Comments on: ‘Ab Fab’ Is Dunzo!?

By: SnoutFullaSnoot

SnoutFullaSnoot — Sat, 16 May 2009 12:08:36 +0000

First off, it’s not that AbFab’s humor is so exclusively British that it can’t work in the U.S. – obviously, huge numbers of us get it. No, the problem with adapting something like this for American audiences is: Sophistication.. our Networks (not the pay/premiums) pander to a cross-section of America to maximize advertising $… if people in Montana or New Mexico don’t get when Patsy mumbles about stealing ‘ludes from Keith Moon’s ski chalet in Gstaad or get the visual joke of Lacroix excessses, millions of consumers start punching new numbers into the remote. it’s not the Brit humor that’s not working, it’s a level of HIP that’s in short supply here – We live in a nation that generally doesn’t read, gets our news, fashion and diet suggestions from corp. news, vacuous gossip magazines and reality shows. Smarten up the population and maybe they’ll serve us mass entertainment that’s as smart and funny as the orig. AbFab.

By: Joanne

Joanne — Sat, 16 May 2009 10:40:41 +0000

Patsy’s style was nothing like either of these two!!

By: Elle O. Elle

Elle O. Elle — Sat, 16 May 2009 02:38:49 +0000

@Anon
Sanford and Son as well. It was originally Steptoe and Son, I believe.
That said, most UK to US remakes shouldn’t be attempted. Red Dwarf was really bad. Painful. Fawlty Towers too. And wasn’t there an attempt at The Young Ones?
Part of the reason The Office works, is that Ricky Gervais is/was involved, whereas another recent remake attempt (that I don’t think even made it to the pilot stage, thankfully) was Spaced, which is one of the greatest Britcoms ever. The producers of the remake didn’t contact the original creators, but then announced that they were involved with the pilot episode, which was a bald faced lie. SO glad that one didn’t make it off the ground.
But my favorite bad remake was Coupling, which was a decent British comedy, but it was basically the UK’s answer to Friends. So another country’s remake of Friends, being remade here. Ooookay.
But I digress. Some remakes can work, most won’t.

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 15 May 2009 23:38:07 +0000

I’m an American too – and I’m so happy they are leaving AbFab alone! The UK version was perfect just as it is… anything US television touches turns to shiiiiiiiit (except Weeds, gotta love Weeds haha).

By: Chuck

Chuck — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:29:34 +0000

I don’t think the US should try to recreate British shows here generally. I love my BBC and I can see the actual British versions I love without having them bastardized for an American audience. (And this is an American talking..)

By: Val

Val — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:22:20 +0000

There are some good adaptations. But, they seem to be few and far between. For every Three’s Company and The Office, there’s a Kath & Kim, AbFab, and Spaced that don’t make it.
I have a very big problem with the studios idea of “well, it worked over there. let’s get some big names and make it our own.”
I know writers and I know they have ideas, but until studios start taking some real risks, I don’t see this problem getting any better.
/rant

By: Carl

Carl — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:07:52 +0000

I don’t think anybody is saying it never works, it’s just that it seems like all they’re doing anymore is taking shows from other countries and remaking them into shows here..why can’t they just try to create something fresh and original, ya know?

By: AnonInSoCal

AnonInSoCal — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:47:35 +0000

Yeah, you’re all right–American re-treads of British shows never, ever work. Like “All In The Family.”

Morons.

By: Carl

Carl — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:38:50 +0000

I just don’t see why we keep trying to remake things here in the US…be it TV shows or Movies…has Hollywood lost all creativity????

P.S. I loved last weeks episode of Gossip Girl, though that was the only episode I’ve ever watched (cuz I love Brittany Snow) I may start watching it next season…and I hope they continue with this spin off, it looks like it could be good.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:43:16 +0000

THANK GOD!! Maybe this means someone actually learned something from Kath & Kim….Just because it works over seas, doesn’t mean it’s going to work in the US. The whole reason AbFab worked was because of the actresses playing the parts. It would be like trying to do a remake of The Golden Girls….You can’t duplicate chemistry.

By: Erwann

Erwann — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:36:58 +0000

They have to let it die : AbFab belongs to the UK… It wasn’t made and written for/by the US anyway.

By: tanya

tanya — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:22:58 +0000

‘the office’ is an american adaption of the british version. but it works because it finally found its own groove. with the first few episodes, they pretty much copied the british version and it didn’t work. it sounds like the american version of abfab was going to be a straight up replica and you know that wouldn’t have worked. hopefully these reports are true and they’ve ditched it. no good could come of it.

By: kittycatastrophe

kittycatastrophe — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:03:33 +0000

The initial reports made the American version sound really messy so hopefully the plug has been pulled.

By: Blair

Blair — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:46:23 +0000

Completely agree about our british humour not translating to american audiences. Also I hope its not true about them cancelling the gossip girl spin off!!!

By: It's Trent, Bitch!

It's Trent, Bitch! — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:28:09 +0000

@justnotgoodenough and @lisaasil — totally agree.

By: lisaasil

lisaasil — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:25:48 +0000

Thank gawd! Some things are sacred and you should never try to duplicate.

By: justnotgoodenough

justnotgoodenough — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:23:57 +0000

Agree trent!! Unfortunetly, the US cant get it right wen it comes to shows like abfab and kath and kim, our humour doesnt translate well to US audience!! they just shouldnt try!!