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Coupling pulled by NBC (possibly cancelled after 3 episodes)
Guardian UK ^
| Wednesday October 15, 2003
| Jason Deans
Posted on 10/15/2003 11:25:45 AM PDT by weegee
click here to read article
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To: weegee
One of the reasons that some Brit TV shows work is because they
ARE British! Among the best, IMHO, would be Faulty Towers and, of course, Monty Python's Flying Circus! There's just no way to "translate" them into US shows that could possibly work!
Mark
61
posted on
10/17/2003 10:38:16 PM PDT
by
MarkL
(KC Chiefs: 6 - 0 !!! It's Raider-Haters week in KC!)
To: Scourge of God
Benny Hill was the only england comedy that was funny. Dude! Red Dwarf, Mr. Bean, Blackadder, My Hero, As Time Goes By, Monty Python's Flying Circus, and a few others: funny, or VERY funny, and all better than nearly all US sitcoms.
And don't forget "Fawlty Towers!!!"
Mark
62
posted on
10/17/2003 10:41:40 PM PDT
by
MarkL
(Extra-Primo-Good, Mr. Fawlty!)
To: goldstategop
I can sorta kinda see their reasoning for using the word-for-word British scripts; it allowed them to hit the ground running with "proven" material, while giving the US writers and producers a lot of time to figure out where to take the American characters next season. (Had the show been successful, NBC would have ordered anywhere from 18 to 24 episodes this season alone, using up all the original scripts.) The fatal flaw with this plan is it allowed newspaper TV critics, practically all of whom were familiar with and enamored of the original UK version, to see just how disastrously miscast and badly produced produced the American version is, because they were able to directly compare episodes. (To a lesser extent, the same thing happened with word-of-mouth amongst the viewer demographic NBC is most coveting, many of whom themselves watched Coupling on the BBC. Not only did they tune in and find that the NBC version was crap, they found out that they'd already seen the exact same show done better a year ago. So word spread...)
Basically, NBC wanted a formula to replace Friends, and they got what they were seeking. When you try to design a show from the ground up to fit a certain specification instead of simply let the creative process happen, you end up with a bad show.
63
posted on
10/17/2003 11:22:38 PM PDT
by
Timesink
To: MNlurker
Ya....the US version sucks.
But the original is a riot.
To: hattend
The Israeli-Woman episode was damn fine but Lesbian Spank Inferno.....lololololol
To: Timesink
Howie Carr out, syndicated of Boston. www.howiecarr.org
The editor is Max Robbins. He takes calls and abuse usually on Mondays beginning around 5:20PM Eastern.
To: weegee
Woopie should be off the air by halloween.
67
posted on
10/18/2003 8:03:16 AM PDT
by
ChadGore
(Kakkate Koi!)
To: ChadGore
Woopie should be off the air by halloween. If we're lucky
68
posted on
10/18/2003 3:01:24 PM PDT
by
hattend
To: hattend
It was really cancelled. I happened to buy the second season of BBC's Coupling and it was funny. The acting is outstanding. The best episodes are "Dressed" where there's a hilarious scene where Jane gets a Barbie Doll dress from the girl in the next door flat and "Naked" where Jeff performs what he thinks is the full monty for his girlfriend unbeknowing til he realizes his mortification when every one showed up for his birthday party! In the "Melty Man" there are some funny zingers about impotence. The British show is hilarious due to good writing and a marvelous cast. I think Steve Moffat's big mistake with the American bomb was to hire actors who ended up reading mangled versions of the original script with the humor missing. I'm already looking forward to watching Season Three. This show is just getting better every time you watch it!
69
posted on
10/31/2003 4:25:14 AM PST
by
goldstategop
(In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
To: goldstategop
Yep, I have the first season DVD and Amazon has sent me the second season it just hasn't arrived yet.
I like the 3rd season too. ("Spiderman" and "Who's pregnant?" [don't know the actual titles]) Can't wait for that DVD.
The British actors are so much more likeable and have impeccable timing.
Check out the reviews at Amazon.com. They agree with us, the American series SUCKS!!
70
posted on
10/31/2003 9:19:09 AM PST
by
hattend
To: weegee
Ah, what a terrible shame. Based on a British show, this one obviously didn't make the grade? The Brits have a much different sense of humor, and their version is much better, although too racy for me.
71
posted on
10/31/2003 9:21:49 AM PST
by
ladyinred
(Talk about a revolution, look at California!!! We dumped Davis!!!)
To: weegee
I don't watch much TV and have never see coupling, but I'm gonna take a guess.
The Brits are always making fun of our prudery in not showing nudity on TV.
Perhaps, since we can't turn shows on for a little nudity, we actually demand some semblance of entertainment value? (I know it's a stretch, considering our own TV isn't very entertaining, but since Monty Python and Fawlty Towers stopped I have never seen an entertaining British show.)
Shalom.
72
posted on
10/31/2003 9:25:21 AM PST
by
ArGee
(Hey, how did I get in this handcart? And why is it so hot?)
To: ArGee
There's implied nudity on the BBC's "Coupling" but I haven't seen more skin on the characters than you would see at a public beach (Well, in one episode, Jeff shows enough that he would be wearing a thong on said beach).
Give the BBC series a try, it's pretty funny.
BTTT for BBC "Coupling" fans.
73
posted on
10/31/2003 9:31:18 AM PST
by
hattend
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