With Doctor Who back on Saturday, I wonder what people think the best remakes in TV and cinema are? (I know Dr Who isn't technically a remake, but it feels like one to me, since it comprehensively re-invents the original series)
On the TV front, you can't get much better than the Battlestar Galactica remake (not least because the blonde cylon is sex on a stick). In terms of films, I love John Carpenters remake of The Thing. And David Cronenberg's The Fly was brilliant.
I don't know about best remakes, but the worst was that remake of The Likely Lads starring the ubiquitous Ant and Dec. Paul Mertion remaking some famous Galton and Simpson scripts was also an interesting experiment, if not entirely succesful. I'm also quite a fan of when American TV remakes British TV shows, and would have loved to see the failed pilots of Fawlty Towers and Red Dwarf.
The Red Dwarf pilot is available on Google Video, and probably YouTube.
The Office, i'm finding it more humorous than the British version.
I can't think of any TV or film remakes, but IMO two of the best 'remakes' have been Steptoe and Son in Murder at Oil Drum Lane and The New Statesman - The Blair B'stard Project. (I've yet to see this year's show. 
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Again, I don't know about the best remake but the WORST remake I have ever seen is the 2006 version of The Wicker Man. My good God it is the most horrendous thing I have ever seen and still makes me so ANGRY even thinking about it!
Quote: Aaron @ March 30, 2007, 10:54 AMThe Red Dwarf pilot is available on Google Video, and probably YouTube.
oh my gosh I hate the American version of Red Dwarf! It just seems wrong! I dont think its the right kind of comedy for the American cast and sentiment in it's humour
I know that three of my most hated remakes are the American version of The Office, the American version of Red Dwarf, and also Stepford and Son, the American remake of Steptoe and Son. The Americans can't seem to do anything right that isn't Scrubs.
A personal favourite remake is Mean Machine with Vinnie Jones. Maybe because it a British twist on The Longest Yard, or maybe because i just love Vinnie Jones, but i prefered it to the original Mean Machine and and the original Longest Yard. Though the remake of The Longest Yard with Adam Sandler was okay, i still prefer Mean Machine.
Stepford = Sanford, but we know what you mean. Can't say I've ever watched it though. Nor wanted to.
On the subject of this third series of Doctor Who, the first episode set in the hospital felt to me like a remake of Darkplace. I half expected to see Rick Dagless running down a corridor in slow motion.
Its weird that the first episodes of this season and last season were set in hospitals, I wonder if its some sort of cosmic clue or they are running out of ideas. The second episode was a period piece (in 19th century Scotland), the next episode is a period piece in 16th century England. I'm not a geek just have alot of time on my hands, now i'm off to build a sonic screw driver.