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They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and in the streaming world, there seems to be a lot of flattery going around.
Apple TV+’s drama series La Maison, which premieres Friday, is just the latest example. The French-language series is set in the fashion world, but with enough business rivalries, scandals, and high-stakes family business decisions that it is already being compared to HBO’s Succession, which ended its run last spring. La Maison isn’t the only show whose similarities to the award-winning drama have been noted. HBO’s very own Industry has also drawn similar comparisons.
Sounds familiar: There are plenty of other shows to choose from that share similar enough premises or themes to draw comparisons among viewers and critics alike. Apple TV+’s 2023 drama The Buccaneers, which follows young American women navigating British society (in corsets, of course) to find love and status, has been compared to Netflix’s Bridgerton due to the similar time periods, romances, costumes, and balls. The same can be said for Prime Video’s 2024 entry My Lady Jane, which was recently canceled after one season: “Bridgerton Walked So My Lady Jane Could Trot,” one Vanity Fair headline reads.
Or take Max’s satirical black comedy The White Lotus, which has plenty of company when it comes to shows poking fun at the rich. Apple TV+’s Palm Royale, which focuses on late 1960s high society in Palm Beach, Florida, “could be a great replacement for The White Lotus,” Screenrant wrote. If that’s not up your alley, Netflix’s The Perfect Couple, a murder mystery about a wealthy family in Nantucket, has also drawn comparisons to The White Lotus.
It’s worth noting that shows can take years to develop, meaning that making programming inspired by recent hits is a not-so-easy feat. (And humans are keen on drawing comparisons, the old thief of joy, whenever we can.) But streamers are facing down budget cuts while they try to meet viewer demand for different kinds of programming, and are certainly trying to figure out which shows will be hits before sinking money into them. And they’ve already shown a willingness to prioritize preexisting IP and tried-and-true storylines to try to guarantee success before a show is even released.
No matter the reason, it’s a good time to be a TV fan looking for more of the same fare. Catch us wondering if we’ll see an Emily in Paris-like series anytime soon.
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