www.roanoke.com

What do the shows "Psych" on the USA Network and "The Mentalist" on CBS have in common? What about Showtime's "Nurse Jackie," TNT's "HawthoRNe" or NBC's "Mercy"?

Basically, all these shows have a common theme and central idea. "Psych" and "The Mentalist" are both about a fake psychic working for a police department (wow, what are the odds?). "Nurse Jackie," "HawthoRNe" and "Mercy" are about dedicated nurses who may or may not get involved with the hot doctors they work with (wow, what a coincidence.).

If you did not pick up on my heavy sardonic tone, here's what I'm trying to say to the TV networks: Stop making copycat shows! Sure, each show has its own variation, but in the end, the general ideas and plot lines end up being uncannily similar. Whatever happened to originality, huh?

If the networks want to get more viewers, they need to stop basing shows off those on other networks and start coming up with new ones. So instead of giving us a new spin on a show we already have, give us something completely new. Who knows? Our interests may even surprise you.

-- Madhura Chitnavis, Hidden Valley High School