NBC shows with split worlds and split words

Posted by DrTechno on December 28, 2012 09:57 pm 3

NBC is busy advertising new mid-season additions, including the odd looking Do No Harm (while sadly not promoting the clever and delayed Community). I'm not particularly fond of ads for new TV shows, especially for shows that seemed destined for a short run (hello Animal Practice). Adding to the annoyance of having to watch a commercial for a show I have zero interest in, Do No Harm seems contrived in a way that is quite familiar. After some quick Googling for a couple failed NBC dramas, there are some striking similarities for the promotion of Do No Harm two older shows.

Donoharm_infobox_medium

via wikimedia.org

Ihzdz_medium

from the promotional trailer

My_own_worst_enemy_promo_jpg_medium

via wikimedia.org

My-own-worst-enemy-my-own-worst-enemy-2577269-1280-1024_medium

via fanpop.com

Awake_logo_medium

via wikimedia.org

Awake-awake-nbc-24364390-1920-1080_medium

via fanpop.com

Doing a show about a person that experiences the world in a split way? Here are the ideas for your advertising:

  • Two separate faces
  • One face divided down the center
  • Fractured typography
  • Dark side/light side
  • Mild/Menacing faces

And another similarity from the Wikipedia descriptions:

My Own Worst Enemy

The first names [of the two personalities] match those of the two dueling spirits that shared a body in Robert Louis Stevenson's novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Do No Harm

The show is a modern take on the classic Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde story.