UK and Australia are not scared to put average looking people on TV, the US has to beautify everything including places where the characters live and work and by doing so they take the tiny bit of realism remaining out of everything and make it harder to like.
+Craig Brainimpact We Aussies don't really have a choice. Anyone with a shred of talent and looks jets off to the US to be the next Jackman or Hemsworth.
+WeirdArtChick5 Yeah the inbetweeners had really average looking guy and that made it much more easier to relate with AND made their talent more appealing. honestly fell in love with Jay and Neil they were so blunt and hilarious, but sweet in real life.
+Craig Brainimpact I totally agree. It's the combination of average looking actors (making them more believable and relatable), and the more racy humor (not being watered down to fit with puritanical American ideals).
I totally agree. One of the things that added a touch of realism to the U.K. Skins was the fact that all of the actors, Nicholas Hoult, the actress who played Jal, the main characters, were, at the time, amateur actors who were actually born and raised in Bristol
Panic! At The My Chemical Fall Out Disco Boy FUCKING DUH!!!!!!! the only people who aren't intelligent enough to understand that are your fellow countrymen. But congrats... You've seen through the bullshit.
+Robert Batchelor There is also an incredibly huge fan base for British and some Australian work over here. The Paul Hogan Show was a big hit in the US and many of us already knew him when he made the Dundee movie. Monty Python is legendary, Dr Who, Fawlty Towers, AbFab, etc.
I heard that the UK was going to make its own version of Breaking Bad but could not get passed the fact that Walter White would get his treatment at next to no cost. It failed.
Komic Klepto I think my hurdle of the UK (and for that fact Australia) have very low if not free medical care but I understand what you are saying. Apparently Crystal Meth is easily obtainable in Australia.
US version of Kath & Kim was destined for failure. The show takes the piss out of "bogan" culture. The only places where people would get the humour is the UK and maybe New Zealand.
Why do shows need to be Americanized? I don't get it.. can Americans not understand anything outside their own country? Just show the original shows and stop remaking stuff.
Exactly. Just watching the attempted remake of Red Dwarf turned my stomach. There is nothing wrong with introducing audiences to the original British programs.
Exactly. All Scandinavian countries cringed SO hard when the Americans did their own version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Sweden made a top quality, fantastic and awesome movie based on the books. It really captured the characters, and the feeling of Sweden where the story took part. Because of the books' success, of course the Americans had to make their own movie shortly after the original Swedish one! I was told it's because they don't like subtitles! They changed the characters and story in a bad way, it was horrible. Such a disgrace and a huge insult to Scandinavian crime stories.
Good question! True sometimes it's a bit difficult to understand some of the accents or expressions they use, but we get a lot of your "humour"😉( well I do anyway..!)
The American Skins remake was such a joke. It was so watered down it was stupid. The story and characters is what was important it's not even about the sex and drugs but the American one was such a joke. It lacked any and all emotion the UK one had and it was pointless to even think would work.
+LoneyLove13 I've never seen the original UK version, but I gotta say while all my friends were loving the American version, I couldn't make it five minutes without turning it off. So boring.
I am a big Kath and Kim fan. I did not realise that it had an American remake but, I am horrified to think they would attempt one. The humour of the original is so intimately tied to regrettable aspects of suburban Aussie culture from the early 2000's. It's value came from reflecting the absurd yet everyday quirks of its environment, and so much of that is specific to Australia. To translate this to another culture, country or even time would be nearly impossible. Especially because the US is very similar the temptation is to not change much which just means that the jokes which made the show funny are all lost. It was doomed from the start.
The inbetweeners was a crime! Our Inbetweeners are so funny, but they are not made for US humour. The US should stick to shows like Friends and HIMYM, they do them kind of sitcoms well.
+AtheistGamer that could have been amazing. Danny Devito as del boy, the tall one, Mike? oh wait, Rodney ha that could have been one of the cast of the big bang theory, except the indian guy or the girl or anyone they go to visit or the weird other girl. Either one of the white guys, the physics guy! can you tell I didn't watch it much? now whose grandad, now that's got to be the old guy that ran the farm on the Walking dead, the one that got eaten, yeah I guess most of them got eaten, can't you imagine how epic it would be? I know, you want to find me and kill me for dissing Only Fools and Horses lol
+Michael Richter That show was a classic( & a lot of people will agree w/me) but if that's your opinion. My parents are from New York & it really captured that sensibility but if you're from the U.K u just not have gotten it.
I know it sucks. It was just boring and unfunny. Made me cringe to watch. And the characters were awful, they weren't right, especially Will. He wasn't nerdy, which is the bloody point.
Magnificent Sarah Ikr, our Will is short and ugly, their Will is good looking (no homo), Jay is fat and ginger, Neil has long hair, and Simon's not much different
America should really stick to their own comedy styling, because there are some great series produced, Parks and Rec, Community, Arrested Development, Archer, they definitely aren't bad at comedy. but when they try to copy British shows they just get it all wrong, the more toned-down, gritty, earthy style of british writing does NOT mesh well with America's slightly more energetic, over-the top presentation, for instance, Skins worked in the UK, because through all of it's somewhat contrived or shark jumping moments, the tone was spot on and it felt grounded. american TV is definitely not as good at being laid-back and grounded.
Nah their comedy is most of time atrocious. They are however VERY talented at drama. I don't have to name them to prove my point. All the best shows ever made come from America so I can't say American tv is shit like most of the comments here say they are
I can totally understand remaking a show that's in another language, but it's totally ridiculous that every entry on this list is derived from a British or Australian production. What the fuck is the point? It's already in English, for Christ's sake! Just secure a resyndication deal if you're really that starved for original ideas.
Commander6444 If we made a show in complete Ebonics, do you really think the Scottish or Irish would understand it? It's not just accents. The phrases throw people off too.
It is entirely true. You clearly don't know what I am referring to. USA isn't made up of just one dialect or accent. As far as Hollywood products as concerned, it depends. Are you referring to Marvel or animated type products? If you are then those usually aren't chocked full of local phrases. At sixes and sevens. I'm skint. Those aren't phrases we use here. We have phrases that you don't know. I have no idea what my neighbors on about 70% of the time so I doubt your merry ass will be. If Americans are so dumb then why are you so quick to get what we have have? Hmm
***** Kick donkey? We must not watch the same shows because I have never heard anyone on tv or in real life utter the phrase kick donkey. I'm not putting down any country. I'm just calling you a biased idiot. Go ahead thinking Americans mess everything up. We ruined The Office. We ruined All In The Family. We ruined Queer As Folk too. Why does the rest of the world tolerate us? Here take some money. :P
***** You do know that words can have multiple meanings,right? Yes Ass can mean donkey but it also meant a foolish person. Over time ass also became the name for your butt. You know good and well that British people know ass means butt. I get the point you're trying to make to the other poster, but it's a bad one. Everyone knows arse and ass are the same thing. Maybe a better example would be fanny lol
***** Arse is no more true than ass. Words change over time and are given new meanings. Even the word arse wasn't always used. Before that I'm sure there was another word. Plus we have so many words for your butt. A slang word is just as valid as a "real" word. Half of the words we use today are slang in origin. The English language is always changing, but for some reason English people forget this. English language isn't even the same language as old English. Pronunciation,spelling,grammar has always been changing in English. I really don't know why you have a problem with a slang word. We use them everyday and don't even know it. Did you know that we don't have a name for the front of our hair? Both fringe and bangs are slang words for the front of our hair. Neither is more correct than the other. English people think they are correct with fringe and Americans think they are correct with bangs. but both are slang and have become everyday use. But neither are "real" words as you put it.
Remember in the mid 90's when Roseanne became friendly with Jennifer Saunders and was going to "remake" a US version of Absolutely Fabulous? Thank F*ck THAT never got off the ground!
The reason it didn't get off the ground was because there was already a US show like Ab Fab on the air. It was called Cybill starring Cybill Shephard which ran for four seasons. ua-cam.com/video/pVWeCaIFTr0/v-deo.html
That is because British and American humour is completely different, that's why American remakes of shows never work, Americans aren't so subtle in comedy as the British
Um... All in the Family, Three's Company, House of Cards, The Office, Sanford and Son, Who's Line Is It Anyway?, not to mention various game and reality shows like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and American Idol.
+TheFever77 Well The Office did pretty well, I think show remakes should take the premise, but add it own humor and stories as it seems that most are shot for shot of the original and/or severely censored.
I don't understand the point of remaking any of these, unless it's like with foreign movies where they remake it because Americans don't wanna read subs but they literally can't watch a show without the characters having American accents, which would be beyond retarded.
Apparently Americans sometimes sub interviews with British and Australian people because apparently Americans can't even understand people speaking the same language unless they sound American! It wouldn't surprise me if they remade foreign TV series for that reason.
Black Diamond I don't understand how you can't understand someone speaking the same language, living in England I only have to go a few miles from where I live to find someone with a different accent and I can understand them perfectly
JoRdOguitarman1 Same in Northern Ireland. Yes, some dialects are much different than mine, but it doesn't mean I need a fucking translator. The only exception is someone with a VERY broad Irish accents. It's almost as if they're speaking their native language (Gaelic). Maybe even broad Scottish accents at a push.
It's not the accent. Its the culture humour. British humour is very different. So a lot of time they are remade. Lots of British shows play in America.
ARRRGGGHHHH FUCK NO FUCK NO, DO NOT SPEAK OF SUCH EVIL THINGS! I'd kill anyone who tried too fuck up my favourite show. Ah please god leave Blackadder alone!
Same reason Inbetweeners didnt work. the humour came from all things British, the school system, the jokes, everything. some times America just needs to take a step back and think before churning out these shitty remakes.
British humour and American humour are just too different, they're incompatiable. American shows that copy the British formula never work, for example, one of the few American adadptations of a British comedy that did work was the Office: The first season tried to copy the UK version and it was shit, afterwards they just turned it into a typical sitcom set in an Office and it was good. Americans just can't do British humour.
I got into Skins by watching the US version first. Without that I wouldn't have even known it exist, so for that I love it. Of course the UK is better but I relate to the US more since the show was pretty much my last two years in High School.
Americans just don't get Australian humour. They have to ruin some of Australia's greatest things like Kath and Kim. The American version is sloppy and cringey and just not funny because their trying so hard to make it funny. Also everything has to be beuatified and look perfect. The whole idea of Kath and Kim was to make it similar to the average Australian lifestyle with a funny twist. When I saw the American version I wanted to vomit.
You can tell just by looking at the main cast that it's going to be shit. They couldn't even bring themselves to hire an average-looking actress to play Kim - everyone HAD to be attractive. Worst of all, there's no Sharon in the US version. They completely dropped her character so that they wouldn't have to risk including an overweight person in their show. Says a lot about the American TV industry, doesn't it?
@@madelinebell5046 they didn’t include Sharon because the copyright for Sharon belongs to Magda Szubanski, who created her before Kath and Kim started. Magda just didn’t want Sharon being portrayed in the US version
The Office US should serve as like a blueprint on how to re-make a decent show, it was hilarious in it's own way, different from the original, but still managed to capitalise on what made the original so appealing. Personally I think the US version far surpassed it's UK predecessor.
Americans under no circumstances should ever attempt to remake comedies created in the UK (the office is an exception). You cant simply duplicate the aspects of UK humour for the US, thats like going to McDonalds and expecting it to taste like KFC
I don't disagree but I don't agree either. Most of the people that make a US version are in it just to make a couple bucks. There are hardly any people that want to and out the time in to make a great series. I want a good US skins so I don't have to hear their stupid accents anymore
+Jamestech you can't make a statement like under no circumstances under punishment of death to all can this happen! and then add, except for the Office where it worked out fine really. ha.
lalalalalgirl345 well I liked both shows too, in fact I came to love the american one much more. It was just the way the comment was phrased that tickled me.
I honestly don't understand why American companies still try to remake British shows. Our humour is so different, and a lot of them require the bad language and vulgar references to make them work. Honestly, America has come up with some of the funniest things on TV in the past, Scrubs being one of my all time favourites. They surely don't need our remakes!
Declan Brannigan Hard to really label it. Basically its about teens in Britain and in college living day by day drinking, smoking, etc. But in all of this, they struggle with life problems that really pull you in. They all have distinctive personalities and some unique back stories and how it effects their way of acting. They have 7 seasons, each second season they switch cast and characters but its still really good. No order is really necessary but you should save season 7 for last.
I find it odd that the British versions of some of these were not criticized in the UK for showing drugs, drinking and sex in it, but a US version with much less drugs,drinking and sex is criticized in the US for it. I always thought US people would be more open to seeing things like that.
Robert Horker its a name i came up with while playin my ps3 i tried to be clever so my name ray would be killeray with 1 r it doesnt make me violent or anything plus the funny thing is people pronouce it wrong anyway
Just goes to show that the US shouldn't try to remake British shows...... especially comedy. Our comedic styles are different and it just doesn't work. Saying that though, the are a LOT of American shows that are way superior to anything British could make.
I had never even heard of any of these American remakes, even though I knew about most of the originals. The only successful remake I know of was The Office.
Damn, didn't even know they attempted to remake Fawlty Towers. Why would you even attempt to touch that? It's like (arguably) the best British sitcom ever and perfect the way it is. US Inbetweeners and US IT Crowd were the worst. I feel like I'm the only one but I think the US Office sucks too, but I only watched it when it first came out so it might be better now. The US do a great job of taking great, funny scenes and making them unfunny. That's not to say American comedy can't be funny (South Park is great), but they just suck at remaking British comedies.
Wait, what? Why would you remake Fawlty Towers without Basil? That has to be the stupidest decision ever. Basil pretty much makes the show. It's his interactions with all the other characters that makes the show hilarious. It's not Fawlty Towers without Basil. Don't even think they could even call it a remake, could they? So it was a show about an uptight woman who I guess owned the hotel, a bumbling waiter (I guess not from Barcelona either) and a level headed staff member?
I'm so happy all of these remakes of british shows flopped. I wish these networks would learn that it is almost impossible to translate british humour and writing to an american show. I was about to say I hope they never remake Utopia or Misfits, but they're already planning to remake Utopia. Leave it alone guys!
oh god, I really hope they dont...utopia wouldent work in an american style its to gritty and british...HBO might be able to do it justice but please america leave channle 4 alone...
+Foebane72 Wikipedia has a page listing 40 or 50 US shows remade in the UK. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_television_series_based_on_American_television_series
+Foebane72 You all don't need to. Here in America, most TV is made to be non engaging and hypnotic not engaging in any sort of though process at all. With UK TV you have to pay attention. An American version of a British TV show is basically a dumbed down version of the original. I say this as an American who has been watching British TV since 84'.
Erin McGee When they remade it with Harvey Korman in the Cleese role, it was called "Snavely." Then they did it twice starring Bea Arthur, where they turned it into something dramatic, when the jokes weren't working.
House of Cards is a remake of a 90s British show, but I get you're point I much prefer the American cable dramas (mainly HBO) to anything BBC or ITV does.
Kieran Daniels The original British House of Cards and its two sequels, To Play the King and The Final Cut, are pretty fantastic. I'm not sure how well they would've aged, but I'd definitely recommend a look. Incidentally, they're actually based on a series of novels, though the TV shows departed from the books more and more over time, to the point where the author refused to be credited for The Final Cut.
I knew about it, and I have seen it. In fact you can find it here if you search for it. It is, for 99% of it, terrible, but I will admit there's a few jokes that do work. The structure of the pilot is horrid though.
The U.S. tried to remake Fawlty Towers twice with the first one called Amanda's with Bea Arthur. Both Royal Payne and Amanda's failed to take one thing into account, each episode of Fawlty Towers took an astounding six weeks to do. No way you can get away with that here.
Why can't American audiences deal with sex in their TV? I find that the thing that ruins an American remake is the lack of sex or stuff even hinting at sex.
It sucks, we do have a lot of sex in our shows like Dexter and True Detective but they are not allowed on any regular networks. You have to get a subscription to special channels like Showtime and HBO. But on the science fiction channel they can show a guy getting gutted and all his intestines taken by some blood thirsty lunatic but we can't see some beautiful boobies
Kath and Kim was remade in the US? OUTRAGEOUS! Has anyone seen Secrets & Lies? It's an Aussie TV show that's soon to be remade in the U.S. I can't wait to see the U.S. version, although I hope that they don't mess up the brilliant Aussie version.
Don't miss these other great videos, Top 10 Worst American Remakes of Foreign Movies Top 10 Fictional Bars In TV and Film Top 10 TV Replacement Characters Top 10 TV Geniuses
You guys should of had Boys Before Friends on the list. It's a remake of Boys Over Flowers which sprung several other remakes all over Asia but the American version was horrible. I couldn't even get past the opening of the first episode before I quit watching out of disgust.
Although I like American programmes such as The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother and Friends,it seems the U.K can't have a programme of it's own without the U.S remaking it. Nothing can beat the u.k versions of programmes such as Skins, Shameless, Life On Mars and The Inbetweeners as both countries have a different sense of humour and both the U.K and the U.S should leave each others shows alone, the Brits don't go remaking your shows, as they are fine the way they are and it would ruin them. I like both countries shows and they don't need to change.
+Metalcell I thought it was well done, not as graphic, but better character development. Helped that it had the same cast for the whole run. And Sally was better than Annie.
+Meme Iselfaneye Take that back :O No one is better than Annie, Annie was so British like when she just kept on making cups of tea even though she couldn't drink them.
People didn't like it at first but it got better with each season. There were new characters + arcs that went well with each season plot and the three main leads didn't need to be replaced with new actors.
I know it seems like we speak the same language, but there are many cultural differences between Great Britain, Australia, and America. The humor is completely different in other countries, even those that share a common language. I fell in love with British TV, especially Red Dwarf from watching late night PBS, and I love the IT Crowd original version because it is uproariously hilarious. I don't think television execs over here get that comedies from the Commonwealth would do well broadcast for American television on its original merit. Yeah, there are some subtle differences in language ("bog" instead of "toilet," "snog" in place of "kiss"), but that's why they invented Google. The American version of the Office is probably the only (maybe) successful spinoff of a British show. Honestly, I wouldn't have been able to stomach a Red Dwarf or IT Crowd remake for even one episode. I'm glad there are ways to find the original shows. Oh, and Top Gear U.K. previews much better cars.
letsbeunpredictable Now that I think about it, ya. Like Skins was only shot for shot, word for word remake of the pilot and then it went off in it's shitty departure The absolutely mind blowing thing with inbetweeners US is that it had the EXACT same plot points, dialouge and scene shot for shot. HOW do you take the EXACT same script of a multi award winning fantastic HILARIOUS series and make it SOO horrible??? I think the biggest thing that pissed me off of both was it was tame :/ Like WAY too tame. Inbetweeners like seriousy? That would have been a pg 13 film. Such shitty attempts at 'edgy' dialouge. But what I don't get America is fine with shows like 'Oz' and Deadwood and Sopranos and Game of Thrones Why not make it with that level of gross and extreme?
I find British shows to be superior anyway only because I "get" that style of humor. Most of the time, American remakes tend to fall completely flat because it changes what was great about the original -- the style of humor. I don't understand why, if the original is so good, try to remake it and just pay to air it here instead?
+Angel of Seitan Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the sixties series "The Avengers" the only British series to air on US network TV in its original form?
+JLConawayII Vomit inducing, I didn't even know it was remade. The worst for me is the IT Crowd, because it's a shot-for-shot, it features Richard Ayoade but not the rest of the case. Its script is EXACTLY the same from what I could tell, which made the entire process of re-localising completely pointless. Should have left it as it was, American audiences aren't retarded.
+JLConawayII It had some good qualities but mostly bad. This was a very low budget pilot. There is a documentary somewhere on youtube about how difficult it was for the original red dwarf writers to work for hollywood execs.
USA butchered Shameless - if you've ever seen the UK original version, there's no way in hell you'll be able to like the USA version. David Threlfall is the only person who can pull off Frank Gallagher in the true gritty fashion that makes him who he is. The characters on the US show just aren't believable like the UK cast was - there's just no comparison. UK Shameless, The IT Crowd and Skins are 3 of my absolute favorite shows, and the US should've just left them alone
I thought both were terrible. I though the pilot was amazing, but then they replaces the best actors for "cultural diversity" and it was just sad to compare to the pilot. I'm south-Asian and I wish they'd sacked the crappy south-Asian lady who played the ghost. Also, the vampire in the pilot was totally dark and conflicted, then they replaced him with a good looking guy. So the rest of the series was crap compared to the original pilot.
The biggest difference is that Americans use actors with zero talent, because they mainly pick people based on looks instead of their acting. Secondly, most American humour consists of being loud, oh my godding and kicking people in the nuts, no intelligence in that humour. Well, the Brits also have those shows but they still somehow work haha Young Ones, Bottom ect
Yeah, we have a lot of atrociously bad comedy shows. But we also have some really damn good, smart ones that don't just consists of people getting kicked in the nuts. Community, Scrubs, Arrested Development, The US remake of the Office was great.
I loved the Australian Kath & Kim, no idea what they did to the American one as it was so bad. If you've ever seen the Kiwi's Outrageous Fortune 2005-2010 America remade it as Scoundrels in 2010 with only 8 episodes, in fact Scoundrels was Americas 2nd attempt at remaking OF the first never made it was the pilot, it was called Good Behavior. Even the UK tried remaking it called Honest in 2008 with only 6 episodes.
The only thing 99% of sub 30 year olds in Britain know of Benny Hill is the theme tune...and we learned that from American cartoons :) (googled him once, fucking abysmal)
lol-Benny Hill was "Dry Humor"? Don't get me wrong, I loved that show & yes,he did a lot of clever wordplay in his songs but sexual innuendo & physical pratfalls cross all cultures.
as an American I absolutely love most British humor very big money python fan Loved Fawlty Towers. and red dwarf. now Benny Hill is different I know people like them and all that but I found it to be more simple-minded humor so have I poor man's Monte python. way more simple-minded humor I got bored of him pretty fast although some things I like of it. It reminded me as if it was written for an older British audience
i don't understand why americans remake british tv shows, they speak english so can't they just air the original show!!!! do they think people won't watch it because it's foreign!!
First of all I'm an American. A citizen of the United States of America. Deed, I also do not understand why there are American remakes to BBC shows. BBC America is probably one of my favorite channels. I believe it's more about money than anything. The average American understands what we perceive as the British accent just fine, and the "slang" is no barricade of any sort. Kevin, in the manner of which you are speaking it would seem you have made no attempt to adequately survey Americans with a non ignorant mind set. Just the fact of how worked up you got has me concerned. I suggest counseling.
It's basically two different cultures. Most television stations are afraid to air the original product because they feel they won't get the cultural wit. Good example here is between Kath & Kim and it's American predecessor. Most Americans wouldn't understand most of the jokes about the two being daggy Australian bogans, and thus, they tried to remodel the show to fit the American culture. Of course, in doing this they almost always kill the characters' personalities in the process.
There has been some successful remakes... House of Cards (UK 1990); Sanford and Son (UK Steptoe & Son 1962-74); Shameless (UK 2004-13); Gracepoint (UK Broadchurch 2013- ); Dear John (UK 1986-87); The Office (UK 2001-03). Amazingly there has also been American remakes of The Young Ones and Dad's Army that didn't make it beyond the pilot episode.
And "Are You Being Served?" Was remade in America and Australia. Both never held a candle to the original British version. With the Aussie version, it was nice to see John Inman return as Mr Humphries, it helped it a bit, but I like to think if it ain't broke, why fix it? There's something to be said about the British humour, it's the show's essence. Once it is removed and/or replaced, you notice the show really does lose a lot in the translation!
The intro said it all, trying to cash in on shows that have been successful for a quick buck. They probably all would have done better if they had taken the concept of any of these "remakes" and just derived their own show from it. Not try imitate it word for word and attempt to match unique characters. Only thing I don't get is Shameless isn't on this list too
Or Fawlty Towers !!! I couldn't believe my eyes !!! (But this is a country that actually made a 2-part TV movie of CASABLANCA staring - wait for it ……….. David Soul !!!!!!!!! )
UK and Australia are not scared to put average looking people on TV, the US has to beautify everything including places where the characters live and work and by doing so they take the tiny bit of realism remaining out of everything and make it harder to like.
+Craig Brainimpact We Aussies don't really have a choice. Anyone with a shred of talent and looks jets off to the US to be the next Jackman or Hemsworth.
you're right, for me I actually prefer when the actors look average and more human because it's easier to relate with.
+WeirdArtChick5 Yeah the inbetweeners had really average looking guy and that made it much more easier to relate with AND made their talent more appealing. honestly fell in love with Jay and Neil they were so blunt and hilarious, but sweet in real life.
+Craig Brainimpact I totally agree. It's the combination of average looking actors (making them more believable and relatable), and the more racy humor (not being watered down to fit with puritanical American ideals).
I totally agree. One of the things that added a touch of realism to the U.K. Skins was the fact that all of the actors, Nicholas Hoult, the actress who played Jal, the main characters, were, at the time, amateur actors who were actually born and raised in Bristol
as a brit, the thought that our TV, with it's casual sex, drugs and swearing, is too adult for americans is hilarious
I know right
america is too soft
I wonder what our American friends would make of the new Channel 4 dating show where they compare penises and vaginas to decide who dates who.
+sheikhyaboooty We kind of have a show like that it's called Dating Naked but of course everything but the ass and face is censored.
+sheikhyaboooty we have shows about being naked, Dating naked, Naked and Afraid, etc. but they blur breasts, and crotches,
Kath and Kim is way too aussie to be American
Xavier Rose I know right how did they think that would work 😂
I know right 😂
It'd be like an American remake of The Castle
I loved Kath and Kim!
MrHeyfuckoff That would insult us. :P
Can you imagine if they remade "Summer Heights High/Angry Boys" and "Little Britain/Come Fly With Me" how bad it would be.
That makes me shudder just thinking about it.
No thankyou.
Yeah but no but no but... Computer says no. I don't want that one.
Too much Blackface for an American audience 🤷♂️
Noooooooo!!!!
I don't understand why Americans need to remake British comedies. I mean, we both speak English, so what's the point?
It's the cultural references and humour... it ain't the same mate!
I'm gonna get slaughtered for this but most of American culture is all a massive cash cow sorry America...
Panic! At The My Chemical Fall Out Disco Boy FUCKING DUH!!!!!!!
the only people who aren't intelligent enough to understand that are your fellow countrymen.
But congrats... You've seen through the bullshit.
+Panic! At The My Chemical Fall Out Disco Boy You do realize that most of the worlds Billionaires live in London right?
+Robert Batchelor There is also an incredibly huge fan base for British and some Australian work over here. The Paul Hogan Show was a big hit in the US and many of us already knew him when he made the Dundee movie. Monty Python is legendary, Dr Who, Fawlty Towers, AbFab, etc.
What made the inbetweeners so funny was the British humour
Adam Stockley agreed, and that the uk inbetweeners was realistic unlike usa's version- what 17 year old says "wow you are such a pansy"?
Couldn’t agree more
Bournemouth are shite
@@kendall_knows_best2872 What ?
@@marni2793 and also who the hell makes them self look like they in a fancy restaurant in the canteen
I heard that the UK was going to make its own version of Breaking Bad but could not get passed the fact that Walter White would get his treatment at next to no cost. It failed.
+millertas It also would have failed in that Crystal Meth is virtually unavailable in the UK and our narcotics laws differ greatly to those of the US.
Komic Klepto I think my hurdle of the UK (and for that fact Australia) have very low if not free medical care but I understand what you are saying. Apparently Crystal Meth is easily obtainable in Australia.
+Komic Klepto I think it was a joke
+millertas what a shame we can get free healthcare and don't have insanse drug hyper kingpins
thebirdisblue I know, I was joking too :/
US version of Kath & Kim was destined for failure. The show takes the piss out of "bogan" culture. The only places where people would get the humour is the UK and maybe New Zealand.
What a stinker that was!!! NBC didn't even try.
The original was huge in New Zealand
Pretty sure bogan culture is a thing in New Zealand, would make more sense for them to get it more than people in the uk
JDMime so is australia, yet we’re only on American tv as stereotypes
Wtf do you mean maybe in nz it was VERY big in NZ
The Inbetweeners US was the worst TV remake I have ever since.
The Blade Runner I agree sooo much as a Brit that has watched the imbetweeners multiple times
Ben Tagg As fellow Brit, why can't America leave us alone?
The Blade Runner ikr
The Blade Runner Agreed
the U.S. jay was retarded and they got rid of briefcase wanker 😐
The fact that America chooses to remake British comedies is a compliment. The fact that they butcher it is a tragedy.
So many great british shows get ruined as soon as they are remade in America
TomSucksAtGam3s The US butchered the Inbetweeners
Like the office
As long as the americans didn't try to make an american Doctor Who, everything is ok :P
Rob bEJ what you talking about the us office was much better than the British one the biggest fuck up the Americans had was the inbetweeners
top gear was a horrible american remake
Why do shows need to be Americanized? I don't get it.. can Americans not understand anything outside their own country?
Just show the original shows and stop remaking stuff.
There are cultural differences that are interesting to explore
Because TV companies need to find content to make money! It's a hit or miss business; mostly misses.
Exactly. Just watching the attempted remake of Red Dwarf turned my stomach. There is nothing wrong with introducing audiences to the original British programs.
Exactly. All Scandinavian countries cringed SO hard when the Americans did their own version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Sweden made a top quality, fantastic and awesome movie based on the books. It really captured the characters, and the feeling of Sweden where the story took part. Because of the books' success, of course the Americans had to make their own movie shortly after the original Swedish one! I was told it's because they don't like subtitles! They changed the characters and story in a bad way, it was horrible. Such a disgrace and a huge insult to Scandinavian crime stories.
Good question! True sometimes it's a bit difficult to understand some of the accents or expressions they use, but we get a lot of your "humour"😉( well I do anyway..!)
The American Skins remake was such a joke. It was so watered down it was stupid. The story and characters is what was important it's not even about the sex and drugs but the American one was such a joke. It lacked any and all emotion the UK one had and it was pointless to even think would work.
UK Skins to this day is my favorite show ever and I live in the US
+LoneyLove13 I've never seen the original UK version, but I gotta say while all my friends were loving the American version, I couldn't make it five minutes without turning it off. So boring.
+LoneyLove13 I loved Skins and from what I've seen of the US version it just looks cringey.
+LoneyLove13 I was expecting Skins US lol
+LoneyLove13 Amen- the US version is pure garbage.
I am a big Kath and Kim fan. I did not realise that it had an American remake but, I am horrified to think they would attempt one. The humour of the original is so intimately tied to regrettable aspects of suburban Aussie culture from the early 2000's. It's value came from reflecting the absurd yet everyday quirks of its environment, and so much of that is specific to Australia. To translate this to another culture, country or even time would be nearly impossible. Especially because the US is very similar the temptation is to not change much which just means that the jokes which made the show funny are all lost. It was doomed from the start.
Why does Top Gear USA exist. Just why.....
Well....i did not expect you to comment here.
Oh, hi! Your video speculations on alternate Earth history are quite enjoyable! Thank you ^__^
American networks love to capture some of the magic and revenue from the Brits.
They also did a Top Gear here in Australia and it was horrendous.
It's alright, not great
They better not try and remake Peep Show one day.
Oh they will
they did, it had Lenard from big bang theory as mark and they dropped the pov after the first shot.
Now they're actually trying a 2nd attempt of a remake, it's an outrage.
They seriously made a remake of Peep Show? This is outrageous...
They made a pilot, I couldn't make it past 30 seconds
The inbetweeners was a crime! Our Inbetweeners are so funny, but they are not made for US humour. The US should stick to shows like Friends and HIMYM, they do them kind of sitcoms well.
I watched the shot out of the inbetweeners(uk) on netflix and I regret nothing
I watched the shot out of the inbetweeners(uk) on netflix and I regret nothing
Yeah let the uk handle the more quirky stuff
I am so glad the American Only Fools and Horses never happened.
+AtheistGamer that could have been amazing. Danny Devito as del boy, the tall one, Mike? oh wait, Rodney ha that could have been one of the cast of the big bang theory, except the indian guy or the girl or anyone they go to visit or the weird other girl. Either one of the white guys, the physics guy! can you tell I didn't watch it much? now whose grandad, now that's got to be the old guy that ran the farm on the Walking dead, the one that got eaten, yeah I guess most of them got eaten, can't you imagine how epic it would be?
I know, you want to find me and kill me for dissing Only Fools and Horses lol
+AtheistGamer it would never work in America, EVER!
Denise F
That's never stopped them before.
+AtheistGamer It's just too British, Americans simply can not remake it
Bennett McCoy
A modern show in the vein of Only Fools and Horses COULD work, but a straight up remake wouldn't.
the US itself was a bad remake of the UK
No just no
and thats why the US won?
Brilliant
really? That's a childish remark.
+gemcloben but its not even a remake of the UK.
This just proves the US just needs to leave uk shows alone
I disagree. They could work, but the Hollywood formula needs to be tossed into the trash: glossy it up, and dumb it down.
Yes. Because it never works out, does it? _All in the Family_ was a hot mess, for example.
It's funny how many shows the UK fails at like the office for one.The US one is way better.
+Michael Richter That show was a classic( & a lot of people will agree w/me) but if that's your opinion. My parents are from New York & it really captured that sensibility but if you're from the U.K u just not have gotten it.
ROBYN MARKOW Reread what I wrote with your sarcasm detectors properly calibrated.
The US Inbetweeners is fucking dreadful
Yeah, I know right, Jay was just awful and Will didn't even come off as a nerdy character
i seen the dvd at a store. they are actually thinking people will buy it.
GAME OVER "WE HAVE EVERY PIXEL COVERED"
i saw the dvd in sainsburys so i hid all of the copies behind the toys
I know it sucks. It was just boring and unfunny. Made me cringe to watch. And the characters were awful, they weren't right, especially Will. He wasn't nerdy, which is the bloody point.
Magnificent Sarah Ikr, our Will is short and ugly, their Will is good looking (no homo), Jay is fat and ginger, Neil has long hair, and Simon's not much different
America should really stick to their own comedy styling, because there are some great series produced, Parks and Rec, Community, Arrested Development, Archer, they definitely aren't bad at comedy.
but when they try to copy British shows they just get it all wrong, the more toned-down, gritty, earthy style of british writing does NOT mesh well with America's slightly more energetic, over-the top presentation,
for instance, Skins worked in the UK, because through all of it's somewhat contrived or shark jumping moments, the tone was spot on and it felt grounded.
american TV is definitely not as good at being laid-back and grounded.
Nah their comedy is most of time atrocious. They are however VERY talented at drama. I don't have to name them to prove my point. All the best shows ever made come from America so I can't say American tv is shit like most of the comments here say they are
Teebz 1000 not the best shows ever made. We have had wonderful dramas from the uk such as broadchurch, and black mirror and orphan black etc.
SeriouslyNotNormal Isn't Orphan Black Canadian?
saammmy7 yes but it is still a BBC show,
SeriouslyNotNormal None of these come CLOSE to the likes of The Sopranos, The Wire and Breaking Bad.
Really any HBO show tbh ://
I can totally understand remaking a show that's in another language, but it's totally ridiculous that every entry on this list is derived from a British or Australian production. What the fuck is the point? It's already in English, for Christ's sake! Just secure a resyndication deal if you're really that starved for original ideas.
Commander6444 If we made a show in complete Ebonics, do you really think the Scottish or Irish would understand it?
It's not just accents. The phrases throw people off too.
It is entirely true. You clearly don't know what I am referring to.
USA isn't made up of just one dialect or accent.
As far as Hollywood products as concerned, it depends. Are you referring to Marvel or animated type products? If you are then those usually aren't chocked full of local phrases.
At sixes and sevens.
I'm skint.
Those aren't phrases we use here. We have phrases that you don't know. I have no idea what my neighbors on about 70% of the time so I doubt your merry ass will be.
If Americans are so dumb then why are you so quick to get what we have have? Hmm
***** Kick donkey? We must not watch the same shows because I have never heard anyone on tv or in real life utter the phrase kick donkey.
I'm not putting down any country. I'm just calling you a biased idiot.
Go ahead thinking Americans mess everything up. We ruined The Office. We ruined All In The Family. We ruined Queer As Folk too.
Why does the rest of the world tolerate us? Here take some money. :P
*****
You do know that words can have multiple meanings,right? Yes Ass can mean donkey but it also meant a foolish person. Over time ass also became the name for your butt. You know good and well that British people know ass means butt.
I get the point you're trying to make to the other poster, but it's a bad one. Everyone knows arse and ass are the same thing. Maybe a better example would be fanny lol
*****
Arse is no more true than ass. Words change over time and are given new meanings. Even the word arse wasn't always used. Before that I'm sure there was another word. Plus we have so many words for your butt. A slang word is just as valid as a "real" word. Half of the words we use today are slang in origin. The English language is always changing, but for some reason English people forget this. English language isn't even the same language as old English. Pronunciation,spelling,grammar has always been changing in English.
I really don't know why you have a problem with a slang word. We use them everyday and don't even know it. Did you know that we don't have a name for the front of our hair? Both fringe and bangs are slang words for the front of our hair. Neither is more correct than the other. English people think they are correct with fringe and Americans think they are correct with bangs. but both are slang and have become everyday use. But neither are "real" words as you put it.
Remember in the mid 90's when Roseanne became friendly with Jennifer Saunders and was going to "remake" a US version of Absolutely Fabulous? Thank F*ck THAT never got off the ground!
Ikr?
Brandon Quatro must’ve been the ambient lmao
Thank fuck for that!
Instead, Patsy and Eddy showing up in an episode of Roseanne during its final season which was probably the funniest bit of that entire season
The reason it didn't get off the ground was because there was already a US show like Ab Fab on the air. It was called Cybill starring Cybill Shephard which ran for four seasons.
ua-cam.com/video/pVWeCaIFTr0/v-deo.html
British shows just can not be remade, you can't capture what is uniquely British.
That is because British and American humour is completely different, that's why American remakes of shows never work, Americans aren't so subtle in comedy as the British
Um... All in the Family, Three's Company, House of Cards, The Office, Sanford and Son, Who's Line Is It Anyway?, not to mention various game and reality shows like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and American Idol.
+breotan the only one id agree with is the office.
+breotan American idol counts as humour there too ! Great ;-)
+TheFever77 Well The Office did pretty well, I think show remakes should take the premise, but add it own humor and stories as it seems that most are shot for shot of the original and/or severely censored.
I don't understand the point of remaking any of these, unless it's like with foreign movies where they remake it because Americans don't wanna read subs but they literally can't watch a show without the characters having American accents, which would be beyond retarded.
Apparently Americans sometimes sub interviews with British and Australian people because apparently Americans can't even understand people speaking the same language unless they sound American! It wouldn't surprise me if they remade foreign TV series for that reason.
Black Diamond I don't understand how you can't understand someone speaking the same language, living in England I only have to go a few miles from where I live to find someone with a different accent and I can understand them perfectly
JoRdOguitarman1 Same in Northern Ireland. Yes, some dialects are much different than mine, but it doesn't mean I need a fucking translator. The only exception is someone with a VERY broad Irish accents. It's almost as if they're speaking their native language (Gaelic). Maybe even broad Scottish accents at a push.
A quick and cheap way of getting money is also a reason.
It's not the accent. Its the culture humour. British humour is very different. So a lot of time they are remade. Lots of British shows play in America.
Imagine if they try to remake Doctor Who, Blackadder or the young ones!! :O :'(
If anyone made a shit American remake of blackadder I would literally hunt the fucker down
fluffylovey will hunt down any Americans who remake black adder and I will do the same for The young ones... just need one more person for doctor who
ARRRGGGHHHH FUCK NO FUCK NO, DO NOT SPEAK OF SUCH EVIL THINGS! I'd kill anyone who tried too fuck up my favourite show. Ah please god leave Blackadder alone!
Or Misfits. Imagine trying to cast Nathan as an American.
You know they were planing to make a US doctor who movie.
I'm still mad about Skins tbh. It was one of my favourite shows and America fucked it up. Some things are just inherently British.
Same reason Inbetweeners didnt work. the humour came from all things British, the school system, the jokes, everything. some times America just needs to take a step back and think before churning out these shitty remakes.
steve cheevers 100% agree
It didn't do that, though, you still have the original.
as an Australian, I refuse to believe there is an American kath and kim
British humour and American humour are just too different, they're incompatiable. American shows that copy the British formula never work, for example, one of the few American adadptations of a British comedy that did work was the Office: The first season tried to copy the UK version and it was shit, afterwards they just turned it into a typical sitcom set in an Office and it was good. Americans just can't do British humour.
Our remake of Steptoe & Son, Sanford & Son, was probably the best remake ever. You couldn't go wrong with Redd Foxx.
"The Office" was unredeemable sh*te in the UK, the thought that the US version could be worse boggles my mind...
US skins actually hurts
it was bad, it didn't help that here it was crazy controversial because of certain scenes, but it was not the greatest.
I watched it before the UK version and LOOOOVED it
Then I saw the UK version and ehm.... yeah, the US version sucks
Becky Downey i haven’t even attempted to watch the US version. I already know it’s sucks.
I got into Skins by watching the US version first. Without that I wouldn't have even known it exist, so for that I love it. Of course the UK is better but I relate to the US more since the show was pretty much my last two years in High School.
Americans just don't get Australian humour. They have to ruin some of Australia's greatest things like Kath and Kim. The American version is sloppy and cringey and just not funny because their trying so hard to make it funny. Also everything has to be beuatified and look perfect. The whole idea of Kath and Kim was to make it similar to the average Australian lifestyle with a funny twist. When I saw the American version I wanted to vomit.
Veronica I was vomiting when I was watching the first US Kath And Kim Episode is Was so bad
You can tell just by looking at the main cast that it's going to be shit. They couldn't even bring themselves to hire an average-looking actress to play Kim - everyone HAD to be attractive. Worst of all, there's no Sharon in the US version. They completely dropped her character so that they wouldn't have to risk including an overweight person in their show. Says a lot about the American TV industry, doesn't it?
Even Swedes get Aussie humour 🤷
@@erikak8665 I find this surprising 😅
@@madelinebell5046 they didn’t include Sharon because the copyright for Sharon belongs to Magda Szubanski, who created her before Kath and Kim started. Magda just didn’t want Sharon being portrayed in the US version
The Office US should serve as like a blueprint on how to re-make a decent show, it was hilarious in it's own way, different from the original, but still managed to capitalise on what made the original so appealing. Personally I think the US version far surpassed it's UK predecessor.
*****
I'm English and I much prefer the US version.
Ruddeee.
ThisEpoch Me too.
I'm American and I thought the Office US Version was incredibly insulting, racist, and just took it way too far in general.
I love the US office, I've watched every episode, but to say it's surpassed the original is insulting to me as a Brit. Besides why's it a competition?
Americans under no circumstances should ever attempt to remake comedies created in the UK (the office is an exception). You cant simply duplicate the aspects of UK humour for the US, thats like going to McDonalds and expecting it to taste like KFC
I don't disagree but I don't agree either. Most of the people that make a US version are in it just to make a couple bucks. There are hardly any people that want to and out the time in to make a great series. I want a good US skins so I don't have to hear their stupid accents anymore
+Jamestech you can't make a statement like under no circumstances under punishment of death to all can this happen! and then add, except for the Office where it worked out fine really. ha.
I agree and I'm American
lalalalalgirl345
well I liked both shows too, in fact I came to love the american one much more. It was just the way the comment was phrased that tickled me.
+Jamestech or like going to DENNY'S and expecting Bangers and spotted dick!!
just offensive to try and remake fawlty towers
+harley15980 They even tried one without the Basil Fawlty character as they though the character wouldn't appeal to American audiences...
They made a versions of their own skins which is fucking stupid because skins was based on the life of English teens, I, I just cant
I honestly don't understand why American companies still try to remake British shows. Our humour is so different, and a lot of them require the bad language and vulgar references to make them work. Honestly, America has come up with some of the funniest things on TV in the past, Scrubs being one of my all time favourites. They surely don't need our remakes!
Every one should watch Skins (uk) it's one of the greatest series ever
The first couple of season were incredible. You get tied into the story so much.
ImGamingGalore What's it about?
even the british skins is terrible
Declan Brannigan Hard to really label it. Basically its about teens in Britain and in college living day by day drinking, smoking, etc. But in all of this, they struggle with life problems that really pull you in. They all have distinctive personalities and some unique back stories and how it effects their way of acting. They have 7 seasons, each second season they switch cast and characters but its still really good. No order is really necessary but you should save season 7 for last.
Declan Brannigan Also they're all on youtube as far as i know
I find it odd that the British versions of some of these were not criticized in the UK for showing drugs, drinking and sex in it, but a US version with much less drugs,drinking and sex is criticized in the US for it. I always thought US people would be more open to seeing things like that.
we can show any kind of nudity, sex, drugs alcohol, etc. legally after 10pm
so we dont get complaints about that stuff
British TV is awesome. Especially BBC three.
Robert Horker not really many people i know including i arent like that
Robert Horker Yes! Preach. Americans are practically brainwashed into thinking they're free and unequaled.
Robert Horker its a name i came up with while playin my ps3 i tried to be clever so my name ray would be killeray with 1 r it doesnt make me violent or anything plus the funny thing is people pronouce it wrong anyway
Just goes to show that the US shouldn't try to remake British shows...... especially comedy. Our comedic styles are different and it just doesn't work. Saying that though, the are a LOT of American shows that are way superior to anything British could make.
And what's with all the censoring? Prudish much?
Jessica Snape Actually, the local stations do most of the censoring. Most of us aren't prudes.
British humor is the only time British people aren't funny.
British humor is the best (but I'm English). But different cultures. You can't say it's not funny because it's not targeted at you (that's general).
I love both US and UK comedies. They just have different kinds of humor.
the us office was the only successful remake
I think the reason why is because everyone in it looks real
And shameless
@@thisname3151 They can succesfully adapt to american jokes, and not trying so hard like other remakes
And it was rubbish
YES
inbetweeners for number 1 that was an insultingly bad representation of the show
I only made it through about 10 minutes before I had to turn it off, it caused me physical and emotional pain to watch.
i know the original is my favourite comedy show ever too... just makes it that much worse
It's shit and fuck you for liking it
The worst part was their replacement of bus wankers to bus turds... Fucking awful
I didn't even know Americans remade so many British shows.
I had never even heard of any of these American remakes, even though I knew about most of the originals. The only successful remake I know of was The Office.
Robert Horker
Nice try, but not true
I was hoping that the us version of being human would be here too was absolute bullshit
seriously, ugh Americans cannot remake British shows
ディメロさばんな I thought of it but it wasn't that bad.
Damn, didn't even know they attempted to remake Fawlty Towers. Why would you even attempt to touch that? It's like (arguably) the best British sitcom ever and perfect the way it is. US Inbetweeners and US IT Crowd were the worst. I feel like I'm the only one but I think the US Office sucks too, but I only watched it when it first came out so it might be better now. The US do a great job of taking great, funny scenes and making them unfunny. That's not to say American comedy can't be funny (South Park is great), but they just suck at remaking British comedies.
Wait, what? Why would you remake Fawlty Towers without Basil? That has to be the stupidest decision ever. Basil pretty much makes the show. It's his interactions with all the other characters that makes the show hilarious. It's not Fawlty Towers without Basil. Don't even think they could even call it a remake, could they? So it was a show about an uptight woman who I guess owned the hotel, a bumbling waiter (I guess not from Barcelona either) and a level headed staff member?
I'm so happy all of these remakes of british shows flopped. I wish these networks would learn that it is almost impossible to translate british humour and writing to an american show. I was about to say I hope they never remake Utopia or Misfits, but they're already planning to remake Utopia. Leave it alone guys!
If you are talking about Utopia on FOX. Then that is based off of the Dutch Reality Show and not the British drama.
I reckon HBO's version of Utopia will be quite different to the UK version, and it'll probably still be good knowing HBO.
oh god, I really hope they dont...utopia wouldent work in an american style its to gritty and british...HBO might be able to do it justice but please america leave channle 4 alone...
No fucking way are they remaking utopia, i can already imagine the humour being cringey as fuck
It's David fincher and HBO we're OK
Why do UK shows need to be remade for American audiences anyway? We in the UK don't remake American shows.
+Foebane72 Brighton Belles.
trip2themoon
MOSTLY don't remake shows ;)
+Foebane72 Wikipedia has a page listing 40 or 50 US shows remade in the UK. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_television_series_based_on_American_television_series
Gary Medlock
Here's a clue, Sherlock: I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT QUIZ SHOWS OR REALITY TV!
+Foebane72 You all don't need to. Here in America, most TV is made to be non engaging and hypnotic not engaging in any sort of though process at all. With UK TV you have to pay attention. An American version of a British TV show is basically a dumbed down version of the original. I say this as an American who has been watching British TV since 84'.
I had no idea they'd remade Fawlty Towers! How could they? John Cleese made it brilliant.
Erin McGee When they remade it with Harvey Korman in the Cleese role, it was called "Snavely." Then they did it twice starring Bea Arthur, where they turned it into something dramatic, when the jokes weren't working.
Inbetweeners USA was so bad the UK version is the best
Hype-XVII No one would dispute that mate
+Connor McCartney i know right
the best british humour tv show was benny hill
worst thing is when you Americans make their own shows they can come out with some masterpiece's, Breaking Bad, Dexter, House of Cards etc etc.....
House of Cards is a remake of a 90s British show, but I get you're point I much prefer the American cable dramas (mainly HBO) to anything BBC or ITV does.
Peter Thom didn't know that
Kieran Daniels
The original British House of Cards and its two sequels, To Play the King and The Final Cut, are pretty fantastic. I'm not sure how well they would've aged, but I'd definitely recommend a look. Incidentally, they're actually based on a series of novels, though the TV shows departed from the books more and more over time, to the point where the author refused to be credited for The Final Cut.
:-D
And the simpsons 😉
I didn't even know there was an Americanised Red Dwarf! As Craig Charles said "I'm glad it didn't work".
me too. lister was perfect. why remake a good thing.
tg they didnt try and remake yes minister
I knew about it, and I have seen it. In fact you can find it here if you search for it. It is, for 99% of it, terrible, but I will admit there's a few jokes that do work. The structure of the pilot is horrid though.
So many remakes... I had no idea they tried to remake It Crowd and Faulty Towers. Why not just show Americans the originals?
The U.S. tried to remake Fawlty Towers twice with the first one called Amanda's with Bea Arthur. Both Royal Payne and Amanda's failed to take one thing into account, each episode of Fawlty Towers took an astounding six weeks to do. No way you can get away with that here.
2 reasons for remakes. No one knows the actors or the humour is very different.
Personally, as a HUGE fan of Red Dwarf, I disown the attempted US remake, but forgive Kryten as his good judgement mode was no doubt malfunctioning.
Why can't American audiences deal with sex in their TV? I find that the thing that ruins an American remake is the lack of sex or stuff even hinting at sex.
We prefer violence.
It sucks, we do have a lot of sex in our shows like Dexter and True Detective but they are not allowed on any regular networks. You have to get a subscription to special channels like Showtime and HBO. But on the science fiction channel they can show a guy getting gutted and all his intestines taken by some blood thirsty lunatic but we can't see some beautiful boobies
dommell100 Do what the UK do and air it all after a certain time. We get great TV because of it
They don't have a watershed after 9pm like we do.
i am sure they can, but maybe after 21:30?
(aussie) KATH AND KIM WAS THE BOMB! gosh i miss that show :')
everyone does
Kath and Kim was remade in the US? OUTRAGEOUS!
Has anyone seen Secrets & Lies? It's an Aussie TV show that's soon to be remade in the U.S. I can't wait to see the U.S. version, although I hope that they don't mess up the brilliant Aussie version.
No "Being Human"? Not even as an honorable mention?
Man.
The American version of that show...Woo, boy. THAT was awful.
Kou Izumi it was quite successful and it lasted for a few seasons
I know it did. What a travesty.
I thought it was pretty watchable tbh... It wasn't the greatest show of all time but it was fine imao.
Don't miss these other great videos,
Top 10 Worst American Remakes of Foreign Movies
Top 10 Fictional Bars In TV and Film
Top 10 TV Replacement Characters
Top 10 TV Geniuses
If Top Gear isnt in this countdown i'll be upset... America thrashed Top Gear.
Hmm just an honorable mention. Oh well, at least you guys got to it. For sure, a straight rip off.
Top Gear USA suks so bad....
You guys should of had Boys Before Friends on the list. It's a remake of Boys Over Flowers which sprung several other remakes all over Asia but the American version was horrible. I couldn't even get past the opening of the first episode before I quit watching out of disgust.
Top Gear USA so sucks!! i only watch it first time because of Tanner Foust hosting the series.... after that i never watch again.... :'(
The only US remake worth watching for me is the office
elllad it's good in a different way. I like both tbf
even still the UK version with Ricky Gervais and Martin Freeman is better...
shameless was better in US
Abdullah Rahman
Going to assume you were high on crack while watching that shit
elllad What about Wilfred?
Mad how most of them are British. And Americans always say our TV is the worst, if it was that bad, they wouldn't constantly *TRY* to remake it...
The idea of Spaced being remade (especially without any input from Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jessica Hynes or Edgar Wright) makes me queasy.
Although I like American programmes such as The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother and Friends,it seems the U.K can't have a programme of it's own without the U.S remaking it. Nothing can beat the u.k versions of programmes such as Skins, Shameless, Life On Mars and The Inbetweeners as both countries have a different sense of humour and both the U.K and the U.S should leave each others shows alone, the Brits don't go remaking your shows, as they are fine the way they are and it would ruin them. I like both countries shows and they don't need to change.
The U.S. version of Top Gear makes me want to vomit
+Adam Kraabel I feel the same for the 'strayan version
+Adam Kraabel IKR! Top Gear british version is thee Top Gear
+Miranda not any more. Now we have to commute to amazon prime to get the guys back.
Joey tribiano!
Matt LeBlanc is the new presenter of BBC UK top gear! for realz!
I didn't like the american version of "Being Human". I really didn't like the american actors.
+Metalcell I thought it was well done, not as graphic, but better character development. Helped that it had the same cast for the whole run. And Sally was better than Annie.
+Meme Iselfaneye Take that back :O No one is better than Annie, Annie was so British like when she just kept on making cups of tea even though she couldn't drink them.
to each their own but I really loved it. the character development and fanaly was perfect.
+Metalcell Agreed!
People didn't like it at first but it got better with each season. There were new characters + arcs that went well with each season plot and the three main leads didn't need to be replaced with new actors.
I know it seems like we speak the same language, but there are many cultural differences between Great Britain, Australia, and America. The humor is completely different in other countries, even those that share a common language. I fell in love with British TV, especially Red Dwarf from watching late night PBS, and I love the IT Crowd original version because it is uproariously hilarious. I don't think television execs over here get that comedies from the Commonwealth would do well broadcast for American television on its original merit. Yeah, there are some subtle differences in language ("bog" instead of "toilet," "snog" in place of "kiss"), but that's why they invented Google. The American version of the Office is probably the only (maybe) successful spinoff of a British show. Honestly, I wouldn't have been able to stomach a Red Dwarf or IT Crowd remake for even one episode. I'm glad there are ways to find the original shows. Oh, and Top Gear U.K. previews much better cars.
The Inbetweeners USA was tragic... The UK version is one of my favourite tv series without a doubt!
skins us was so horrible
I'm from America and skins us was no where as good as skins uk
Isabel Rosario it sucked me in but then was like wait what is wrong with me this is terrible
letsbeunpredictable What's worse? Skins or Inbetweeners remake?
Teebz 1000 inbetweeners
letsbeunpredictable Now that I think about it, ya. Like Skins was only shot for shot, word for word remake of the pilot and then it went off in it's shitty departure
The absolutely mind blowing thing with inbetweeners US is that it had the EXACT same plot points, dialouge and scene shot for shot. HOW do you take the EXACT same script of a multi award winning fantastic HILARIOUS series and make it SOO horrible???
I think the biggest thing that pissed me off of both was it was tame :/ Like WAY too tame. Inbetweeners like seriousy? That would have been a pg 13 film. Such shitty attempts at 'edgy' dialouge. But what I don't get America is fine with shows like 'Oz' and Deadwood and Sopranos and Game of Thrones Why not make it with that level of gross and extreme?
I find British shows to be superior anyway only because I "get" that style of humor. Most of the time, American remakes tend to fall completely flat because it changes what was great about the original -- the style of humor. I don't understand why, if the original is so good, try to remake it and just pay to air it here instead?
+Angel of Seitan Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the sixties series "The Avengers" the only British series to air on US network TV in its original form?
+ZiggyWalsh I'm not sure, actually! I'm going to look into that out of curiosity.
And they censor absolutely everything
Good thing there wasn't a doctor who US version god image how terrible would that show would end
Ewwwwww, I didn't even know that Kath and Kim was turned into an American show. The Aussie classic is a comedy all Australians should be proud of.
They remade Red Dwarf? All of these look horrible, but that one really takes the cake.
+JLConawayII murdered more like
Oh god I just saw it on the video..... the fake laughing when it isn't even funny...... uuuggggghhhh
+JLConawayII It was horrible, I couldn't even finish the pilot.
+JLConawayII Vomit inducing, I didn't even know it was remade.
The worst for me is the IT Crowd, because it's a shot-for-shot, it features Richard Ayoade but not the rest of the case. Its script is EXACTLY the same from what I could tell, which made the entire process of re-localising completely pointless. Should have left it as it was, American audiences aren't retarded.
+JLConawayII It had some good qualities but mostly bad. This was a very low budget pilot. There is a documentary somewhere on youtube about how difficult it was for the original red dwarf writers to work for hollywood execs.
USA butchered Shameless - if you've ever seen the UK original version, there's no way in hell you'll be able to like the USA version. David Threlfall is the only person who can pull off Frank Gallagher in the true gritty fashion that makes him who he is. The characters on the US show just aren't believable like the UK cast was - there's just no comparison. UK Shameless, The IT Crowd and Skins are 3 of my absolute favorite shows, and the US should've just left them alone
THANK YOU, the original is incredible.
Well, I really like both, so...
At least all the main characters didn't leave the US version
+1337 Kaptain Everyone thinks that....
Don't forget the inbetweeners
I literally clicked on this video cause I knew skins would be on it.
What about "Being human"? The british one is good, the american one is really bad.
So bad its been on for 4 seasons.....its not that bad
You are alone in feeling this way the IMDb rating for each version is pretty close 7.4 for US version and 7.8. for the UK original version.
shinmusashi44 Popularity/quantity aren't the same thing as quality. Just look at Jersey Shore, that show about the Tardashians, etc.
I thought both were terrible. I though the pilot was amazing, but then they replaces the best actors for "cultural diversity" and it was just sad to compare to the pilot. I'm south-Asian and I wish they'd sacked the crappy south-Asian lady who played the ghost. Also, the vampire in the pilot was totally dark and conflicted, then they replaced him with a good looking guy. So the rest of the series was crap compared to the original pilot.
I was about to say the same. UK Being Human is much much better. Shouldn't have been remade here.
That HORRENDOUS American remake of Gavin & Stacey called Us and Them should be on this list.
Trying to remake Fawlty Towers is like trying remake Monty Python, it can't be done lol
Right?! Fawlty Towers was amazing, and should've been left alone
@@chayden153 true
The Inbetweeners should be number 1
Friends No.2
Friends is considered one of the best shows off all time
***** I think that Top Gear should be No.2
The biggest difference is that Americans use actors with zero talent, because they mainly pick people based on looks instead of their acting.
Secondly, most American humour consists of being loud, oh my godding and kicking people in the nuts, no intelligence in that humour. Well, the Brits also have those shows but they still somehow work haha Young Ones, Bottom ect
Yeah, we have a lot of atrociously bad comedy shows. But we also have some really damn good, smart ones that don't just consists of people getting kicked in the nuts. Community, Scrubs, Arrested Development, The US remake of the Office was great.
joe name Office was good but not as smart as the original =D And Scrubs is amazing, got to give you that, seems you can't copy greatness, only create
Yeah, America needs to stop with the remakes. And to my shame i haven't watched the original Office yet.
joe name Go my son, WATCH! >=D It's genius in its making, master piece of awkwardness comedy haha. Also try Extras, another Gervais work
I will! I dont know why i haven't yet. And yeah ive heard extras is good. Ill check that out too, thanks.
Skins should have been like at least number 4 it was disgraceful. Also inbetweeners was actually the most horrific thing
British: *makes show*
America: * smashes through wall*
Did someone say oil?
It's not a TV programme but the US version of Death at a Funeral was pathetic when compared to the British original
The absolute worst thing Peter Dinklage has ever done(including Underdog)!
No, Underdog was Oscar worthy in comparison to that tripe.
They made Frasier so I forgive them haha
SabrinaSpellman LOL yes that does earn them considerable credit!
I loved the Australian Kath & Kim, no idea what they did to the American one as it was so bad. If you've ever seen the Kiwi's Outrageous Fortune 2005-2010 America remade it as Scoundrels in 2010 with only 8 episodes, in fact Scoundrels was Americas 2nd attempt at remaking OF the first never made it was the pilot, it was called Good Behavior. Even the UK tried remaking it called Honest in 2008 with only 6 episodes.
Im Australian and when the US tried kath and Kim they certainly fucked it up! Kath and Kim the aussie version is a 1000 times better.
The British dry humor, wit and dialect just can't be copied. Thank God they've never tried to recreate Benny Hill with Seth Rogan.
The only thing 99% of sub 30 year olds in Britain know of Benny Hill is the theme tune...and we learned that from American cartoons :) (googled him once, fucking abysmal)
The Benny Hill shown in North America had all the really crap parts cut out.
lol-Benny Hill was "Dry Humor"? Don't get me wrong, I loved that show & yes,he did a lot of clever wordplay in his songs but sexual innuendo & physical pratfalls cross all cultures.
as an American I absolutely love most British humor very big money python fan Loved Fawlty Towers. and red dwarf. now Benny Hill is different I know people like them and all that but I found it to be more simple-minded humor so have I poor man's Monte python. way more simple-minded humor I got bored of him pretty fast although some things I like of it. It reminded me as if it was written for an older British audience
The american inbetweeners is absolutely dreadful 😷
Thank God You're Here was another Aussie hit the US fucked up. Compare the two. The US one gave up before the credits of episode one.
Matthew Gallagher our Netflix is shit so I use the American one illegally
Disgrace to society
What was your reaction to the US inbertweeners jay?
+Mattoafc 789 *inbetweeners
he's already seen and rated season 2
The Inbetweeners should be No.1. Fucking dreadful.
when I saw who they cast to play them, I almost wept. Especially Jay, what the fuck did they do to Jay.
you guys missed shameless
Fans vote
And Being Human, the American version is disgraceful to the original.
l
chikowashere I didn't even know there was a US Being Human?
chikowashere That 100% right preach it my Brother .
i don't understand why americans remake british tv shows, they speak english so can't they just air the original show!!!! do they think people won't watch it because it's foreign!!
***** the Yanks watch foreign movies. they fuckin lov harry potter and James Bond
First of all I'm an American. A citizen of the United States of America. Deed, I also do not understand why there are American remakes to BBC shows. BBC America is probably one of my favorite channels. I believe it's more about money than anything. The average American understands what we perceive as the British accent just fine, and the "slang" is no barricade of any sort. Kevin, in the manner of which you are speaking it would seem you have made no attempt to adequately survey Americans with a non ignorant mind set. Just the fact of how worked up you got has me concerned. I suggest counseling.
Um, not all of these shows were British, Kath and Kim (Most amazing childhood show) is Australian...
It's basically two different cultures. Most television stations are afraid to air the original product because they feel they won't get the cultural wit. Good example here is between Kath & Kim and it's American predecessor. Most Americans wouldn't understand most of the jokes about the two being daggy Australian bogans, and thus, they tried to remodel the show to fit the American culture.
Of course, in doing this they almost always kill the characters' personalities in the process.
***** I happen to like the IT crowd...
Fawlty Towers was one of my favorite old Britcoms. Hey at least “The Office” fares well
There has been some successful remakes... House of Cards (UK 1990); Sanford and Son (UK Steptoe & Son 1962-74); Shameless (UK 2004-13); Gracepoint (UK Broadchurch 2013- ); Dear John (UK 1986-87); The Office (UK 2001-03). Amazingly there has also been American remakes of The Young Ones and Dad's Army that didn't make it beyond the pilot episode.
Also, "All in the Family" (UK Till Death Do Us Part), Three's Company (UK Man About The House), Veep (UK The Thick of It).
And "Are You Being Served?" Was remade in America and Australia. Both never held a candle to the original British version. With the Aussie version, it was nice to see John Inman return as Mr Humphries, it helped it a bit, but I like to think if it ain't broke, why fix it? There's something to be said about the British humour, it's the show's essence. Once it is removed and/or replaced, you notice the show really does lose a lot in the translation!
Shameless USA isn't anything close to the quality of the UK version.
@Certifiable personally I think it's a lot better
Top 10 worst American versions of words in the English dictionary
Top 10 words that the English put unnecessary letters in. :)
Teh Riizeh color doesn't need a "u"
I can tell this guy is a complete douche who has no understanding of culture.
Since a lot of English comes from Latin, and various other languages, why didn't you come up with your own language?
Teh Riizeh
You just contradicted your self good job.
The intro said it all, trying to cash in on shows that have been successful for a quick buck. They probably all would have done better if they had taken the concept of any of these "remakes" and just derived their own show from it. Not try imitate it word for word and attempt to match unique characters. Only thing I don't get is Shameless isn't on this list too
Kath and Kim is an Aussie classic :) It should never be remade in any country.
All I get from this is American producers don't get foreign humour (I can't just say "British" as Kath and Kim was Australian)
The Australians have British humour anyway, it's basically England 2.0 haha Though now it's our humour, Ozzies get it you see
Raijin Enel Well, one might call it British prison humour. Ha.
They remade the amazingly funny Australian show "Wilfred" because it had "Too much swearing"
I shit you not
I notice a trend. "Too racy, too offensive." Come on, Americans have to be the most easily offended people in the world. And I'm American
Yup. That's why none of us can take a slight insult and or joke about our country.
Kath & Kim could NEVER be redone.
I could've lived without knowing that they tried to make a US version of 'Men Behaving Badly'.
Or Fawlty Towers !!! I couldn't believe my eyes !!!
(But this is a country that actually made a 2-part TV movie of CASABLANCA staring - wait for it ……….. David Soul !!!!!!!!! )
"Payne" was bad. "Amanda's" was worse. (Bea Arthur as Basil and Sybil rolled into one...?)
Now for the Top Ten Best American TV Remakes, I'd suggest Ugly Betty.
+MercuryHeart well that is'nt a remake, it's a whole new series with one similiar character............