My son is doing a paper on European comedy vs American comedy. Does any one know of any British (or European) comedies that were written by Americans and American Comedy that was written by British (or Europeans)? He used Fawlty Towers and The Monty Python as examples of British or European comedies, but he is trying to show (if there are some) that there are some British (or European) comedies written by Americans and that there are some American comedies written by British or European writers. I know that we (Americans) are always starting sitcoms in America that are hits in Britian and Europe (The Office, Couples to name a few) but are they written by Americans or Britians for American tv. I would really appreciate any help you could give us! Thanks,Nancy

Would also like to know of any more shows that we have started because they were hits in Britian and have ya'll started any that were hits in America and were they successful (like Friends, maybe)?

At this point any ideas would be great. Anything on the differences between the two?

Fawlty Towers was co-written by Connie Booth who is American (I think this is correct - please do check)and many of the sketches on the recent Sketch Show in America (with Kelsey Grammar, not a huge success I think)were written by British writers for the version over here a few years ago.
I'll carry on thinking.
Sorry! Just seen same information on another thread.

My Family, a british sitcom, was produced, co-created and i think partially written by an American (Fred Barron) who was on the writing staff several American shows. These links should be helpful

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0257315/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/932148.stm

You are awesome! I just looked at the two sites and they are great information for the paper. I am going to have to order the dvds to watch them if I can't find them on the cable here. If you have any more suggestions, let me know! These were perfect!

Is there any particular episode that you recommend as being really funny of My Family? I am going to try and order it on Netflix for the presentation. Thanks

They're all pretty good, but the first series will be the best indication of Barron's influence.

Might be worth noting that the British series Coupling was basically our own version of Friends - with Coupling in turn being remade (I don't think very successfully though) for the US.

Are you also looking for examples of shows which were made by one country, and became particularly successful in the other?

(Moving this thread to the sitcom forum.)

On the point of Britain remaking hit American comedies, we tend to basically steal ideas and pretend they are our own rather than just admit that it's a remake. In recent years Lead Balloon compared with Curb Your Enthusiasm, Annually Retentive compared with The Larry Sanders Show and Roman's Empire compared with Arrested Development.

You could look at the success of Saturday Night Live in America because Britain remade that as Saturday Live in 1985 on Channel 4 and later it became Friday Live. But unlike America it is no longer still running over here, although there is a 'reunion' show of sorts called Saturday Live Again! on this coming weekend.

Quote: nancy daniel @ November 26, 2007, 4:25 PM

Is there any particular episode that you recommend as being really funny of My Family? I am going to try and order it on Netflix for the presentation. Thanks

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Oh and there are no funny episodes of My Family.

Oh, I'd like to point out in regards to the above post, Lead Balloon and Curb Your Enthusiasm are nothing alike at all, so don't let your son put that down as a US -> UK remake.

https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/3910