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Television

‘Sharknado’ and ‘World War Z’

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Zac Barnett of American Authors is seen on set for a video shoot on Oct. 26, 2014, in Dickson, Tenn.   (Rick Diamond / Getty Images)
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Extras acting in the HBO series “Game of Thrones” leave the bullring on Oct. 22, 2014, as film crews began shooting part of the fifth season in the southern Spanish city of Osuna.  (CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP/Getty Images)
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Indira Varma is on the set of “Game of Thrones” at Real Alcazar on Oct. 19, 2014, in Seville, Spain.   (Europa Press / Europa Press via Getty Images)
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Actors film “Game of Thrones” at Real Alcazar on Oct. 19, 2014, in Seville, Spain.   (Europa Press / Europa Press via Getty Images)
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Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is on the set of “Game of Thrones” at Real Alcazar on Oct. 19 in Seville, Spain.   (Europa Press / Europa Press via Getty Images)
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Sylvester Stallone poses with his puppet as he takes part in the TV show “Le Grand Journal” at the Cannes Film Festival.  (LOIC VENANCE / AFP/Getty Images)
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Jamie Foxx filming “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” on April 21, 2013, in New York City.   (Aby Baker/Getty Images)
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Actor Andrew Garfield, center left, is seen on the set of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” in New York City with his stunt double William Spencer, right, and a second stunt double.   (Raymond Hall/ WireImage/Getty Images)
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Actor Andrew Garfield, right, rehearses a scene with his stunt double William Spencer on the “The Amazing Spiderman 2” movie set in Madison Square Park in New York.

  (Ray Tamarra/Getty Images)
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Actor Andrew Garfield, right, his stunt double William Spencer, center, and a second stunt double are seen on the set of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” in New York City.   (Raymond Hall/ WireImage/Getty Images)
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Jamie Foxx filming on location for “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” on April 21, 2013, in New York City.  (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images)
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Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone filming “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” on location in New York City.   (Aby Baker/Getty Images)
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Jamie Foxx as Electro/Max Dillon in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” on location in New York City.  (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images)
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Actor Andrew Garfield, right, his stunt double William Spencer, center, and a second stunt double are seen on the set of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” in New York City.   (Raymond Hall/WireImage/Getty Images)
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Actor Paul Giamatti films a scene at the “The Amazing Spiderman 2” movie set in Madison Square Park on June 22, 2013, in New York City.   (Ray Tamarra/Getty Images)
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Actor Andrew Garfield is seen on the set of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” in New York City.   (Raymond Hall/WireImage/Getty Images)
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Actor Paul Giamatti is seen on the set of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” in New York City.   (Raymond Hall/WireImage/Getty Images)
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Actor Paul Giamatti on the set of “The Amazing Spiderman 2” in New York City’s Madison Square Park.   (Ray Tamarra/Getty Images)
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Jamie Foxx on location for “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” in New York City.   (Bobby Bank/ WireImage/Getty Images)
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Julianne Moore and Kristen Stewart play mother and daughter filming on location for “Still Alice” on March 21, 2014, at Lido Beach, N.Y.  (Steve Sands/Getty Images)
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Richard Gere on the set of “Time Out Of Mind” on March 26, 2014, in New York City.   (Bobby Bank/WireImages/Getty Images)
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Jeremy Renner films an action scene in Aoasta, Italy, for “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”.   (Photopix/Getty Images)
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Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson film on location in Pont-Saint-Martin in Aosta, Italy, for “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”  (Photopix/Getty Images)
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Actors are suited up for special effects on the set of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” in Aosta, Italy.   (Photopix/Getty Images)
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Richard Gere and Ben Vereen on the set of “Time Out Of Mind” on March 26, 2014, in New York City.   (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images)
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Arnold Schwarzenegger performs on the set of “Despierta America” with Joe Manganiello at Univision Headquarters in Miami.   (Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images)
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Donal Logue, left, and Ben McKenzie on the set of “Gotham” on March 20, 2014, in New York City.   (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images)
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Kevin McHale, left, Chord Overstreet, Chris Colfer and Darren Chris on the set of “Glee” at Washington Square Park on March 14, 2014, in New York City.   (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images)
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Lea Michele and Michael Lerner on the set of “Glee” on March 16, 2014, in New York City.   (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images)
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Louie CK on the set of “Louie” on Jan. 31, 2014, in New York City.   (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images)
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Wil Estes and Vanessa Ray on the set of “Blue Bloods” on Jan. 31, 2014, in New York City.   (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images)
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Skyler Gisondo and Ben Stiller on the set of “Night at the Museum 3” on Feb. 6, 2014, in New York City.   (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images)
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George Clooney, second from left, filming “Tomorrowland” at Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias on Jan. 21, 2014, in Valencia, Spain.   (Europa Press/Europa Press via Getty Images)
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Kevin Bacon and Sprague Grayden on the set of “The Following” on Dec. 10, 2013, in New York City.  (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images)
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Mark Wahlberg is seen on set filming the movie ‘Transfomers 4: Age of Extinction’ on Sunday October 27,2013 in Hong Kong,China.   (TPG/Getty Images)
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Mark Wahlberg performs on the set of “Transformers: Age of Extinction” in Hong Kong on Oct. 26, 2013.   (Aaron Tam/ AFP/Getty Images)
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Scarlett Johansson filming a scene for her new movie, “Lucy” on Oct. 21, 2013, in Taipei, China.   (TPG/Getty Images)
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Director Clint Eastwood, right, and actor John Lloyd Young as Frankie Valli on the set of “Jersey Boys” in Kearny, N.J.   (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images)
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Edie Falco, left, and Julie White on the set of “Nurse Jackie” in New York City.   (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images)
By Mary McNamara
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Pity poor “Pacific Rim,” coming out right after Syfy’s “Sharknado,” which has established itself as the Marine Monster Movie of the Summer.

Why did a TV flick with pre-green-screen production values about shark-filled tornadoes striking Los Angeles generate so much attention? The same reason “World War Z” got so much heat -- because they are essentially the same story.

Something terrible happens
WWZ: Unknown force makes people crazy
SN: Unknown force makes sharks crazy

PHOTOS: Summer Sneaks 2013

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With roots in social concerns
WWZ: Our fear of a global pandemic
SN: Our fear of global warming

It quickly spreads
WWZ: Internationally, through ports and airports
SN: To Los Angeles, through waves and tornadoes

One handsome man takes the lead
WWZ: Gerry, played by Brad Pitt
SN: Fin, played by Ian Ziering

He has a wife to protect
WWZ: Mireille Enos
SN: Tara Reid

And an attractive but non-romantic female partner
WWZ: Israeli soldier played by Daniella Kertesz
SN: Waitress/bartender played by Cassie Scerbo

PHOTOS: Images from ‘World War Z’

Gridlock is a problem
WWZ: Gerry’s family car is attacked by zombies in Philadelphia
SN: Fin’s car is attacked by sharks on the 405

Mass transit, however, is not a good idea
WWZ: A whole plane is taken down by zombies
SN: Kids on a school bus are threatened by sharks

It seems nothing will stop the madness
WWZ: Zombies swarm over walls in Jerusalem
SN: A shark eats through the top of an SUV

Until a weak spot is discovered
WWZ: The zombies aren’t interested in sick people
SN: The sharknado’s can be stopped by home-made cherry bombs

The hero must risk all
WWZ: Gerry injects himself with a dread disease
SN: Fin goes chainsaw first into the guts of a really big shark

Because nothing can thwart real love
WWZ: Movie ends with Gerry reunited with his family
SN: Movie ends with Fin reunited with his family.

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Mary McNamara

Mary McNamara is a culture columnist and critic for the Los Angeles Times. Previously she was assistant managing editor for arts and entertainment following a 12-year stint as television critic and senior culture editor. A Pulitzer Prize winner in 2015 and finalist for criticism in 2013 and 2014, she has won various awards for criticism and feature writing. She is the author of the Hollywood mysteries “Oscar Season” and “The Starlet.” She lives in La Crescenta with her husband, three children and two dogs.

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