Editor’s Note: Warming Glow is not responsible for any riots caused the author’s preference for the Velvet Underground over the Beatles.
It’s no secret that America rules the cultural landscape. In sports, we’re the best (sorry cricket, but the NFL owns). In music, we’re the best (I’ll take the Velvet Underground over the Beatles any day). In remaking TV shows from other countries, we’re…well, we’re decent there. But it’s not like other countries have done much justice to our shows, either. Below are ten examples of shows made by one country and remade by another, and who did it better.
Original: ‘Forbrydelsen’ (Denmark) vs. Remake: ‘The Killing’ (US)
When I heard that AMC was going to be re-making “Forbrydelsen,” which translates to “The Crime” in Danish, I was incredibly excited. The original is creepy, slow-moving but not boring, and suspenseful throughout — all characteristics you could also use for AMC’s (and TV’s) best show, “Breaking Bad”. And so far through four episodes, AMC seems to have yet another Must Watch show (let’s just forget “Rubicon”, OK?) and one that’s slightly superior to the original, mostly because Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman make for a stronger duo than Sofie Gråbøl and Søren Malling (although both ladies know how to wear the hell out of ugly sweaters).
Winner: ‘The Killing’ (AMC)
Original: ‘The Office’ (UK) vs. Remake: ‘The Office’ (US)
The way we Americans think of “The Simpsons” is the way Brits look at the original “Office”—and for once, their hyperbolic ways are right (I still haven’t quite forgiven NME for naming the Artic Monkeys’ Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not as one of the five greatest British albums of all-time). Created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the BBC show was 14 episodes of perfection, which is why it was such a huge (and, frankly, predictable) risk for NBC to remake the show for American audiences. But after a shaky start that had the show trying to remain loyal to the source material while simultaneously fleshing out characters that weren’t featured players in the UK, Steve Carell’s “Office” can occasionally be great (see: “Scott’s Tots”) but is currently only the fourth-best sitcom on NBC Thursday nights. It falls short of the original.
Winner: The Office (BBC)
Original: ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ (UK) vs. Remake: ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ (US)
Choosing between the two versions is like choosing the better “Mystery Science Theater 3000” host, Joel or Mike (for the record, it’s Mike). Really, it comes down to whether you can stomach Drew Carey, or if you really like Clive Anderson. I, for one, can mostly pretend Carey’s not there—unless Colin or Ryan are making fun of him, as seen here—so it’ll be easy to pretend his upcoming “Improv-a-Ganza” never happened. Anyways, a lot of the British jokes went over my head when I used to watch the BBC’s “Whose Line,” which is the main reason I prefer our version—well, that, and the eye candy that is Laura Hall.
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“It’s no secret that America rules the cultural landscape.”
Good Lord. One could only argue that America rules the “pop cultural” landscape. Anything beyond that is sadly incorrect.
Mack: I’d argue that the cultural landscape and the pop cultural landscape are one and the same.
I would argue that all these Goddamn popups are annoying when I’m pretending to do work and need to go to full screen to X them out.
Damn you and your need to make money from advertising…Damn you to hell.
Did anyone else stop reading at “Velvet Underground > The Beatles”?
Wow, I actually agree with Matt on something.
You lost me at “I’ll take the Velvet Underground over the Beatles any day”. Way to torpedo any and all credibility in the first ‘graph.
scott’s tots was terrible and personified everything that has gone wrong with The Office. Too much over the top slapstick. Also, the ending should have been Michael sad (first three seasons), but instead they go for sappy with Erin cheering him up and Michael being sad.
YOU ARE ALLOWED TO END AN EPISODE WITH YOUR MAIN CHARACTER BEING SAD! The fat housewives will get over it.
*Erin cheering him up and Michael being happy.
Please. Everyone knows that opera and baroque music are all the rage today.
The Beatles suck.
clue les
There was a remake of Married with Children? Did they have a hot mom and daughter? Because I can get behind that. I love accents.
Anyway… aren’t half the shows/ movies now just remakes from other countries.
For what it’s worth, the Beatles are #3 and the VU is #2. Number one is, obviously, Smash Mouth.
The only episode of The Office that made me more uncomfortable than “Scott’s Tots” was “Phyllis’ Wedding.” The song was catchy, but the episode itself was awful.
I was in college when I used to watch the original “Whose Line…”, so it’s very likely my memory is hazy on the subject, but I would swear Laura Hall was on the UK edition too. Other than that and your complete lack of taste and credibility, nice work.
I’m with the Stinky, you’re just slightly north of Suck.
Really? Still no avatar? Why I oughta…
Punte, all your ideas blow and I would like to burn your newsletter. I don’t know why you are getting to post with people like matt and drew but do you realize that everyone hates the thoughts that come out of your head? Now deftly turn this comment around and bash me, keep being predictable. I would tell you don’t ever change, but you don’t know how.
The first thing I heard when I read Linda Hall’s name was the “Do do do dodo do do dododo” when they would play the Irish Drinking Song.
Peter Cook was once on the UK Whose Line. He had no idea what was going on but was fucking majestic.
[www.youtube.com]
That is all.
Please justify Mike > Joel.
I STILL think of Mike as “the new guy” and it’s been like what…20 years?
the most common answer to these is “who cares?” the second most common is “what?”
@fwapping pillows: The author of this post is Josh Kurp. “Punte” is Josh Zerkle. They are different people, and if you took the time to understood that, perhaps I’d take the time to listen to your asshole opinions.
@esseque: Did you use the same email address to register at gravatar that you use to comment at WG?
The better MST3K guy was Joel you fucking imbecile.
I look forward to one of my future posts where Fwapping Pillows sounds off on his opinions about the general concept of danger, and its place in the Uproxx hierarchy.
Coach McGuirk > Archer… but only just.
Nah, I like Mike better.
… and another thing, JOSH, I fucking hate your version of “You Raise Me Up.”
DG you just made me snot water out of my nose. Well done, sir.
@Matt
I gotta check because I’m not sure. Update facepalm status to pending.
Gloriously, facepalm is unnecessary; same email. Such a todoo for a tiny little picture.
Endut! Hoch Hech!
essequemodeia, for all the bitching you’re doing, this picture better have tits
LOL. The UK Office had one mildly amusing character, and that was fake Michael Scott. The American/worthwhile Office finds a way to make every character funny and possibly more important not breathtakingly ugly. Ricky Gervais is good at two things, discovering Karl Pilkington and making bad British shows American’s make better.
I really need to close out more of my memos with “Endut! Hoch Hech!”. Also, if I ever did any videoconferencing I would probably sign off by saying “End Communication” and crossing my forearms in front of my chest.
Could have shortened this to “orgnl=coolr”
Nothing is better than Sanford and Son. And I’ll fight anyone who says different. Except for Danger, he can say whatever he wants.
@donturtuccio
No tits, but it was created in the 50s for marketing thorazine… so drool!
I’m willing to go along with most of these decisions, but Sanford and Son was actually pretty amusing. (I doubt it holds up now; it’s product of an era.)
Gravatar?
Smash Mouth got me through some really hard times…
Hillbilly Bugger Boys > The Who
should have put something about how the UK version of being human is WAY better than the US one as well.
I never saw the American “Coupling,” but as I’m reasonably sure it did not include a spirited defense of lesbian spanking videos, it must be inferior.
tv
@Stinky Pete Laura appeared in the mostly hated final season of the original version, which was filmed in America, so she barely registered. Snow writes faith-based Christian “rock.”
The original UK version of Whose Line had a few appearances by Eddie Izzard as well, which i feel gives it the edge over the American version, which starred Wayne Brady for several seasons.
Wait, this wasn’t written by Punte? Then I will have an open mind while reading it.
@matt
My bad, I thought “Josh” meant josh zerkle. This other Josh should really use a different name, because just like Earp, I see the name Josh I shit on the blog wearing it. I wouldn’t name my son Adolf and expect him to have an easy time in middle school.
nfl? who gives a fuck about that. You might not like soccer but you can`t deny it`s the most relevant sport in the world.
There were remakes of the nanny and married…with children in argentina, but there were not as good as the originals. Married remake was good in that it went in a different direction after a few episodes
Soccer is relevant because the countries suck ballz at everything else. Plus it’s cheap. How relevant can a sport be that SCREAMS for instant replay, but refuses to join the 21st century?
Oh and BBT > remake. Kaley Cuoco …..rrrrrr
This is embarassing and pathetic. The office is the uk’s simpsons? Haha laughable. Simpsons is the uk’s simpsons. Sanford and son loses cause of junkyard? if only filmdrunk didnt link to this bullshit site nobody would even come here.
Velvet Underground SUPERIOR to the Beatles?? WTF?! Whatever it is you’ve been smoking,throw that shit away. Now.
Laura Hall was on the last five or six of the Brit Whose Line? episodes, as they were taped on the set where Drew’s Line? was taped. The producers and most of the cast were out there anyway for the new version, so all they had to do was bring in Clive.
@Kyle – I come here because I understand analogies. If you can overcome that hurdle, why, you’ll find that WG is just as good as Filmdrunk!
@ Whoever: I tried to get into The Velvet Underground & Nico. It has a handful of excellent songs, but I’d say at least four or five of the Beatles’ albums are better. What other VU album can be recommended to make the statement “Velvet Underground > Beatles” a little less insane?
Keep your shit on your silly little island you sucktards.
Love,
America
I had so been looking forward to the American Coupling even though I had never heard/seen the UK one (which is brilliant), but was so utterly unwatchable. Wasn’t it cancelled immediately? Perhaps if I had known what they had been trying to do?
this article was funny. hoch hech.
It’s so unfair to give the cake to a show that only ran for 14 episodes. The Office (US) was brilliant until the fourth season. It might not be the best show on NBC today, but without the first three seasons, there would be no Parks and Recreation, no 30 Rock, no Community to best it. Had The Office (UK) continued for seven seasons or more, I’m sure it would have eventually lost its charms.
US wins this one for longevity, for originality (beyond the source material) and for the inspiration it provided in changing the American comedy landscape.
LMAO at the idea that America does anything other than piss the rest of the world off with it’s delicious combination of inadequacy and arrogance. NFL vs cricket? Try NFL vs Rugby, need anyone say more? Beatles vs Velvet underground? Try Beatles vs anything. Try Velvet underground even existing without the Beatles! Was this article written by someone with a mental health problem? Or just an everyday American? I’m fuzzy on the difference. Someone commented on The American Office vs the British Office. The American office is funnier than pretty much anything ever, it is amazing! The British office was a piece of honest drama that is pretty much incomparable to anything ever made. The internet really is consumed by the intellectually disabled!
Hahaha, I almost died when I read that America is the best in sports… Football, have you heard of football, motherf*cker? What a tard this author.