I've heard Season 4 was the last one, but the last episode really didn't give an ending to the series, and here on imdb it just says 2006-. Rather than 2006-2010.
Does that mean there's going to be a Season 5?
From what I've heard, they plan to do one but that shooting hasn't begun yet. I've also heard that the creator would like to bring additional writers/directors on board so he doesn't have to do every episode singlehandedly.
shareThat's awesome, I hope Season 5 starts soon!
shareI just hope a ruddy american attempt at this show doesnt't happen.
shareBetter find Doc Brown and travel back in time then. They shot a pilot episode with Joel McHale as Roy four years ago and it was hilariously awful. It was an almost shot for shot remake yet it failed to make me chuckle even the slightest. Richard Ayoade resumed his role as Moss, but even that couldn't help that travesty.
shareI agree with you there. Nearly every single foreign tv show or movie that has been remade for US audiences has lost it's atmosphere.
I wonder if other audiences around the world feel the same way...apparently some of the stuff the US produces is remade to appeal to other cultures. I think it would be interesting to do a comparison sometime
I really hate most of the US remakes. I hate the "Death at a funeral" remake the most.
shareAGREED! I was soooo mad when i found out that Neil LaBute (of all bloody people) were going to remake it...and turn it into a black comedy. Why mess with something that was already amazing?! Oh, becuase he is an egotistical prick that thinks he is gods gift to everything!
"Trying to pull myself away. I'm caught in a pattern and I can't escape."
it's about death ... at a funeral ....
how can it not be a black comedy?
.... ignorance
Um...excuse me...when did this start talking about Death at a Funeral? Agreed, the British version of the movie is soooooooooo much better. But, this is for the IT crowd...I don't want to kill the thread...sorry!
shareI'm American, and I'll agree with you almost entirely except that I am a huge sucker for the American version of The Office. Everything else can stay British, because it's so so SO much better.
shareNever understood this. The American 'Office' is just dreadful. It's one of those shows that only unfunny people enjoy, like '30 Rock' and 'Arrested Development'.
I know your taste is awful since you mentioned Arrested Development being unfunny. That is impossible, perhaps some of it went over your head. Some of the in jokes about Happy Days and the Andy Griffith show, etc.
share30 Rock and Arrested Development are hystericlous.
You are funny - LOOKING!
You definitely have bad taste in television shows. You should give an example of what you think is funny to maybe redeem yourself.
shareOH MY GOD. Arrested Development not funny. Its one of the best comedies ever made, if not the best. You clearly just dont 'get it'. Not a word you say can be taken seriously by anybody who reads your post. Shocking.
sharei enjoy both the british office and us office for different reasons.
shareI'm Canadian, and I LOVE "The Office" US version. I tried watching "Arrested Development" but found it super boring.
The US "Office" is freaking hilarious because Ricky Gervais as well as 20+ other people write and direct the show.
The UK office is incredibly uncomfortable viewing. I see it as a completely different programme as it is just a cringe fest. From series 2 onwards, The Office US is brilliant. I even liked the last two series (though they seem to be unpopular.) A US IT Crowd just wouldn't have worked. Joel McHale is too 'attractive' for it to work. He looked too 'normal'. I'm glad it was cancelled.
shareI would LOVE another season of this show but i just dont see it happening.
ayy
I don't get people who don't get Arrested Development. Like 30 Rock and indeed The IT Crowd this is clever comedy often having a lend of itself. It's like the Zen of Comedy being sarcastic of it's sarcasm...
Don't take it too sillrious...
I'm American too... Lol.
I couldn't get into the office. I tried. I havent tried the original though... maybe i'd like it!
"Trying to pull myself away. I'm caught in a pattern and I can't escape."
UK's The Office is brilliant, I'd definitely recommend it
shareJust watch the first season of the US version again it's almost a carbon copy of the British first season.
sharesrsly, you people have to stop hating remakes
Who hoo!
Have to kinda disagree there. The Office had it's merits but is no longer the show it once was. Speaking of British shows that made it here, how about Three's Company? Huge hit for a long time. It came from Man About The House from Thames Television.
What the Heck's goin' on here, Lance?
All in the Family was based off of Till Death Do Us Part. There are a few others out there, but for the most part the British sitcoms don't translate well over to American television.
shareI'm the same way, and I think it mostly has to do with Steve Carell. I'm not such a fan of the show - well let me be honest, I never watch it - now that he's gone.
shareI just can't understand the need to do american versions in the first place. If you're talking different languages like a French show or something then sure - do an american version. But when it's the same language? Really?
I mean do you see a british version of Friends? An Australian version of Seinfeld? Nope. People in other countries understand US culture and humour well enough without the need to have it 'translated' in to a local version. I don't believe that americans are so stupid that they need to have overseas shows translated in to local versions. If anything, it seems a big insult to american viewers. American viewers could probably benefit from having a little more media from other countries.
>> I just can't understand the need to do american versions in the first place.
There are subtle cultural changes that can sometimes make a new version play better to domestic audiences. Perfect example is All In the Family, a show that by most accounts was one of the most influential American TV shows ever. It was based on a British series, Til Death Do Us Part... which may have been excellent, but it would never have become a cherished American icon the way a show about the Brooklynite Bunker family did.
>> I mean do you see a british version of Friends? An Australian version of Seinfeld?
Interestingly, two All in The Family spinoffs, Maude and Good Times were remade in England as Nobody's Perfect and The Fosters. I'm sure there are other American shows that have been remade as well. Personally, I'd dearly love to see a British 'Twilight Zone' or a British M*A*S*H... Brits and Americans have their own unique language of suspense and comedy, I think transplants of either of these shows could be quite fresh and interesting.
To be honest I'll admit to a certain 'original is better' bias, but I still make every effort to give a new show a fair shake, remake or not... I mean you never can tell, sometimes a cultural transplant or differing visions on the part of producers and writers, or recast actors, can result in something unique and worthwhile. I think where you get into trouble is when the folks doing the remake are strictly in it for the money... they retread a successful series with the hope of making a fortune without any honest personal effort, and when you undertake something like this without actually bringing something of your own to the table, how can you possibly expect to succeed?
maybe, ...
but simply "stealing an idea" is not bringing anything to the table at all, mate.
"best/worst-movie-ever"-idiots don't deserve to watch movies at all ...
>> but simply "stealing an idea" is not bringing anything to the table at all, mate.
...which is exactly what I said, mate.
Point is, you said you couldn't see any reason to do an American version of a show... I tried to suggest that American versions in and of themselves are not necessarily bad, any more than Brit versions of an American show would be (say something like Law & Order UK, or the aforementioned Fosters or Nobody's Perfect) ... it's all in how it's done. With the presupposition that one attempts such a thing with some creativity and integrity, there's a chance for a show concept to have a different appeal or make a different statement.
We can be honest here... after 100 years of filmmaking and many centuries of literature and theater, how much out there is really original anyway? Most new works are in some way derivative, whether the inspiration is subconscious, or the work is an intentional homage, or it's a downright ripoff. Since plagiarism is not really the issue in this discussion (most of these shows are legally licensed from the original creators) there's really no point in arguing about the moral aspects... what is pertinent is how they function within the bounds of the art form, in other words, does the damned thing work? Yeah, some (maybe even most) transplants suck... but the simple fact that it's a transplant is NOT what's at fault here, it's the fact that they were approached as moneymaking ventures by people who didn't care much about creativity (they just wanted the easiest way to put something on the air for the least money and buying a prepackaged idea that's already getting good ratings elsewhere is a simple way to do that).
But knocking all transplanted shows into the same basket because some of them are created and produced by commercial hacks is really unfair to those that are actually good, or were at least made with better intentions.
Let me ask you a question... do you think a Shakespeare play should be performed only by Brits? Or is there any validity to someone taking that play and performing it another country with foreign actors? How about changing the media, and perhaps doing Hamlet as a film instead of a play? How about transplanting King Lear to another century and culture, like Kurosawa did with Ran?
"Let me ask you a question... do you think a Shakespeare play should be performed only by Brits? Or is there any validity to someone taking that play and performing it another country with foreign actors? How about changing the media, and perhaps doing Hamlet as a film instead of a play? How about transplanting King Lear to another century and culture, like Kurosawa did with Ran? "
- shakespeare only by brits ? ... sure thing, you obviously have never seen
for example a german theatergroup embarassing themselves trying to do sartre
or shakespeare.
- validity ? ... sure thing, but it would still
be just stolen, and nothing new brought to the table.
- hamlet as a film instead of a play? ... sure thing, but it would not (and it
never has) be better than the original play and therefore can be considered as
quite redundant.
- kurosawa's ran? ... sure thing, but i prefer the original over the copy.
but ... shoot me for not having the same idea of quality and originality as you, dude.
"best/worst-movie-ever"-idiots don't deserve to watch movies at all ...
... except we're not 'stealing'. They may be awful, but the original creators are always involved. Ricky Gervais sold the right to make versions of 'The Office' because he's a greedy bastard. So are the people behind 'The IT Crowd' (Ayoade starred in the American version, for chrissake). And on and on.
There are few things that bring up that undeserved British sense of smug self-righteousness like remakes. Which is odd, considering how many American TV shows and movies you've "stolen" from (Guy Ritchie wouldn't have made a single movie if not for Quentin Tarantino, for example).
I'm American but seriously Tarantino is the biggest thief of them all! Some directors steal (or are inspired) by ideas from other movies but Tarantino steals entire scenes and plot lines from old chinese movies. Even the clothes of the characters are the same in some cases (kill bill). If Tarantino is good at anything, he's good at stealing old ideas and selling them to a new audience...because how many people in America would catch it? Chinese cinema isn't exactly popular here.
shareI get really irritated when someone says this... Have you ever seen an interview with Tarantino? He names the movies he's re-doing. He'll tell you which actor, director, and exact scene from which exact movie that he was paying homage to. That's one of the biggest differences between him and most directors, he borrows, pays homage to, or "steals", but admits what he does.
Also, he has produced and brought over quite a few original Asian films that he loved. In many of his interviews and commentaries, he actually asks his audience to watch the films that inspired him if they like what he made.
The office(us) has Ricky Gervais name in the credits of every episode. He produces that *beep*
shareA British remake of "Twilight Zone" would stink but the Americans do some things better than us (Kitchen Nightmares USA). I do just hope that they don't change the cast around too much if they do bring "The IT Crowd" back
Daleks Reign Supreme! All Hail The Daleks! - Sysadmin for http://www.mediatwist.co.uk
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Kudos to bobhoveyga for thoughtful, balanced, informed posting, refreshing to see on Imdb. Of course there's always some troll waiting in the wings, ready to throw out some uninformed and childish taunts, trying to pick a fight.
There is a very entertaining, and informative, documentary about the producer of "Everybody Loves Raymond" midwifing a Russian version of the show.
Kudos to bobhoveyga for thoughtful, balanced, informed posting, refreshing to see on Imdb. Of course there's always some troll waiting in the wings, ready to throw out some uninformed and childish taunts, trying to pick a fight.
There is a very entertaining, and informative, documentary about the producer of "Everybody Loves Raymond" midwifing a Russian version of the show.
Thanks so much for the kind words, mattlove.
Coincidentally, just yesterday a close friend recommended the very same documentary you spoke of, I put it in my Netflix queue and am looking forward to seeing it ...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1356763/
What I'd really love to see is a documentary about the filmmaking process in Hollywood .. not the nuts and bolts of making a film (which would be interesting too of course), but an expose of the whole sordid process from the very beginning... I would love to see interviews with Scorsese, Fincher, del Toro and others, describing just what it takes these days to get a truly creative idea past the bean counters who only want something safe, like a remake, sequel or a film version of a book on the current Best-Seller list.
I don't always agree. There's nothing wrong with taking an idea and expanding on it. The UK Office is entirely different from the US Office. Its more of an expansion of an idea as opposed to literally importing the same thing. I wouldn't mind an American "Expansion" of the Doctor Who universe (like Tourchwood but have it actually air on US Primetime TV) or IT Crowd. Just not a copy. That's idiotic.
Hey, I'm all up for a British version of a Star Trek TV series (or any new series of Trek for that matter. Movies are cool, but there's no reason why there can't be both).
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There's been many good US spinoffs of British shows. Check the list:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_television_series_based_on_British_television_series
Looking over the list, I do kinda wonder about the extent of bashing all Americans for stealing every other show, when it's just producers attempting projects that continuously fail with the American audience. Most of these don't even get beyond the pilot stage, and most American audiences hate it. Yeah, there's reality shows that have been copied... which I wouldn't even watch the British version, unless UK Antique Roadshow has some expanded elements that I'm really missing out on, it wasn't a great idea in the first place. But I digress...
I can't really compare "All in the Family" to "Til Death Do Us Part," because I'll admit, I had no idea that was a remake until this thread. Still, while working off the same premise, I could see how it would a reinterpretation would be helpful in taking universal themes but bringing it closer to people's homes. It seemed so based in the America of that time period, that I venture to guess it was more than blacking out the world crisp and writing potato chip in its place.
As for the American "The Office," it really became its own thing, love it or hate it. Yeah, same premise, but I feel they ultimately became two completely different shows- which really is what a remake should do. I frankly don't mind reusing premises as long as you actually make something of it.
However, I do generally hate the idea of remaking shows that are still airing. Let the show rest in peace for a bit before taking its name for something else. It's what bothered me hearing about this remake, the Red Dwarf remake, and a few others. "Spaced" at least had a decade break, and I probably would have given that a chance if the producers hadn't been dicks to Wright and Pegg and managed to do everything completely wrong for a pilot that actually should have been an easy sell.
I don't think they'd bother - it'd be too similar to The Big Bang Theory.
These bastards!
Have you seen the US pilot for the It Crowd? It's absolutely horrible!
shareWhere do you see the US pilot?
I want to see it, out of curiosity. (Then again, I'm one of the few people who liked the US Coupling, since 2 out of 3 or 3 out of 4 of the episodes that aired were exactly the same as the British versions.)
It was on youtube but now it says the video has been removed by the user. I wonder if they got cease and desist letter due the copyright. I didn't even watch the whole thing. The changes the made to the dialog was too painful. Whoever they got to do the re-write just didn't seem to understand what made the original funny. The casting was poor too.
shareCome on now people! Look I love this show just like most of you do but to blame Americans for doing remakes is totally rubbish! Americans are simply better at making TV shows. Okay British people have this show plus Coupling, the Inbetweeners, but America has what? 30 Rock, Modern Family, Arrested Development, etc. Stop complaining about Americans remaking shows.
shareAnd it shouldn't have been, being almost a word for word version of the UK pilot. Although Richard Ayoade still played Moss and Joel McHale was "new Roy" the US version was just flat and imho it wasn't the fault of either Ayoade or McHale. Anyone who's seen the US sitcom "Community" knows how talented McHale is, so if anything the failure of the US version of The IT Crowd was a blessing in disguise.
shareI'm american and I agree 100%.
shareBut it already has! It just hasn't aired. And Richard Ayoade was in it. They threw it out though.
shareThey actually tried but no one took it on!
If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace.
there was already an american remake lasted one episode it had joel mchale.
shareAny new info on the fifth season?
shareI was wondering if anyone else was actually interested in that or if they were just going to keep talking about remakes.
And speaking of remakes, I don't care about remakes. Start a new topic if you want to talk about that.
Huh... I admit, I got so focused on the complaints, I completely forgot what this thread was about. Damn, imdb debates are like bright shiny objects.
I just finished watching all four seasons on netflix. It'll be a long wait before I'll be able to see it, so the sooner they start, the better. I'm really getting into it and crave more.
Season 5 will be the last one
I'm only on the 5th episode of season 1, but I'm loving it so far!! It was easy to sit through 5 episodes in a row last night ;). I had to pull myself away so I could get up this morning for work.
share
Yeah it's pretty easy to get hooked and now with the 5th Season being the last one it makes me anxious for the new episodes.
A follower of Graham Linehan on Twitter just asked: "is there to be a 5th series of the IT Crowd?" and Graham replied: "It's complicated....will reveal all soon RT"
Let's hope that being complicated doesn't mean the end of the series.
http://my-movie-night.blogspot.com
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a346811/the-it-crowd-creator-there-wont-be-a-fifth-series.html
:(
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
shareWhy only make 4 series of a hit tv show!?
Boo indeed.
I think a better question is "Why run a TV show into the ground?" It seems that typically, British shows do fewer seasons than American shows. American networks (especially NBC) will keep a show going after jumping the shark, after ratings are not just falling, but have totally tanked and nobody likes the show any more. It seems that American shows are less about the artistic value and more about the ad revenue. British shows will end leaving an audience wanting more, which is how it should be. I can't stand when a show leaves everything nicely wrapped up in a neat little package, but American audiences seem to like it that way, so American networks pander to it.
shareI agree to a point but with only 6 episodes a season and only 4 seasons I don't think 24 episodes has exhausted the show. But yes a lot of network TV bleeds shows for all they're worth. That's why I like a lot of the shows from HBO, Showtime etc. because they tend to be shorter and have an end date in mind.
never pet a burning dog
I agree. How could the show be run to the ground after only 24 episodes? There is no logic to that.
I don't understand what the creators of the show are thinking. The show is a huge hit. Why not keep going?
I agree. How could the show be run to the ground after only 24 episodes? There is no logic to that.
No it isn't irrelevant. 24 episodes is nothing. There is no logic to why the show is ending.
If the writing has gone stale then they could always get new writers.
I have to agree with jbarkeley on this. Although, I think it could have done a whole other season. Maybe a Special or something would be good, but this is a kind of show I can watch again and again, and I think it had an excellent run.
shareI want to die.
Not really, but I'm EXTREMELY bummed out about this.
There isn't going to be a 5th series of this but i did hear they are going to do a holiday special or end of year special or something like that.
shareThis sucks...I will admit I'm new to British TV shows in general and am aware series' generally run much shorter, but this leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I genuinely loved this show, it was brilliant...all this will do is make me not get attached to shows overseas. This is damn heartbreaking!
shareNope.
The creator of the show did a AMA on Reddit a few weeks ago and announced that there will be no season 5.
:(
Given that Chris O'Dowd has hit the big time in the US in film (especially with "The Bridesmaids") it's hard to see him coming back to the show. And it's hard to see him be replaced -just wouldn't be the same dynamic. Would love to be proved wrong though!
share:( oh well
Insert @V@T@R
'The IT Crowd' to return in 2013 for one-off special?
The IT Crowd creator Graham Linehan has revealed that he is planning to revive the series.
The writer announced on Twitter that he is hoping to bring the Channel 4 sitcom back for a one-off special in mid-2013.
Last year, Linehan confirmed that there would not be a full fifth series of The IT Crowd, which aired between 2006 and 2010.
The comedy starred Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade and Katherine Parkinson as three staff members of the IT department at the fictional Reynholm Industries.
O'Dowd - who played Roy - revealed in September that he was interested in reprising his role, claiming that the show's stars still "need closure".
"I'd love to do something more with those characters," he said. "I don't think we said goodbye to them properly."
http://www.digitalspy.com/british-tv/news/a445784/the-it-crowd-to-return-in-2013-for-one-off-special.html
"I don't think we said goodbye to them properly."
THIS!
ThanQ for the info.
--------------------
QUESTION EVERYTHING.
I hope it is true. We just got into the show and only have two episodes left. I don't think there was one show that went by where I did not laugh. Moss & Roy were great. Jen pretending to speak Italian was great. I hate to finish the series.
shareI think somehow I never finished the 4th season, or just forgot. Hopefully they do this special. I need to rewatch the series anyways, it is very funny.
shareThat episode won them two bafta, pretty insane, and well deserved!
shareNot a 5th season, but one final episode:
http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/05/07/the-it-crowd-finale-chris-odowd/
Saw that, very excited.
share