5 Pairs of TV Shows You Didn’t Realize Had The Same Showrunner!

When people talk about television, they usually focus on actors, characters, or networks. But behind the scenes, the real creative voice of a series is often the showrunner. Showrunners guide the writing, tone, and direction of a series, shaping how a story unfolds across seasons.

What’s interesting is that some of the biggest shows on television share the same creative minds, even when they look nothing alike. From supernatural monster hunts to musical high school dramas, here are 5 pairs of shows that come from the same showrunner!

1. "Supernatural" & "The Boys" -- Eric Kripke
At first glance, these two shows couldn’t seem more different. "Supernatural" is a long-running fantasy drama about two brothers traveling across America hunting ghosts, demons, and monsters. "The Boys", on the other hand, is a brutally violent satire about corrupt superheroes.

Yet both series come from writer and producer Eric Kripke. Kripke originally created "Supernatural", serving as showrunner during its early seasons before the series eventually ran for an impressive 15-season tenure. He later went on to develop "The Boys", a darker and far more cynical take on the superhero genre. The tonal shift between the two shows highlights how flexible a showrunner’s creative voice can be. While Supernatural" mixes horror and humor in a road-trip format, "The Boys" uses superhero tropes to explore politics, celebrity culture, and power.

2. "Breaking Bad" & "Pluribus" -- Vince Gilligan
Few shows have had the cultural impact of "Breaking Bad". Created by Vince Gilligan, the crime drama follows Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher who becomes a drug kingpin to pay for cancer treatments. Gilligan’s newest project, however, moves in a very different direction. His Apple TV+ series "Pluribus" is a sci-fi story centered on "the most miserable person on Earth" who ends up being one of only a handful of people in the entire world immune to an extraterrestrial hive-mind virus that has taken over humanity.

3. "Glee" & "American Horror Story" -- Ryan Murphy
Few television creators have a range quite like Ryan Murphy. Murphy co-created "Glee", the musical comedy-drama about a high school show choir that became a massive pop culture phenomenon in the early-2010s. The show was known for its upbeat tone, musical numbers, and heartfelt coming-of-age storylines.

Murphy is also the creator of "American Horror Story", an anthology horror series filled with disturbing imagery, psychological terror, and supernatural themes. The contrast is almost hilarious: one show celebrates show tunes and high school friendships, while the other dives into haunted houses, witches, and serial killers.

4. "Scrubs" & "Ted Lasso" -- Bill Lawrence
Comedy creator Bill Lawrence has quietly been responsible for two of the most beloved feel-good shows of the past two decades. First came "Scrubs", the medical comedy that mixed absurd humor with surprisingly emotional character moments. The show ran for nine seasons and became known for its blend of slapstick comedy and heartfelt storytelling. Years later, Lawrence helped develop "Ted Lasso", the Apple TV sports comedy about an optimistic American football coach hired to manage a British soccer team.

Despite the completely different settings -- a hospital versus a soccer club -- both shows share the same emotional core: optimistic characters trying to do the right thing even when things go wrong.

5. "Parks and Recreation" & "The Good Place" -- Michael Schur
Comedy writer and producer Michael Schur has become one of the defining voices in modern television comedy. Schur co-created "Parks and Recreation", a mockumentary sitcom about a group of public officials working in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. The series became known for its optimistic tone and memorable ensemble cast.

He later created "The Good Place", a high-concept comedy set in the afterlife that explores philosophy and morality while still delivering plenty of jokes. Schur is widely credited as the creative force behind both shows. Going from small-town government bureaucracy to a metaphysical comedy about ethics and the afterlife is a huge leap, but both series reflect Schur’s trademark mix of humor, optimism, and thoughtful storytelling.

The average viewer may recognize actors or iconic characters, but the people shaping the tone and direction of a show are often the showrunners behind the scenes. As these examples show, a single creator can produce wildly different kinds of television, from supernatural thrillers to philosophical comedies. And once you start paying attention to the names behind your favorite shows, you might be surprised how often the same creative voices pop up again and again.