American Remake of Brit-Com Not so Fabulous?

Image from source, Qweerty

I'm a big fan of the British cult-classic sitcom, Absolutely Fabulous, and have even posted a few items about it in the past. So, you'd think I'd be excited about the prospect of an American version of the show. But everything I've seen about the project has been to report about how unfabulous it is.

Several British shows have been remade here in the States, some with spectacular success, like All in the Family, Three's Company and Sanford and Son. But for every The Office, there are bombs like Coupling, Kath & Kim, or the Fawlty Towers remake with Bea Arthur, Amanda's. The new AbFab could land in either category, but early consensus says the latter.

They've tried to bring AbFab to American television before. Roseanne brought the original actresses--in character as Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone--to the final, "fantasy" season of her show. Roseanne was planning on making a US version of the show, but her plans apparently fell through. Then, Jean Smart and Mary McConnell brought High Society to the air. It was a sitcom not based on AbFab, but it was clearly an homage or rip-off, if you prefer. It was cancelled after a single season.

The problem with doing an American version is the unique "Britishness" of the show, and the fact that Edina and Patsy are hedonistic, drug-using, alcohol abusing, cigarette smokers. Patsy likes sex a lot, and both are horrible to Edina's sensible daughter, Saffy. US television--even on FOX--is going to have to clean these characters up a bit, and in doing so, they will suffer in comparison. The key to success will be to make the show and its characters different enough that they're not direct copies. But doing that will tick off the fans. Sounds like a lose/lose to me.

[Excerpt]

The Ab Fab Diary: On the Remake Set With Edina and Patsy

Have you ever heard a straight man say the words “absolutely fabulous” in a hetero monotone? This was our introduction to the Sony Pictures lot in Culver City where the rent-a-cop peaked in my car, took one look at me and my friend George in his Gautier glasses, and flatly asked, “Absolutely Fabulous?” Try saying “absolutely fabulous” with no emotion. It is laughable. George and I repeated it in our best straight man voices sporadically throughout the evening — an evening spent remaking the hit 1990s comedy Absolutely Fabulous. . .

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