What happened to the American versions of Gavin & Stacey? Recently, series co-creator James Corden explained what went wrong with the multiple U.S. adaptations of the British TV series, IndieWire reports.
Created by Corden and Ruth Jones, the UK dramedy focused on the long-distance relationship between Gavin (Mathew Horne), a young man from England, and Stacey (Joanna Page), a young woman from Wales. The show ran for three seasons on the BBC before ending in 2010.
Due to the series’ massive success in the UK, several American networks tried to adapt the show, including NBC, ABC, and FOX. Only FOX’s adaption, titled Us & Them, managed to produce episodes. However, the network never aired the six episodes produced.
At Entertainment Weekly’s recent PopFest, Corden said the American networks tried to force more fights into the series:
They never understood what the show was about. They would buy the show and immediately change it. … It was about the fact that most people’s every day life involves very little conflict. Most people like their friends. They might even hate their job, but they sort of get on with it. We wanted to make a show that held up a mirror to real life. American networks wanted there to be [fights] all the time.”
What do you think? Have you seen the original Gavin & Stacey? Do you think a U.S. version could still work?
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