5 American Remakes that Outshine Their British Original Shows

American TV showrunners often take the ideas which originated across the ocean and make their own shows, adapting the scripts for the country’s audience. While some of such attempts turn out to be disappointing, there are a number of series which clearly surpassed the quality of the original British ones, with 5 of them being enlisted here.

1. The Office ( 2005-2013)

Presumably, this show comes first when we speak about these remakes. Originally created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the series’ concept eventually worked out with Steve Carell’s starring version.

There is no doubt that it became cultish for the audience all around the world, making its characters and catchphrases the most recognizable ones when we’re talking about sitcoms of such a kind.

2. Shameless (2011 - 2021)

The dramedy series, following the Gallaghers' unstable household ruled by a troublesome single father, was an adaptation of the British show of the same name too. It serves as an excellent example of how typical American humor differs from British one, as here a lighter approach added to the show’s bigger popularity, compared to the original show, which, however, was also successful and aired from 2004 to 2013.

3. House of Cards (2013-2018)

Here comes literally an adaptation of an adaptation, as the eponymous British show, in its turn, was based on the 1989 novel by Michael Dobbs. Set in Washington D.C. instead of Westminster, the American version seems to depict the story of an amoral politician in a more believable way. The audience’s success even allowed the creators to extend the story and to explore climbing the political ladder throughout the whole 6 seasons.

4. Ghosts (2021 - …)

It’s the most recent take on British shows in our list, which shares the same premise of its UK forebear, but has already managed to carve its own identity. While the original series focuses more on the backgrounds of its ghosts, the American one puts more significance on exploring the young living couple, which seems to be a better decision.

5. Queer as Folk (2000-2005)

Adapted from the 1999 UK series of the same name, the American version of Queer as Folk demonstrates greater character development and more depth in exploring the themes of big importance to the LGBTQ+ community. Besides, it was less censored than the British series, which allowed it to raise all these issues without much limitations.