The American adaptation ofThe Officeenjoyed a nine-season run and isstill the subject of ongoing fan clamor for a reunion. One thing to be learned from this is that British humor can be easily translated into an American format.
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Of course, for everyThe Office,there is a much less successful attempt that everybody would rather forget about (looking at you,The Inbetweeners), but that doesn’t mean all hope should be lost. There are countless British TV shows that, despite being hilarious and innovative, never entirely made it onto America’s radar. Shows such asPeep Show, Drifters, andCrashingmay never have been overly popular in the states, but that doesn’t mean an American spinoff couldn’t introduce these beloved shows to a whole new nation.
Peep Show — Quirky Camera Angles and Quirkier Characters
Peep Showwas a ridiculously successful British comedy. Not only did it run for nine seasons, win two BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards and produce some of the UK’s most iconic memes, but it is also the 127th best-rated TV series ever, according to IMDB.
The show followed roommates Mark (David Mitchell) and Jez (Robert Webb) as they stumble through their lives, unintentionally wreaking havoc wherever they go. The genius ofPeep Showcannot be attributed to just one thing, but the exceptional performances from both Mitchell and Webb were undoubtedly a contributing factor. With that in mind, casting would be pivotal in ensuring the adaptation can capture the original’s spirit and awkward, cringe-inducing humor.
‘Fresh Meat’ — It Turns Out University Is Funny No Matter The Country
The early days of college (or university, as it’s called in the UK) are tough on everybody. You have to meet new people, attend awkward welcome lectures, and act as though you know how to cook anything better than instant noodles and toast. As is a theme with most great British comedies, the humor ofFresh Meatis found in the most awkward of moments.
The show boasted a cast of exciting, young, British talent (includingJack Whitehall, whose standing in the industry has never been highersince it was announced he’s set to return for theJungle Cruisesequel), and followed them as they tried to navigate the most awkward of topics, from dealing with a first heartbreak to using a curry to coax answers out of your geography tutor.
‘Extras’ — Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant: Need I Say More?
Following up a game-changing comedy likeThe Officeis no easy feat. Still,Ricky GervaisandStephen Merchant’scynical look at the film industry attracted not only huge audiences but also some of the world’s biggest stars.Samuel L Jackson,Kate Winslet, and, perhaps most memorably,Daniel Radcliffeall cameoed as parody versions of themselves.
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With streaming now pushing to dominate the film industry and reality TV more popular than ever, there has never been a more appropriate time to return to Andy Millman and his desperate quest for fame. Of course,Extrasis already TV perfection and doesn’t need to be remade. But neither didThe Officeand look how that turned out.
Crashing — An American Adaptation And A Second Season Too Please
Fleabagmay have turnedPheobe Waller-Bridgeinto a household nameset to star in the fifthIndiana Jonesouting, but she introduced herself to British TV screens by creating and starring inCrashing.
The series followed a group of twenty-somethings living together as property guardians in a disused hospital. The show benefits from Waller-Bridge’s razor-sharp wit and trademark complicated relationships, but beyond that, it’s just a great premise. A group of misfits bound together by nothing other than cheap accommodation, trying to make their way in the world. It was an absolute travesty that a second season was never made, and an American adaptation would at least quench the UK’s thirst for more of this cult hit.
Drifters — Fresh Out Of Uni And Looking For A Good Time… In Leeds
There’s a gap in the TV market for a raunchy, female-fronted TV show, and an American adaptation ofDrifterswould be the perfect series to fill that gap.
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Created by and starringJessica Knappett,Driftersfollows Meg (Knappett), Bunny (Lydia Rose Bewley), and Laura (Lauren O’Rourke) as they try to work out what to do with their lives, whether they’re living with an ex-boyfriend or selling phones in the city center while dressed up as one. Written very much in the style ofThe Inbetweeners, Knappet’s characters are selfish, self-centered, and painfully unaware of all their shortcomings. An American adaptation ofDrifterswould give viewers an honest take on a group of American friends brought up in a small city looking to find their place in the world.
Only Fools And Horses — Third Time’s The Charm
Back in 2012, ABC made two pilot episodes of an American adaptation ofOnly Fools And Horses, titledKings Of Van Nuys, but was unhappy with the episodes and passed on the project altogether. It’s no surprise that ABC was keen to adopt one of the most popular British sitcoms of all time, but it’s also no surprise that they found the execution of the project difficult.
Only Fools and Horseshas a very specific, dry kind of British humor, and it was undoubtedly hard to capture the spirit and originality of the BBC superhit. Why then is now the time for another attempt? Because ofShameless, which no Brit thought could be successfully adapted into an American TV Show. Now, eleven seasons and four Emmys later, these doubters are eating their words. Maybe, just maybe, now’s the time for American TV execs to take another crack at adapting the story of Peckham’s worst salesmen.
Cuckoo — A One Season Wonder That Ran For Far Too Long
The tragedy ofCuckoo, one of the funniest British series in years, was thatAndy Samberghad to leave the show after just one season due to a scheduling conflict. Although they drafted in an impressive replacement for Samberg in the form ofTaylor Lautner, the show never quite recovered from losing its titular character. The concept, however, was always strong.
A conservative English family is horrified when their daughter returns from her gap year with her spiritual, free-loading husband. This show is perfect for an adaptation because there would only need to be one fundamental change to the story. The conservative family would become American, and the troublesome, egotistical boyfriend would become British. The only real trouble would be casting somebody as perfect for the role of Dale “Cuckoo” Ashbrickas Andy Samberg was.
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