Jump to content

List of American television series based on British television series

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Moncrief (talk | contribs) at 19:08, 20 May 2004. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Many successful British TV shows (particularly sitcoms) have been remade for the American market. The amount of reworking varies with some shows (such as All in the Family) keeping the basic situation and then adding many original features while others have taken complete scripts verbatim (such as Amanda's).

There are relatively few examples of American shows remade for the British market (the majority of these being game shows), as the British television audience are very accepting of the American originals. Indeed the US remakes have sometimes been imported back into the UK. By contrast, original British programmes are rarely seen on the major US networks and are usually broadcast only on the Public Broadcasting Service and on cable television. This list includes a number of pilots not subsequently made into series.


UK original US remake Notes
Absolutely Fabulous Cybill Many differences,

also remade as High Society

Absolutely Fabulous High Society Also remade as Cybill
Agony The Lucy Arnaz Show
Antiques Roadshow Antiques Roadshow
Are You Being Served? Beanes of Boston Un-aired pilot. The sequel Grace and Favour was called Are You Being Served? 2 in the US
As If As If
Ballykissangel Hope Island
Changing Rooms Trading Spaces
Cold Feet Cold Feet
Cracker Cracker US remake is known as Fitz in the UK
Coupling Coupling
Dad's Army The Rear Guard Pilot episode only
Dear John Dear John Known as Dear John USA in the UK
Dog Eat Dog Dog Eat Dog
Don't Forget Your Toothbrush Don't Forget Your Toothbrush
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin Reggie
Fawlty Towers Amanda's Also remade as Payne
Fawlty Towers Payne Also remade as Amanda's
George and Mildred The Ropers
The Grimleys The Grubbs
Holding the Baby Holding the Baby
Home to Roost You Again
I'm a Celebrity: Get Me Out of Here! I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!
Keep It in the Family Too Close for Comfort
Love Thy Neighbour Love Thy Neighbor
Man About The House Three's Company
Masterchef Masterchef
Max Headroom Max Headroom
Men Behaving Badly Men Behaving Badly
Mind Your Language What a Country
Never Mind The Buzzcocks Never Mind The Buzzcocks
The 1900 House Frontier House
Not the Nine O'Clock News Not Necessarily the News
The Office The Office: An American Workplace Not broadcast yet
On the Buses Lotsa Luck
One Foot in the Grave Cosby Many differences.
Pop Idol American Idol: The Search for a Superstar Both with Simon Cowell as a judge
Porridge On the Rocks
Queer As Folk Queer As Folk (US)
Red Dwarf Red Dwarf Un-aired pilot
Robin's Nest Three's a Crowd
Scrapheap Challenge Junkyard Wars See 1 below.
Spitting Image D.C. Follies
Steptoe and Son Sanford and Son Relied on race as well as class
That Was The Week That Was That Was The Week That Was
This Life First Years
Till Death Us Do Part All In The Family
The Weakest Link The Weakest Link Same host, Anne Robinson
What Not to Wear What Not to Wear
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Whose Line Is It Anyway? Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Wife Swap Wife Swap Not broadcast yet. Will debut in autumn 2004.

}-

Yes, Prime Minister Not My Department Canadian remake
The Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star

1: The original show for Channel 4 was called Scrapheap Challenge. When shown in the US this was re-titled Scrapheap. When the program started to use US teams and a US presenter it was re-titled Junkyard Wars for both US and UK audiences. In the UK episodes involving UK teams remain under the title Scrapheap Challenge.

See also: List of US television series remade for the British market