerds]], the mothers' original actors quitting and [[The Other Darrin|being replaced]], babies who developed [[Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome]] and characters that are not in the intermediate family became the most memorable.|| Both are fondly remembered and were very successful, although thanks to stronger characterization ''Fresh Prince'' got more respect critically.

| ''[[Family Matters]]'' || ''[[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]]'' || Family [[Sitcom]]s staring black families.||Both shows debuted a year apart from each other. Both have the fathers working in law and had heart attacks, annoying [[Drop-In Character|drop in characters]], [[Hollywood Nerd|Hollywood nerds]], the mothers' original actors quitting and [[The Other Darrin|being replaced]], babies who developed [[Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome]] and characters that are not in the intermediate family became the most memorable.|| Both are fondly remembered and were very successful, although thanks to stronger characterization ''Fresh Prince'' got more respect critically.

|-

| ''[[Burn Notice]]'' || ''[[Royal Pains]]'' || A man is blacklisted from his profession and moves to an exotic location to sell his services privately. || Essentially the same premise, but substituting spy for doctor. Another aspect the shows share is the wisecracking and incompetent brother of the main character. Both are on the USA Network. || ''Royal Pains'' has been renewed for a second season. Meanwhile, ''Burn Notice'' recently wrapped up its third season, was renewed for a fourth, and has already been picked up for a fifth ''and'' sixth.

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| ''[[The O'Reilly Factor]]'' || ''[[Countdown with Keith Olbermann]]'' || Hour-long opinion shows featuring hosts with wildly-inflated egos. || Olbermann is the liberal, O'Reilly is the conservative. || Unsurprisingly split among party lines: More conservatives watch O'Reilly's show, while liberals tended to go for Olbermann. In terms of viewership, O'Reilly consistently won, while Olbermann got more Internet buzz. ''Countdown'' was cancelled on MSNBC in 2011 and quickly picked up by Current TV. It enjoyed great success, despite being on an independent and hard-to-find cable network, but in 2012 Olbermann was fired from Current and is [[Incredibly Lame Pun|currently]] off the air. So technically O'Reilly won, but Olbermann's protégés at the two networks ([[The Rachel Maddow Show|Rachel Maddow]], Lawrence O'Donnell, and [[The Young Turks|Cenk Uygur]]) are doing well enough on their own to be considered legacy victories.

|-

| ''[[Knight Rider]]'' || ''Street Hawk'' || An injured police officer is given a new secret identity and a super vehicle to fight crime with. || This time ABC tries to follow NBC's lead on a motorcycle ''without'' a mind of its own. Remote-controlled by the Government. || How many people have actually even ''heard'' of ''Street Hawk''? <ref> Many Indians do. Street Hawk was introduced 'before' satellite television AND Knight Rider. A GI Joe motorcycle and Snake-Eyes toy package were retooled and packaged as a Street Hawk package- before Knight Rider was aired.</ref>

| ''[[Knight Rider]]'' || ''Street Hawk'' || An injured police officer is given a new secret identity and a super vehicle to fight crime with. || This time ABC tries to follow NBC's lead on a motorcycle ''without'' a mind of its own. Remote-controlled by the Government. || How many people have actually even ''heard'' of ''Street Hawk''? <ref>Many Indians do. Street Hawk was introduced 'before' satellite television AND Knight Rider. A GI Joe motorcycle and Snake-Eyes toy package were retooled and packaged as a Street Hawk package- before Knight Rider was aired.</ref>

|-

| ''[[iCarly]]'' || ''[[Sonny With a Chance]]'' || [[Kid Com]] including a [[Show Within a Show]] || [[Ms. Fanservice|Carly]], [[Dogged Nice Guy|Freddie Benson]] and [[Jerk Sue|Sam]] run their own webshow, and deal with growing up. [[Hilarity Ensues]]. [[Fish Out of Water|Sonny Monroe]] joins the cast of a sketch comedy show, and tries to deny falling in love with [[Awesome McCoolname|Chad Dylan Cooper]]. [[Hilarity Ensues]] || Rumours persist that [[Sonny With a Chance]] was ripped off a pitch for what eventually became ''[[iCarly]]''. Whilst Disney's [[Sonny With a Chance]] isn't bad, Nick's iCarly wins ratings wise, and attracts a huge following outside the usual demo's due to constantly [[Getting Crap Past the Radar]], and has a huge Internet following. The latter, however, due to [[Demi Lovato|the lead's departure]], ended up having its [[Show Within a Show]] to be [[So Random|defictionalized.]]

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| ''I Survived...'' (Bio) || ''I'm Alive'' (Animal Planet) || Ordinary people relate their tales of near-death || ''Survived'' focuses on accidents and surviving murder attempts. ''Alive'' deals with animal atacks. || Both are guaranteed to make you feel depressed and hopeless after watching them.

|-

| ''[[Top Gear]]'' || ''Fifth Gear'' || British motoring programme. || Both started in 2002 as attempts to relaunch the [[BBC]]’s original ''Top Gear''. <ref>which began as a serious motoring magazine programme in 1977, became more fun-oriented and controversial around 1988, and was cancelled in 1999.</ref> [[Channel Five]] planned to acquire the name and relaunch the programme ''as was'', but the [[BBC]] wouldn’t sell. In the end, ''Fifth Gear'' [[Serial Numbers Filed Off|employed]] a similar title, along with the magazine format and several of the original show’s presenters. Half a year later, the BBC relaunched ''Top Gear'' with a revamped "automotive fun and games with the lads" format, and much slicker production. || Since the duel started in 2002, they’ve kept roughly level pegging on episode and series numbers. However, ''Top Gear'' rose to become one of the most watched shows in the world. ''Fifth Gear'' didn’t, doing little to improve [[Channel Five]]’s disappointing viewing figures, and had to [[Uncancelled|fend off cancellation]] in 2009.

| ''[[Top Gear]]'' || ''Fifth Gear'' || British motoring programme. || Both started in 2002 as attempts to relaunch the [[BBC]]’s original ''Top Gear''.<ref>which began as a serious motoring magazine programme in 1977, became more fun-oriented and controversial around 1988, and was cancelled in 1999.</ref> [[Channel Five]] planned to acquire the name and relaunch the programme ''as was'', but the [[BBC]] wouldn’t sell. In the end, ''Fifth Gear'' [[Serial Numbers Filed Off|employed]] a similar title, along with the magazine format and several of the original show’s presenters. Half a year later, the BBC relaunched ''Top Gear'' with a revamped "automotive fun and games with the lads" format, and much slicker production. || Since the duel started in 2002, they’ve kept roughly level pegging on episode and series numbers. However, ''Top Gear'' rose to become one of the most watched shows in the world. ''Fifth Gear'' didn’t, doing little to improve [[Channel Five]]’s disappointing viewing figures, and had to [[Uncancelled|fend off cancellation]] in 2009.

|-

| ''[[Life After People]]'' || ''Aftermath: Population Zero'' || What happens after [[After the End]] || Just about the only thing preventing outright intellectual infringement is the fact that both shows are documentaries based on a general concept that's not even original to ''either'' show (cashing in on the "what would happen if humans vanish?" craze due to the book "The World Without Us" the previous year) though ''Aftermath'' features humans disappearing Rapture-style while ''Life After People'' goes out of its way to stay mum on the subject || The National Geographic Channel's ''Aftermath: Population Zero'' remained a one-time special, but after [[The History Channel]] execs discovered that ''Life After People'' was [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/07/AR2008030703256.html?hpid=artslot literally] their highest-rated program ''ever,'' they immediately approved a series version.

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| ''[[Totally Spies]]'' || ''[[Kim Possible]]'' || Cartoon about [[Extraordinarily Empowered Girl|extraordinarily empowered]] [[Teen Superspy|teenage girl superspies]] in [[High School]]. || ''[[Totally Spies]]'' was [[Animesque|more anime-influenced]], while ''[[Kim Possible]]'' stuck with straight-up [[Action Girl]] antics and a strong supporting cast. || Basically a tie. Each show is more popular on its home continent (''Kim Possible'' in America, ''Totally Spies'' in Europe), though Totally Spies ended with an extra season at a later date to its credit in Europe.

|-

| ''[[The Simpsons]]'' || ''[[Family Guy]]'' || Cartoon about a [[Dysfunctional Family]] with a stupid and obnoxious father, a patient and loving wife, two kids and a baby. || [[Dueling Shows]] made by [[FOX|the same network]]. || ''[[The Simpsons]]'' came first, has [[Long Runners|lasted longer]], and is overall the most successful, while ''[[Family Guy]]'' now typically gets higher ratings than ''[[The Simpsons]]'' (although this can vary from week to week). Parodied on this [http://images.paraorkut.com/img/funnypics/images/f/family_guy_simpsons-12654.jpg Mad Magazine cover].

| ''[[The Simpsons]]'' || ''[[Family Guy]]'' || Cartoon about a [[Dysfunctional Family]] with a stupid and obnoxious father, a patient and loving wife, two kids and a baby. || Dueling Shows made by [[FOX|the same network]]. || ''[[The Simpsons]]'' came first, has [[Long Runners|lasted longer]], and is overall the most successful, while ''[[Family Guy]]'' now typically gets higher ratings than ''[[The Simpsons]]'' (although this can vary from week to week). Parodied on this [http://images.paraorkut.com/img/funnypics/images/f/family_guy_simpsons-12654.jpg Mad Magazine cover].

|-

| ''[[South Park]]'' || ''[[The Three Friends and Jerry]]'' || Animated comedies centering around 4 boys and rife with [[Comedic Sociopathy]]. || ''South Park'' was aimed at the 18-34 crowd on [[Comedy Central]], while ''The Three Friends and Jerry'' was a kids' show on ABC Family (then known as Fox Family). Trey Parker, the co-creator of ''South Park'', happens to lend his voice to both shows, oddly enough.|| ''South Park'' lasted much, [[Long Runners|MUCH longer]] than ''The Three Friends and Jerry'', which was forgotten as soon as it came.

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| ''[[American Dragon: Jake Long]]'' || ''[[The Life and Times of Juniper Lee]]'' || Animated [[Supernatural Soap Opera]] about a kid with powers. || Moderate differences, but in both, a young Asian person inherits the mystical mantle of a grandparent, becomes a mediator between the human and magical worlds, and has an irritating opposite-gender younger sibling and a talking pug dog. || Though both shows ran for about the same number of months, ''American Dragon'' has twelve episodes over ''Juniper Lee'' (although this was a standard [[Disney]] practice of stretching out seasons). ''Juniper Lee'' however has the advantage of getting three seasons whereas ''American Dragon'' only got two and even a DVD release of the first season ([[No Export for You|albeit only in Australia]]). Of the two series though, ''American Dragon'' is more well remembered while ''Juniper'' is more a [[Cult Classic]].

|-

| ''[[WITCH (animation)|WITCH]]'' || ''[[Winx Club]]'' || [[Animesque]] [[Sentai]] show with [[Magical Girl~~|Magical Girls~~]]. || Somewhat similar shows that both originated in Italy, except ''[[WITCH (animation)|WITCH]]'' has a bigger budget and scripts with less [[Filler|fluff]]. Many of the similarities were introduced through the adaptations. || In America, the Winx had broadcast TV coverage from day 1 while the Guardians started on cable, so the Winx ended up clobbering them [[Ratings]]-wise and have now outlasted their dueling counterparts. On the other hands, the popularity of ''[[WITCH (animation)|WITCH]]'' as a comic book series completely eclipses that of ''[[Winx Club]]'' as a cartoon series.

| ''[[WITCH (animation)|WITCH]]'' || ''[[Winx Club]]'' || [[Animesque]] [[Sentai]] show with [[Magical Girl]]s. || Somewhat similar shows that both originated in Italy, except ''[[WITCH (animation)|WITCH]]'' has a bigger budget and scripts with less [[Filler|fluff]]. Many of the similarities were introduced through the adaptations. || In America, the Winx had broadcast TV coverage from day 1 while the Guardians started on cable, so the Winx ended up clobbering them [[Ratings]]-wise and have now outlasted their dueling counterparts. On the other hands, the popularity of ''[[WITCH (animation)|WITCH]]'' as a comic book series completely eclipses that of ''[[Winx Club]]'' as a cartoon series.

|-

| ''[[Transformers Generation 1]]'' || ''[[Challenge of the Go Bots]]'' || [[Sentai]] show with [[Transforming Mecha]]. || ''[[Challenge of the Go Bots]]'' seems to be the obvious pale knockoff... so it comes as a surprise to many that the ''[[Go Bots]]'' toys [[Older Than They Think|actually predated]] ''Transformers'' by two years. Nonetheless, the ''cartoon'' Autobots beat the Go Bots to TV by a month. || ''[[Transformers]]'' became a [[Cash Cow Franchise]] that's still going strong some twenty-five years later. ''[[Go Bots]]'' faded into obscurity and became [[Anyone Remember Pogs|a punchline]] on purpose, mainly because Hasbro ended up later buying [[Go Bots]]'s company and locked down the copyrights completely in order to keep "Transformers" in the public eye.

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| ''[[Drawn Together]]'' || ''[[Total Drama Island]]'' || [[Animated Series|Animated]] [[Reality Show]] parodies. || ''[[Drawn Together]]'' is modelled after ''[[The Real World]]'', and the reality premise takes a secondary role to the characters and jokes. ''[[Total Drama Island]]'' is modelled after competition shows like ''[[Survivor]]'', and the reality aspect is crucial to the series. Also, while ''Total Drama Island'' is for younger viewers, ''[[Drawn Together]]'' most assuredly is NOT. || ''Drawn Together'' had three seasons and a movie; ''Total Drama Island'' has three seasons and a planned fourth. However, the fanbase for ''Total Drama Island'' outweighs its competition, especially since it is still ongoing.

|-

| ''[[Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs]]'' || ''[[Bravestarr]]'' and ''[[Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers]]'' || [[Space Western]] [[Animated Series]] with [[Mechanical Horse~~|Mechanical Horses~~]]. || ''Saber Rider'' was the first of these shows; its original Japanese version, ''[[Sei Juushi Bismarck]]'', aired in 1984. In America, ''[[Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers|Galaxy Rangers]]'' came first in 1986, with the other two shows following in 1987. ''[[Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers|Galaxy Rangers]]'' was [[Darker and Edgier]] than its competitors and seems to have the biggest fan following today, although none of the series did very well in America. || ''Bravestarr'' is the best known of the three outside of the animation fandom, but ''Rangers'' is the most popular within that fandom.

| ''[[Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs]]'' || ''[[Bravestarr]]'' and ''[[Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers]]'' || [[Space Western]] [[Animated Series]] with [[Mechanical Horse]]s. || ''Saber Rider'' was the first of these shows; its original Japanese version, ''[[Sei Juushi Bismarck]]'', aired in 1984. In America, ''[[Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers|Galaxy Rangers]]'' came first in 1986, with the other two shows following in 1987. ''[[Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers|Galaxy Rangers]]'' was [[Darker and Edgier]] than its competitors and seems to have the biggest fan following today, although none of the series did very well in America. || ''Bravestarr'' is the best known of the three outside of the animation fandom, but ''Rangers'' is the most popular within that fandom.

|-

| ''[[Xiaolin Showdown]]'' || ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'' || [[Animesque]] martial arts shows influenced by Chinese mythology and the classical elements. || ''Avatar'' was more mythological and story driven with well-developed characters, while ''Xiaolin Showdown'' was more merchandise driven. || Although both shows were quite good and lasted for the same amount of seasons, ''Avatar'' is the clear winner, with a larger fanbase, more episodes, better writing, a [[The Last Airbender|live action movie]], and a [[Sequel Series]] in ''[[The Legend of Korra]]''.

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| ''[[Hey Arnold!]]'' || ''[[Recess]]'' || A group of fourth grade kids and their usual adventures with their friends || ''[[Hey Arnold!]]'' didn't have school as its main focus (while a bunch of episodes focused on school, it wasn't the main point of the show), while ''[[Recess]]'' focuses more on the kids at school. || Tie. Both are very well-remembered and have a following among adults, as well as having a similar run time and both having feature films. However, ''Recess'' got two direct-to-video specials after the show ended, and was shown in repeats on a daily basis until recently.

|-

| ''[[Garfield and Friends]]'' || ''[[Eek the Cat]]'' || Comedic [[Three Shorts|multiple-segment]] [[Saturday Morning Cartoon]] about a wisecracking [[Fat Cat]] who lives with an annoying owner, has lots of misadventures, and dislikes dogs with a passion. || Both cartoons have the same art design for some characters, and they even have a second segment that has very different characters<ref>''Garfield'' had ''U.S. Acres'', while ''Eek!'' had ''The Terrible Thunderlizards''</ref>, but ''[[Eek the Cat]]'' seems a bit [[Darker and Edgier]] than ''[[Garfield and Friends]]''. || While both are very well-known and well-remembered, ''Garfield and Friends'' is part of the ''[[Garfield]]'' franchise, which in turn is the most profitable comic strip ever, with lots of merchandise, books, movies, and animated cartoons.

| ''[[Garfield and Friends]]'' || ''[[Eek the Cat]]'' || Comedic [[Three Shorts|multiple-segment]] [[Saturday Morning Cartoon]] about a wisecracking [[Fat Cat]] who lives with an annoying owner, has lots of misadventures, and dislikes dogs with a passion. || Both cartoons have the same art design for some characters, and they even have a second segment that has very different characters,<ref>''Garfield'' had ''U.S. Acres'', while ''Eek!'' had ''The Terrible Thunderlizards''</ref> but ''[[Eek the Cat]]'' seems a bit [[Darker and Edgier]] than ''[[Garfield and Friends]]''. || While both are very well-known and well-remembered, ''Garfield and Friends'' is part of the ''[[Garfield]]'' franchise, which in turn is the most profitable comic strip ever, with lots of merchandise, books, movies, and animated cartoons.

|-

| ''[[Denver, the Last Dinosaur]]'' || ''Dink the Little Dinosaur'' || Animated series about dinosaurs having adventures and a [[Green Aesop]] or two. || Denver had a one-year head start, aired in syndication and was set in modern-day while Dink came a year later (inspired partly by ''[[The Land Before Time]]'', released inbetween the two shows), was aired by CBS and took place in the Stone Age. || Both shows ran two seasons but ''Denver the Last Dinosaur'' is more fondly remembered and had more episodes (50 vs. 21) than ''Dink''.