And sometimes, coincidence happens in an ironic fashion: There are two good pieces out there online about why we seem to be getting rehashes of everything in our entertainment, one by Annalee Newitz at io9.com, and the other by Drew Christie at nytimes.com. Both cover much the same ground, bypassing the whole “brand identification as a quick way to make a buck” shared wisdom trope and seeing other deeper forces involved, ingrained in whom we are and how we process ultimate truths over time.
Which is better than my theory: That writers have less plot lines to work with than musicians have notes…
James Ryan 
Very topical! I read a similar blog earlier today (at Tim Kane Books, I believe) regarding the rehashing of previously produced movies. I suppose the story-telling analogy is accurate enough, but I do like your theory, too. 🙂
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