Dharma And Greg (UK)

I noticed this in the "New Comedies In Production" section.

Does this have "bad idea" written all over it, or might it be one of those rare occasions when comedy actually does translate across the humour barrier?

I'm not optimistic.

I've not seen the US one.

It sounds redundant.

But I'll still give it a go!

I never got into Dharma and Greg, so probablly wouldn't watch this. A UK 'Will and Grace' I would watch, and don't try to fob me off with 'Gimme, Gimme, Gimme'. which I am ashamed to say I really liked.

There's no real reason it shouldn't work from the basic setup. New age wife and business suit husband... the original was fairly forgettable, for the life of me I can't remember any of the supporting cast.

I just don't see the point of making it 'a remake'. They could easily have pinched that basic concept (which is hardly an amazing one) and changed it/British-ised just as they will have done anyway, no one would have remotely noticed.

I'm not too sure if they're allowed to because that sounds like stealing a material structure which was the very basis for the US show. I think they are forced to buy the rights if I got the jist of IP law right, but can't guarantee I have, because it's complex. If they choose something too noticably similar to D&G then the show's makers can/will sue them. Ideas get recycled a lot without comeback but I don't think an idea that is so integral and unique to a show can be without breaking the law, it's like brands and patents, they're protected.

I think the concept is a good one worth remaking but I didn't see the original, well about five mins once maybe. I think relationship based sitcoms tend to be popular on the whole, so it has a good chance. Good evening.

I'm probably forgetting a lot about the actual concept. But I thought it was so vague that even if it was stolen no one would notice.
Uptight bloke and hippy woman get together?

I used to watch it, I have no idea why though.

This idea of a UK remake doesn't fill me with much joy.

I used to watch it too. She was quite likeable.
Has it been cast yet? I can imagine them choosing someone like the blonde ditzy one from My Family.

Something like that I'm sure, but now it's been done it can't be done again, without copying show itself. I think (which you have to pay for). Uptight bloke and punk woman, I see no problem, chilled out bloke and hippy woman likewise.

I think the US network lawyers would notice if no one else did, their beady little eyes would light up.

Nah, it's too vague a premise. Anyone could come up with that. They couldn't possibly successfully sue based on just that!

They could I think Zoo, yes, very successfully, just my guess, I could be wrong, but why else would a TV company pay big bucks to remake their own version, if they weren't scared of being sued?

Well that's why I think I must be forgetting some of the concept. Or maybe they wanted to use the actual scripts, or couldn't be bothered to make up their own secondary characters and just wanted to use the ones that worked in the original.

But if they were just using 'uptight bloke marries hippy woman' then no, they couldn't sue. That's all I'm saying.

Quote: chipolata @ November 26 2010, 10:46 PM GMT

Are you talking about Dharma and Greg or Aaron and Zooo now?

View original

Lol. But how am I a hippy...?