Misused: Recycled Script

This trope is a bit of a mess. It's supposed to be about scripts that are literally (or pretty damn near) recycled. Where the writer takes an existing script or outline and uses it for some other purpose, usually with limited modification (e.g., changing the character names).

The trope has decayed into "This episode's premise is kinda-sorta similar to one they used on a previous episode." But all sorts of details are different, and while it might have been "inspired by" the earlier one, it's not recycled.

I think the best move might be to split off a separate trope (Recycled Premise, perhaps) for the ones that aren't literally recycled scripts.

How does this relate to Whole-Plot Reference?

Recycled Premise is already a trope, and concerns shows made with a similar premise because of an earlier succesful show.

I'd kinda like to see the misuse demonstrated. Any wick check or example problems?

Ya know, if you want to see the misuse, you're allowed to do the wick check yourself

Applies to too

edited 18th Mar '12 10:02:46 AM by Ghilz

I'd be in favour of making wick checks obligatory for non-rename TRS as well, but let's bring that to Wiki Talk.

Any evidence of trope decay here?

Done too many today! >.< And Hime Cut cleanup has left me fuzzy.

In case I, or someone else, decides to do a wick check, can someone clarify the definition? It could be a lot more concise.

So this is for any script that has an almost-identical plot to a different script? Does it only count when it's the same writer/group of writers?

edited 18th Mar '12 1:59:14 PM by Stratadrake

The difference is that a Whole-Plot Reference references the original plot. The audience is supposed to realize that the plot isn't original. When someone recycles a script, they're usually hoping that the audience won't notice.

edited 18th Mar '12 2:52:11 PM by abk0100

Aha. But isn't that what we call having the Serial Numbers Filed Off?

Interestingly, SNFO has more inbounds while RS has more raw wikilinks.

edited 18th Mar '12 6:00:23 PM by Stratadrake

That's for works in general. This might count as a Sub-Trope.

I'm not clear on what SNFO is. It has no examples, and the page quote includes an unashamed Spiritual Successor.

The problem is that we (our site, the Internet, humanity) exaggerate so much that people come to expect it. The name "recycled script" sounds like "these scripts are so similar, that the new one's practically just the old one, recycled!" But no. Some scripts are LITERALLY an old one, recycled, and that's what this trope is

(SNFO appears to be of the "practically recycled" variety...)

Oops. It's only sometimes recycling. Often it's ripping off. The point of that trope is a later work is so close to a previous work that being a different IP is practically the only difference, like Neutopia to The Legend Of Zelda (especially the first game).

It doesn't have examples because there was a lot of misuse (like some putting examples when they should have been on Shoddy Knockoff Product).

A Recycled Script is supposed to be a recycled script. I really don't know how much clearer that can be made. If at most it's a recycled plot that's Serial Numbers Filed Off.

I don't know where I'd put a recycled outline or treatment.

No, that is not the form of SNFO. Again, it's entire works, not plots.

The descriptions seems to say that it has to be the same writer or group of writers doing the recycling. Is that right? If so, a wick check/cleanup should be pretty easy.

edited 18th Mar '12 8:34:17 PM by abk0100

I figured the examples in Recycled Script were obvious and plentiful enough that a formal wick check was unnecessary.

I mean, there are a lot of examples like this one, which are wrong on their face if you understand the trope definition:

The John Wayne movies Rio Bravo, El Dorado, and Rio Lobo were pretty much the exact same story, just with a different supporting cast.

I'm still hung up on how this is any different from Serial Numbers Filed Off.

Recycled Script: Similar overall plot, similar characters, similar flow of scenes/events, even similar dialogue.

Serial Numbers Filed Off: Similar overall plot, characters, flow of scenes/events, dialogue, pretty much everything except the actual names involved.

How hard is is to understand that plot is not the same as an entire work?

It would help if Serial Numbers Filed Off actually had examples - I'm not really sure what it's supposed to be.

This line: "The blatant copying of characters and plot is on a level that would make even makers of The Mockbuster blush. Although that need not mean the quality is bad."

makes it seem like it is about copying the entire work, not just the overall plot.

Is the difference that Recycled Script is a script that gets reused by its writer, and Serial Numbers Filed Off is a script that gets riped off by a different writer?

edited 19th Mar '12 12:40:18 PM by abk0100

No, that is about the entire work. It's Recycled Script that is limited to the plot.

Clockage. Let's see some activity here.