Entertainment

7 TV Shows That Are Actually Books You Read in High School English Class

Your favorite offensively handsome Hollywood besties are at it again! Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are teaming up to executive produce a new series for Syfy called Incorporated, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Pearl Street Films, which is Affleck and Damon's film company, is developing the show. Affleck is also set to direct the company's other television project, The Middle Man, for Fox.

The Middle Man is a Boston crime drama set in the 1960's while Incorporated is, "a futuristic espionage thriller set in a world where corporations have seemingly unlimited power... [and] the story of one man's efforts to beat the system." It sure looks like Pearl Street Films' foray into television sure has a lot of, well, testosterone. Let's work on that, eh guys?

Incorporated, in its simplest estimation, also sounds quite a lot like George Orwell's classic novel 1984 — a grim look at a future in which everything is controlled by Big Brother and there's one man who tries to fight the oppression. Affleck and Damon's Incorporated isn't the only series that resembles one of the "required reading" books from your high school English class. From Breaking Bad to Friday Night Lights, your favorite shows are in this semester's syllabus. Take a look.

by Rachel Semigran

'Downton Abbey'

Fancy people have fancy people problems. Especially when it comes to love and war.

Image: PBS

'Pride and Prejudice'

Fancy people have fancy people problems. Especially when it comes to Mr. Darcy.

Image: Penguin Classics

'Mad Men'

One man in a suit help builds an advertising empire, but is consumed by his own vices and everyone else around him is just as messed up.

'Death of a Salesman'

One man in a suit has a job he secretly hates and is consumed by his own vices and everyone else around him is just as messed up.

'Boardwalk Empire'

Money! Jazz! Guns! Cars! One-to-two-dimensional female characters! By the sea!

'The Great Gatsby'

Money! Jazz! Guns! Cars! One-to-two-dimensional female characters! By the sea!

Image: Scribner’s

'Friday Night Lights'

A slice of American life where everyone roots for the underdog. Lots of teenagers and hormones and motivational speeches. Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

'The Outsiders'

A slice of American life where everyone roots for the underdog. Lots of teenagers and hormones and monologues. Stay gold, Ponyboy.

Image: Speak

'Breaking Bad'

A high school Chemistry teacher becomes the most wanted criminal in America when he builds a meth empire. His family has no idea for years. He’s known as Walter White to his family, friends, students, and community and to his hitmen, dealers, and the FBI, he’s Heisenberg.

'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'

A classic horror tale about a split personality that goes to extremes — Dr. Jekyll is a trusted member of his community and Mr. Hyde is an abhorrent, evil man. Sound familiar?

Image: Penguin Classics

'Game of Thrones'

Everyone in ye olde magical yesteryear is killing eachother for kingdoms, revenge, land, etc, etc.

Image: HBO

'Titus Andronicus'

It’s Shakespeare’s bloodiest tragedy. Need I say more?

Image: Penguin

'GIRLS'

Just some twentysomethings in New York making it work despite constant personal and professional disasters. Oh, and they’re often terrible garbage people to each other, but complex and worthy of debate nevertheless. A few guys come in and out, but they are also disasters and just give the girls abandonment issues.

'Little Women'

Hannah = Jo (The writer on a journey to discover herself)

Marnie = Meg (The “pretty” one who wants her life to be just so)

Shoshanna = Beth (The naive one)

Jessa = Amy (the worst)

Image: Penguin Classics

114