Top 5 worst ever US remakes of beloved British shows – No.1 is awful
From 'The Office' to 'Skins,' American remakes of British TV shows are always a gamble.
Us & Them is the American series based on UK series Gavin & Stacey.
(Image: Fox/Crackle)Whenever America decides to give a British TV hit a stateside makeover, the results are a real mixed bag.Some shows are cleverly reimagined, growing into cultural landmarks of their own – The Office being the obvious example. But more often, the spark that made the original so distinctive gets lost along the way.As critic Scott Bryan pointed out in an interview with the BBC, the downfall usually comes when networks copy the surface of an idea without bringing anything new to it. In other words, if all you do is translate the jokes word-for-word or strip out the edge that made the show stand out, audiences on either side of the Atlantic can smell it a mile away.And while a few remakes have found their footing, many more have stumbled badly. From watered-down teen angst to baffling sci-fi twists, these are five of the most notorious examples where the American dream didn’t quite work out.
Coupling (2003)
When Steven Moffat’s Coupling debuted on BBC Two in 2000, it was hailed as Britain’s answer to Friends. Following six thirtysomethings through tangled romantic escapades, it combined sharp writing with risqué humour. The original ran for four successful series and gained a devoted following.
NBC tried to ride that wave in 2003, producing an American version with Moffat himself adapting scripts. But instead of catching lightning twice, the chemistry between the new cast was flat, and the remake felt forced. Viewers and critics rejected it immediately.
NBC pulled the plug after only four episodes had aired. Moffat later said the network had “meddled endlessly” and strangled the show before it had a chance.
(Image: -)
4. Skins (2011)
In Britain, Skins was revolutionary. Launching in 2007 on E4, it showed teenage life as it really was - messy, painful, funny, and raw. Its young writers brought authenticity to stories of sex, drugs, mental health, and identity, and it made stars of Dev Patel, Nicholas Hoult, and Daniel Kaluuya.
When MTV launched a US version in 2011, it quickly ran into trouble. The American adaptation, set in Baltimore, tried to copy the format but watered down the grit to appease censors. What had been bold and controversial in the UK felt neutered in the US.
On top of that, watchdog groups accused the show of crossing a line with its sexual content, and advertisers fled. Ratings collapsed after the pilot, and MTV cancelled it after one season.
(Image: MTV)
2. Us and Them (2014)
British sitcoms have been loved quite like Gavin & Stacey, created by James Corden and Ruth Jones. The BBC hit won multiple awards and became a cultural touchstone thanks to its warmth, humour, and unforgettable supporting cast.
Fox hoped to replicate the magic with Us & Them, casting Jason Ritter and Alexis Bledel as the American Gavin and Stacey. The script kept many of the same beats - right down to the names - with Gavin from New York and Stacey from Pennsylvania, standing in for Essex and Wales.
But behind the scenes, problems mounted. Corden revealed US executives pushed for more conflict between the families, undermining the show’s gentle charm. Fox lost confidence and shelved it before broadcast, with episodes eventually dumped on the streaming platform Crackle.
(Image: Fox/Crackle)
2. The IT Crowd (2007, 2014)
The original, created by Graham Linehan and starring Chris O’Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson, and Matt Berry, was a surreal, eccentric sitcom about the misfits of an office IT department. It ran for four successful series on Channel 4 and became a cult favourite.
NBC first tried a remake in 2007, with Richard Ayoade even reprising his role as Moss. But beyond Ayoade’s presence, the pilot lacked spark, the jokes fell flat, and test audiences rejected it. The network quietly shelved the project.
Seven years later, NBC tried again, this time with Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence producing. Once more, the pilot fizzled out before airing. Clips that leaked online showed how badly the humour missed the mark, proving the eccentric charm of the original couldn’t be bottled for a US audience.
After two failed attempts, American TV finally gave up on The IT Crowd, and fans agreed it was probably for the best.
(Image: NBC)
