# American shows that made it in the UK--or didn't **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 4, 2018, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258 "2018-07-04T00:50:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/1 "2018-07-04T00:50:57Z")
When I watch British TV shows or read British magazines, I’ll sometimes notice mentions of American TV shows. For example, “Are You Being Served” referenced Dallas and Columbo, while an interview with Noel Gallagher he compared his family to the Beverly Hillbillies. What American shows were big enough hits in the UK to be reference points to the person on the street, then or now? Conversely, which American shows bombed in the UK and are only known by mentions on other American shows? ---
**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:** [July 4, 2018, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/2 "2018-07-04T01:09:13Z")
**Friends** was a big hit. **Star Trek** was a refuge for many nerds in England and America. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/3 "2018-07-04T01:12:19Z")
When I was in high school (1972), we had a guest speaker from BBC TV who told us the original _ **Hawaii Five-O** _ failed miserably in Britain. “Audiences absolutely \*hated \*it!” she said. I was quite surprised because I thought the exotic locale would be of great interest to UKers. _ **The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson** _ was also aired in Britain for a brief spell in the '70s and apparently did not go over well there either. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/4 "2018-07-04T01:22:35Z")
ISTR reading that the 1966 “Batman” was a huge hit. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/5 "2018-07-04T01:24:01Z")
When I lived in Britain in the mid-70s, shows like _ **Starsky and Hutch** _ and _ **Police Woman** _ were immensely popular, for reasons that escape me. The father of my Scottish pen-pal never missed an episode of the latter. I think he had a real thing for Angie Dickenson. ---
**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:** [July 4, 2018, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/6 "2018-07-04T01:51:45Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > When I watch British TV shows or read British magazines, I’ll sometimes notice mentions of American TV shows. For example, “Are You Being Served” referenced Dallas and Columbo, while an interview with Noel Gallagher he compared his family to the Beverly Hillbillies. I was in London with my family the summer of the “Who Shot J.R.?” craze and everyone was asking us about that. (They were some episodes behind the US airing.) And from watching things like The Graham Norton Show, I get the impression that Frasier and The West Wing were popular over there. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/7 "2018-07-04T03:36:17Z")
Mistake ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/8 "2018-07-04T04:11:40Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I was in London with my family the summer of the “Who Shot J.R.?” craze and everyone was asking us about that. (They were some episodes behind the US airing.) > > And from watching things like The Graham Norton Show, I get the impression that Frasier and The West Wing were popular over there. This is what I’m asking for. Kids care even less what they are interesting, and he’s old. How dow we show we are the same assholes they want? ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/9 "2018-07-04T04:14:04Z")
Here’s a list of some American TV shows that were popular in the U.K.: [http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2013/03/10-american-tv-shows-that-were-huge-in-britain](http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2013/03/10-american-tv-shows-that-were-huge-in-britain) Here’s a list of American shows that were surprisingly popular in the U.K.: [http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2013/03/five-u-s-tv-shows-that-have-a-surprising-uk-fanbase](http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2013/03/five-u-s-tv-shows-that-have-a-surprising-uk-fanbase) Here’s a website where some Brits list American shows they personally remember as being popular: > **[What US TV shows are popular in the UK?](https://www.quora.com/What-US-TV-shows-are-popular-in-the-UK)** > > Answer (1 of 12): Some of the shows from the US have lost me weekends such The Sopranos and Breaking Bad. I think the series that really broke the mould for me was NYPD Blue. It was very well written and took you into the families of the team. This... Here’s a list of American shows that were popular in various countries: > **[The Most Popular U.S. TV Shows in 18 Countries Around the World](https://www.vulture.com/2015/12/most-popular-us-tv-shows-around-the-world.html)** > > Drop Dead Diva is big in Romania. This is wandering off the topic a little bit, but this is a list of things that Brits think about the U.S. based on the American TV shows they watch. Some of them strike me as genuine differences between British and American culture. Others strike me as the things that happen a lot of American TV shows although they aren’t actually that common in the U.S.: > **[Drama](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/)** > > The latest TV drama news, episode guides, interviews, trailers, comment and updates from RadioTimes.com. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/10 "2018-07-04T04:20:05Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > When I lived in Britain in the mid-70s, shows like _ **Starsky and Hutch** _ and _ **Police Woman** _ were immensely popular, for reasons that escape me. The father of my Scottish pen-pal never missed an episode of the latter. I think he had a real thing for Angie Dickenson. What is hip now. I have daughters who be!I’ve they are hip, but they know where hip, as snarky but factual, resides. Cecil did this, and we need to try. I would share the responsibility. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/11 "2018-07-04T13:10:32Z")
Reading that list of what was popular in the UK brought back some memories. I remember the kids at the children’s home where a friend of mine worked were hooked on _ **The Six Million Dollar Man** _ (emphasis on the word “dollar”). They also liked _ **Star Trek** _ (I donated a set of the original \*Enterprise \*blueprints to them before I left Brighton). I once mentioned lollipops (suckers) to my Scottish pen-pal, and at first she thought I was talking about ice lollies (popsicles). Then she said “Oh, you mean like Kojak eats?” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/12 "2018-07-04T13:21:09Z")
[Moderating] **dropzone** , is there something going on on your end? I’m seeing a lot of nonsensical posts from you last night. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/13 "2018-07-04T13:27:39Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > [Moderating] > **dropzone** , is there something going on on your end? I’m seeing a lot of nonsensical posts from you last night. Probably celebrating the holiday(s). The same thing’s happened with me several times. I’ve made a number of posts when I was thoroughly inebriated. They were often better than ones I’ve written sober. :o ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/14 "2018-07-04T15:30:19Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > [Moderating] > **dropzone** , is there something going on on your end? I’m seeing a lot of nonsensical posts from you last night. When I was sober. I do nonsense. Sense, not so much. How long have you known me? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/15 "2018-07-04T16:27:02Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I was in London with my family the summer of the “Who Shot J.R.?” craze and everyone was asking us about that. (They were some episodes behind the US airing.) _Dallas_ was _huge_ for a time. The “Who Shot JR?” stuff made national headlines. > [@](#): > > And from watching things like The Graham Norton Show, I get the impression that Frasier and The West Wing were popular over there. Frasier still runs daily at 9am on Channel 4, and has done seemingly forever. 😛 It had a prestigious Friday evening slot when first broadcast. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/16 "2018-07-04T16:29:50Z")
Law and Order and CSI Vegas were not only popular, but are still being shown. ( think three UK channels are showing a Law and Order episode today! ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/17 "2018-07-04T16:53:03Z")
Most of the things mentioned as being popular in the U.K. are shows that did well in the U.S. too. The only one mentioned as doing well in the U.S. but poorly in the U.K. is _Hawaii Five-O_ (the original 1968-1980 one). Did any other American TV show do well in the U.S. but poorly in the U.K.? I presume there are shows that are popular in the U.S., although no network even tried to show them in the U.K. For instance, from Googling I have been able to find out that Stephen Colbert’s, Jimmy Fallon’s, Conan O’Brien’s, and Jimmy Kimmel’s talk shows aren’t shown at all in the U.K. Perhaps the feeling is that it’s too hard for non-Americans to understand American talk shows. However, James Corden’s, Seth Meyers’, John Oliver’s, and Trevor Noah’s shows are shown in the U.K., so who knows? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/18 "2018-07-04T16:59:01Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > The only one mentioned as doing well in the U.S. but poorly in the U.K. is _Hawaii Five-O_ (the original 1968-1980 one). It must have done OK, because the theme music is instantly recognisable to British people who were around at the time. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/19 "2018-07-04T17:17:46Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > It must have done OK, because the theme music is instantly recognisable to British people who were around at the time. The theme may have been popular; the show was not (though it was parodied on Eric Idle’s _ **Rutland Weekend TV** _). I’m willing to bet the version of the theme most people knew worldwide was the one by The Ventures: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rhhlodvXvwI/hqdefault.jpg "Hawaii Five-O (IN STEREO) by The Ventures") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhhlodvXvwI) ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258/20 "2018-07-04T17:18:43Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Most of the things mentioned as being popular in the U.K. are shows that did well in the U.S. too. The only one mentioned as doing well in the U.S. but poorly in the U.K. is _Hawaii Five-O_ (the original 1968-1980 one). Did any other American TV show do well in the U.S. but poorly in the U.K.? I presume there are shows that are popular in the U.S., although no network even tried to show them in the U.K. For instance, from Googling I have been able to find out that Stephen Colbert’s, Jimmy Fallon’s, Conan O’Brien’s, and Jimmy Kimmel’s talk shows aren’t shown at all in the U.K. Perhaps the feeling is that it’s too hard for non-Americans to understand American talk shows. However, James Corden’s, Seth Meyers’, John Oliver’s, and Trevor Noah’s shows are shown in the U.K., so who knows? Graham Norton on the BBC dominates the UK talk show. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-shows-that-made-it-in-the-uk-or-didnt/817258.md?page=2)