TV Talk: Deja vu

[yourlibrarian]

We live in the era of the never dying media properties, so there have been lots of continuations or spinoffs years after the fact. However for shows that have had remakes, which did you like more and why? These could include shows that have had versions in different countries.

Comments

[sweettartheart]

I tried to watch the US version of Broadchurch but just couldn't get into it -- even though it also had David Tennant in it! I think I actually would have preferred it without DT because I thought the chemistry with Olivia Colman in the British version was astounding.

[yourlibrarian]

Yes! I saw part of the first episode and they seemed to just be remaking it except in the U.S. I wondered what the point was (and noticed that they replaced her with a younger skinny woman). To me the working relationship they had was the biggest reason to watch.

[jo]

I can think of only two shows where I watched the original and at least attempted the remake, or vice versa. One was House of Cards -- the UK original was WAY better than the US remake (which I never watched beyond season 2), mostly because I love parliamentary systems way more than the US political system. The other was The Tunnel, the UK remake (or adaptation is probably more accurate) of Bron/Broen (The Bridge). I know there was also a US version, called The Bridge, but I only watched a couple of episodes. I loved both Bron/Broen and The Tunnel equally.

[yourlibrarian]

I never saw The Bridge though I was aware The Tunnel was a remake. I liked it and also watched the sequel. I did wish it had delved more into the different law enforcement systems where I felt they focused pretty closely on the detectives themselves.

I watched the original House of Cards so long ago that I can't fairly compare them. However I tried out the U.S. version exactly because I thought the UK one was so well done. I think the U.S. one ended up being a different sort of show after S2. The role of women was certainly significantly different though.

[delphi]

I thought the remake of One Day at a Time was really well done, and while I didn't ultimately find the Battlestar Galactica a satisfying or successful series by the end, it's still more my thing than the original.

In terms of ones that are on par, I'm equally up for watching the original Outer Limits or the '90s remake. And if there's a category for "this is so different I have trouble even thinking of it as a remake," I really enjoyed the 2020 Perry Mason.

[colls]

I was so invested in BSG when it was airing! And I remember (vaguely) being very invested in the original as a kid (LOL). I love how they updated it and the bits they chose to change and they certainly expanded the story in a lot of different directions.

[delphi]

It was such a clever and timely way to approach the remake, I thought. And with the original also drawing on a lot of classic archetypes and tropes, I think that makes for a show that's ripe for different re-imaginings.

[alba17]

I loved the remake of One Day At A Time. Funny, smart and heartwarming.

[rogueslayer452]

Shameless (US) was a good remake of the UK version of Shameless, at least in the beginning. Fiona became a notable main character throughout the show and I liked that she was essentially the glue that kept everything together.

The re-imagined Battlestar Galactica was a masterpiece. It took the premise of the original series and updated it to fit the current political and social climate of the time it aired, and even still holds up today because those things are still quite relevant.

[yourlibrarian]

I watched the original BSG and liked it but also thought the reboot was wonderfully conceived and (at least for several seasons) executed. I read recently that it was strongly influenced by what was NOT done for ST Voyager, and I can really see that. Regardless, the original premise lent itself to all the darkness and despair that was in BSG 2 and simply didn't go there. So it was great to see a version which did.

[lokifan]

The US version of Being Human was doing its own thing in some ways but omg I WAY prefer the UK version. The American version has one plotline in particular where they changed how the vampires worked and generally made everything make less sense (where they have Lauren visible while she's biting Mitchell) for... literally no reason I can see other than to make Mitchell seem more sexually dominant over her? Hide any hint of masochism on his end?

Plus they film this vampire getting bitten by another like a blowjob scene - she's kneeling, he's standing up - versus the UK version where he's sitting down and she leans over his arm. I don't mind the oral sex imagery with vampires, obviously, but it's weird cos the series at that point is leaning hard into an addiction metaphor. And him sitting down and her leaning over his arm like she's about to inject him fits much better with that. It's super minor haha but I just hate when it's like... no the imagery fit the metaphor!

[yourlibrarian]

I'm afraid I gave the US version one episode and noped out of it (though it's been too long for me to remember exactly why). I found the UK series fairly imperfect but I much preferred it and the cast has certainly gone on to bigger things since.

[lokifan]

. I found the UK series fairly imperfect but I much preferred it and the cast has certainly gone on to bigger things since.

100%! Yeah I noped out of the US version early too.

[alba17]

I didn't even want to try the US version because I loved the UK version so much.

[tinny]

OOooh, this feels like it's aimed at me. :D

Currently watching High Potential, the US remake of the extraordinarily popular French show HPI, and I don't think it holds up. The US version isn't bad, but the French one is so spectacularly good that the comparison is never favorable for the US version. Although I don't mind that they made it. The lead actress in particular is doing a very good job in the US version, too.

Looking back, I absolutely agree with above commenter about Battlestar Galactica - such an amazing remake omg.

I also really liked Queer as Folk US a lot, better than the UK original. I don't remember why, though. It's been a while.

As for movies, I remember loving Nightshift, the Danish thriller, and there was no way to get it in the US because they'd bought the rights to make a remake. (Which then was not as good.)

[yourlibrarian]

Oh QaF, I totally forgot about them. I watched the US version first many years ago. Last year I tried out the UK version. I thought the U.S. one better overall. Part of it may simply be that they had a longer first and second season so they were better able to develop the characters, whereas a lot of things happened quickly in the UK version and weren't always well developed.

I haven't rewatched QaF US so I don't know how well it holds up. At the time though no one was doing what they were and it made everything seem new.