"Coupling" canceled
 

Source: <a href="http://www.eonline.com/News/firstlook.html">E!Online</a>

I would have thought it would have fared better than some of the other NBC sitcoms, but whatever. Not really going to miss it. NBC's in trouble now, since it was supposed to be their "Friends" replacement...oops.

It was such a huge dissapointment. The BBC series is so good, but it just didn't transfer at all to the NA version. I hope that Rena Sofer gets something good to do soon. Maybe back on Ed!

No surprise there.

On the bright side, I think S4 of the UK version is currently in production. :thumbsup:

Skin is next. Then Tru Calling. ;)

I enjoyed it, not as good as the UK version, but it was something to watch. But of course, since I liked it, it got cancelled. Any new show I watch, it will get cancelled ASAP. :(

So that leaves me with just ER and Angel to watch on network television. Thank God for cable.

Damn, they hardly gave it a chance.

Entertainment Weekly just had a report in the issue I got today saying the producers/writers were looking forward to doing all original scripts. They figured the show would find it's voice.

Guess not.

yeah, it's kinda like trying to remake classic movies. when the original is so good, why try to change it?

Man, times have changed. Remember how long "Suddenly Susan" and that show with Jonathan Silverman lasted on Thursday night? (even though they both sucked). You'd think that NBC would give Coupling more time, since they expected it to be the Friends replacement.

Not that I care. I love the BBC version, and had no plans to watch the US version.

[wishful thinking]Maybe now they'll finally bring back Inside Schwartz.[/wishful thinking]

Baw-HA HA HA HA HA. thursday nights next season will be up for grabs..

I like the BBC version, but never had any inclination to watch the NBC version. I figured the NBC version would be watered down from the original and it sounds like I was right.

I think once LeBlanc signed on for the Joey spinoff that became Friends replacement.

Alot of people have BBC America and the DVD sold well. I don't think most of those folks wanted to watch the US version- in fact because of BBCA there's less need for US versions.

Can't say I'm surprised. I gave this a look and hated it, so maybe this will send a message to other networks who want to just quickly repackage something for US audiences and expect it to be a hit.

I finally watched one episode of the us version. It was bloody awful.

You know I think half the reason this show failed (besides of course the sucking) is the incessant promotions of it all summer really got people sick of it. I mean, I hated the damned ads they kept showing so much that I wasn't interested in the show. You shove something down people's throats hard enough, sometimes they'll gag.

You have to remember too that probably 90% of Joe Americans don't even know this was based on a BBC show so the comparisions with the original don't factor into its success or failure with the mass audience half as much as folks around boards like this think it does.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?lay...goryid=14&cs=1



'Coupling' cancelled
Stateside version of BBC hit fizzles

By JOSEF ADALIAN

It's coitus interruptus for NBC's "Coupling," while "The Bernie Mac Show" will be getting a later-than-expected start.

Peacock has pulled the plug on frosh laffer "Coupling," shutting down production Friday and informing the show's producers that additional episodes will not be ordered. Skein, from NBC Studios in association with Reveille and Universal Television, had already been pulled for sweeps and was not exected to return anytime soon.

Skein generated media buzz last spring and over the summer due to its frank discussion of sexual matters and because of the heat surrounding its U.K. predecessor. But while crix gushed over the original, seen stateside on BBC America, they largely slammed the Americanized version.

"Coupling" was created by Steven Moffat and executive produced by Phoef Sutton ("Cheers"), Ben Silverman, Beryl Vertue, Sue Vertue and Moffat.

As for "Bernie," Fox has decided to delay the skein's Nov. 9 season debut until Nov. 30. Net will now air "Simpsons" repeats at 8:30 p.m. during the Novermer sweeps. In addition, West Coast viewers--who had been scheduled to see "Simpsons" encores at 7 p.m. Sundays--will now get a double dose of "King of the Hill."

Fox apparently didn't want to re-launch "Bernie" in the middle of what's expected to be a difficult November sweeps for all the nets. Waiting will allow the net to give the laffer some extra promo push.

"We believe in the 'Bernie Mac' show and plan to have it as an essential part of our schedule for many years to come," said Fox spokesman Scott Grogin. "The launch of 'Bernie' will be a major event in December, and the fact that we're moving the series to one of the best timeslots in television is indicative of what we think of the show."

NBC already HAS a friends replacement... it's called Scrubs! Get with the program; why not just order 4x as many episodes of Scrubs and put it on for 2 hours every Thursday?

:up:

Scrubs is easily the best thing NBC has right now. But I get the feeling they're trying to kill it.

Re: "Coupling" canceled
 

Don't they understand that Scrubs IS their Friends replacement?

I'm so glad this was canceled. Now Steven Moffat can focus on series 4 of the BBC show! :)

Maybe NBC will sell him their 'original scripts' they never got to use.

Then he can line his bird cage with them.

I watched it and found it okay so far. Damn that was a quick yank. Gotta admit I watching for Rena Sofer.

Now they'll think that when they make US versions of other good shows, they'll have to change them even more. Ugh.

I thought Scrubs though is having poor rentention on Friends viewership? So it may be in trouble.

I love Scrubs but it is definately not a Friends replacement IMO.

i completely agree... scrubs has been funny from the get-go and friends has been <i>moderately</i> funny (sometimes) from the get-go! ;)

NBC is crazy not to push Scrubs more... it's a brilliant show!
-di doctor-

TV Guide has Coupling on hiatus until December. Guess NBC dropped the ball early. Good riddance.

As someone who has never seen the original BBC show, I enjoyed NBC's Coupling. Too bad they didn't give it more than 30 seconds to catch on.

Not surprised. About two weeks ago the cast was begging to go on Howard Stern to try and get ratings for the show.

I only saw a little of it. It just seemed like another non-descript Friends clone. That's what alot of people's take on it probably was.

I don't know where you get that. I think they are done trying to kill it. The last time I saw the ratings it was doing better than their beloved Will and Grace, so I don't think we have to worry about Scrubs anymore. Since Coupling is gone I'm guessing that there's no danger of Scrubs going on hiatus for sweeps like they've done in the past.

:up:

I just got the UK Coupling Season 2 dvd, and noticed on the cover is a sticker that says: "The original UK version of the smash NBC hit!"

I wonder if I can sue them for false advertising?

I (and others i've talked to) Just get the feeling NBC doesn't realize what it has in Scrubs! I guess i'm just AFRAID that they WANT to kill it. They really were trying for a while. At worst, i think they're breeding it to replace Frasier on tuesdays.

They'll sink millions into pushing a craphole like Coupling or Inside Swartz, Whoopi, or watching Elli... But i can't remember the last time i saw a good push for scrubs.

If I were a Scrubs fan, the last thing I would want is heavy NBC promotion. If they promote the hell out of it, and it only gets marginally better ratings, it would get cancelled. Better to fly under the radar. It might live a longer life that way.

:( I guess I better stick with my 'rasslin then

Hopefully this will kill the plans to domesticate The Office as well. Another bad idea.

"Coupling" canceled
 

Good, it sucked anyhow.

-k
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