# Father Ted - to be ruined **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 2, 2003, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751 "2003-07-02T11:44:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/1 "2003-07-02T11:44:26Z")
Saw this story [Father Ted to be remade by the US](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3037720.stm) For the love of god why? I already know that a lot of people on these boards have watched and enjoyed Father Ted so why do they have to give it the remake treatment? Why not just show it as it is? You just know the remake will be absolutely terrible. Do you find it slightly insulting that your TV execs assume the show can’t be a success in the states without it being remade? It seems like a lack of respect for the intellect of the audience. In the UK, we watch loads of american sitcoms. There is the odd reference that we don’t get, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to fill in the blanks, and get the jokes anyway. _Buncha feckin’ eejits_ ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/2 "2003-07-02T11:56:03Z")
It won’t work in the US. The entire basis for the humor in the series is particular to the culture in which it is set. If they use the original setting Americans won’t get it. If they move it to the US then the premise won’t work. We don’t do the country parrish in the US. Also given current climate for catholic preists in the US, you know with the sex scandals and the cover-ups, I don’t think a show about a senile preist, a dimwitted priest and a third priest covering up for the first two is going to go over well. The distinction that these priests are Anglican will be totally lost on 90% of the American audience. ---
**Author:** ![TheRealJohnPeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TheRealJohnPeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheRealJohnPeat)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/3 "2003-07-02T11:56:58Z")
Why??? FT is one of those programs which IS the people who starred in it - you don’t create characters like that, the actors do… I’m just trying to think of other UK series the US remade and the only one which leaps to mind is ‘Cracker’ - any other suggestions - anything which didn’t die-on-it’s-arse? TTFN JP ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/4 "2003-07-02T12:06:33Z")
FECK! ARSE! DRINK! BUGGER! ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/5 "2003-07-02T12:14:03Z")
These two links have lists of british shows that have been remade for the US. I haven’t seen them all, but every single on I have seen was terrible. [http://www.eskimo.com/~rkj/weekly/aa102500a.htm](http://www.eskimo.com/~rkj/weekly/aa102500a.htm) [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_British\_TV\_shows\_remade\_for\_the\_American\_market](http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_TV_shows_remade_for_the_American_market) > [@](#): > > It won’t work in the US. I did a thread about favourite british TV shows in America [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=188246&highlight=remake) , and quite a few people said they had seen and loved father ted. Itc an’t be beyond the american sense of humour. ---
**Author:** ![Morgainelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Morgainelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgainelf)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/6 "2003-07-02T12:24:27Z")
Aaargh. And I just saw an ad for the US version of **Coupling.**. I’m just sick. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/7 "2003-07-02T12:30:46Z")
> [@](#): > > I haven’t seen them all, but every single on I have seen was terrible. _All in the Family_ was perhaps the best situation comedy of all time on American TV. _Sanford and Son_ was good for its day. I loved _Max Headroom_. _Three’s Company_ was inane, but very popular. I’ve seen a few episodes of _Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?_, and they weren’t bad for a game show. (That’s not saying much there.) _Junkyard Wars_ and _Tradling Spaces_ are both very popular and I like them. As for _Father Ted_, I agree with **Degrance** that it won’t “work” here. We have a different society. And I’ve heard they’re re-maiking _Coupling_. I think I’ll just buy the DVDs when they come out. (I already have the first season.) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/8 "2003-07-02T12:32:10Z")
Oh – I do have the first season of _Father Ted_ on DVD. I don’t have BBC, so I have to get the DVDs of the shows I like. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/9 "2003-07-02T13:36:20Z")
Good lord, what a horrible idea! I mean, it even offended people in Great Britain! When Dermot Morgan died, there were those who said God Struck Him Down . . . On the other hand: remember, Britain took a not-bad, sometimes funny American show (_Friends_) and turned it into the godawful, smarmy and never funny _Coupling_. ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/10 "2003-07-02T13:47:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Michael Ellis \* > \*\*FECK! ARSE! DRINK! BUGGER! \*\* I think that that is an ecumenical issue. ---
**Author:** ![Planet\_of\_the\_Shapes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Planet\_of\_the\_Shapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Planet_of_the_Shapes)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/11 "2003-07-02T14:02:33Z")
Its a sad day for Father Ted… The article i read on it gave an example of the scene where some priests are sitting round watching a video of a primary school sports day or something, saying this is exactly the sort of thing that wouldn’t be in the US version! ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/12 "2003-07-02T14:06:40Z")
Maybe if it starred Rev. Lovejoy? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/13 "2003-07-02T14:10:44Z")
Don’t get too upset—remember all those stories about an American\* AbFab\* a few years ago? That, thankfully, never happened—maybe this won’t, either. ---
**Author:** ![Second\_Guest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@Second\_Guest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Second_Guest)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/14 "2003-07-02T14:12:40Z")
Damn. What’s next? An American _Vicar of Dibley_? This is getting way out of hand. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Alex\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_B)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/15 "2003-07-02T14:57:45Z")
posted by _Degrance_: > [@](#): > > Also given current climate for catholic preists in the US, you know with the sex scandals and the cover-ups, I don’t think a show about a senile preist, a dimwitted priest and a third priest covering up for the first two is going to go over well. The distinction that these priests are Anglican will be totally lost on 90% of the American audience. The priests in _Father Ted_ are most definitely Catholic. Are they going to be Anglican in the re-make? Alex. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/16 "2003-07-02T15:40:21Z")
Well, _Father Ted_’s priests were definately not Anglican–seeing as how the show was set in Ireland! I don’t see how the show could be made without Dermot Morgan, let alone in another country. I mean, he was literally the whole show–the star, the writer and I think the director and producer as well. It couldn’t possibly be the same show now that he’s gone. ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/17 "2003-07-02T15:47:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duke \* > \*\*Well, _Father Ted_’s priests were definately not Anglican–seeing as how the show was set in Ireland! > > I don’t see how the show could be made without Dermot Morgan, let alone in another country. I mean, he was literally the whole show–the star, the writer and I think the director and producer as well. It couldn’t possibly be the same show now that he’s gone. \*\* Dermot Morgan created the character of ted in stand up years ago, but it was Graham Lineham and Arthur Matthews who wrote Father Ted. I don’t think DM directed or produced it either. ---
**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/18 "2003-07-02T15:53:49Z")
It has been said, but can do with saying again in face of such a shit idea… ARSE! Either you find this show funny or you don’t, “americanising” it isn’t going to help anything. Personally it cracks me up. As for the comment that it might not gel too well with the present negative press for the catholic church, it is worth knowing that that is the exact atmosphere it was written in. At the height of Father Teds success Ireland was being torn to shreds by revelations of decades of abuse by members of the catholic church and by the goverments knowledge of this and lack of action. Bin this shite idea. Ah go oh. You will. Go on, yeh will. Ah go on. Go on go on go on go on go on go on yeh will. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/19 "2003-07-02T15:57:51Z")
Ach, **Iteki** , I know what would calm ya down—a noice cuppa tay. Ya want some tay, doncha? C’mon, now, have some tay. Woncha have some tay? ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751/20 "2003-07-02T16:28:43Z")
Good fucking lord, they must not do this. Fr. Ted was the people who played the parts, and the society they lived in. It is a VERY localised humour. Alot of the nuances of Fr. Ted would be lost in a remake (in fact, I’d even guess that some of them were lost on the UK watchers too e.g. the Lovely Girls festival. Unless you’ve seen the Rose of Tralee or one of the local town beauty contests you’d miss some of the parodies.) I hope they mean “remake” as in “In no way similar, either name, premise, or storyline”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/father-ted-to-be-ruined/185751.md?page=2)