TVSquad

Remember that American version of Absolutely Fabulous that Fox was so high on? Well, they are high no more. Fox has passed on AbFab after viewing the pilot. Now while I am not the kind of person to be happy about someone else's failure, this is an instance in which I'm thrilled that this show is going nowhere.

After seeing how some UK shows have been mangled in the American adaptation -- Life on Mars (although it had its fans), Worst Week, Coupling, Eleventh Hour -- I am glad that the only Ab/Fab I will ever have to savor will be the original.

David Mamet's daughter Zosia has been cast in the role of Saffron for the Fox remake of the British comedy Absolutely Fabulous. The article also mentions that The CW has green-lit a pilot for a new version of Melrose Place (as was previously rumored). I guess 90210 wasn't enough for them.

I could go into a rant about how networks don't have any original ideas and the real originality can be found in cable channels, but you've heard it before. While I have no opinion about any version of Melrose Place, I did enjoy AbFab in its original run. I don't see an American version working out on Fox, though. I just don't think they'd get it.

With all this in mind, there are several excellent British series that have not made it across the pond for various reasons. Two of my favorites are BlackAdder and The Young Ones. BlackAdder is too British in its sensibilities and The Young Ones is too erratic to make it on American TV.

We already have Life on Mars and The Office, among others. What Brit series do you think could successfully translate to American networks?

As Brad reported earlier this week, Fox is greenlighting new pilots left and right, but it looks like they weren't done yet. We already knew that a remake of the Brit cult classic Absolutely Fabulous was in the works, but very little beyond that had been revealed. Now it looks like not only are Patsy and Edina boozing their way to Los Angeles in the Fox remake of AbFab, but original UK series creator (and star) Jennifer Saunders is on board this adaptation. That means we've a better chance of seeing an American The Office than Coupling.

She's executive producing with an American writer, Christine Zander, who's written and produced for Samantha Who?, Less Than Perfect, SNL and 3rd Rock from the Sun among others. The good news is that the core of the show is remaining intact. It follows the social exploits of fashion publicist Edina and editor Patsy, along with their constant bickering with the only sane member of the "family," Edina's daughter Saffron. As long as the girls are getting their drink on and acting ... well "fabulous," I don't see what can go wrong.

• TBS has A Christmas Story all night.
• At 8, NBC has It's A Wonderful Life.
• The CW has The Flight Before Christmas at 8, followed by The Story of Santa Claus.
• ABC Family has the live action How the Grinch Stole Christmas at 8.
• Comedy Central has two Christmas episodes of Futurama at 8, then several Christmas episodes of South Park.
• FOX News Channel has A Fox and Friends Christmas at 8.
• Also at 8: Disney has The Santa Clause 2.
• At 8:40, BBC America has a new Catherine Tate Christmas episode, followed by an Absolutely Fabulous Christmas special.
• At 9, Lifetime has the movie The Christmas Shoes.
• TruTV has a new Most Shocking at 9, then two new episodes of World's Wildest Vacation Videos.
• Hallmark has the movie The Most Wonderful Time of the Year at 9.
• Nickelodeon has two Christmas episodes of Home Improvement at 9.
• Showtime has a new Inside The NFL at 9.
• At 10, Travel Channel has a new Man vs. Food.
• At 11, Lifetime has two Christmas episodes of Will & Grace, followed by two Christmas episodes of Frasier.
• At 11:30, CBS and NBC has Christmas Eve Mass and music.
• At 1am, ABC has Christmas Eve Mass and music also.

Check your local TV listings for more.

(Most of the late night talk shows are pre-empted or repeats tonight, except Charlie Rose.)

The brain behind Arrested Development is now developing an Absolutely Fabulous remake for Fox. For those unaware, the British series is about an immature, hippie-era mother, her best friend and her intelligent daughter (played respectively by creator Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley and Julia Sawalha).

In the height of her popularity, Roseanne tried to remake the show and involved the creators and co-stars. Sadly, that didn't come to pass. Whatever you think of Roseanne, at least she was smart enough to involve the original creators, unlike McG. With the big push for Brit remakes thanks to the success of The Office, another attempted remake of this show is not that big a stretch.

While I very much enjoyed the original series, I do think the 2001 and 2003 continued episodes were a bit unnecessary. You know things have gone too far when Whoopi Goldberg guest-stars.

Given the talent behind it, this version could see the light of day. I just hope they actually involve the original creators.

It looks like The Sundance Channel is turning to BBC America to anchor its Sunday night comedy block. The show is The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle and stars Jennifer Saunders of Absolutely Fabulous fame.

The show revolves around a fictional TV personality named Vivienne Vyle (who hosts a Jerry Springer-like program) and her on-screen and off-screen life. The series is a black comedy (much like AbFab) and a study in pop psychology. It was co-created by Saunders with psychologist Tanya Byron.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

• Absolutely Fabulous - The White Box
• Charlie and Lola - Vol. 6
• The Christmas Blessing (TV movie)
• The House Without A Christmas Tree (TV movie)
• Ironside - Season 2
• MacGyver - The Complete Series
• Masters of Horror - Season 1, Vol. 2 and The Damned Thing
• Medium - Season 3
• Mythbusters - Collection 2
• Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares (UK) - Vol. 1
• Roseanne - Season 9
• Squidbillies - Vol. 1
• Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - The Complete Series
• That 70s Show - Season 7
• Wanted: Dead or Alive - Season 3

I never watched Absolutely Fabulous. I'm sure it was a fine show, I just never watched it. Nevertheless, I know some of you would be interested to know that Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders, stars of the hugely popular series, are teaming up once again for a seven-episode series being produced for both the BBC and BBC America (so we'll actually get to see it here, too). The series, which has no title yet, was created by Saunders and will focus on a women's club attended by gossipy types. If I didn't know the Ab Fab girls were behind this I think that plot synopsis would send me screaming in the other direction. The show, which has no airdate yet, will also star Dawn French, who worked with  both Lumley and Saunders before Ab Fab.