Pod Stallions 89: US Remakes of British Shows

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“What do ‘Fawlty Towers’, ‘On the Buses’ and ‘Open All Hours’ have in common? If you answered ‘They’re all classic UK shows that got crappy US remakes’, you’d be right! But you’d have to add, ‘Brian & Jason also know way too much about it’. For every ‘All in the Family’, there are a dozen […]

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[Falstaff13]

Great topic and show. Mark Evanier talked about Snavely not too long ago on his blog, and he hit the fact that all three of the American remakes of Fawlty Towers seemed to forget that one of the most important elements was the presence of John Cleese. I get on paper why they'd think Korman could play a Basil Fawlty, but it of course didn't work with the execution. I think that's the problem with so many of the sitcoms, as they tend to be drawn from broad strokes and assumptions about the material. On paper, an American Are You Being Served? sounds like it would work, and I can see producers saying "of course John Hillerman for Captain Peacock...oh is Charlotte Rae available for Mrs. Slocombe? And how about Alan Sues for Mr. Humphreys?" And then they make it, and it's a gutted approach. I remember hearing they were going to remake Waiting for God with Bea Arthur and Richard Mulligan, and luckily both leads turned it down, saying they'd rather find new vehicles.

I think there is something to audience awareness and expectations. The most successful US shows--All in the Family, Three's Company, Sanford & Son--all were hits before widespread American viewing of the British originals. At the same time, PBS picked up Fawlty pretty quickly (not sure how broadly given how PBS picks up shows, but given my dad saw it on Alabama PBS the year after it premiered in the UK, I assume it was quick), and so the original was a little better known. AbFab also got here fast, and attempts to make an American version (either directly or just thematically) basically flopped. The Office had a strong following before the NBC version, but that show found its own voice after the first, short season, plus that has worked as a franchise worldwide.

[palitoy]

That's a really good point about Fawlty being too well-known in America.

[Jorge Galvan]

The Roperswas not the least bit funny, George and Mildred, was Hilarious, way over the top!!!!! Loved it, every episode was a ball!!!!