When the Americans remake the same series, she looks like this:
DCI Tennison... the horror... the horror...
At least when they redid genius, witty, womanizing, chain-smoking, alcoholic, gambling Cracker his transformation wasn't quite so drastic:
If you've only seen Robbie Coltrane play Hagrid, you're missing a lot. And if you don't watch British crime drama, you're missing even more! Apparently the American Cracker tanked, but the British series was a thing of beauty. As was Prime Suspect. Le sigh.
(Prime Cracker - a spoof for Comic Relief)
This all started with my brother sending me the news that the Wonder Woman tv show has been canned. But I was more shocked when I read, at the end of the article, that an American company is daring to remake Prime Suspect. Somehow I guess the new Tennison wasn't going to look the part.
8 comments:
Oh dear, but you're so right, plus the scripts won't be nearly so good and, even if they use a very similar script and even the same props [as done in the first episode of Life on Mars] the acting won't be as good either. As a New Yorker who lived a decade in London I'm filled with shame and pride at the same time. Oh you are so RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT and US productions are just so WRONG.
p.s. Thank you for reminding me of some really wonderful British shows though. That brightened my morning a bit.
So true, their remake of our Kath and Kim was a similar deal.
I would not have known that was Hagrid if you hadn't said anything...can't recognise him without all the hair.
Good observation.
Mind you as much as I liked the biting sarcasm and wit of the British (original) The Office, I don't know if I could have watched it very long. I'm sure that the "no. 2" strange guy (the equivalent to Dwight Shrutte... wassshissname?) would have gone postal and wiped out the entire office staff with a machine gun, he was so creepy, vs. just "strange" Dwight.
There's part of the difference maybe. The Brit shows are often done with more impact and not intended to go on and on forever. Meanwhile the American versions drag out an idea until it just sinks into sharkatude ... as The Office has done now.
The worst for me was when they tried to remake Absolutely Fabulous with Cybil Shepherd & Christine Baranski. Baranski totally could have done the part of Patsy. But Shepherd couldn't have pulled off Eddie. (Not that I think she's a bad actress but there's just no way she could ever be that un self conscious.) And the scripts were nothing like the British original.
So, if the Brits picked up Wonder Woman, would she end up more like this: http://www.just-whatever.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/old-wonder-woman.jpg
@nancy "shame and pride at the same time" lol Les Americans have plenty to be proud of, tv-movie-wise. It's just too bad the *brains* in Hollywood don't think the public can just watch British imports, rather than remaking it all.
@kris - Now that's what I still need, more Australian shows. I've never seen Kath & Kim! I LURVED the Australian Olympics mockumentary show that they played in Canada during the Olympics, but I can't even get it on North American dvd.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Games_%28Australian_TV_series%29
The last awesome-Aussie show I watched was Summer Heights High, which was funny, but also weirdly touching.
@aluwings - Office is the only successful remake I can think of. I think of it as "equally" good, but not better. The original still felt like a mockumentary whereas obviously anything that long just feels like a regular show. But it's very funny.
@J,J,J - Oh my! I never knew they did that. Is there nothing sacred??
@Paul. Yes, yes exactly. And it would star Dawn French.
Mabel- my friends and I were only talking about Summer Heights High last night because the guy that did that show has started another one called Angry Boys.
'The Games' was funny, I think you would like Kath and Kim :-)
Forget about cheesus saves -- I'm about about the baby cheeses now!!
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