Why bother?

I hear a re-make of the IT crowd is planned. It's pointless - they're even casting members from the UK series! WHY???! It's like making the whole thing all over again.

The US version of Cracker was dismal compared to the UK. The Office is severely lacking the presence of Rocky Gervais.

Why do American TV people do it? Why not just run the UK shows on US TV?

They'll be re-making Fawlty Towers next...

Hey Blacky! Long time, no hear.
Nice to see you in the fray again.

Anyhoo, I'm pretty much with ya about US remakes, and I was ready to hate the American version of The Office, but no.
Its' got its very own lovely and witty world, a bit P.C. and lacking the sting and despair of Gervais's baby, but still....

I agree with Ishy, I was ready to hate the American Office, but it is probably my favorite show on TV currently (although Pushing Daisies is narrowing the lead). I can't comment on Cracker as I've seen neither version.

All in the Family and Sanford and Son were both modeled on UK sitcoms, right? Those were pretty profitable for the networks and also pretty important to our pop culture.

They do actually show many of the BBC programs over here on BBC America, but not everyone gets that channel. And there is still the language barrier, not to mention the cultural barrier. Oh and we are stupider over here.

Thanks muchly for the responses and it's nice to see Ishmael's Coffin again, but my question remains -

Why do they attempt to re-make perfectly good TV shows?

OK. Cause I like ya so much Duncan, I'll theorise...

Max Jack has identified part of the issue.
The British culture is significantly different to the US. Seems to go without saying, BUT translate the average G.I.Joe, in front of his tv, confused at, say, The Mighty Boosh into a consumer with the enormous wealth of the US entertainment industry behind him, and suddenly the issue of 'funny' accents and odd vocab disappears.

America remakes because it can. It has the financial clout to change the playing field so that Iowa Sue won't in parochial perplexedness, tune out and decrease station profits.

In my native Australia we did get and remain getting every great Brit tv show, completely untouched, and the idea of a 'local' remake of say Fawlty Towers would have sent a million raging viewers to their phones screaming at being treated like idiots.

In summary, I submit that US remake fever is a combination of different, strange cultures meeting the US dollar and losing.

Also see: British film remakes

quote:

Originally posted by Duncan Black:
The Office is severely lacking the presence of Rocky Gervais.

Just playin. The American Office is my favorite show on TV currently. Ricky Gervais is hilarious, one of my favorite comedy actors, but I don't think he would fit well with the cast and persona that "Michael" embodies on the American Office. I may be biased though because I grew up watching Steve Carell on the Daily Show. My favorite character on the show is Dwight Schrute (counterpart to Gareth Keenan). Neither of those characters would fit well if they were transposed, but I think Dwight adds much more to the show, in the way of comedy and character, than Gareth did to the UK Office.

Anyways, to respond to the question - as already said it's all about the money, not so much the 'cultural' or supposed intellectual differences. In fact, I think when studios/networks here see success with a UK series/movie then it makes it more likely that will re-make because that serves as evidence/indicator of how easily it will likely translate to popularity with the US audiences. From there it's a matter of profit and creative control in deciding to go for a remake.

Of course, don't expect anymore rip offs in the near future, seeing as the US writers guild is still on strike (apparently stealing ideas from UK writers is hard work ).

BTW Ish, not everyone from Iowa is a dolt, just most of them (coming from a former Nebraskan ).

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Where Is My Pixies?,

Yeah pixies, apologies if I came across a bit harsh or condescending re the great Mid-West.
I was just using an example of the viewer who wants everything handed to them on a platter.

I spent a week or so in Iowa years ago, and met both the worst and best of people.
Nebraska I'm yet to get to.

I do see wonderful cause for optimism in that the new Doctor Who series is playing big guns in the States....or is that just my perception?

I don't know if anyone else has considered this, but the British television "seasons" are significantly shorter, which may be one reason why they're redeveloped. I don't think a 8 episode season of a TV show would fly on American network television, when audiences are used to 20-24 episode seasons.

Good point Mr.75

There are exceptions to the rule of course, but still, something to ponder.

I do wish some US shows had shorter seasons. Lost, for example, and I do watch and enjoy it, is simply begging to be trimmed of fat as the seasons go by.

Has it ever gone the other way? Has the BBC ever remade an American Sitcom for the British audience?

quote:

Originally posted by Maximum Jack:
Has it ever gone the other way? Has the BBC ever remade an American Sitcom for the British audience?

I did a search on Google, and the answer is yes!

Evidently, there was a show called "The Upper Hand" in the early 1990s that was essentially a British version of...get this..."Who's The Boss". Of all the American shows to remake, they pick "Who's the Boss?"

quote:

Originally posted by EricG75:
Of all the American shows to remake, they pick "Who's the Boss?"

Watch yourself, buddy. I still watch if I happen to come across it. We're only a couple years apart in age, so I KNOW you were loving Alyssa Milano when you were 11.

quote:

Originally posted by PaddyG:
Watch yourself, buddy. I still watch if I happen to come across it. We're only a couple years apart in age, so I KNOW you were loving Alyssa Milano when you were 11.

I'm still loving Alyssa Milano. She's still hot as a thirty-something.

But yes, I will admit to being a Who's the Boss fan when I was 11.

Katherine Helmond may be the greatest supporting actress in the history of American Television: given here roles as "Mona" (Who's the Boss) and "Jessica Tate" on Soap.

Hi I am new here and from Belgium so I hope you don't mind I put my opinion forward on this subject... in our country we show UK shows and US shows without remaking any of them. And in my honest opinion I feel its best as it give us all a change to learn more about other cultures and create an interest for those who live across our borders. Plus it stimulate our TV producers to make better programs in order to stand up against the non-Belgian shows.
If the US wants to re-make UK shows - well that is their right to do so. But I do feel that its not right in this sense. One Americans will due to this learn not that much about others what is important as the US is an international player who needs support and understanding form others to maintain some kind of respect. And if they knew more about the rest of the world(how people live, think and see things) they may have a better change to avoid problems. As now many see Americans as rude and bullies who just want to get thier way and if you don't obey they will bomb you! And have no interest whatsoever how other peoples live and think, as its only thier way and nothing else. This image is partly uphold by mistakes of a certain president but also by the way Americans thread our culture - by re-making non-Amarican shows because they are too 'different' for the general American to understand - gives us the impression that Americans are indeed not interested in 'us' only in shoving thier culture down our throats. This cause hurt feelings who are than in turn used by certain groups to turn it into hate!
Second - the problems with those re-makes is that most non-US shows don't stand a change to get sold to US TV companies for this they make less money. And this shows - most TV shows in Europe have to compete against US productions who are sold to all European stations. Making money from it. While the non-US shows can't earn some extra money on the US market - which creates some kind of unbalance. If those shows stand no change to earn that extra money they will also 'have' less money to keep going - and have a harder time to survive. So if we in Europe don't mind to get used to US shows on our TV perhaps the Americans could make an effort to get used to our shows? And create some goodwill between all those different nations?

PS - in regard of my comments on seeing the Americans as bullies etc. that are opinions of many others overhere but not mine! So I hope you don't think I have been bashing Americans on this... I am not. I am simply stating that what others feel or think!

Just though i'd offer my opinion as a Brit as to why i think this is done.

There have been a number of key reasons already highlighted for why American companies remake British TV shows and repackage them as their own. The fact that it can better fit the American expectation of what constitutes a season (though on many occassions it feels like shows such as Heroes have 10 "real" episodes, with a further 10 bolted in to pad it out; see also 24, Lost & The Office) no doubt has a great impact on decision making. But I think that the reason is simpler than that.

British Television is, well, intrinsically British. It might sound a trite statement but it's true. Many American shows are made with one eye on the wider marketplace, knowing full well that they will be picked up and shown on the major English-speaking networks....British television for instance is awash with brilliant American television (The Wire, The Sopranos, The West Wing, Mad Men; breathtaking) as well as not so brilliant television (Ugly Betty, Privileged, One Tree Hill,) but the fact is it is made with one eye on the wider marketplace. To think it isn't would be folly.

The suggestion that British television is somehow too smart or high brow for a wide American audience is also folly. I have been amazed and surprised at how readily Americans take British shows that they have seen on BBC America to heart, embracing the awkward idiosynchracies that make up the fundamental hearbeat of our drama. The variety of accent, the colloquialisms, perhaps even the language itself means that a remake would be required if it is to pay for itself in a widespread American marketplace.

And therein lies i feel the most important point. With the BBC, a television programme is made and can stand on it's merits as a piece of art because the BBC is owned by the public. In America, every piece of broadcast television has a duty to at least pay for itself and this has a huge bearing on how it is presented to the American mass market. Those in the know would indeed prefer untouched versions of Life on Mars, Absolutely Fabulous, Fawlty Towers et al, and the chances are that American programme makers would prefer that, but i think that ultimately the vast majority of British television, put out as it is, represents too great a financial risk to secure the mainstream audiences we would like to see them get. I see interestingly Merlin was picked up by NBC, interesting because Merlin has all the homogenous values of a family American drama, without sadly the American budgets

In conclusion it's archaic thinking and completely unfair to suggest British shows are remade for artistic or intellectual reasons; i struggle to think of drama made in the last 10 years in Britain that has had the same impact as The Wire has on me. But it is still fair to say that in America, the dollar bill remains King, and no way mainstream American scheduling be allowed to be taken over by shows that represent a risk to advertising revenues.

Another one of the reasons that we should all be grateful for the BBC in the UK.

I know that most European countries (which include British TV) have thier 'own destinct' type of 'television' --- and that is according to me the most interesting fact about European TV. It brings its own colour & mood and culture despite pressure of the dollar bill!!!
By the way --- did you know that in my country (Belgium) British series are far more popular than US series? Even some repeats broadcasts of older British get more viewers than 'new' US series! And if you ask viewers what is real good TV they suggest to watch the BBC!
Its only that most European producers haven't that much money to 'promote' thier series abroad and bulldoze thier products onto other markets like most US producers do or can do. And even despite those major promotions (full page adverts in TV guides and newspapers British series old out and beat them in the ratings!)