Ongoing Coupling (USA) thread (show cancelled) (1 Viewer)

[Dewitte]

Mikel Cooperman wrote:

Couldnt they have just put on the British version or do they think Americans would turn their noses up?

I mentioned the British origin of Coupling to several folks in the office and few could believe that a sitcom of that nature cuold come from England. Apparently British comedy is limited to Monty Python and Benny Hill :rolleyes

 

[Chad R]

I've been asking that myself for months, and will be for several more months. Getting the chemistry and magic right in a Sitcom is so tough; to try and do it twice is insane.

There's no good reason not to just run the british episodes other than the fact that NBC underestimates their audiences.

If they were worried about the paucity of episodes, I'm sure an infusion of cash fom NBC would speed things up. If they have 22 british episodes--that's at least good for one year.

If they're worried that people don't want to watch British people on screen, than explain Harry Potter or Bond.

If they wanted to create another "All in the Family" why didn't they retool it as opposed to just using the same scripts.

Why do american TV networks believe we are so ethnocentric that we won't watch a British show. They've been watching our stuff for years.

And the biggest reason I think they'd want to do it is that it would probably be cheaper to just buy the alredy produced shows than produce them anew.

 

[Keith Mickunas]

Micke, you're right about that breaking up bit being stolen, but it worked well on the British show and goes right along with Jane. She's very needy and somewhat naive, in my opinion, so she automatically assumes what's good for her must be good for everyone else, if that even matters to her. The American Jane seemed more conniving than the British Jane, it just didn't work as well.

Andy, to me Inferno is among the best episodes. One of the things that makes it so great is Steve's monologue on men and porn. From one of the articles I read on the American Coupling, Steve's monologues are mostly going away because of the time constraints and how they bring the action to a stop for a bit. I think they'll be greatly missed. I was just watching the episode with the bathroom lock controversy the other night, and that too was another great insight into the male mind.

 

[Keith Mickunas]

If they were worried about the paucity of episodes, I'm sure an infusion of cash fom NBC would speed things up.

American studios want something they can milk for years. The British seem to be good at giving something a good run then letting it go. I liked where they ended season 3 of Coupling and frankly I'm not sure if it will work as well in season 4. Yes I'd love to see more episodes, but I'd hate to see them struggling for ideas and dragging on the show for too many years.

Really, how much more can they milk the Ross/Rachael thing on Friends? 10 years is just to much for that. It shows their desparation to keep the show going on. I'd hate to see Coupling ever do anything like that.

 

[John_Lee]

Didn't they know that Larry David already used the 'porn buddy' bit to a much more humorous end just a year or so ago?

 

[Adam_ME]

Didn't they know that Larry David already used the 'porn buddy' bit to a much more humorous end just a year or so ago?

Yeah, but the BBC Coupling used the term before Larry David. I guess it's come full circle.

 

[Keith Mickunas]

Coupling goes back to either 2000 or 2001, so you have to be careful when accusing them of ripping somebody off. They also beat Friend's to the story about an ex taping sex and keeping the copies. I haven't seen that entire episode of Friends, where they find out that Richard filmed him and Monica having sex, but if I'm not mistaken they basically ripped off the entire concept from the Coupling episode "The Cupboard of Patrick's Love".

Of course, The Man Show did a commercial for a service that would enter your home after your death and remove anything your parents shouldn't see and replace it with nice stuff. I wonder whether that came before or after Coupling.

 

[Patrick Sun]

There's only around 22 episodes of the BBC version of Coupling in 3 seasons, so the US would blow through that run in one season, thus the direction to go with a not-too-well-received "adaptation" of the show from Britain.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Over at the BBC America boards, people who've seen multiple episodes (including original creator Steven Moffat) suggest that the show does get better and that it should be given a chance.

I don't ever expect it to be as good as the original, but I'm willing to watch a few more episodes to see if it gets 'good'.

 

[Bryan Tuck]

It may be a little too early for the death knell yet, but the American pilot was indeed lacking. One of the main problems I had with it was the fact that the cast screamed Friends stand-ins. The premise is similar enough to Friends as it is, but the British cast is quirky enough that they seem like different people. Their American counterparts seem like Friends clones, especially the actor playing Jeff, who looks uncannily like Matthew Perry.

The other big thing is that British comedy thrives on irony, and the American version here is sorely missing that. One of the earlier posts said that the British version works the jokes into the story, while the American version seems to be working the story around the jokes. That's pretty much how I felt after watching the pilot. And due to the time constraints of US TV, the gags and plot seemed off-balance and rushed.

I may watch a couple more episodes, and see if they can pull off "Inferno" and "The Girl With Two Breasts," or maybe even come up with something original.

I have never seen the British original, but sat down this evening to watch the recording of NBCs "Coupling"... OH MY GOD, what a horrible, horrible "comedy".

The British version has been running on a lot of PBS stations, and on BBC America. As everyone else has been saying, it's much, much better. I hope you can catch it sometime.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

I'm currently watching what I believe is the second episode. Show stinks.

I've only seen three or four of the BBC episodes, but those seemed witty and light...whereas this incarnation feels more smutty and forced. Shock value stuff only goes so far on American television, I guess.

Like...how can you center a whole series of gags around a gal's vibrator - when you're unable to even show the thing. Plus it's not a funny gag to begin with...

Rena Sofer is amazingly good-looking and seems to know her way around a punchline. The rest of 'em seem faceless and blah. Maybe a few more episodes will help...

 

[ThomasC]

how can you center a whole series of gags around a gal's vibrator - when you're unable to even show the thing

It's not shown in the British version either. Tonight's episode, which was the second episode, was definitely better than the pilot. Acting and delivery were noticeably better, but still not much compared to the British version. I wish they would've done more with the Bush thing like the British version did with Maggie Thatcher. The Brits really topped it off with the Imperial March and the Vader impression.

Heh, heh, has anyone noticed that BBC America added a showing of Coupling at Thursday at 10pm, right after the NBC version ends, with the episode that the NBC version just copied?

 

[MickeS]

I managed almost the entire first scene. The acting is horrible. I gave up after that.

 

[NickSo]

Oh man, so I saw two episodes of the UK coupling... First was the Woman with Two Breasts, and then Naked...

I have never EVER laughed my ass off so much for so long than i did watching the striptease in NAKED... I was LITERALLY ROFLMAO.

I saw the US version of COUPLING before i 'discovered' the UK one, and I must agree the UK one is many times better than the US... in the pilot at least.

 

[Yee-Ming]

Nick, it gets better. I just finished Series 3 on the R2 DVD. I had missed a few episodes on the local broadcast, and/or they were "censored" -- e.g. series 1's "Inferno" was "banned"...

Some of the funniest stuff I have ever seen. I cannot recommend this too highly, it is absolutely the funniest sitcom available today.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Actually, I think the second episode was much better than the stilted pilot episode from last week. But Jane is still horribly miscast, Lindsay Price just doesn't do the character of Jane proud at all.

Oh, BTW, the gay guy with Jane in this episode is the guy I would cast as the next Superman because he's got the looks and the build for the part. I wished I remembered his name, but I know he's been on daytime soap operas in the past. He reminds me of Christopher Reeve.

 

[Thomas H G]

Never seen the British version, had only heard about it. I'll have to look that one up.

The USA version I have caught both weeks. I didn't hate it. I was in a pretty good mood after Scrubs and Will&Grace that I was laughing a few times. I think it's got some good potential. I did think they (NBC) were trying to capitalize on Friends though. They producers should just hire some Sex & the City writers after that stint is over.

 

[Hugh Jackes]

Not seen the British version, but I've now seen two episodes of the American version. I doubt I'll see a third. You guys, at least those of you who are fans of the British one, are all over the characters, but I haven't yet been able to identify a character with any "character" yet. Of all of them, the woman with the vibrator was funny and very attractive. The empty-headed bi-sexual was forced and unfunny. The remaining four made no impression on me whatsoever.

Of course, it could be me. I'm married 20 years and that whole singles scene is so completely off my radar screen(thank God). Perhaps that is why I couldn't relate to the characters.

Yech...

 

[Malcolm R]

Matthew Bomer?

EDIT: Just went to the NBC site to see if I could confirm the name, no dice. But their description of the next episode completely spoils a couple of the best jokes. Way to go NBC! Give away the best parts before the episode even airs. :rolleyes

 

[Patrick Sun]

I'll check on the name of the guy playing Jane's gay friend on my recording later tonight. It's not Mathew Bomer.