The American public at large can't be blamed yet. Only the moronic focus group that thought it would be a good idea to "Americanize" an already hilarious show. We'll see how the ratings do, then decide whose head will roll. Somebody's should, that's for sure.

neither do i. i think they are all stuffy, self-righteous, elitists. ;)

It's about market size, I think, and the fact that you know more about US culture than USians know about Brit culture. If 10% of US watchers don't watch because they don't understand the culture-bound jokes, that's enough to warrant re-doing it in their culture because the market is big enough.

Brit shows are seen in their original format on certain channels. Originally only very high-quality items were imported and so there is now a very rough notion that Brit-produced shows are "highbrow". This in turn has led to a certain group of highbrow Americans reaching hard to appreciate the subtle nuance and dry Oscar Wilde-ish wit of "Are You Being Served". :D :D

Do you think it's because 'murricans find brit shows too "highbrow" or simply because it's an unfamiliar style of humor? the working classes like AYBS and such, too. I think it's more an issue of familiarity...and better talent, frankly. They have Rowan Atkinson, we have Gilbert Gottfried :dead:

Brit comedy is the one thing from that country that I'm intensely envious of. Their money is prettier, too, but anyway.

Huh. Well, they obviously lost me as a viewer when they started moving the schedule around. I watched Scrubs when it was on Tuesdays a couple years ago. Then they switched it to Thursdays, and I couldn't watch any longer. If they switched it back to tuesdays, I obviously didn't get the memo.

I wonder if the suits ever consider the viewers they lose when they move stuff around? I stopped watching This Old House when they started doing the same thing.

I havent seen the US Office. I cant imagine anything even attempting to reproduce the BBC version. its too perfect. I want to see a show that moves the uniqueness of it forward. Drier, flatter, wierder, cringlingly fakey-realer.

This is my problem with this.... the numbnuts in hollywood don't seem to understand that if people like something, you don't need to make a sequel, you don't need to keep it going, you don't need to make a copy. Sometimes, once is enough and as a consumer, I'm happy with a one time, original show. No need for a sequal, copy or spin off... once is enough. I wish they would understand this, but when all you see is $$$$$$$, it's kind of hard to make wise decisions.

I like The Office (BBC version) just as it is. The humor is not that complex and while the actors have a different accent, the same sort of things happen in an american workplace. Once is enough for that show... it was funny, insightful and original the first time around. No need to improve it or add on.

I'm talking in circles... I hope it gets cancelled.

You should get a tv like mine--it has a channel changing button AND an on/off switch.

I have two with those features... thanks :p .

American TV moguls have become fabulously wealthy regurgitating the same garbage into our homes for 50 years. Why mess with success? They know we're gonna lap up their vomit like good doggies every time.

i personally wish every channel was either VH1 classic or the discovery channel. At least those are reruns of cooler stuff.

hey the history channel is alright. and i do like me some Law & Order: SVU reruns.

What would I do without Law & Order and Law & Order SVU reruns? On a Wednesday or Tuesday, you can pretty much watch 5 straight hours of L&O, capping off the evening with the latest episode on NBC.

I'm in law school... it counts as studying!

Most of the stuff on TLC and Discovery Channel are knock-offs of British programs. Even the "good" channels are unoriginal.

The first episode of The Office American Style was pretty funny. The second episode was just lame.

I've never seen The Original Office...

The first episode was a near word-for-word remake of the original, the second wasn't.