5 TV Shows Where The U.S. Version Is Better Than The U.K Version (& 5 Vice Versa)

Content Warning: This article contains discussions to death and murder

It often seems like original ideas are hard to come by. That’s also true in the world of television. So when a British TV network creates a successful TV show, it often happens that sooner or later, an American network will try to make a remake of it.

Sometimes the remake ends up more popular or successful than its predecessors. That’s not always the case, though. Many American remakes of British shows leave a lot to be desired as well. So in the end, it’s always a gamble whether the remake will work or not.

10 U.S. Version Is Better: The Office

Ricky Gervais, Martin Freeman, and other actors starred in the British sitcom The Office between 2001 and 2003. However, the American version of the same show, portraying an unusual workplace in an almost documentary manner, became even more popular.

Since it ran for nine seasons, it had plenty of time to create its own story and not to rely on the original British version. It also created a lot of memorable characters portrayed by actors who would go on to achieve great success, such as Steve Carell or John Krasinski.

9 U.K. Version Is Better: Skins

Nowadays it might seem like no big deal but when Skins first came out in 2007, it was a unique show. Until then, not a lot of British shows had the courage to show what teenagers truly acted like or the pressures they faced daily.

The show also started the career of several actors who later appeared in movies as well, such as Kaya Scodelario, Dev Patel, and Daniel Kaluuya. The British show ran for 7 seasons but the American remake got canceled after just one season – simply because neither the critics nor the audience liked it.

8 U.S. Version Is Better: House Of Cards

A lot of people who watched this show have no idea that it’s a remake of a British miniseries that ran back in the 1990s. While the original wasn’t bad, the American version drew a lot more attention to itself.

It was both a realistic portrayal of the hidden side of politics as well as a chance for many actors to shine on the small screen as well, such as Robin Wright, Corey Stoll, and Kate Mara.

7 U.K. Version Is Better: Red Dwarf

The sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf is one of the greatest British classics. It first aired in 1989 and continues to this day. When the USA tried to remake it in 1992, they failed spectacularly.

Only a pilot was filmed and just didn’t work so the production never moved anywhere. And it’s for the best since it’s hard to imagine fans accepting the remake after they have watched the hilarious British original.

6 U.S. Version Is Better: Utopia

Fans of the original British version will no doubt argue that it was the best. And while the original Utopia had a lot of strengths, it most likely came at the wrong time. As a result, it was canceled soon.

Luckily, the likes of David Fincher and Gillian Flynn revived the show for the American market. It’s now available to watch on Amazon and ideal for everybody who enjoys unique shows with different aesthetics.

5 U.K. Version Is Better: Blackpool

Even though Blackpool might not be as famous as other British shows on this list, it’s still a masterpiece. The show combines detective stories, drama, romance, humor, and musical. What’s more, it has a great cast. David Tennant and David Morrissey shine in the main roles.

Viva Laughlin tried to repeat Blackpool‘s success but, even though it starred Hugh Jackman, that didn’t stop the show from being a flop. Of its eight filmed episodes, only two made it onto TV screens.

4 U.S. Version Is Better: Shameless

Both the British version and the American one have a lot to offer. However, just like with some other shows on this list, longevity wins in this case. The British show ran for more than ten years but it was canceled in 2013.

The American version, on the other hand, only stopped airing this year. It also worked with a larger number of intriguing storylines which kept the audience coming back to their screens.

3 U.K. Version Is Better: Fawlty Towers

When the United States tries to remake a truly iconic British TV show, loved by a large number of people, it rarely ever ends well. This is such a case. The humorous Fawlty Towers is one of the most celebrated British sitcoms of all time.

Its American remake titled Payne, on the other hand, can’t say the same. It’s hard to say what went wrong but one of the theories is that the American show simply lacked John Cleese, who wrote Fawlty Towers and gave it his unique brand of humor. Either way, Payne aired for only eight weeks before it was canceled.

2 U.S. Version Is Better: Hell’s Kitchen

When people say ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ today, most viewers think of Gordon Ramsay and the American remake that became far better known than the original version.

Ramsay’s personality on the show and the way he gives the contestants hard time made the show popular among a large number of people, not just those who love to cook. The British version, on the other hand, didn’t quite have the same drive.

1 U.K. Version Is Better: Broadchurch

It’s not a rule but it does happen sometimes that the same actor plays the same part in both the British and American versions. David Tennant did it when he portrayed the investigator in both shows. However, that’s where their similarities end.

The British version not only starred amazing actors (such as Oscar winner Olivia Colman) but also presented a lot of surprising twists as the main characters tried to solve a young boy’s murder. The remake closely followed in the original’s footsteps but it didn’t have its charm, possibly because it was dealing with the exact same story. Gracepoint was unsurprisingly canceled after just one season.

About The Author

Kath Leroy
(523 Articles Published)

Kath Leroy is a writer at Screen Rant. She also publishes in a number of Czech magazines. She works as an actress and appeared in feature films, short films, as well as TV series. Kath has loved movies, TV, and literature ever since she was a child and her father first played Star Trek for her. Since she has a background in writing genre fiction and screenplays, Kath enjoys fantasy, sci-fi, and superhero films and shows above all – however, she likes to watch films of all genres.

Visit Kath Leroy’s blog for her articles about culture, acting life as well as other topics, follow her on Twitter and on Instagram as @girlartistgeek or contact her directly at [email protected]

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