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US to make version of Only Fools and Horses - can it work?

 
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The Floating World



Joined: 01 Oct 2011
Location: Here

PostPosted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 8:17 am    Post subject: US to make version of Only Fools and Horses - can it work? Reply with quote

Seems unlikey to be true to the original

http://uk.tv.yahoo.com/del-boy-chosen-for-us--only-fools-and-horses--remake-%E2%80%93-daily-tv-round-up.html

Alrite Dave?
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alistaircandlin



Joined: 24 Sep 2004
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the concept would transfer well, but it would end up as something completely different, that would be good, but in a different way from the original

It reminds me of The Office. I think it's best not to think about which one is superior - they are both good, just different.

For me the British original of The Office with Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais is much darker and closer to real life; I always get the feeling that the characters are exaggerated versions of people Gervais must have encountered. I actually found that series quite painful to watch at times. It really made me cringe because it was so close to the truth, - the reality of English life for many of us is working in grim surburban workplaces in jobs we don't enjoy; the people who get promoted are often wankers, and the decent types are these unhappy underacheivers. That's my two pence worth; anyway, it struck a chord for me.

I'd say the American revamp on The Office was much funnier. They went for the belly laughs - it was much more ridiculous and slapstick, but did this really well. Which one is better? I can't say. I'd choose the American version, any day of the week, if I wanted to chill out at the end of the day. The British one was more interesting as a piece of social commentary, and in Gervais's whole approach to scripting, characterisation, and filming. It tells you something about life in England; I'm not sure the US version tells you much about the reality of life in America. If I wanted to write an academic paper, I might focus on the British version more! As I say though, it does make me cringe. I love it, but find it painful to watch.

I think that Only Fools and Horses would transfer quite differently, because it's lighter than the Office and goes for more slapstick style laughs anyway - the famous since of Del falling through the bar and all that stuff. I could imagine that it would work quite well, as long as the casting was well done. I could imagine the American versions of Del and Rodney becoming popular in the way that the characters from the American Office did. The framework is already there: the loveable rogue, and his dorkish brother, good scripts. What could possibly go wrong?

On a bit of a tangent: why is it do you think, that Only Fools and Horses became almost a national institution?

Have you seen Stewart Lee's take on this? Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew0qiozLtpU
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cj1976



Joined: 26 Oct 2005

PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Even if the remake is terrible, it can't be much worse than the later episodes of the orginal UK series. And probably a 100 times funnier than Stewart Lee.
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The Floating World



Joined: 01 Oct 2011
Location: Here

PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It became an insitutions as it was

a. Hillarious

b. Amazingly written

c. Captured a rapidly changing working class culture that was looked back on with fondness.

Quote:
the reality of English life for many of us is working in grim surburban workplaces in jobs we don't enjoy; the people who get promoted are often wankers, and the decent types are these unhappy underacheivers. That's my two pence worth; anyway, it struck a chord for me.


Oh absolutely. You have to be a shark to get by in life.
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Julius



Joined: 27 Jul 2006

PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The US version of Dear John was abominable.
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Skipperoo



Joined: 05 Jul 2010

PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

See also: American remakes of Spaced, Coupling and Red Dwarf. Devastatingly awful.
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Neil



Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Location: Tokyo

PostPosted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 4:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Watched a few of the repeats when I was back home over xmas, it has aged very badly.
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