The Office: why British comedies should not be remade in America...
American imitations, err adaptations, of British comedies just don't work. There is a cultural basis for humour.
It would be a better idea to just screen the original British series. If the humour doesn't work on American viewers, then there is little point in making an American version.
Take The Office for example. Some of the script is just about copied from the original. What was the point?
- The Office - BBC (original version)
- The Office - NBC (a pale imitation)
American adaptations of One Foot in the Grave, Fawlty Towers, etc have flopped in the past. I just had an awful thought - what if Monty Python had been "Americanized"?
Anyway, and likewise, there are many excellent American comedies. Imagine if the British made a local version of Seinfeld! What would be the point? The nuances would all be lost.
It is time that the American television networks allowed American television viewers to mature, and screen British comedies in their originality. Who knows, they may not even need canned laughter and can decide for themselves what is funny.
Here is a list of some of the British comedies that appeals to my human (although I do get startled when he laughs while I am napping on his lap!):
As for Australian comedies, there are very few sitcoms (we tend to have shows that do skits to parady people and situations), and we import a lot of British and American sitcoms anyway. But there have been a few good ones such as Mother and Son (1984-1994), House Rules (1988) and Kath and Kim.
........ooooooooOOOOOOOOoooooooo........
I was dreaming away to wonderful music today, in particular Mendelssohn's Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream, when my human came home. He must have been feeling unwell and decided not to stay at work today.
Good for me. I had his lap for just about the whole day. I did try and get him to stay home with me originally by trying to get him to play with me with my plastic rings. I am a good human owner!
keisercat@wildmail.com
It would be a better idea to just screen the original British series. If the humour doesn't work on American viewers, then there is little point in making an American version.
Take The Office for example. Some of the script is just about copied from the original. What was the point?
- The Office - BBC (original version)
- The Office - NBC (a pale imitation)
American adaptations of One Foot in the Grave, Fawlty Towers, etc have flopped in the past. I just had an awful thought - what if Monty Python had been "Americanized"?
Anyway, and likewise, there are many excellent American comedies. Imagine if the British made a local version of Seinfeld! What would be the point? The nuances would all be lost.
It is time that the American television networks allowed American television viewers to mature, and screen British comedies in their originality. Who knows, they may not even need canned laughter and can decide for themselves what is funny.
Here is a list of some of the British comedies that appeals to my human (although I do get startled when he laughs while I am napping on his lap!):
- Yes Minister
- Vicar of Dibley
- Absolutely Fabulous
- Keeping Up Appearances
- Allo Allo
- My Family
- One Foot in the Grave
- Birds of a Feather
- Brittas Empire
- Red Dwarf
- Gimme Gimme Gimme
As for Australian comedies, there are very few sitcoms (we tend to have shows that do skits to parady people and situations), and we import a lot of British and American sitcoms anyway. But there have been a few good ones such as Mother and Son (1984-1994), House Rules (1988) and Kath and Kim.
........ooooooooOOOOOOOOoooooooo........
I was dreaming away to wonderful music today, in particular Mendelssohn's Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream, when my human came home. He must have been feeling unwell and decided not to stay at work today.
Good for me. I had his lap for just about the whole day. I did try and get him to stay home with me originally by trying to get him to play with me with my plastic rings. I am a good human owner!
keisercat@wildmail.com
posted by Keiser at 21:30
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home