US remakes of UK shows

Posted by: Dungassin on 06 December 2010

I see that the Yanks have made their own version of "Being Human". Yet another UK TV show plagiarised/copied for the US market. I suppose they could make an excuse for remaking a foreign language film, but why do it for one that's already in English? Are they incapable of understanding the Queen's English unless spoken/mangled by an American accent?
Posted on: 07 December 2010 by JamieL_v2
I can understand the US remaking UK comedy shows to give them the familiar feel that many sitcoms benefit from, although I do agree that they are generally inferior through the process.

I also understand how TV shows date, particularly in speed. It is not purely the MTV generation having a short attention span, but viewers get used to how certain ideas in plots develop, and so do not need to have them emphasised as they were in show twenty or thirty years ago. Watching a 1960's a Star Trek it is painful how much time they go over and over some point that is taken as read on current TV sci-fi shows.

What I can not forgive is taking a brilliant original show and churning out a remake in order to give a current star a vehicle, or to fill the schedule with 'new' material. I think there is nothing that can be forgiven about the BBC's current remakes of 'Reggie Perrin'. While Martin Clunes is a pleasant TV actor, but he has nothing of the depth of Lenard Rossiter. A friend was talking with the director of the remake and asked him about some of the casting who replied that 'casting would come up with someone' for some of the roles. When a show is as iconic as the original 'Reggie Perrin' all the characters have become engrained with a depth that this director simply didn't conceive of.
Posted on: 07 December 2010 by Guido Fawkes
quote:
Originally posted by jayd:
Get Smart
Now that was a great show

Bring back Agent 99.
Posted on: 07 December 2010 by Dungassin
quote:
Originally posted by ROTF:
quote:
Originally posted by jayd:
Get Smart
Now that was a great show

Bring back Agent 99.

And the recent film remake wasn't bad either. I was given the complete "Get Smart" as a present earlier this year. Really must get round to watching it sometime soon. Smile
Posted on: 07 December 2010 by garyi
There is some really funny american tv shows.

Eastbound & Down
Californication
Curb your enthusiasm

Monty python is very much of its time, and I don't know of any brit TV that is touching US at the moment for either drama of comedy (always happy to be proven wrong)
Posted on: 07 December 2010 by Naijeru
quote:
Originally posted by Dungassin:
I see that the Yanks have made their own version of "Being Human". Yet another UK TV show plagiarised/copied for the US market. I suppose they could make an excuse for remaking a foreign language film, but why do it for one that's already in English? Are they incapable of understanding the Queen's English unless spoken/mangled by an American accent?


No big deal really. I actually like to see different cultures put their own spin on a given TV show or movie. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Many British shows are broadcast as is in the US on public stations; usually only in the cities though.

BTW, if you can't deal with American English, I hate to imagine how you'd react to Chinese English when it becomes the dominant form spoken. You'll be BEGGING for our vastly superior spelling, flap t and other improvements. Big Grin
Posted on: 07 December 2010 by Dungassin
quote:
BTW, if you can't deal with American English, I hate to imagine how you'd react to Chinese English when it becomes the dominant form spoken. You'll be BEGGING for our vastly superior spelling, flap t and other improvements. Big Grin

I have no problem with American English - the person I quoted seemed to have problems with English as spoken by an Englishman. After all, language is always an evolving thing. I even corrected the spelling of foetus to fetus for one of my daughter's friends last week. (American without the dipthong is actually correct) Now, broad Ulster, or Glaswegian, that's another matter ... (ducks and runs for cover). Winker
Posted on: 07 December 2010 by TomK
Try Aberdonian, Geordie, Scouse, Birmingham etc etc. All impenetrable at times, especially Aberdonian, not just an accent but a different language.
Posted on: 07 December 2010 by JamieL_v2
quote:
Originally posted by garyi:
.... and I don't know of any brit TV that is touching US at the moment for either drama of comedy (always happy to be proven wrong)

I must second that for Drama, the output from HBO and together with shows like Dexter from Showtime is outstanding.

Personally I think the output from David Simon, 'Homicide: Life on the Streets', 'The Wire', and apparently 'Treme' (waiting for it to make it over here, or to DVD) sets a standard that is higher than any productions elsewhere. 'Generation Kill' was OK too.

Others like Alan Ball (Six Feet Under, True Blood), Joss Whedon (Buffy, Firefy) and the war dramas produced by Hanks and Spielberg are right up there too.

In the UK, ITV have certainly done some excellent police dramas (Prime Suspect, Frost, etc), and the BBC are good at period pieces. I did catch some of the BBC's 'Accused' that was very good indeed, so there are some highs, but more on short runs or one off dramas. Many series though do not seem to match the US.
Posted on: 08 December 2010 by BigH47
Talking about sub titles I really couldn't enjoy The Wire as most of the dialogue was impenetrable, I spent all the time re winding or just say what f*** did he say?
What the US dramas offer I think is a really good spread of characters, and some truly original ones too SFU, Dexter, Californication to name a few.
Production values are up there too, mind you they do have a huge amount different scenery to choose from.

We still enjoy the lighter stuff too , Bones, Mentalist and Lie to Me.
Lots of brits have good parts in lots of US drama too.
Posted on: 08 December 2010 by JamieL_v2
quote:
Originally posted by JamieL_v2:
Howard

If you persevere with the dialogue in 'The Wire' you get used to it, and it is written in such a way that important information is repeated so that you can find out the information. Just don't worry about catching every word as you might with a BBC drama.

It is a very common comment about 'The Wire' with UK viewers.

I spoke with an actor who like me enjoyed 'The Wire' and also sci-fi and he found the dialogue veryin the two similar. In sci-fi there are technical terms, and made up technical terms that are understandable on the first listen, but you just let them pass and if they are important they will be repeated or explained further. He felt that liking sci-fi made 'The Wire' an awful lot easier to watch because of the way you get used to following, and ignoring some dialogue'.

There is also the great scene in 'The Wire' where you only need to understand one word, 'F**k' as that is the only word that is used throughout the whole scene and the performance delivers all the information you need to know.

It doesn't just happen with shows using fairly strong US regional accents and slang, I seem to remember that when 'The Full Monty' was shown at cinemas in the US a card translating terms used in it was given to the audience. I also remember that a drama made in Brixton, 'Sarf Landan' was subtitled when shown on national TV here, much to the producers annoyance.
Posted on: 08 December 2010 by BigH47
Maybe I'm just too lazy, but I watch TV to relax not to have to "work" at it, as regards Sc-Fi I love the language and it has never worried me or prevented me from following the plot.The Wire just seemed un-intelligible, dense and I just couldn't hear it.

No1 son has The Wire I might give it another go, but like music there is more than enough around to have to worry about missing out on some.
Posted on: 08 December 2010 by JamieL_v2
It is hard work, but then like some music it takes a while for you get into the way it is played. I think alongside 'Homicide: Life on the Streets' it is the best TV series made, but it is not escapism and not relaxing, so is something you have to be in the mood for.

It also takes about three episodes before you start to see a plot developing, or even work out which characters are doing what.

It is very dense and not for everyone. I found the same with 'The Sopranos', I could see it was extremely well made and acted, but there was something that I just could not latch on to.
Posted on: 08 December 2010 by Dungassin
I'm very familiar with the "difficulty in deciphering what is said" problem, and it happens with UK programs too. My solution? Rewind a bit, put on subtitles. Bit difficult if you're watching live TV, but then I very rarely do. Winker
Posted on: 08 December 2010 by BigH47
quote:
Originally posted by Dungassin:
I'm very familiar with the "difficulty in deciphering what is said" problem, and it happens with UK programs too. My solution? Rewind a bit, put on subtitles. Bit difficult if you're watching live TV, but then I very rarely do. Winker


On Sky and I think others you can re-wind/ pause live TV.
Posted on: 08 December 2010 by Dungassin
quote:
On Sky and I think others you can re-wind/ pause live TV.

Not all TVs with Freeview built in let you do that. That's what I meant - when using the TV's own Freeview tuner. Smile
Posted on: 08 December 2010 by Naijeru
quote:
Originally posted by BigH47:
Talking about sub titles I really couldn't enjoy The Wire as most of the dialogue was impenetrable, I spent all the time re winding or just say what f*** did he say?

Fascinating. Is it the accents that are hard to understand or the actual dialog itself? I don't see how subtitles would help in the case of the latter.

I love Californication but I'm not sure how it can continue after the last season. It was brilliant and a plausible scenario for the characters, but I'd pretty much had enough of Hank Moody by the end of the season.
Posted on: 08 December 2010 by BigH47
Naijeru I do agree to some extent, a lot of series keep going for one or 2 series too many.

Hank hasn't moved on or learnt any thing has he? Maybe that is the point?
Posted on: 08 December 2010 by Dungassin
I have the same sort of feeling when it comes to most musicians/singers. In most cases 2 albums will tell you all you want to know about them.
Posted on: 08 December 2010 by BigH47
quote:
Originally posted by Dungassin:
I have the same sort of feeling when it comes to most musicians/singers. In most cases 2 albums will tell you all you want to know about them.


I bet the artists are glad there aren't too many customers like you. Eek Smile
Posted on: 09 December 2010 by WTM
Well, I'm a Yank and in every case of shows I've seen, the UK versions are better. I do think the US version of "The Office" found it's legs for a while, but that didn't last long. I'm kind of dreading the US version of "Being Human". I enjoyed the original on BBC-America.
Posted on: 09 December 2010 by GreenAlex
quote:
Originally posted by ROTF:
quote:
I wouldn't broadcast Fawlty Towers in it's UK original if I wanted to show it today. It would have to be remade as you can easily see how old it is.
Would you not show Casablanca as you can easily see how old it is?

Would you show Casablanca on primetime TV for the 18-49 audience? I don't think so.

If the americans copy a show it's because they want to show it to an audience that does not know the show and they will want to make some cash with it, not show it as re-runs of an old show sometime sunday afternoon.

By the way, unless you grew up with Casablanca, you wouldn't want to watch the original either.

Nostalgia is one thing, but time moves on and there is no arguing that television has turned into an audio-visual experience. so if you expect me to watch something "live" and suffer through ads, you better make sure it is entertaining and visually stimulating.
Posted on: 09 December 2010 by BigH47
Nostalgia is not what it used to be. Winker
Posted on: 09 December 2010 by TomK
quote:
Originally posted by GreenAlex:

By the way, unless you grew up with Casablanca, you wouldn't want to watch the original either.

Nostalgia is one thing, but time moves on and there is no arguing that television has turned into an audio-visual experience. so if you expect me to watch something "live" and suffer through ads, you better make sure it is entertaining and visually stimulating.


If we're lucky maybe Michael Bay will do a new version. Not nearly enough explosions or transforming robots in it. Roll Eyes
Posted on: 09 December 2010 by Dungassin
quote:
Originally posted by TomK:
quote:
Originally posted by GreenAlex:

By the way, unless you grew up with Casablanca, you wouldn't want to watch the original either.

Nostalgia is one thing, but time moves on and there is no arguing that television has turned into an audio-visual experience. so if you expect me to watch something "live" and suffer through ads, you better make sure it is entertaining and visually stimulating.


If we're lucky maybe Michael Bay will do a new version. Not nearly enough explosions or transforming robots in it. Roll Eyes

Bit like the bit in "Last Action Hero" where they have the Schwarzenegger version of Hamlet? Big Grin
Posted on: 09 December 2010 by Naijeru
quote:
Originally posted by BigH47:
Hank hasn't moved on or learnt any thing has he? Maybe that is the point?

I think the way season 3 ended that definitely is the point. If the show comes back (I think I heard they signed for a fourth season) I want to see nothing but wreckage, damage and fallout or the show is in danger of wearing out its welcome like The Office. Of course it must also continue to be hilarious. Office

One thing I do like about British shows is that they tend to have a beginning and an end. Six episodes for Luther and The Office though does seem a bit like slacking to me. I think 10 - 13 is a good size for a TV season. I wish more American shows were edited for quality rather than to squeeze maximum profit from the suckers.