Shameless, IT crowd, Inbetweeners, The office, Red dwarf, friday night dinner, spaced...some of those haven't been made yet such as Spaced (far as I know) and inbetweeners I think is in the works. Whilst I do enjoy the office US version I hated the US IT crowd, it was awful. I'm always looking at my favorite TV shows and finding America is remaking them. Why does it feel the need to remake amazing English TV shows?
I'm not sure, maybe they like the concept but because we are so different culturally it just never works in the same way. The language for one thing, you mentioned Shameless, that may be funny because of the cultural vibe it's giving off. Even though I don't live in Manchester - where Shameless is based - I would get it more than the average American because I would understand the nuances in dialect, slang meanings and get cultural references a lot easier. When you try to move that to a different location the whole reason that makes Shameless funny to people gets lost in a different environment.
I think that's whats happened but it can work both ways we have Law & Order: UK (or, London really), not sure if it's any good though. Spaced finished ages ago so that wouldn't be adapted unless Pegg and the crew got back together and it became a hit again. I doubt he will, he's into doing movies these days...
The general feel in US tv is that any show has to be culturally re-aligned to their perspective. I think that's a self-fulfilling prophecy myself and if they could break the cycle it would start to look silly.
Regardless, it has a long history in the US, with varying success. Two versions of Red Dwarf crashed and burned, but three decades apart there were successful adaptations of Steptoe & Son and The Office.
Though nearly everyone has tried their own version of The Office. Heck, there are two versions in French- one for France, one for Quebec.
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Last edited by Ushgarak on Apr 22nd, 2012 at 11:57 AM
I had no idea they tried to re-make Red Dwarf, I'm afraid to even check because ours was just hilarious, the Vindaloovian episode makes me laugh every time. I saw an interview on the BBC with Craig Charles and they're planning a new series apparently, to be aired September 2012 if Wikipedia has it right.
No one can replace the red dwarf cast, no one could replace Moss in IT crowd which is probably why they used him in the US version although the other cast of the UK version couldn't be replaced either hence why it didn't work well for the US. I will admit the US office makes me laugh a lot more than the UK version. Dwight is a favorite character of mine.
Because British studios makes big bucks selling their ideas to American studios.
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There is an American Remake of Misfits on the way too.
The most obvious reason they remake instead of simply importing existing tv series is that North American tv audiences are used to 22 episode seasons, instead of six - twelve. If a concept is good the can make money with NA audiences... but we are spoiled with 22 episode seasons so something has to give.
Personally I prefer US versions of Shameless and Being Human, as well as the first couple season of The Office to the UK versions. I don't like either version of the IT Crowd (really really don't like), I haven't seen US versions of Red Dwarf or Friday Night Dinner but IMO the original incarnations of those shows are f@cking terrible so a remake has the unfortunate task of improving terrible source material. I don't have much faith that Spaced will be successfully adapted in the US version, that show was amazing.
On the bright side remaking The Office lead to Parks and Rec, which is far superior to either version of The Office ever was... maybe that will happen again, but we will need to remake every UK show to find out!
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Re: Re: Why does America re-make English TV shows?
Why do you say we? Canada isn't remaking UK TV shows...America is, far as I know you guys are seperated from each other. Unless your location is Canada...but you're not Canadian...
Re: Re: Re: Why does America re-make English TV shows?
In Canada we have the television programing more or less as they do in the States. The same shows, on the same days and at the same times. There are CRTC regulations for Canadian Content on television during prime time but that is more or less filled by local news, and the few legitimate Canada television shows that are made to fill the void are generally terrible. The only one I even watch is Mr. D. I suppose there are Canadian versions of all the terrible Idol type shows... but I'm under 50 and have a penis so I don't watch that crap.
Being Human is a joint US / Canada production Mindset.
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Yeah, I mean I know it's about the money and how putting a tv show in a different place makes it different, but for the most part, the American version ends up being worse. Like Being Human for example, is worse. I actually do like the American version of Shameless, but a lot of other shows are worse
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Apr 22nd, 2012 10:42 AM
