Case in point: Shameless. Another classic, sweary, dirty british comedy which became a true cult classic with a large fan following. But when the American version came along, the humour was replaced with tired actors, terrible comic timing, and a general sense of awfulness. It was a mess, and broadcasters MTV seem to know that.
So we can but hope that The Inbetweeners fare better across the pond. And to be fair, there do seem to be more things going for this adaptation than usual. The series is being co-developed by one of the creators of the US show, so that should at least ensure that the dick jokes and profanity arrive on US shores untouched. One of the most definitve things about the UK show is the near-constant stream of sex, boobs, testicles, swearing and clunge. What is the American word for clunge.
And what are my first impressions of the cast? They look like an interesting bunch, to say the least. I'm not quite sure, however, that a chubby Jay and a fit Simon really capture the feel of the UK series, and I'm not reassured that a low-budget Shaagy from Scooby Doo is the right look for Neil.
However I think it is my duty as a semi-serious journlist to at least give this a shot, and if you want to join me, The Inbetweeners US starts August 20th on MTV.
