[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Advertising]]
->"It's not that original, but it's super affordable."
-->-- '''Advertising/TheBurgerKing''' on the BK Breakfast Muffin Sandwitch, a blatant rip-off of the UsefulNotes/McDonalds Sausage Egg [=McMuffin=]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
->''"That's how culture spreads. When someone has a new idea, it's immediately copied. It's only natural for this to happen. Your job as the original is to publish magazines that are of a higher quality."''
-->-- '''U.N. Mediator''', ''Literature/HumanityHasDeclined''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
->''"See, this is the problem when you have an original idea. Five seconds later you've got a million copycats."''
-->-- '''Greg Heffley''', ''Literature/DiaryOfAWimpyKid''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
->'''TSA Agent:''' NCIS? That anything like ''Series/{{CSI}}''?\\
'''Tony [=DiNozzo=]:''' [[LampshadeHanging Only if you're dyslexic.]]
-->-- ''Series/{{NCIS}}'', "Yankee White"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
->''See I invented Kanye, it wasn't any Kanyes\\
And now I look and look around and there's so many Kanyes''
-->-- '''Music/KanyeWest''', "I Love Kanye"

->''Word of mouth,\\
this is what everyone is talking about.\\
So you can tell somebody\\
to tell somebody\\
that the next big thing\\
is the same old thing''
-->-- '''John Reuben''', "Word of Mouth"

->''Don't send in the clones\\
They're already'' here''
-->-- '''Alan Chapman''', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neeJrIqlQNI "Everybody Wants to Be Sondheim"]]

->''Yeah, I got a deal and so did John Prine\\
Steve Forbert and [[Music/BruceSpringsteen Springsteen]], all in a line\\
They were lookin' for you, signin' up others\\
We were "New Bob Dylans!" ...Your dumbass kid brothers''
-->-- '''Loudon Wainwright III''', "Talking New Bob Dylan"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Podcasts]]
->"Something that jumps up from the crowd -- only to hit its head on the ceiling -- is always better in my eyes than the games that keep their heads down and risk nothing."
-->-- '''[[http://kitalexharrison.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html Kit Harrison]]''', ''Podcast/{{MachineCAST}}''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
->''"I invented the FirstPersonShooter, you know. Wish I hadn't bothered now. Have you seen how many of the things there are? I expect there's even [[ASpaceMarineIsYou a space marine in this game]] somewhere."''
-->-- '''The Lord of Games''', ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooieNutsAndBolts''

->Will ''VideoGame/MonsterRancher'' rival ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}''? Doubtful -- The monsters just aren't cute enough.
-->-- '''Magazine/NintendoPower'''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
->''"I know they copy [[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft WoW]], and I know they do it because they hope THIS time they will take a slice of [=WoW=] market and maybe make everybody there rich... I also know with so many [[MassivelyMultiplayerOnlineRolePlayingGame MMORPGs]] doing the same thing, they will be luck[y] if instead of a slice, they get even some crumbles."''
-->-- '''''Webcomic/NerfNow''''', [[http://www.nerfnow.com/comic/749 "Clone"]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
->''Why the fuck is business-savvy ComicBook/LexLuthor pulling plays from ComicBook/TheJoker rulebook of [[TerroristsWithoutACause terrorism]]? And while I totally get that it's a topical subject, my issue isn't that Lex Luthor is invoking Al Qaeda to get his way... but rather that ''[[StupidEvil he has no way to get]].
-->-- '''[[https://www.cracked.com/blog/why-best-joker-was-worst-thing-superhero-films/ David Christopher Bell]]''' on ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'' and ''Film/TheDarkKnight''

->''All right buckle the fuck up kids, it's the year 2012 and I've just been handed what should be an easy editing gig by my senior editor. It's a vampire erotica story because one of the final Film/{{Twilight}} movies is about to come out, and everything is vampires. Everything. I haven't edited a single thing in months which isn't about vampires.''
-->-- '''Joy Demorra''' [[https://thebibliosphere.tumblr.com/post/140364171806/crucifix-nail-nipples describing]] a SoBadItsGood vampire story
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Videos]]
->"In super happy videogame land, some things are about as sure as the sun coming up. One is, if a game is successful there will be a {{sequel|itis}}, the other is if a game is successful, it will be copied.""
-->-- '''Bajo''', ''Series/GoodGame'' (23rd November 2009 Episode)

->''THE THREE SCARIEST THINGS TO PUT IN YOUR DUMB {{INDIE|GAME}} HORROR GAME:\\\
1) ENDLESS FORESTS OF PURE BOREDOM,\\
2) RUNNING AROUND LIKE AN IDIOT, COLLECTING PAPER SCRAPS,\\
3) [[Franchise/TheSlenderManMythos SLENDERMAN]]''
-->-- '''[[LetsPlay/GamingGarbage Rich "Lowtax" Kyanka - Video Game Abomination Broadcasting/Gaming Garbage]]''', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwzAcv2g0xE&list=UUPoSHO-OOTb0rqZr6bJlMkQ Slenderman: Nightmares from the Internet]]

->"Now everybody wants to be like ''Franchise/ToyStory'', everybody goes for the same formula, a CG animated film with bright colors, a lot of creativity, dialogue that’s very modern, almost like stuff you’d hear on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', a simple story that actually manages to rope in some comedy and, surprisingly, even a little drama, and focusing more on the writing than the actual effects themselves."
-->-- '''Creator/DougWalker''', ''Disneycember: WesternAnimation/ToyStory1''

->"You'll never be as popular as ''Franchise/FiveNightsAtFreddys'', so stop copying it, you bellends!"
-->-- '''[[WebVideo/{{Jimquisition}} James Stephanie Sterling]]''', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiV2hrpufLM The Golden Sins Of Horror Games]]''

->"Bandwagoning in the games industry has ''always'' been stupid, as far too many games publishers still think simply copying a successful game will also copy its success. But it was ''especially'' fucking short-sighted to try and flood the market with games explicitly designed to suck up a lot of the user's time and money. You just can't do that! Time and money is finite, as are the people spending it. There was absolutely zero sustainability in essentially strip-mining an audience."
-->-- '''[[WebVideo/{{Jimquisition}} James Stephanie Sterling]]''', on why this went wrong when it came to the "live service" craze, ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv0PyD6A79E Announcellation: Entertainment Media Is Losing Its Mind]]''

->''[It]'' led to a host of other manga trying to replicate ''[[Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar North Star]]''[='=]s success, with some even completely changing direction to become more like it, such as ''Manga/SakigakeOtokojuku'', which started off life as an oddball tough-guy gag manga, but by 1987 had transformed into a full-blown ''North Star'' clone, complete with martial arts, pressure points, and the [[SerialNumbersFiledOff intellectual-property-shattering]] line, ''[[YouAreAlreadyDead "You're late in realizing it. From the moment our fists met, you were already enchanted by the death god."]]'' ''Sakigake'' was not alone in this regard: ''Kirara'' was basically ''Fist of the North Star'' in high school, ''Sekiryo'' was Samurai ''North Star'', and ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' was ''Fist of the North Star'' if written by a crazy person."
-->-- '''WebVideo/SuperEyepatchWolf''', "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIh85_bCudk What Shonen Jump Was Like 30 Years Ago]]"

->"So, experience the original masterpiece that inspired [[DieHardOnAnX countless knock-offs]], like:\\
[[Film/{{Speed}} "Die Hard" on a Bus]],\\
[[Film/{{Daylight}} "Die Hard" in a tunnel]],\\
[[Film/{{Cliffhanger}} "Die Hard" on a mountain]],\\
[[Film/OlympusHasFallen "Die Hard" in the White House]],\\
[[Film/WhiteHouseDown "Die Hard" in the White House 2]],\\
[[Film/PaulBlartMallCop "Die Hard" in a mall]],\\
[[Film/Speed2CruiseControl "Die Hard" on a boat]],\\
[[Film/UnderSiege "Die Hard" on this other boat]],\\
[[Film/SuddenDeath "Die Hard" in a rink]],\\
[[Film/UnderSiege2DarkTerritory "Die Hard" on a train]],\\
[[Film/{{Passenger57}} "Die Hard" in a plane]],\\
[[Film/ExecutiveDecision "Die Hard" in another plane]],\\
[[Film/AirForceOne "Die Hard" in the president's plane]],\\
[[Film/SnakesOnAPlane "Die Hard" in a plane, with snakes,]]\\
and [[Film/AGoodDayToDieHard "Die Hard", but awful]]."
-->-- '''WebVideo/HonestTrailers''' for ''Film/DieHard'' (or as they call it, [[ShapedLikeItself "Die Hard" in a Building]])

->"And I'm not going to lie, one of main things that did cement it as number one status here is the influence of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''. How many shows on this list that I mentioned alone were clearly inspired by ''Family Guy''?"
-->-- '''WebVideo/TheMysteriousMrEnter''', "The Top 10 Worst Cartoons of the 2010s"

->"It is an unfortunate fact of life in the world of entertainment that the unique is rarely successful, and, indeed, that the successful is rarely unique. And when the dread god Cthulhu in his cosmic throne crosses his legs and sneakily cracks one off, causing the stars to align and [[VideoGame/{{Portal}} something to come out]] that is unique ''and'' successful, it's all but a guarantee that it will not be remaining unique for very long, as [[VideoGame/{{Qube}} the]] [[VideoGame/QuantumConundrum imitators]] arrive to bring out a few golden calves for everyone to worship while [[VideoGame/Portal2 Moses]] is fannying about up the mountain. ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'', for example, was a great game, and pretty unique in this day and age for having gameplay more complex than a fucking traffic light, so here comes ''VideoGame/LordsOfTheFallen'' to hoover up everyone still milling around in the same comfort zone."
-->--'''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation''', review of ''VideoGame/LordsOfTheFallen''

->"Truly good and original games are like the itchy spots you get from a venereal disease. A product of love that’s satisfying to scratch, yes, but soon there’ll be a lot more of the buggers and none of them will be as interesting as the first. Case in point, ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]''. 'Ooh, we like this game,' we said to the soulless [[Series/DoctorWho daleks]] that run the games industry. 'We think it’s atmospheric and mechanically intricate and offers a bold new take on the interactive narrative experience.' [{{Beat}}] 'Also, it made a lot of money.' 'REPLICATE! REPLICATE! REGURGITATE!'"
-->--'''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation''', review of ''VideoGame/ImmortalsFenyxRising''

->"''Nobody told me. Nobody told me to do this. [=YouTubers=] be talking all that bullcrap (laughs, then starts mocking his past self) "A few of my friends told me-" Nah. (laughs again) You ain't slick, big fella. You saw somebody do it and was like, let me get them views.''"
-->-- '''WebVideo/CoryxKenshin''', "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZotkBy0gRCE&t=275s WAIT, WHAT HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN GOOGLING!? | I Google Myself]]"

->'''Producer:''' It's just too bad that I guess we'll never get to see the iconic "King Kong climbing a skyscraper" thing if he's the size of one.\\
'''Screenwriter:''' Yeah well it's a necessary sacrifice 'cause he has to be big enough to fight Godzilla in a couple years, remember?\\
'''Producer:''' Oh, true, we're making this into a cinematic universe!\\
'''Screenwriter:''' We sure are, sir. Praise [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse Marvel]].\\
'''Producer:''' Praise Marvel to you as well, my child.
-->-- '''WebVideo/ScreenRantPitchMeetings''' on ''Film/KongSkullIsland''

->If you're thinking to yourself that this seems a lot like ''VideoGame/PapersPlease'', I have no idea if you're correct or not. This is ''Border Officer''. Very different. "Legally distinct" (probably) from ''Papers, Please''. And it involves you being an officer at the border. ''Very'' different. You have to inspect people's documentation and see them through the border. '''''Very different'''''.
-->-- '''WebVideo/{{Markiplier}}''', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZtQoQR-40U Border Officer]]''

->Back in the early-to-mid-2010s, there was this very specific era of very short-lived {{teen drama}}s that were essentially just shameless copycats of ''Series/PrettyLittleLiars''. Studios were trying really hard to capitalize on the craze because ''PLL'' had taken over the world incredibly fast and had an entire generation of teenagers and young adults in a chokehold. They all wanted a murder/conspiracy mystery show with [[DawsonCasting hot teenage characters played by actors in their thirties]] to go on for several seasons by cultivating an obsessive audience.
-->-- '''Friendly Space Ninja''', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFJ-j2ot8Gw The Worst Teen Dramas of All Time]]''

->Like so many failed blockbusters, ''Film/{{Power Rangers|2017}}'' tried to do a little bit of everything that was popular at the time, and came out about as bland as you can get.
-->-- '''Captain Midnight''', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7naBQMq2eB0 Power Rangers (2017) - How to Doom a Franchise]]''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
->''"Animation is built on plagiarism! If it weren't for someone plagiarizing ''Series/TheHoneymooners'', we wouldn't have ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones''. If someone hadn't ripped off ''[[Series/ThePhilSilversShow Sergeant Bilko]]'', there'd be no ''WesternAnimation/TopCat''. [[WesternAnimation/TheHuckleberryHoundShow Huckleberry Hound]], [[CelebrityParadox Chief Wiggum]], WesternAnimation/YogiBear? Hah! [[Series/TheAndyGriffithShow Andy Griffith]], Creator/EdwardGRobinson, [[Series/TheHoneymooners Art Carney]]."''
-->-- '''Roger Meyers, Jr.''', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''

->''"The easiest way to be popular is to leech off the popularity of others."''
-->-- '''Patty Bouvier''', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
->"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."
-->-- '''Creator/OscarWilde'''

->"Imitation is the sincerest form of television."
-->-- '''Fred Allen'''

->''In the wake of its outsized success, seemingly every sitcom on television was a ''Series/{{Friends}}'' knockoff. There was working-class ''Friends'' (''Series/TheDrewCareyShow''), gay ''Friends'' (''Series/WillAndGrace''), guy ''Friends'' (''Series/MenBehavingBadly''), girl ''Friends'' (''Series/CarolineInTheCity''), black ''Friends'' (''Series/LivingSingle''), nerdy ''Friends'' (''Series/TheBigBangTheory''), and rebooted ''Friends'' (''Series/HowIMetYourMother''). Everywhere you turned on TV, there was a posse of pals sitting around a living room or a bar or a coffee shop or a science lab, trading quips and exchanging furtive glances.''
-->--'''Saul Austerlitz''' in ''Sitcom: A History in 24 Episodes''

->"Find a fish tougher and more terrible than [[ThreateningShark the great white]]."
-->-- '''Creator/DinoDeLaurentiis''' to ''Film/OrcaTheKillerWhale''[='=]s future producer Luciano Vincenzoni after seeing ''Film/{{Jaws}}''

->"If any human being on the planet is responsible for the soulless, mindless regurgitation of old Disney characters and designs, it is him. Don't even get me started on his story-sense. His track record speaks for itself. Every movie he has made is a crazy-quilt of borrowed superficialities, completely devoid of wit, humor or genuine emotion."
-->--Disney director '''Kirk Wise''' on Creator/DonBluth

->''I remember feeling really pissed off with Australia, because not only the industry itself but the audience needed America or England to tell them what was good music, and we'd been basically playing the same kind of stuff.''
-->-- '''Music/NickCave''', ''Long Way to the Top: Stories of Australian Rock & Roll''

->"The creators of the 'grim and gritty' comics that followed in ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}''[='=]s wake are like 1960s musicians who declared, 'Music/TheBeatles have revolutionized popular music! ''We must copy their haircuts!''[='=]"
-->-- '''Creator/AdamCadre'''

->"Fox Publications was the poverty row of comics, their characters all completely and utterly derivative. I once asked the creator of the ComicBook/BlueBeetle, their most important character, what on earth possessed him to create this character named after a bug. He told me, in two words: ''[[Series/TheGreenHornet Green Hornet]]''. Well, there you go."
-->-- '''Creator/JimSteranko''', ''Superheroes: A Never Ending Battle''

->''They were so impressed with the success of the ''ComicBook/AgeOfApocalypse'' event done with the ComicBook/XMen books that they thought it could easily be replicated with the ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' line. The biggest difference between the two stunts was that ''Age of Apocalypse'' was a well planned, conceptually strong, story-driven project that was generated by the ''ComicBook/XMen'' editorial staff and writers. The ''ComicBook/ScarletSpider'' stunt, on the other hand, was something that the Spider-Man editors and writers were [[ExecutiveMeddling pressured into doing,]] and was agreed to with absolutely no story concept or overall theme in place.''
-->-- Editor/Writer '''Glenn Greenberg''' on ''ComicBook/TheCloneSaga''

->''I have all these people trying to hop aboard the Arpa express hoping that they become cool like me or earn my approval which will magically make their VideoGame/{{MUGEN}} video career somehow. That contest I originally held for the lulz might become the mental death of me...''
-->-- '''Arpa/Chainsawdentist'''
[[/folder]]
----