Last month we got our first look at comedic actresses Kristen Johnston and Kathryn Hahn in full costume on the set of the US remake of the British TV series Absolutely Fabulous here in SoCal filming their first scenes for the series. Ab Fab, as it will be called here in US, is well into production of their first eps and here is our first look at a scene from the series pilot:
I’m still a bit suspicious of this planned remake of Absolutely Fabulous … I mean, it sounds like a great idea in theory but it really all comes down to execution. I tried and tried to really love the US remake of Kath & Kim but it so pales in comparison to the original that I could never really get into the remake. That being said, I never had the same love of the original version of Absolutely Fabulous and I did for the original Aussie version of Kath & Kim. I’m willing to give this Ab Fab series a shot … it could be very funny … but, again, it all comes down to execution. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Are any of y’all looking forward to seeing this remake or are you just totally uninterested?
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Ab Fab is one of my favorite shows ever and I already know that this version is going to pale in comparison. I don’t know why people don’t get that the main thing that is funny about British shows is that the people in them are British! It’s a whole different sense of humor that does not translate here at all. People might use the example of the success of The Office but to me they are two completely different shows, and that UK one is a hundred times better. Leave well enough alone and don’t mess with my beloved Ab Fab!!
I like the U.S. Kath and Kim but that could be because I never saw any of the Aussie version……..so, that said, it is possible that no matter how “good” these series will be really depends on whether the viewers have seen the originals…..;-)
I dunno about this…I always enjoyed AB FAB and, although these ladies are funny, I just don’t know if they can pull off the humour but we shall see.
I am sooo looking forward to this! I loved the BBC show and I think Kristen is such a funny lady I think she can pull it off. I just hope it’s done well and does the original justice!
They are making a new series of the English one soon, so i will wait for that. These actors cant compare to Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley!
I am looking forward to it – but fail to see how the original could be topped! On the other hand, so many people have no idea what I’m talking about when I bring up a situation from an episode…so, hmph. We’ll see! Kristen is very funny. Will these two be drinking bourb’ and Bolli’ ? lol
i’ll watch it.. i love these two. they are actually reallyyy funny.
kristen will always be sally to me though. ;]
I don’t even know how French & Saunders even let this happen… there is no way this version is going to be anywhere near as good as the original. The great thing about the original AbFab is that the characters are so ridiculous it’s funny. No one in real life could be as idiotic, decadent, dense, & self-absorbed as Pats & Eddie and Joanna Lumley & Jennifer Saunders were BRILLIANT at pulling them off. I don’t see that happening even though I think Kristin Johnson is a fine actress…
This is just wrong – I can’t believe a remake could even come close to the original. It was a moment in time (make that, several TV seasons in time) which I doubt can ever be recaptured.
i don’t think the US version will b anywhere near as good as the British version…..those girls were PERFECT for those rolls…Pat and Eddie r my girlz!! lol i luvs them! :)
Leave the original AB FAB alone. It’s a classic. Why remake it?
Let’s cut the chase: HALF the jokes from the original AB FAB will be cut. The rampant booze and pill jokes, please. The life will be sucked out of this.
I’m not sure how I feel about this US remake… In my opinion when the US tries to remake something British it generally does not come off as well (The Office is the exception to that rule). And Absolutely Fabulous is a freaking British comedy classic! You cannot ever get as good as the original… that being said both Kristen and Kathryn are fairly funny women who have a pretty good comedic timing so I guess we’ll see… it will never beat the original though… I mean really, the Brits INVENTED acting!
I like both of these actresses, so I wish them well! I am a little bit scared of how it will turn out, though. I have my fingers crossed for you!
i’m afraid…very afraid. just as the US tried to do coupling and failed miserably, i don’t think they will fare as well with this. i LOVE abfab and have all of the episodes on DVD. i guess i just don’t know how this will translate to US audiences.
I’d love for it to be worth a damn, but I’m highly skeptical and kinda sad that they’re even trying. I just don’t see how these girls (while funny) can stand up to the characters Joanna lumly and Jennifer Saunders.
that and the fact that they BUTCHERED ‘Coupling’ when they tried it here. I know that most love ‘The Office’ but even that and ‘Men Behaving Badly’ (not sure if you remember that one) both pale in comparison to their British counterparts.
I agree with all those who state that this show will be lost in translation. British humor is dry and self deprecating, while American humor tends to be less subtle. This show will lose it’s charm if it is tailored to suit American humor. And Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumly are hilarious in AbFab…almost to the point that it feels wrong to even try a remake. Some things are just too perfect to recreate!
ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
———NOT!
I think both of those two are absolutely hilarious, so I’m willing to give it a shot!
I’ll give it a shot. but I just don’t see how they can possibly match the dry British humor. I have a feeling its just going to end up looking silly because obviously, they’re going to have to make the jokes ‘Americanized’ which takes away everything that is wonderful about Absolutely Fabulous. Ugh. why can’t they just get an original idea instead of ruining a classic genius show like Ab Fab?
Blair: There is no new UK Series. In a NYTimes interview several years ago, Jennifer Saunders said that AF was done forever the day they approved the destruction of the BBC sets.