Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
There’s a lot!
There’s a lot!
Aaah, entertainment
There’s a lot to choose from, when you want to be entertained, and there are even different national versions of many of the formats you love (or hate).
Across the Pond
But what many Americans might not know is that a lot of the most popular tv-shows in the US aren’t actually American inventions – they’re based on British television shows.
Ghosts
The popular sitcom starring Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar premiered in the US in October of 2021 – two years after the original British series of the same title premiered.
American Idol
The Idol-format began back in 2001 with the British series Pop Idol.
The year after, in 2002, American Idol premiered.
The Great American Baking Show
The Brits came up with the concept for The Great American Baking Show first, as The Greati British Bake Off premiered in August 2010 – 5 years before the American adaptation first aired in 2015.
The X Factor
Simon Cowell created the X Factor franchise all the way back in the early 2000’s.
The original British version of the program premiered in 2004, and it would be 7 years before the American would first air in 2011.
Who Want’s to Be a Millionaire?
The American adaptation of Who Want’s to Be a Millionare? has been running since 1999.
The year before that, in 1998, the original British program with the same title premiered.
Undercover Boss
The first episode of the American adaptation of Undercover Boss aired in 2010
The year before, in 2009, the original British series premiered with just two episodes, but still sparking the Undercver Boss franchise being adapted to several countries.
Sanford and Son
Could a show premiering as early as 1972 really be an adaptation? The answer is yes.
Sanford and Son was based on the British sitcom, Stetoe and Son, which premiered as early as 1962.
House of Cards
Long House of Cards was released on Netflix in February of 2013, a British series of only four episodes aired back in 1990.
The British series was based on the novel of the same title released in 1989.
The Office
Steve Carell might have been turned into countless memes in his role as Michael Scott, but before Carell first took viewers by storm when The Office aired in 2005, the British version had already been around for four years.
Ricky Gervais, who also created the show, played the role of David Brent – the original Michael Scott.
Whose Line is it Anyway?
Back when Drew Carey first introduced American viewers to the Dynamic Duo of Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles, the Brits already new both the format and the duo.
The original version of the show premiered in the UK back in 1988, and both Mochrie and Styles were frequent performers on the original show as well.