Six awesome UK/US TV spin-offs to sink your teeth into
Posted on 28. May, 2010 by Joe in Collaborative Top 10's
Now that Simon Cowell, American Idol judge and mastermind behind many incredibly lucrative and popular UK/US spin-offs, has left the American Idol judges’ table in order to create a U.S. version of the popular UK show X-Factor, it’s become very apparent just how many of these spin-offs there have been.
Though it seems like this is a new fad, it’s actually been going on since the 1970s. Take for example the iconic television shows Three’s Company, All in the Family and Sanford and Son. All of them are thought to be distinctly American, but truth be told these actually began as the UK shows Man about the House, Till Death do us Part, and Steptoe and Son.
The UK seems to be churning out some of the best shows on television, most of which inevitably find their way on to American television screens, though slightly tweaked because, let’s be honest, Americans have yet to fully grasp “British humor.” Here then is a list of six awesome UK/US TV spin-offs you need to check out (if you haven’t already)…
The Office
This couldn’t be a respectable UK/US TV spin-off list without a major shout out to The Office, perhaps the best and most appreciated comedy series that literally breathed new life into U.S. comedies. If you’ve ever seen the BBC version, you’ll know that characters like David Brent (played by Ricky Gervais), Gareth Keenan, and Tim Canterbury are hard to rival, but their American versions Michael Scott (played by Steve Carell), Dwight Schrute, and Jim Halpert are amazing and hilarious in their own right.
Pop Idol/American Idol
American Idol is arguably one of the most popular television shows on American television. The show consistently draws in millions of viewers each week and it’s been reported that more people vote for their Idol than their next president (…hmmmm)! Those ultimately chosen as the winner of the show go on to experience great popularity and lucrative, fast-paced music careers. After all, this show was the starting point for superstars like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and 2009’s winner Kris Allen. All of this, of course, would not have been possible without the UK’s short-lived Pop Idol, which began nearly ten years ago and launched the careers of winners Will Young and Michelle McManus. The UK and U.S. versions, aside from obvious similarities in terms of their format, have one major unifying force: Simon Cowell, the creator of both shows who also doubles as judge.
Who Wants to be a Millionaire
Many Americans are unaware of the fact that Who Wants to be a Millionaire was created in the UK and quickly garnered a great deal of attention because of the unprecedented cash prize offered to the show’s winner: £1 million. The game show originally debuted in the UK in 1998 and was hosted by Chris Tarrant. Just one year later, the show made its American debut with host Regis Philbin. Just as The Office revived the comedy format here in the states, Who Wants to be a Millionaire brought back the once popular game show format and the show proved to be incredibly popular. The American version also featured the highest cash prize ever awarded to a game show winner at the time: $1 million. To this day, the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire franchise is considered the most internationally popular television franchise of all time and it has aired in more than 100 countries worldwide.
Video of first ever $1,000,000 winner on the U.S. version of Millionaire:
Hell’s Kitchen
Gordon Ramsay, a talented celebrity chef from England, first skyrocketed to fame in Britain due to his superior skill in the kitchen and many successful restaurants. In the culinary world, he’d already accomplished quite a few impressive feats, such as obtaining a career total of 12 Michelin stars and being one of only three chefs in the UK to hold three Michelin stars at the same time when he was first tapped for television in the UK. Chef Ramsay’s aggressive personality, foul mouth, and explosive temper garnered him quite a bit of attention in the numerous competitive cooking shows he hosted in the UK, and his personality only seemed to intensify when the American version of Hell’s Kitchen premiered in the U.S. in 2005. The show continues to be popular in the U.S. today, with a new season slated to premier in the coming months.
Little Britain/Little Britain USA
What originally began as a comedy show on BBC Radio soon morphed into one of the most beloved and hilarious comedy sketch shows on television in England. The creators, writers, and stars of the show, Matt Lucas and David Williams, created brilliant comedy sketches that included the most absurd and exaggerated caricatures of British people from all walks of life. Eventually, HBO, one of the most successful and respected cable networks in America, picked up a season of the show. Though just as hilarious, it was slow to catch on and so far only one season has aired in the States. Despite this fact, a few of the most memorable characters acted out by an unrecognizable Lucas and Williams, such as the harsh weight loss coach Marjorie Dawes and Phyllis Church (and her four legged companion Mr. Doggy), have experienced a cult-like following in America.
Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars
At first, many in the American media weren’t too enthusiastic about the series Dancing with the Stars, which first debuted in the States in 2005. This show paired up celebrities with professional ballroom dancers who then competed each week by performing various types of dances. Many thought the show was a bit too gimmicky and featured a lackluster group of has-been celebrities, but in the past five years the show has become one of the most anticipated shows on television. What many Americans are unaware of is that this popular dance show’s origin hails from across the pond, first airing on the BBC in 2004 where it was called Strictly Come Dancing. The show is still going strong in both countries, though it’s also currently licensed in over 30 countries and one of the most popular in its timeslot worldwide.
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