5 TV Show Duos That Feel Like They’re From The Same Universe

Ever sit down to watch a TV show and think: “Hmm… Why does this feel oddly familiar?” Now, this isn’t about series that pinch premises and storylines from others in the genre (looking at you, police and medical procedurals). Instead, it’s about shows that feel connected to others in unexpected ways – let’s say they feel like origin stories or natural continuations. 

Of course, these programs might not have anything in common except for a few shared actors or writers, but it’s still fun to ponder if they take place in the same universe. Since we’re all TV fans around here, indulge us for a couple of minutes as we take a look at the five shows that could easily be origins for other unrelated series.

Gossip Girl and You

The biggest connection between Gossip Girl and You remains actor Penn Badgley. However, Dan Humphrey and Joe Goldberg could also be the very same person. Think about this: Dan stalks his own family and friends to update a gossip blog and spill the beans on everyone. He deceives people into trusting (and loving) him and appears to be one step ahead of everyone in covering his tracks about his other activities.

Now, while everyone forgives him in the final season of Gossip Girl, don’t be surprised if others sued him for violation of privacy and slander when they found out he was the person behind the infamous tabloid. What does he do in this instance? He changes his identity to Joe Goldberg and lays low for a while to avoid the litigation, working at a bookstore because he still loves literature. A few years later, the stalker tendencies kick in again as he becomes infatuated with other girls – like he was with Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) – but this time around, Dan goes further and becomes more sinister than before. What a menace!

Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead

The first season of Game of Thrones takes place around 298 AC, according to CNN. The timelines in the series then hop forward quite a bit, but it’s still obviously a long time ago since no one whips out a phone to go live on Instagram while the dragons burn cities and humans. However, the comparison between Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead doesn’t lie in the dragons or timelines, but in the history of the White Walkers and wights. The White Walkers appear to have some semblance of a plan – led by the Night King – while the wights simply stumble along to wherever like buffoons and increase their numbers like houseflies.

Even though The Walking Dead says its walker problem developed from a deadly virus, it could have larger ties to the DNA of the wights from Game of Thrones. Here’s the reason: These zombie-like creatures love nothing more than to, um, walk; they have no guidance nor leadership from the White Walkers. For countless episodes, they will put one foot in front of the other and never look back. Whether it’s 30 minutes or two seasons later, they’ll still be walking along the same path. Sure, getting those steps in every day is good for the body and soul, but they’re dead – at this point, why are they so obsessed with walking?! 

Stranger Things and The X-Files

Compare the Hawkins gang in the first and fourth seasons of Stranger Things. Initially, they’re terrified by Demogorgons and the Upside Down, but now they’re relatively chilled when facing off against monsters like Vecna. They are no longer afraid of supernatural threats; instead, they know what to do whenever a new foe rears its ugly head.

They have also had their run-ins with the government, so don’t be too shocked if the FBI has files on the likes of Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). In fact, it would make all the sense in the world if they were recruited to be a part of the X-Files division in the future. Now, this isn’t to say that the gang turns into Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) or Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) later on, but it’s entirely possible. They could have changed their names to protect their previous identities and given themselves backstories to throw off those who sniff around their pasts too much. Regardless, the Hawkins gang could be the brains and noses behind the X-Files.

Reacher and The Old Man

Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) is a former U.S. Army operative – a living and breathing weapon – who goes off the grid. He drifts from town to town rather than settling down. Occasionally, when there’s a problem, he returns to help old friends, but it’s clear he holds a tumultuous relationship with authority. He’s seen and experienced things in his life that he can’t escape from.

It isn’t too difficult to imagine Reacher turning into The Old Man‘s Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges) – a former CIA operative who retires in a cozy town and wants peace and quiet for the rest of his days. (Plus, he loves dogs too!) His past actions catch up with him and he finds himself at loggerheads with the government and agencies he once served. This is like the Old Man Logan arc of Reacher in every way.

Breaking Bad and Ozark

Breaking Bad isn’t only the story of Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul); there are various other people involved in their intricate web of criminality – including one Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) who seems to have all the right connections for all the wrong things. In Breaking Bad, Saul is the one who teaches Walt how to clean his money through the carwash business. 

Since Saul is a businessman, he has quite the clientbase and known associates. Seeing how he operates, it wouldn’t be too surprising if Saul knew Ozark‘s Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) and Bruce Liddell (Josh Randall) from previous dealings. He might have even been the person to whisper in Camino “Del” Del Rio’s (Esai Morales) about how they could help the Mexican cartel. Considering how slippery Marty is and how he thinks on his feet, there’s definitely an element of Saul Goodman in how he operates.