TVSquad

I'm kinda glad, I was a fan of the UK version, and was dreading what they'd turn turn the US version into. As it is, I'm already not that into what the US has turned The Office into.

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This is too bad. Like you, Brett, I spend my days arm pit deep in network cables, so I'm interested anytime a 'geek' show hits the airwaves.

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Ah no now they're going after Kath and Kim?! It's too quirky and smart. NBC will ruin only it. Some shows just aren't meant to be translated over this hilarious Aussie gem is one of them!

The Office (US) was a fluke, and I think once they made it different than the UK version it survived but as a whole other beast, that said, that thinking doesn't always work, like the horrible Coupling(US).

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Okay, the way I see it, NBC has one of its best Must See TV lineups ever these couple of seasons, even if it isn't branded as such. THere are no perennial inconsistencies in the schedule, just four excellent comedies.
My favorite is "My Name is Earl." I've never missed an episode of that show. Seriously one of my favorite comedies ever, and I've seen a bunch of the big ones.
"30 Rock" is also extremely well-written. I am thankful that NBC gave it another chance with this second season, and I also hope more people will tune in, because this show is simply fantastic. That's going to be one hilarious hour.
THen comes "The Office," which is very entertaining but in my opinion could be the most off-putting to a new viewer. You really have to watch a few episodes to get used to the unique style of humor it has; then, you can recognize how clever it really can be.
And "Scrubs," in its sixth or seventh season the dinosaur of the bunch, still can be fresh and hilarious. Last season got off to a bumpy start but eventually returned to its usual funniness. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure this is the last season of "Scrubs," right? So they'll need to get a replacement by next fall.
What would that replacement be?
"Kath and Kim"? According to Wikipedia that's about the daily lives of a woman, her twentysomething daughter, and the woman's estranged husband. Well, we'll see.
How about "The Singles Table"? Anyone remember when NBC announced that comedy as a midseason replacement back in 2006-07? I read that NBC was considering it for a midseason replacement in 2008, but now it is simply "unscheduled." So there could be a number of candidates for the slot.
It sounds like "The IT Crowd" wasn't the one. But something about it made me feel like they'd botch the adaptation from the very beginning. So if it never makes it to air that'd be fine with me, although I am not usually one to pre-judge a show -- if they do air the pilot I'll be sure to watch it and see how it is. Regardless, we'll still have the great Earl/Rock/Office/Scrubs lineup, and I'll be hoping for a pickup in the ratings for "30 Rock" because it is extremely funny.

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Sad really...I was looking forward to the show, but then again I would have been disappointed if it was really bad.

Rob
http://www.movie-cat.com

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i watched the pilot... it was uneven to say the least. Rocky Carroll was all wrong and somehow, even with the same script, jokes just didn't land. Hell, they even had Richard Ayode as Moss (which must have been weird for him) and while he was a bright spot, even he was struggling with making the material work... AND ITS THE SAME MATERIAL! One of the funniest lines came from him and the fact that he's British, making fun of Joel McHale's character...

Oh, and I'm pretty sure using the original opening and changing the names and shoe horning in a black pixel version of Rocky Carroll was racist somehow.

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I'd love for NBC to pick up mitch hurwitz's the thick of it. i guess a man can hope and pray.

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How come in the 70s, the networks seemed to be able to pick a UK sitcom, translate it for US viewers and have major hits with them - All in the Family, Sanford and Son, Three's Company, just to name a few. Now they think that just copying a UK hit will automatically work for US audiences, but they need to make that translation for them work for the audience like they did with The Office. It just proves that Hollywood is too lazy to do the work to make the shows they buy work for the viewers so they just end up throwing money away on development and cutting budgets on other shows because of all the wastefulness! By the way, has anyone ever seen the (US) Absolutely Fabulous pilot that Roseanne was trying to get off the ground? Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds in a show together would have been something to see!

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This show was doomed from the start. Unlike with the Office, here the targeted audience is people who have probably already seen the British version! I'd still like to see the pilot at some point to see how Joel McHale does opposite Richard Ayode, but I really don't think there was ever life in this show.

A lot of times when a British show is adapted for American audiences, the major differences have to do with the cultural allusions. However, in this case, since geek culture is universal, there really isn't much of a difference. I don't think there's ever been a joke on the IT Crowd that went over my head for being too British. Why can't NBC just option up the rights to air that version?

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I really really REALLY wanted to like "The IT Crowd" but simply couldn't. I tried, I really did. Some good jokes, but it was more of a spoof than an actual comedy.
--
Thank you for killing this before it came and twisted in the wind.

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Kath and Kim is hilarious - there's just no way it'll translate.

I'm bummed that the IT Crowd won't make it, I loved the original...and as for Coupling, both versions of it suck.

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Have to agree with Aberdeen, it seems like madness to remake Kath and Kim, a lot of the humour is in just how Aussie it is. Here's a crazy idea, why not show the actual Kath and Kim?

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