What do " Trading blank , " " American Idol " and " All in the Family " have in common ? in all likelihood not a fortune , but theyareall based on British shows : " exchange Rooms , " " Pop Idol " and " Till Death Us Do Part . " Many U.S. production companies have adapt original ideas from across the Atlantic , giving them an American construction , a new name and a newaudience .
But Americans do n’t always demand a Yankee Doodle spin on TV series . Plenty of British consequence do well once they cross the pond , give thanks you very much . They often show up on BBC America or PBS in their beautifully unadulterated British forms . teem yourself a cupful oftea , and take on to discover some U.K. depict that Americans have hug in their original pattern . One lump or two ?
10: ‘Monty Python’s Flying Circus’
" And now for something completely different . " That catch phrase get the essence of the impertinent British clowning sketch show . Debuting on the BBC in 1969 , " Python " bring down on American public television distribution channel in 1974 [ source : BBC America – Monty Python ] . By 1975 , the bizarre antics of the show ’s wizard – Graham Chapman , John Cleese , Terry Gilliam , Eric Idle , Terry Jones and Michael Palin – made it one of the well - snitch PBS serial publication of its clip [ source : Rozen ] . After the series ended , its cast collaborated on three film , including " Monty Python and the Holy Grail . " In fact , the Broadway dispatch " Spamalot " was based on that film , and get ahead the Tony Award for Best Musical of the 2004–2005 season and received 14 Tony Award nominations . Though all six actor also had successful private careers , the legacy of Monty Python remained .
" Monty Python ’s Flying Circus " introduced unforgettable iconic cartoon , such as the tall mallow shop that ’s altogether out of cheese . Then there ’s the pet stock shop clerk who betray a dead parrot and wo n’t rent the customer return it – ignoring the obviously soaked carcass , the salesman insists the Norse blue parrot is , alternately , resting , stunned , pitiful or tired . Equally memorable is the café that speciate inSpam . A customer reluctantly listens as a waitress and her inexplicable refrain ofVikingsextol the virtues of the processed meat . Completely different , indeed .
9: ‘House of Cards’
plat . retaliation . Greed . Power . Brutality . No , it ’s not a soap opera house ; it ’s BBC ’s striking version of British government , " House of Cards . " The miniseries follows the cold - full-blooded career choice of Francis Urquhart ( Ian Richardson ) , a parliamentary military officer clear over for a cabinet side . The snub incited a no - detention - barred battle to the top .
In the U.K. , the role of Frank earn Richardson an award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts [ informant : BBC America ] . When the show was broadcast on BBC America , author Andrew Davies take home a 1991Emmy Awardfor bringing Urquhart to life [ rootage : Television Academy – Andrew Davies].Netflixhad such appreciation that it launch its own American interpretation asterisk Kevin Spacey . That ’s a lot of sexual love for someverybad adult male .
8: ‘The Office’
A BBC show about a BBC show , " The Office " earned critical plaudit after landing in the U.S. In 2004 , the series aired on BBC America and became the first U.K.sitcomto win a Golden Globe Award for best comedy . One of its leads , Ricky Gervais , was also the first British actor to win a Globe for funniness [ beginning : BBC News ] . The award show prized Gervais so much it later bring him back as legion for three years . NBC loved the " The Office " enough to produce its own version in 2005 star Steve Carell .
Shot as a fauxdocumentary , the British series takes place in a paper factory , and some moments are so dead on target - to - life they ’re cringe - suitable . Gervais ' manager , a legend in his own mind , is a truly inept executive . Martin Freeman ( " Sherlock , " " The Hobbit " ) stars as Tim , a competent working stiff banal of receive nowhere . He finds a little joy by play odd practical jokes on Mackenzie Crook ’s Gareth , a naïve , yet arrogant , carbon monoxide - doer . HowdidGareth ’s stapler end up inside a Jell - type O mold ?
7: ‘Doctor Who’
An immortal Time Lord from the major planet Gallifrey travels through prison term and space in the phone John Wilkes Booth - similar TARDIS political machine – yeah , it ’s your just distinctive British significance . This BBC series , which begin in 1963 , has featured legion actors in the lead persona , including comical Tom Baker , youthful Peter Davison , charming Paul McGann and thoughtful David Tennant . The difference in appearance is easily explained . Doctor Who never fail ; he just regenerates into a novel body . Simple !
After a several - year interruption , the BBC rebooted the series , and it prove up on BBC America in 2010 . The premiere broke the internet ’s disk at the time , with an consultation of 1.2 million [ informant : Hibberd ] . The 2014 season unfastener far exceeded that with 2.2 million looker , up a whopping 46 percent from the previous year ’s introduction [ source : O’Connell – Doctor Who ] . intelligibly , Doctor Who was becoming Doctor Very - Well - have sex .
6: ‘Luther’
Dark , darker , darkest . The BBC One miniseries " Luther " follows the career of a glorious , consecrated , but violentpolice detectivewho sometimes care with criminal in fashion that are outside the constabulary . Luther ’s wife was murdered by a former workfellow and protagonist , and the tragedy bring out the unsafe side of the investigator . The show ’s flavor is often creepy , disturbing and even repellant . How else can you discover a scene where amurderertries to renderfingerprintevidence unusable by remove prints with a kitchen liquidiser ?
As unsettling as the series can be , it drew esteem when it designate up on BBC America . In 2011 , Idris Elba ( the player then best do it for portraying Stringer Bell on HBO ’s " The Wire " ) earned the first of multiple Emmy nominations as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries . The show also grapple for Outstanding Miniseries [ generator : Television Academy – Luther ] . Gloominess give off .
5: ‘Being Human’
You thinkyou’vehad roomie upshot ? Imagine aghost , avampireand a lycanthrope sharing the same household . Who ’s going to cook dinner ? The BBC Three serial publication " Being Human " shows the struggles of being a little too supernatural . While the werewolf and vampire often attempt to combine in as ordinary mortals , the touch must teach to cope with modified human interaction . surprisingly , this assumption is acquaint as a drollery - dramatic event , blending humour , warmth and danger . The show made a long - term impact in the U.S. , go on BBC America for five seasons until 2013 . Syfy TV adapted " Being Human , " setting the show in Boston .
The extrasensory trio confront more than its share of challenges , including bias , a trip to purgatory and a sojourn from the heller . The three also had to treat with their true natures . Why does someone become a wraith ? Can avampirekeep from eat humans ? What materialize when a werewolf accidently sprain on his girlfriend ? ( Spoiler qui vive : It ’s a real dating faux paw . )
4: ‘Downton Abbey’
Apparently , Americans just love them some British nobility . ITV ’s " Downton Abbey , " which follows the phallus of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants , draw a record - setting 10 million viewers in 2014 when season four debut on PBS [ beginning : Runcie ] . A whopping 8.5 million spectator tune in for the finale . That ’s up more than 300,000 from the former year ’s sexual climax [ source : O’Connell – Downton ] .
Actress Maggie Smith , who plays the sharply - tongued materfamilias , is part of the show ’s appeal . She ’s full of dilute humor . When monish that servants are also humans , she witheringly remarks , " Preferably only on their years off " [ germ : PBS – Downton ] . The " upstairs " and " downstairs " characters on " Downton Abbey " deal with realistic issues of their epoch , includingWorld War I , a downturned thriftiness , expiry of loved unity and societal class barrier . The countess handle it all with her distinctive aplomb , as she explains , " I ’m a womanhood … I can be as wayward as I choose " [ source : Stylist ] .
3: ‘Sherlock’
What do American audiences think of the BBC One serial " Sherlock " ? It ’s unproblematic : They ’re mad about it . In 2014 , the third time of year ’s ratings on PBS averaged 6.6 million , an increment of more than 2 million from the prior yr [ root : PBS Sundays ] . This updated version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ’s legendary tec stars Benedict Cumberbatch ( " Star TrekInto Darkness , " " The Imitation Game " ) as the title theatrical role , with Martin Freeman ( " The Office , " " The Hobbit " ) as the long - suffering war veteran and trusted fellow Dr. John Watson .
Some episode ' plot are similar to the original fib , but the full serial publication update Holmes ' adventures . The Baker Street Irregulars include homeless Londoners and a graffiti creative person . Instead of writing down Holmes ' case , Watson web log about them . Also , Holmes ' sometimes - adversarial human relationship with authority take a 21st - century spin – he mail tauntingtextsto the insistence [ generator : Sherlockology ] .
2: ‘Broadchurch’
This BBC serial publication starts out grimly with the slaying of a 12 - class - old boy , but the gravity of the plot did n’t minify credit of its quality . After " Broadchurch " transmit on BBC America in 2013 , it received the honored Peabody Award for its storytelling excellence [ informant : Peabody ] . Part of the series ' appeal is that , in addition to telling a first - class mystery , it also examines how the locals are impact by the disaster . Family and friends keel from the dying , the press interferes and tourism becomes endangered .
The show star a former popular Dr. Who – David Tennant – as detective Alec Hardy . fresh arrived to the seaside Ithiel Town of Broadchurch , he is all business sector and near emotionless . Detective Sergeant Miller ( Olivia Colman , " The Iron Lady " ) , who had expected to get the inspector ’s position , is resentful but also highly competent and harmonic to the village resident physician . viewer tuned in to experience the complex nature of the serial . Time magazine critic James Poniewozik wrote that " Broadchurch " was " a execution mystery that is about far more than its murder or its whodunit . "
1: ‘Call the Midwife’
Contractions just minutes apart ! What do you do ? " Call the midwife ! " This BBC One serial publication , which airs on PBS , is based on a British accoucheuse ’s memoir . Set in London ’s poor East final stage during the 1950s and 1960s , the title characters do their neck of the woods , riding bikes to take calls . The naturalistic portrayals of pregnancy andchildbirthfluctuate between gleeful and heartbreaking . Other issues of the solar day , such as social class andmental illness , weave with the birthing stories .
The fourth season of " Call the Midwife " has made a home for itself on Sundays , anchor that night ’s drama - laborious PBS card . During its third year in 2014 , the show drew 3.6 million public television TV audience : an increment of 20 per centum from the initial time of year [ germ : PBS – PBS and BBC ] . The midwives are on call to American audience , as well .
