Coupling

[Atlas]

This show is an excellent taboo British comedy. Normally broadcasted in the US on BBC America/PBS, the rights have been given to make it into an American Primetime show:
see
will and grace
friends
frasier

This is one of those shows that you just don't want to see Americanized: I think it would lose its comedic value. Are there any others on the board that watch this show? And what do you think about an American Version on NBC?

One of the producers of the show says that they are trying to keep it to the original, but the show must be cut by about 8 minutes because of airing time.


Coupling NBC

Coupling BBC
(under the bbc one, there is a link for Q/A... but I am still not 100% conviced about this one)

[sleeve]

I saw the ad for it. It looked like a cheap Seinfeld rip-off, only with that one half-Asian chick from 90210.

Doesn't look promising.

[Josh]

Where is the option for "television rots the mind"?

[icarusfall]

The BBC one is good. I'm not looking forward to the US one...

[icepop]

I am a huge fan of British comedies and Coupling just so happens to be one of my absolute favourite britcoms! My favourte character is Jeff!

I haven't seen the ads for the American version as I don't even get NBC. But what's the fucking point? The original Coupling is funny because of the quirky British humour and wit which I don't think the average American NBC viewer would necessarily appreciate. So instead of showing the original, they have to water it down (dumb it down?), take away the wit and humour, and make it like any other generic mind-numbing American sitcom drivel. Plus, I can't imagine they would deal with the same subject matters on prime time like they do on the BBC version .... I just don't think the censors could handle it.

I won't watch because I don't have NBC and I wouldn't watch it even if I did. I voted for "No, it would go against everything I stand for!" I'd rather just watch the real thing on BBC.

By the way, here's a link to another Coupling page courtesy of BBC (UK).

[sggg]

I pretty much agree with everything Icepop and Atlas said. The original show is hilarious - one of the funniest shows on television. It's truly laugh-out-loud funny.... I don't know anything about the new US version and I don't get NBC anyway, so it's moot... but I can't imagine that version being anything less than terrible. It's sure to lose the British humour and wit that has made it so famous. That's just what happens with these sorts of situations... c'est la vie.



ps. This is a funny funny funny man:

[Atlas]

Originally posted by icepop
My favourte character is Jeff!

AGREED whole heartedly.

By the way, here's a link to another Coupling page courtesy of BBC (UK).

Thanks for that - it is the bbc uk version. I/we (icarusfall) played the quizes... boy I/we am/are boring.

Where is the option for "television rots the mind"?

Television, yes it does rot the mind. To be honest, icarus and I don't really watch that much TV - only BBC/forensic files and the "the" channels. Everything else I find is poo.

ps. This is a funny funny funny man:

I think anyone who is a coupling fan is a Jeff fan. But what is your favourite "ism?" (e.g. melty man, giggle loop, captain subtext...)

[BioMechanic]

Nay! The only good thing about Coupling going to NBC is the slight chance that someone will discover how undoubtedly superior the BBC series is. I cringe thinking about the US casting.

I really hope the rest of the series comes to the States on DVD. Season 1 is out, and good, but Season 2 is my favorite.

My favorite Jeff-ism, whilst not really an ism per se, is when he pretends to have a wooden leg in a vain attempt to score with that woman on the train. "Yes, I had one of my legs amputated...it was rubbish."

Although there's also porn buddies, the VAA, "Shadime", unflushable, etc. etc....Richard Coyle is the best!

[Atlas]

The NBC casting:

Jay Harrington .... Steve Taylor
Rena Sofer .... Susan Walker
Colin Ferguson .... Patrick Bateman
Lindsay Price .... Jane Christie
Christopher Moynihan .... Jeff Murdoch
Sonya Walger .... Sally Harper

The person who plays Steve looks unbelievably like Patrick in the BBC version. Susan is from Melrose Place and Jane is the asian girl from 90210 - odd casting for this type of show.... blech

[BioMechanic]

Originally posted by Atlas
Colin Ferguson .... Patrick Bateman

It just occured to me - wasn't "Patrick Bateman" also the name of the killer in American Psycho? Weird.