# American Adaptations Of British TV Shows: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [June 25, 2023, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095 "2023-06-25T21:20:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2023, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/1 "2023-06-25T21:20:36Z")
Over in [this thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-ghosts-british-tv-series-that-inspired-the-american-one/977428/117), we’re talking about a British show that was remade in the U.S. and was/is a success (“[Ghosts](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11379026/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)”). Adaptation of British shows for the U.S. audience has been hit-and-miss. American adaptations of “The Office” and “Shameless” were huge success. “Coupling” and “Fawlty Towers,” not so much. What are some others? I submit: Steptoe & Son/Sanford & Son. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2023, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/2 "2023-06-25T21:21:50Z")
Three’s Company was very successful if not very good. Britcom was “Man About the House”. * * * * * * _All in the Family_ was a huge success and great. Based on _Till Death Us Do Part_ ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2023, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/3 "2023-06-25T21:26:46Z")
House of Cards Who Wants to be a Millionaire? > **[Category:American television series based on British television series](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:American_television_series_based_on_British_television_series)** > > The following is a list of American television programs based on British television programmes. > This category has the following 11 subcategories, out of 11 total. > The following 181 pages are in this category, out of 181 total. This list may not reflect recent changes. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2023, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/4 "2023-06-25T21:40:36Z")
Other than The Office, All In The Family has to be the top US remake. Both became, I think, equal to more famous than their originals. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2023, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/5 "2023-06-25T21:42:23Z")
As popular as “The Office” was, “All in the Family” changed TV forever and led the ratings for longer than any other TV show. Nothing really compares to its impact. “All in the Family” was the #1 TV show for 5 straight years! > **[All in the Family | Ratings](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_in_the_Family#Ratings)** > > All in the Family is one of three television shows (The Cosby Show and the reality music competition American Idol being the others) that have been number one in the Nielsen ratings for five consecutive TV seasons. The show remained in the top 10 for seven of its nine seasons. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2023, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/6 "2023-06-25T21:42:55Z")
House of Cards was pretty popular in the US as well, though it tanked…kind of justifying keeping it down to just a few episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2023, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/7 "2023-06-25T21:48:48Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Three’s Company was very successful if not very good. > > Britcom was “Man About the House”. > > * * * > > * * * > > _All in the Family_ was a huge success and great. Based on _Till Death Us Do Part_ _Three’s Company_ had a sequel/spin off called _Three’s a Crowd_ which was based off of _Robin’s Nest_ the sequel to _Man About the House._ _Three’s a Crowd_ only lasted one season. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2023, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/8 "2023-06-25T21:58:22Z")
Another successful adaptation, though not nearly as popular as some others mentioned, was the [North American version of _Being Human_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Being_Human_(North_American_TV_series)). The [original UK show](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Being_Human_(British_TV_series)) ran five series totalling 37 episodes while the adaptation ran four seasons of thirteen episodes each. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2023, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/9 "2023-06-25T22:18:22Z")
While Jesse Armstrong is rightly lauded for _Succession_, he will achieve actual sainthood for _[Peep Show](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peep_Show_(British_TV_series))_. There have been several attempts to create a US version, all doomed to failure. I can also mention how _This Country_ was adapted into _Welcome to Flatch_. Okaaaayish, and many of the episodes are scene-for-scene remakes, but it quickly shifted from the original into quirky character niceness. _Flatch_ feels like it wants to be _Parks & Recreation_, which is entirely the wrong vibe. And let us never mention the remakes of _Kath and Kim_ or the _Moodys_ - all the problems of translation of British humour are compounded when dealing with Australians. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2023, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/10 "2023-06-25T23:29:15Z")
[Getting On](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getting_On_(British_TV_series)) had a decent [American adaptation of the same name](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getting_On_(American_TV_series)). ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/11 "2023-06-26T00:05:17Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > _Three’s Company_ had a sequel/spin off called _Three’s a Crowd_ which was based off of _Robin’s Nest_ the sequel to _Man About the House._ _Three’s a Crowd_ only lasted one season. Also, George & Mildred/ The Ropers Panel game _Whose Line Is It Anyway_, originated in UK, remade in USA. Both good. Classic British comedy, _The Fall And Rise of Reginald Perrin_. A business middle manager dreams of a better life. He fakes his death, then heads off looking for something new. An ongoing story which develops episode to episode. Remade as American comedy, _Reggie_. A business middle manager dreams of a better life, but doesn’t do anything about it. Episodic sitcom in which nothing changes episode to episode. Totally pointless and point-missing. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/12 "2023-06-26T00:20:20Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > “Coupling” The funny thing is, wasn’t the British _Coupling_ basically a knock off of _Friends_? So the American remake was an American version of a British version of a popular American show. I’ll nominate _Call Me Kat_, an American remake of _Miranda_ for “the bad”. I’ve never seen Miranda, but it seems to have been positively reviewed in the UK. Yet I found the couple of episodes of Call Me Kat I tried to watch to be pretty unwatchable. Which is too bad, because I really like Mayim Bialik. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/13 "2023-06-26T00:21:53Z")
**Coupling** had a different vibe than **Friends** , it really wasn’t a knock off and generally a smarter show. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/14 "2023-06-26T04:46:48Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > I’ve never seen Miranda, but it seems to have been positively reviewed in the UK. It had many enthusiastic fans, but some people don’t find awkward klutzy misfits funny (not to mention catchphrase humour). I’m not sure it would do so well now. I’d take it as another example of our liking for sitcoms based on more or less perpetual frustration, which I suspect doesn’t always fit with American ambition (though, granted, Miranda did get her happy ending - with galloping as well!). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/15 "2023-06-26T12:06:57Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > **Coupling** had a different vibe than **Friends** , it really wasn’t a knock off and generally a smarter show. _Coupling_ even went to the trouble of denying it had anything to do with _Friends_: “This is _not_ an American sitcom!” ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/16 "2023-06-26T12:18:18Z")
I didn’t realise the HBO miniseries **The Night Of** was based on a British show ( **Criminal Justice** ). I thought it was really good and Riz Ahmed won an Emmy for his role. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/17 "2023-06-26T12:30:25Z")
There have been at least three unsuccessful attempts to make US versions of **Fawlty Towers** : > [@](#): > > The first, _Chateau Snavely_ starring [Harvey Korman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Korman) and [Betty White](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_White), was produced by [ABC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Broadcasting_Company) for a pilot in 1978, but the transfer from coastal hotel to highway motel proved too much and the series never was produced. The second, also by ABC, was _[Amanda’s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda%27s),_ starring [Bea Arthur](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bea_Arthur), notable for switching the sexes of its Basil and Sybil equivalents. It also failed to pick up a major audience and was dropped after ten episodes had been aired, although 13 episodes were shot. A third remake, called _[Payne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payne_(TV_series))_ (produced by and starring [John Larroquette](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Larroquette)), was produced in 1999, but was cancelled shortly after. Nine episodes were produced of which eight aired on American television (though the complete run was broadcast overseas). I remember seeing the pilot for _Payne_ - it just didn’t have remotely the same vibe that made the original work. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/18 "2023-06-26T14:10:47Z")
The American version of _Red Dwarf_ never made it past the pilot episode. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/19 "2023-06-26T14:43:54Z")
_Gracepoint_ is the US version of _Broadchurch_. I enjoyed both series. The change in location worked well. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095/20 "2023-06-26T14:46:17Z")
> [@Banksiaman](#): > > While Jesse Armstrong is rightly lauded for _Succession_, he will achieve actual sainthood for _[Peep Show](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peep_Show_(British_TV_series))_. There have been several attempts to create a US version, all doomed to failure. [They are doing it AGAIN!!!](https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/american-peep-show-plot-cast-release-date) 😠 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-adaptations-of-british-tv-shows-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/986095.md?page=2)