Another Brit-Com, 'Father Ted', to be Americanized
06-30-03, 01:03 AM
#1
My Generosity Is Legendary
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Home of the Golden Snowball
Posts: 1,271
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Another Brit-Com, 'Father Ted', to be Americanized
Oh joy, more originality.
http://tv.yahoo.com/news/va/20030629/105695167600.html
http://tv.yahoo.com/news/va/20030629/105695167600.html
Brit Comedy 'Father Ted' to Bless Americans
Sunday June 29 10:41 PM ET
The acclaimed British comedy series "Father Ted" is being Americanized for Stateside TV viewers.
The original show centers on Father Ted Crilly, an Irish priest who lives in a parochial house on Craggy Island, off the west coast of Ireland. Father Ted shares the house with Father Jack Hackett, an old priest with an alcohol problem, Father Dougal McGuire, a young and not very bright priest, and their housekeeper Mrs. Doyle.
The quirky comedy won three BAFTA TV Awards during its 1995-98 run on Channel 4, two for best comedy series and one for the show's star, Dermot Morgan.
NBC-based Pariah Prods. has teamed with London-based Hattrick Prods., the producer of "Father Ted," to develop the new project. Emmy-nominated writer-producer Spike Feresten will adapt the original series.
Feresten, who describes himself as "mostly Irish," said he has been a fan of "Father Ted" ever since his Irish contractor turned him on to it a year ago.
For his adaptation of the series, which has enjoyed strong following on both sides of the Atlantic, Feresten plans to stay faithful to the original.
"What happens usually with a show like that when it comes to the U.S.A., we end up doing a sanitized version of that," he said. "In this case, we're not going to do that. We're going to try to do a version that's very true to what their original intent was."
The subject matter is close to Feresten, a Catholic, who said he knew a lot of priests while growing up and is not afraid to tackle religion in sitcom format.
"I'm not out to tear down the Catholic Church, but I'm not out to proselytize, just out to make people laugh," he said.
Feresten earned eight Emmy nominations for his work on NBC's "Seinfeld" and CBS' "Late Show With David Letterman" and NBC's "Late Night With David Letterman."
"Father Ted" marks the second collaboration between Pariah and Hattrick. Their first project, "The Ortegas," based on Hattrick's hit comedy series for BBC "The Kumars at No. 42," landed on the fall Fox schedule.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Sunday June 29 10:41 PM ET
The acclaimed British comedy series "Father Ted" is being Americanized for Stateside TV viewers.
The original show centers on Father Ted Crilly, an Irish priest who lives in a parochial house on Craggy Island, off the west coast of Ireland. Father Ted shares the house with Father Jack Hackett, an old priest with an alcohol problem, Father Dougal McGuire, a young and not very bright priest, and their housekeeper Mrs. Doyle.
The quirky comedy won three BAFTA TV Awards during its 1995-98 run on Channel 4, two for best comedy series and one for the show's star, Dermot Morgan.
NBC-based Pariah Prods. has teamed with London-based Hattrick Prods., the producer of "Father Ted," to develop the new project. Emmy-nominated writer-producer Spike Feresten will adapt the original series.
Feresten, who describes himself as "mostly Irish," said he has been a fan of "Father Ted" ever since his Irish contractor turned him on to it a year ago.
For his adaptation of the series, which has enjoyed strong following on both sides of the Atlantic, Feresten plans to stay faithful to the original.
"What happens usually with a show like that when it comes to the U.S.A., we end up doing a sanitized version of that," he said. "In this case, we're not going to do that. We're going to try to do a version that's very true to what their original intent was."
The subject matter is close to Feresten, a Catholic, who said he knew a lot of priests while growing up and is not afraid to tackle religion in sitcom format.
"I'm not out to tear down the Catholic Church, but I'm not out to proselytize, just out to make people laugh," he said.
Feresten earned eight Emmy nominations for his work on NBC's "Seinfeld" and CBS' "Late Show With David Letterman" and NBC's "Late Night With David Letterman."
"Father Ted" marks the second collaboration between Pariah and Hattrick. Their first project, "The Ortegas," based on Hattrick's hit comedy series for BBC "The Kumars at No. 42," landed on the fall Fox schedule.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
06-30-03, 01:31 AM
#2
DVD Talk Special Edition
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,693
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Another Brit-Com, 'Father Ted', to be Americanized
Originally posted by Pac-Rat
"What happens usually with a show like that when it comes to the U.S.A., we end up doing a sanitized version of that," he said. "In this case, we're not going to do that. We're going to try to do a version that's very true to what their original intent was."
"What happens usually with a show like that when it comes to the U.S.A., we end up doing a sanitized version of that," he said. "In this case, we're not going to do that. We're going to try to do a version that's very true to what their original intent was."
06-30-03, 06:37 AM
#3
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Re: Another Brit-Com, 'Father Ted', to be Americanized
Originally posted by Achtung
This one will probably be pure crap.
This one will probably be pure crap.
06-30-03, 09:25 AM
#4
DVD Talk Legend
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Palm Springs and Los Angeles
Posts: 23,237
Received 110 Likes
on
99 Posts
No way this can be anything like the original Father Ted.
Dermot Morgan will be rolling in his grave at the thought of this.
This would annoy me way more than coupling
Dermot Morgan will be rolling in his grave at the thought of this.
This would annoy me way more than coupling
06-30-03, 12:00 PM
#8
DVD Talk Special Edition
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Raccoon City, OR
Posts: 1,721
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Those fuppin' gr*******s!
So they want to keep it as close to the orginal as possible? Then what's the point? Just play re-runs of the original 3 series, no?
I'm sure the "oirish" priests will be re-located to EL-AAAAAY!!
So they want to keep it as close to the orginal as possible? Then what's the point? Just play re-runs of the original 3 series, no?
I'm sure the "oirish" priests will be re-located to EL-AAAAAY!!
07-01-03, 12:01 AM
#9
Nothing much to add that hasn't been said already, but as a fan of the show, I just wanted to throw my 2¢ in and agree that this has got to be among the worst news I've heard TV wise. As if all this new reality TV wasn't bad enough, they have to keep on ripping off great Brit Coms.
07-02-03, 12:40 PM
#10
DVD Talk Hero
Why not just let us watch the ****ing original?
I'm sooo tired of "Americanizing" British television shows for American consumption. Just let us watch the original.
Jesus, would it kill Americans to watch a goddamned television show that doesn't take place in New York City?
I'm sooo tired of "Americanizing" British television shows for American consumption. Just let us watch the original.
Jesus, would it kill Americans to watch a goddamned television show that doesn't take place in New York City?
07-02-03, 02:04 PM
#11
Originally posted by Josh-da-man
Why not just let us watch the ****ing original?
I'm sooo tired of "Americanizing" British television shows for American consumption. Just let us watch the original.
Jesus, would it kill Americans to watch a goddamned television show that doesn't take place in New York City?
Why not just let us watch the ****ing original?
I'm sooo tired of "Americanizing" British television shows for American consumption. Just let us watch the original.
Jesus, would it kill Americans to watch a goddamned television show that doesn't take place in New York City?
I'm just kidding, but somehow these shows do appeal to some people. Here's a quote from a local television critic (Joanne Weintraub) from when John Larroquette's version of Fawlty Towers was on:
"The Americanization of "Fawlty Towers," is better than the British original. John Larroquette's Royal Payne is only half as cheesed-off as poor old Basil but twice as funny."
I wonder how many people will feel the same way about these "new" shows.
07-05-03, 01:19 AM
#12
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Pretty sad that there is a market for this. Americans are the only people who are considered by themselfs to be too stupid to watch something that's not american.
Most nations have no problems watching american shows or american movies, but when they come here they're "foreign" and weird. A novelty at best. Why do we sell ourselfs short? Why does ever war movie have to be about american soilders? don't the other nations have good war stories? why do we have to redo shows to make them localized? do we really care if it's set in England instead of New York?
I'm just speaking in general here, I know most people don't really give a damn, few people are going to say "Ah, this show was made in england, I aint watching it..." but the studios all THINK we do.
Most nations have no problems watching american shows or american movies, but when they come here they're "foreign" and weird. A novelty at best. Why do we sell ourselfs short? Why does ever war movie have to be about american soilders? don't the other nations have good war stories? why do we have to redo shows to make them localized? do we really care if it's set in England instead of New York?
I'm just speaking in general here, I know most people don't really give a damn, few people are going to say "Ah, this show was made in england, I aint watching it..." but the studios all THINK we do.
07-05-03, 01:35 AM
#13
DVD Talk Special Edition
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,693
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by BizRodian
Pretty sad that there is a market for this. Americans are the only people who are considered by themselfs to be too stupid to watch something that's not american.
Most nations have no problems watching american shows or american movies, but when they come here they're "foreign" and weird. A novelty at best. Why do we sell ourselfs short? Why does ever war movie have to be about american soilders? don't the other nations have good war stories? why do we have to redo shows to make them localized? do we really care if it's set in England instead of New York?
I'm just speaking in general here, I know most people don't really give a damn, few people are going to say "Ah, this show was made in england, I aint watching it..." but the studios all THINK we do.
Pretty sad that there is a market for this. Americans are the only people who are considered by themselfs to be too stupid to watch something that's not american.
Most nations have no problems watching american shows or american movies, but when they come here they're "foreign" and weird. A novelty at best. Why do we sell ourselfs short? Why does ever war movie have to be about american soilders? don't the other nations have good war stories? why do we have to redo shows to make them localized? do we really care if it's set in England instead of New York?
I'm just speaking in general here, I know most people don't really give a damn, few people are going to say "Ah, this show was made in england, I aint watching it..." but the studios all THINK we do.
Sad, but true. Alas, a lot of Americans just won't accept anything that isn't American. I could rant for hours on this point, but I'll just let it be.
07-05-03, 10:49 AM
#14
DVD Talk Special Edition
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Hollywood
Posts: 1,310
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't think it's Americans at all, just the network numbskulls that believe this. If Americans supposedly didn't like foreign entertainment, how do you explain the national popularity of Benny Hill, Bruce Lee, Pokemon, the Avengers, James Bond, Abba, etc. If you give the American people foreign entertainment, they will enjoy it. The suits are the ones that think they're doing everyone a favor by watering it down.
07-06-03, 01:12 AM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Birmingham, UK
Posts: 922
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
think i should point out to all that - although made with "English" money this show was set in "Ireland"
yes i agree that sanitizing UK shows for the consumption of the US moral majority is a vile, disgraceful practice that has never been necessary or popular. so why do American networks continue to do it?
Cracker was completely ruined when it was relocated to LA. The fat, drunken, gambling, obnoxious Scotsman will ALWAYS be Fitz to me.
yes i agree that sanitizing UK shows for the consumption of the US moral majority is a vile, disgraceful practice that has never been necessary or popular. so why do American networks continue to do it?
Cracker was completely ruined when it was relocated to LA. The fat, drunken, gambling, obnoxious Scotsman will ALWAYS be Fitz to me.
07-06-03, 02:13 AM
#16
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
You're right devilpants.... funny though, almost every thing you've listed has been americanized by the stupid suits in some way or another. For example, Pokemon may be popular with kids, but it's edited a lot so it's more american... or the latest James Bond was all about the new CIA agent.. ect.
I don't know why these suits think north americans are this way... because I don't think a lot are. Then again, as I said before, movies like Bend it Like Beckham or Billy Elliot or whatever is always thought of as "That British movie" instead of "That movie about the soccer" or "That movie about the boy who wants to be a dancer..." is it this way because the media shows it this way, or because that's how people see it?
I don't know why these suits think north americans are this way... because I don't think a lot are. Then again, as I said before, movies like Bend it Like Beckham or Billy Elliot or whatever is always thought of as "That British movie" instead of "That movie about the soccer" or "That movie about the boy who wants to be a dancer..." is it this way because the media shows it this way, or because that's how people see it?
07-06-03, 08:28 AM
#18
I think the majority of Americans DON'T like foriegn entertainment. If they did, BBC America would be a highly rated cable channel available on all cable packages and not reserved for high priced digital packages. If they did, subtitled movies would actually do good business in this country. How many people decided to watch Amilie based on word of mouth then took it back en masse to the store complaining they didn't want to "read" the movie? The few "breakthrough" foriegn films that do faily well here (Amelie, Brotherhood of the Wolf, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) did poorly compared to English speaking counter parts, and CTHD only did better business because there was an English language option on the DVD.
I think most of you are overestimating the tolerance for foriegn material by American audiences. The majority of the casual viewers in this country are mouth breathing idiots who prefer full frame, cannot be bothered with subtitles and will complain they can't understand the people talking in Gosford Park. They go to the video store two days after T3 has been released asking if T3 is available for rental, they complain about black bars, they will demand refunds if they are too stupid to figure out what SUBTITLED means and had to actually read (or make a futile attempt, the illiterate morons), and they would no sooner watch BBC America than they would the original versions of any Brit Com on network television.
I appreciate we have our cloistered community here that appreciates the original material, but pull your head out of the sand about the majority of people (who do not visit this board, apparently). The studio heads have them pegged just right.
I think most of you are overestimating the tolerance for foriegn material by American audiences. The majority of the casual viewers in this country are mouth breathing idiots who prefer full frame, cannot be bothered with subtitles and will complain they can't understand the people talking in Gosford Park. They go to the video store two days after T3 has been released asking if T3 is available for rental, they complain about black bars, they will demand refunds if they are too stupid to figure out what SUBTITLED means and had to actually read (or make a futile attempt, the illiterate morons), and they would no sooner watch BBC America than they would the original versions of any Brit Com on network television.
I appreciate we have our cloistered community here that appreciates the original material, but pull your head out of the sand about the majority of people (who do not visit this board, apparently). The studio heads have them pegged just right.
07-06-03, 11:11 AM
#19
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
I don't know... I totally agree on the subtitled thing... but if it's still english speaking, I don't think it's going to effect people's purchases much. Then again, there are hardly any films from the US that feature a foreigner as the hero character... in war movies, there's a good chance of no other allied characters being mentioned, and storys are often changed to fit in an american character if none existed in the real story... and any movies about the French Resistance or Battle of Britian? few and far between. I don't know why this is, because I think a movie like James Bond shows people don't care as long as the movie is good... but then stuff like Enemy at the Gates does poorly in theaters while U571 is praised as one of the best submarine movies ever... I don't get it.
