Days Like These

Failed UK remakes of successful US sitcoms demand time

If you been with Tellyspotting as a P1 since Day 1, or if you have joined the conversation at any point over the course of the last ten years, you are probably acutely aware of my lack of tolerance for poorly done American television remakes of British television output. That said, it never dawned on me that when the tables are turned, the track record is not much different when you look at UK attempts to remake American situation comedies, even ones were considered quite popular from an audience standpoint. Here are a four examples I found to easily illustrate my point.

Opinion: comedies that were pulled earlier than planned

If Host The Week has been axed by Channel 4 after one episode, as has been reported, it joins a very select band of television comedies that were pulled earlier than planned.

Failed British re-makes of American telly

When you look at UK attempts to re-make American situation comedies that were considered quite popular from an audience standpoint, they don't all work either. Here are a four examples I found to easily illustrate my point...

This was the British version of America's That 70s Show. The scripts were Anglicised but, to the dismay of ITV, it was a dismal 1999 flop. Not even the services of top US comedy producers Carsey-Werner (Roseanne, The Cosby Show) could save it; only 10 of the 13 produced episodes aired. It's shows like these that make the phrase 'ITV comedy' the oxymoron it truly is.