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The IT Crowd US Pilot (2007) [video]

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Re: The IT Crowd US Pilot (2007) [video]

#231

Post by the_lonely_road »

jedberg wrote: post #143
tonfreed wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The thing that amuses me as an Australian is the subtitles when a pom, Irish, or Scot is talking. I've not seen it with Australians, but I wouldn't be surprised

Here in America they will often subtitle Asians speaking English. As someone with an Asian wife and kids I can never figure out if I should laugh or cry or both.

For those coming into this discussion late with no personal exposure to American television, the OP's use of "often" is just them burning some steam off. This is not a serious thing that happens in any kind of high percentage of content. I can't think of any content where it does happen and would be surprised if any examples created in the last 20 years could be found.

Re: The IT Crowd US Pilot (2007) [video]

#232

Post by itsoktocry »

dotBen wrote: post #8

I'm pretty sure this pilot is the same script as episode 1 of the original UK series. Clearly someone felt the need to recast and reshoot the series with US actors (plus Richard Ayoade), like they did the US Office. I wonder if that's old thinking (or wasn't actually needed) - the amount of UK TV that's now on Netflix and other OTT platforms seems to suggest that US audiences are open to enjoying original UK series w…

>like they did the US Office.

The UK and US The Office are both great shows in their own right. But they aren't very similar, outside of the setting.

Re: The IT Crowd US Pilot (2007) [video]

#233

Post by denton-scratch »

ealexhudson wrote: post #215
denton-scratch wrote: post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are detective shows called Endeavour and Lewis running (repeats) in the UK; they're offshoots of the Morse series. They have ad-breaks, i.e. the narrative stops and the show titles appear; but there are no ads. I think that's on ITV. And sometimes there are ads between the titles. There's something I was watching on Sky, that had ad-breaks, but no ads; instead, they showed a still frame saying that normal conte…

Sky paused adverts recently out of respect to Brenda's passing (though they didn't note that on the static logo). Was that what you saw? I don't watch TV regularly but I've never seen them run out of adverts for slots; with bidding I would doubt that happens much?

No, that's not what I saw. Firstly, not all Sky ad slots were placeholders; and secondly, "Brenda" (damn, what's that from?) popped her clogs ages ago. The wall-to-wall BBC propaganda ended three days ago. TV presenters are no longer wearing black suits and ties. Newspapers no longer carry a dozen grovelling headlines on the same subject.

Re: The IT Crowd US Pilot (2007) [video]

#234

Post by yaddaor »

krade wrote: post #25
dotBen wrote: post #8

I'm pretty sure this pilot is the same script as episode 1 of the original UK series. Clearly someone felt the need to recast and reshoot the series with US actors (plus Richard Ayoade), like they did the US Office. I wonder if that's old thinking (or wasn't actually needed) - the amount of UK TV that's now on Netflix and other OTT platforms seems to suggest that US audiences are open to enjoying original UK series w…

no, they've changed quite a bit, only the first scene is sticking somewhat with the original version. 5 minutes in at least half the dialog has been rewritten. and all the changes are for the worst.

The pacing and joke delivery is completely shattered.

Re: The IT Crowd US Pilot (2007) [video]

#235

Post by bena »

quietbritishjim wrote: post #6

That wasn't nearly as atrocious as I was expecting. Partly because the script is almost the same as the UK first episode, of course, but even putting that aside it was OK. Richard Ayoade is still great but also Joel McHale is a pretty decent choice as Roy. Even the actress playing Jen, although a bit annoying, wasn't too bad. And the twist that the boss actually isn't crazy is interesting. Not like the US Red Dwarf p…

See, I didn't like Joel McHale as Roy. He's too charming and attractive. I think the key difference is that O'Dowd played Roy as tired of this shit while McHale plays it as annoyed with this shit.

But I think it suffers the same problem as the US Red Dwarf and the early episodes of the US Office, you can't expect to clone the characters. You have to deviate. Hew to the spirit, but not necessarily the letter.

Re: The IT Crowd US Pilot (2007) [video]

#236

Post by JamesSwift »

salicideblock wrote: post #226
dotBen wrote: post #8

I'm pretty sure this pilot is the same script as episode 1 of the original UK series. Clearly someone felt the need to recast and reshoot the series with US actors (plus Richard Ayoade), like they did the US Office. I wonder if that's old thinking (or wasn't actually needed) - the amount of UK TV that's now on Netflix and other OTT platforms seems to suggest that US audiences are open to enjoying original UK series w…

Maybe that's why it did not make it past pilot. Why reshoot if it's going to be so similar?

I think they probably realized that the success of the series were due to the characters, and not so much the writing. So if its going to live/die based on the audiences response to the characters then why spend time working on the script?

And I have to say, this episode of the US IT Crowd just wasn't the same for me. This version is quirky and forgettable. The cast of the UK version is _so_ good that it elevates it to a hilarious classic.

Re: The IT Crowd US Pilot (2007) [video]

#237

Post by thesuitonym »

rkangel wrote: post #221
oakesm9 wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The IT Crowd was actually aired on Channel 4, not the BBC. Channel 4 is publicly owned (for now…) but is fully funded through adverts. The ad break timings likely don’t match what you have in the US though (at the start and end and a single break in the middle over a 30 minute runtime).

If you watch an NFL game on Sky there are a load of breaks where they cut to a UK analysis crew. Every single one of those is an ad break that they have in the US but not in the UK. Sky does still has ads, but clearly far far fewer than the US is willing to tolerate. NFL is an extreme example but I always found the comparison interesting.

The NFL is the most ridiculous two hours of television in the US. I don't really understand why people put up with the amount of ads they shove into a game.

There was service years ago--maybe it's still around--from one of the TV networks that would cut a whole game into 15-20 minutes, mostly be not showing any ads during the game, and cutting out all of the commentary/standing around.

Re: The IT Crowd US Pilot (2007) [video]

#238

Post by bena »

Jaruzel wrote: post #152
KingOfCoders wrote: post #100

I'm with Douglas Adams, "Please don’t let anyone Americanise it".

He was right. Hitchhiker's the movie is a travesty.

I think the Hitchhiker movie suffered greatly from Adams's death. I think out of respect for the author, they didn't want to change the script too much.

But that was never Adams's style. The draft of the script they got would have likely not been the version of the script used to make the movie. There would have been changes and alterations all the way up to the point the cameras started rolling.

Adams tinkers. He writes something. Then reads it. If it's not funny, he rewrites it. Then reads it again. Then takes a bath. Then reads it again. Write. Read. Bath. Tea. Bath. Bath tea. Write. Read. A bit of the telly. Etc.

So I don't fault the movie for going astray from every other version of Hitchhiker. It would be weird if it didn't. The movie wound up being too average overall. And I don't think Mos Def is a good Ford Prefect.

Re: The IT Crowd US Pilot (2007) [video]

#239

Post by ChoGGi »

netsharc wrote: post #216
mejutoco wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We know Ricky Gervais also did not like Steve Carrel. Source: himself during one of the Golden Globe ceremonies he was hosting.

Got a clip? This feels like you being oblivious that he's pretending...

I'd guess it's in here https://youtube.com/watch?v=iJOb9xHggS4

Re: The IT Crowd US Pilot (2007) [video]

#240

Post by JamesSwift »

abetusk wrote: post #27

My opinion is that the original British IT crowd just had actors that were of a different caliber. It's painful to watch all the actors around Richard Ayoade in the American version.

Exactly my thoughts. The UK cast really was a special combination of talent. Jen, Moss, Roy, Richmond, both Reynholms... 6 people who completely nailed their role at once.
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