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* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'': A BrokenBird former insurance broker forms a team of thieves to take down [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Corporate]] [[{{Jackass}} jackasses]].

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* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'': A BrokenBird former insurance broker forms a team of thieves to take down [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Corporate]] [[{{Jackass}} jackasses]].[[{{Jerkass}} jerkasses]].
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* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'': A BrokenBird former insurance broker forms a team of thieves to take down [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Corporate]] [[{{Jackass}} jackasses]].
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* ''Film/{{Titanic}}'': James Cameron pitched the movie as "Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet on the UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic".

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* ''Film/{{Titanic}}'': ''{{Film/Titanic|1997}}'': James Cameron pitched the movie as "Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet on the UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic".
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* Most live-action shows on Creator/DisneyChannel, particularly [[Franchise/DisneyChannelLiveActionUniverse in the shared universe most of the shows inhabit]] are built around a High Concept, which usually boils down to "Normal, everyday teenagers... ''with a twist!''" The only real exceptions being ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'', ''Series/EvenStevens'', ''Series/GoodLuckCharlie'', and ''Series/GirlMeetsWorld''.

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* Most live-action shows on Creator/DisneyChannel, particularly [[Franchise/DisneyChannelLiveActionUniverse in the shared universe most of the shows inhabit]] are built around a High Concept, which usually boils down to "Normal, everyday teenagers... ''with a twist!''" The only real exceptions being ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'', ''Series/EvenStevens'', ''Series/GoodLuckCharlie'', ''Series/GirlMeetsWorld'' and ''Series/GirlMeetsWorld''.''Series/AndiMack''. There's almost a quota of one low-concept show at a time.
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* ''VideoGame/{{Tyranny}}'': The EvilEmpire already won – and you work for it.

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* ''VideoGame/{{Tyranny}}'': The EvilEmpire TheEmpire already won – and you work for it.
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* ''VideoGame/Tyranny'': The EvilEmpire already won – and you work for it.

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* ''VideoGame/Tyranny'': ''VideoGame/{{Tyranny}}'': The EvilEmpire already won – and you work for it.
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* ''Literature/DecisiveDarkness'': What if Operation Downfall was carried out?

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* ** ''Literature/DecisiveDarkness'': What if Operation Downfall was carried out?Japan didn't surrender in 1945?
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* ''Literature/DecisiveDarkness'': What if Operation Downfall was carried out?
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* ''VideoGame/Tyranny'': The EvilEmpire already won – and you work for it.
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* ''TabletopGame/{{Ironclaw}}'': Just another FantasyCounterpartCulture TabletopRPG, [[FurryFandom but this time with furries]].

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* ''TabletopGame/{{Ironclaw}}'': Just another FantasyCounterpartCulture TabletopRPG, [[FurryFandom [[UsefulNotes/FurryFandom but this time with furries]].

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[[folder:Literature]]
* Creator/BretEastonEllis [[WordOfGod called]] the premise of ''Literature/AmericanPsycho'' a high concept: a serial killer on Wall Street.
* Pretty much any sci-fi by Creator/JulesVerne or Creator/HGWells were High Concept, especially for their time. In Verne's case, the Concept [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin is often stated in the title:]] ''Literature/FiveWeeksInABalloon'', ''Literature/JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth'', ''Literature/AroundTheWorldInEightyDays'', etc. (Wells had ''Literature/TheTimeMachine'' and ''Literature/TheInvisibleMan'', himself.)
* ''Literature/TheLeftHandOfDarkness'' - An ambassador from Earth has to try and convince the [[HumanoidAliens humanoid members]] of another planet to join the federation of all the other planets - and the planet he's on is both stuck in an Ice Age and has no gender.
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': A boy goes to a WizardingSchool while trying not to get killed by an EvilOverlord who killed his parents.
* ''Literature/CiaphasCain'': {{Literature/Flashman}}'s [[RecycledINSPACE space adventures]] [[JustForFun/XMeetsY in the]] [[{{TabletopGame/Warhammer40000}} 400th century]].
* ''Literature/HonorHarrington'': DistaffCounterpart ''HoratioHornblower'' in space
* ''Literature/{{Temeraire}}'': What if the Napoleonic Wars were fought from the backs of intelligent dragons?
* ''Literature/{{Flashman}}'': Famous war hero who's secretly a coward trying to keep his reputation and hide intact in Victorian England.
* ''Literature/TheManWhoBroughtTheDodgersBackToBrooklyn'': Two friends buy the LA Dodgers, and move them back to a rebuilt Ebbets Field in Brooklyn in the mid-1980's.
* ''The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake'': a young girl develops the ability [[MagicalRealism to taste the emotions of people in the food that they make.]]
* Literature/TheDresdenFiles: "The only wizard in [[UrbanFantasy the Chicago phone directory]]", or "Film/DirtyHarry [[Franchise/HarryPotter Potter]]".
* Creator/BrandonSanderson likes doing these for his books.
** ''Literature/{{Elantris}}'': What if the gods lost their magic? 
** ''Literature/MistbornTheOriginalTrilogy'': What if the evil overlord won?
** ''Literature/{{Steelheart}}'': What if all supers were evil?
** ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'': What could justify ridiculously large anime [[{{BFS}} BFSs]]? This one gets poked fun at the most, as ''Stormlight'' is by far his most ambitious series, clocking in at ten books of at least a thousand pages each. So he's writing over ten thousand pages to justify really big swords.
* Most books by Creator/StephenKing fall into this.
** ''Literature/{{IT}}'': Seven misfits fight a monster that lives in the sewers.
** ''Literature/StandByMe'': A writer looks back to the weekend when he and three friends traveled to see a dead body.
** ''Literature/TheStand'': After a plague kills most of the world's population, the survivors gather in a battle between good and evil.
** ''Literature/MisterMercedes'': A retired cop hunts for a serial killer.
** ''Literature/TheRunningMan'' : In a dystopian AlternateHistory , a man participates in a deadly game show.
** ''Literature/{{Misery}}'' : After he's injured in a car accident, a writer must write for his life against his deadliest fan.
[[/folder]]



[[folder:Literature]]
* Creator/BretEastonEllis [[WordOfGod called]] the premise of ''Literature/AmericanPsycho'' a high concept: a serial killer on Wall Street.
* Pretty much any sci-fi by Creator/JulesVerne or Creator/HGWells were High Concept, especially for their time. In Verne's case, the Concept [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin is often stated in the title:]] ''Literature/FiveWeeksInABalloon'', ''Literature/JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth'', ''Literature/AroundTheWorldInEightyDays'', etc. (Wells had ''Literature/TheTimeMachine'' and ''Literature/TheInvisibleMan'', himself.)
* ''Literature/TheLeftHandOfDarkness'' - An ambassador from Earth has to try and convince the [[HumanoidAliens humanoid members]] of another planet to join the federation of all the other planets - and the planet he's on is both stuck in an Ice Age and has no gender.
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': A boy goes to a WizardingSchool while trying not to get killed by an EvilOverlord who killed his parents.
* ''Literature/CiaphasCain'': {{Literature/Flashman}}'s [[RecycledINSPACE space adventures]] [[JustForFun/XMeetsY in the]] [[{{TabletopGame/Warhammer40000}} 400th century]].
* ''Literature/HonorHarrington'': DistaffCounterpart ''HoratioHornblower'' in space
* ''Literature/{{Temeraire}}'': What if the Napoleonic Wars were fought from the backs of intelligent dragons?
* ''Literature/{{Flashman}}'': Famous war hero who's secretly a coward trying to keep his reputation and hide intact in Victorian England.
* ''Literature/TheManWhoBroughtTheDodgersBackToBrooklyn'': Two friends buy the LA Dodgers, and move them back to a rebuilt Ebbets Field in Brooklyn in the mid-1980's.
* ''The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake'': a young girl develops the ability [[MagicalRealism to taste the emotions of people in the food that they make.]]
* Literature/TheDresdenFiles: "The only wizard in [[UrbanFantasy the Chicago phone directory]]", or "Film/DirtyHarry [[Franchise/HarryPotter Potter]]".
* Creator/BrandonSanderson likes doing these for his books.
** ''Literature/{{Elantris}}'': What if the gods lost their magic? 
** ''Literature/MistbornTheOriginalTrilogy'': What if the evil overlord won?
** ''Literature/{{Steelheart}}'': What if all supers were evil?
** ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'': What could justify ridiculously large anime [[{{BFS}} BFSs]]? This one gets poked fun at the most, as ''Stormlight'' is by far his most ambitious series, clocking in at ten books of at least a thousand pages each. So he's writing over ten thousand pages to justify really big swords.
* Most books by Creator/StephenKing fall into this.
** ''Literature/{{IT}}'': Seven misfits fight a monster that lives in the sewers.
** ''Literature/StandByMe'': A writer looks back to the weekend when he and three friends traveled to see a dead body.
** ''Literature/TheStand'': After a plague kills most of the world's population, the survivors gather in a battle between good and evil.
** ''Literature/MisterMercedes'': A retired cop hunts for a serial killer.
** ''Literature/TheRunningMan'' : In a dystopian AlternateHistory , a man participates in a deadly game show.
** ''Literature/{{Misery}}'' : After he's injured in a car accident, a writer must write for his life against his deadliest fan.
[[/folder]]
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* ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'': A FantasyCounterpartCulture FeudalFuture with HumongousMecha.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Ironclaw}}'': Just another FantasyCounterpartCulture TabletopRPG, [[FurryFandom but this time with furries]].
** ''Jadeclaw'': A ''{{Wuxia}}'' film roleplaying game... [[CaptainObvious with furries]].
** ''Furry Pirates'': TheGoldenAgeOfPiracy, [[LicensedGame The Game]]... [[RunningGag with furries]].
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If you have to rely on information outside of the example to provided context, it is a bad example.


* ''Film/ThirteenGoingOnThirty'': ''Film/{{Big}}'' (see below), [[GenderFlip Gender Flipped]].
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[[folder: Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Superhot}}'': "TIME. ONLY. MOVES. WHEN. YOU. MOVE."
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[[/folder]]

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[[/folder]]

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[[/folder]]
* Plenty of examples from ''Website/AlternateHistoryDotCom''
** ''Literature/DecadesOfDarkness'': The United States becomes an expansionist slave empire after Thomas Jefferson dies of a heart attack in 1809.
** ''Literature/AWorldOfLaughterAWorldOfTears'': Walt Disney is elected president in 1952.
** ''Literature/ForAllTime'': FDR dies of a stroke two weeks after Pearl Harbor, leading to possibly the ultimate CrapsackWorld.
** ''Literature/ChaosTimeline'': What happens to the world if the Mongol Empire was never formed?
** ''Literature/GreenAntarctica'': Antarctica is a habitable landmass with its own native population.
** ''Literature/AGreaterBritain'': Oswald Mosley never becomes a fascist and is elected Prime Minister of Great Britain.
** ''Literature/TwilightOfTheRedTsar'': Joseph Stalin survives his stroke and remains in charge of the Soviet Union.
** ''Literature/ZhirinovskysRussianEmpire'': Vladimir Zhirinovsky takes control of Russia in 1991.
** ''Literature/HoldingOutForAHeroGustavStresemannSurvives'': Germany doesn't fall to the Nazis in the 1930's.
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* ''WebAnimation/IfTheEmperorHadATextToSpeechDevice:'' What if the [[TabletopGame/Warhammer40000 God-Emperor of Mankind]], [[AndIMustScream after 10,000 years on the Golden Throne]], received a text-to-speech device to communicate?

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* ''WebAnimation/IfTheEmperorHadATextToSpeechDevice:'' What if the The [[TabletopGame/Warhammer40000 God-Emperor of Mankind]], [[AndIMustScream after 10,000 years on the Golden Throne]], received receives a text-to-speech device to communicate?communicate with the Imperium.
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* ''WebAnimation/IfTheEmperorHadATextToSpeechDevice:'' What if the [[TabletopGame/Warhammer40000 God-Emperor of Mankind]], [[AndIMustScream after 10,000 years on the Golden Throne]], received a text-to-speech device to communicate?
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* Most live-action shows on Creator/DisneyChannel, particularly [[Franchise/DisneyChannelLiveActionUniverse in the shared universe most of the shows inhabit]] are built around a High Concept, which usually boils down to "Normal, everyday teenagers... ''with a twist!''" The only real exceptions being ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'', ''Series/EvenStevens'', ''Series/GoodLuckCharlie'', ''Series/LivAndMaddie'', ''Series/IDidntDoIt'', and ''Series/GirlMeetsWorld''.

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* Most live-action shows on Creator/DisneyChannel, particularly [[Franchise/DisneyChannelLiveActionUniverse in the shared universe most of the shows inhabit]] are built around a High Concept, which usually boils down to "Normal, everyday teenagers... ''with a twist!''" The only real exceptions being ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'', ''Series/EvenStevens'', ''Series/GoodLuckCharlie'', ''Series/LivAndMaddie'', ''Series/IDidntDoIt'', and ''Series/GirlMeetsWorld''.



** ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOnDeck'': Same twin boys, but now teenagers and living on a cruise ship.

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** ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOnDeck'': Same twin boys, but now teenagers and living and attending high school on a cruise ship.
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* KingdomHearts: Final Fantasy, but with Disney characters

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* KingdomHearts: ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'': Final Fantasy, but with Disney characters
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{{High Concept}}s can take several specific forms like: "[[XMeetsY Show A meets Show B]]", "[[WunzaPlot One's an X, the other's a Y]]: TheyFightCrime", or "Film X in the style of Creator W" as well as the labored [[RecycledINSPACE IN SPACE!]] and DieHardOnAnX. Sometimes a High Concept can be based entirely around ''who's'' in it as opposed to what it is, with the implication that the star's unique style or talent will carry the premise - [[Series/{{Seinfeld}} a sitcom starring Jerry Seinfeld]]; [[Series/{{Frasier}} a sitcom based around Kelsey Grammer's character from]] ''Seires/{{Cheers}}''. And of course you can combine headliner talent with a fantastic or unusual situation: [[Series/ThatsSoRaven Raven Symone has psychic powers]]; [[Series/HannahMontana Billy Ray Cyrus' daughter lives a double-life as a normal teenager and pop icon]]. Sometimes a high concept can become so influential and imitable that it becomes a format trope in its own right, as is the case of ''Film/DieHard''; see also ''TheMagnificentSevenSamurai'' (based on ''Film/SevenSamurai''), WagonTrainToTheStars (named for the high concept pitch for ''Franchise/StarTrek''), and ABoyAndHisX.

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{{High Concept}}s can take several specific forms like: "[[XMeetsY "[[JustForFun/XMeetsY Show A meets Show B]]", "[[WunzaPlot One's an X, the other's a Y]]: TheyFightCrime", or "Film X in the style of Creator W" as well as the labored [[RecycledINSPACE IN SPACE!]] and DieHardOnAnX. Sometimes a High Concept can be based entirely around ''who's'' in it as opposed to what it is, with the implication that the star's unique style or talent will carry the premise - [[Series/{{Seinfeld}} a sitcom starring Jerry Seinfeld]]; [[Series/{{Frasier}} a sitcom based around Kelsey Grammer's character from]] ''Seires/{{Cheers}}''. And of course you can combine headliner talent with a fantastic or unusual situation: [[Series/ThatsSoRaven Raven Symone has psychic powers]]; [[Series/HannahMontana Billy Ray Cyrus' daughter lives a double-life as a normal teenager and pop icon]]. Sometimes a high concept can become so influential and imitable that it becomes a format trope in its own right, as is the case of ''Film/DieHard''; see also ''TheMagnificentSevenSamurai'' (based on ''Film/SevenSamurai''), WagonTrainToTheStars (named for the high concept pitch for ''Franchise/StarTrek''), and ABoyAndHisX.



* ''Series/KeenEddie'' - New York detective fighting crime in London. Or ''Series/DempseyAndMakepeace'' [[XMeetsY meets]] ''Series/StarskyAndHutch''.

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* ''Series/KeenEddie'' - New York detective fighting crime in London. Or ''Series/DempseyAndMakepeace'' [[XMeetsY [[JustForFun/XMeetsY meets]] ''Series/StarskyAndHutch''.



* ''Literature/CiaphasCain'': {{Literature/Flashman}}'s [[RecycledINSPACE space adventures]] [[XMeetsY in the]] [[{{TabletopGame/Warhammer40000}} 400th century]].

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* ''Literature/CiaphasCain'': {{Literature/Flashman}}'s [[RecycledINSPACE space adventures]] [[XMeetsY [[JustForFun/XMeetsY in the]] [[{{TabletopGame/Warhammer40000}} 400th century]].
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* ''Theatre/EinsteinOnTheBeach'': An examination of the life and work of Creator/AlbertEinstein…'''''with no plot'''''.

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* ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'''s ''Lookouts'': [[ScoutOut The Boy Scouts]] in a HeroicFantasy world.





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* ''[[TabletopGame/EyrewoodAdventures Lookouts]]'' (a ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'' spinoff): [[ScoutOut The Boy Scouts]] in a HeroicFantasy world.
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* ''Film/{{Sharknado}}'': "Sharks. Tornado. Sharknado. Enough said!"

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** "Avoid missing ball for high score"

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** "Avoid missing ball for high score"score".
** Ping Pong: The Video Game



%%* ''VideoGame/OrcsMustDie''
%%* ''VideoGame/ShootManyRobots''

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%%* ''VideoGame/OrcsMustDie''
%%* ''VideoGame/ShootManyRobots''
* ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'': [[{{Tagline}} Hunt your nightmares]] in a [[GothicHorror Gothic]] city plagued with monsters and [[spoiler:[[CosmicHorrorStory kill an infant Great One]]]].
* ''VideoGame/OrcsMustDie'': An idiot must HoldTheLine against a horde of Orcs and their allies.
* ''VideoGame/ShootManyRobots'': Killer robots are rampaging and it's up to this hillbilly to shoot many robots and save the town.
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[[quoteright:176:[[Series/DogWithABlog http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dog_with_a_blog_logo.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:176:Guess what the premise is.]]
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* ''Film/{{Titanic}}'': James Cameron pitched the movie as "Theater/RomeoAndJuliet on the UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic".

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* ''Film/{{Titanic}}'': James Cameron pitched the movie as "Theater/RomeoAndJuliet "Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet on the UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic".
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* ''Film/{{Titanic}}'': James Cameron pitched the movie as "Theater/RomeoAndJuliet on the UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic".
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* ''Series/TwentyOneJumpStreet'': Cops who look so young they can pass as teenagers, go undercover in high schools to fight youth crime. (Also re-used for the [[Film/TwentyOneJumpStreet same-named 2012 movie remake]], though that one played the concept much more for laughs.

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* ''Series/TwentyOneJumpStreet'': Cops who look so young they can pass as teenagers, go undercover in high schools to fight youth crime. (Also re-used for the [[Film/TwentyOneJumpStreet same-named 2012 movie remake]], though that one played the concept much more for laughs.)

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[[folder:Film - Live Action]]

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[[folder:Film - Live Action]]Live-Action]]



[[folder:Live Action TV]]

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[[folder:Live Action TV]][[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/TwentyOneJumpStreet'': Cops who look so young they can pass as teenagers, go undercover in high schools to fight youth crime. (Also re-used for the [[Film/TwentyOneJumpStreet same-named 2012 movie remake]], though that one played the concept much more for laughs.

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