10 Classic British TV Shows That Failed As American Remakes

9. The IT Crowd (2006-2010) / The IT Crowd (2007)

Before make it big across the pond, many English actors get their start on British television shows €“ such as the case with Chris O€™Dowd (Bridesmaids) and Richard Ayoade (The Watch), both rising comedy stars. Their show, The IT Crowd, casts the two as a pair of lovable, pop culture-obsessed geeks working in the basement IT Department of Reynholm Industries. The show ran for four series on the British Channel 4 and won a BAFTA for Best Sitcom in 2009. Based on its popularity among the highly coveted young adult audience, NBC set out to make a carbon copy American version in hopes of a similar hit. Joel McHale, still a few years off from The Soup and Community, took over for O€™Dowd, but Ayoade, the original show€™s scene-stealer, signed on to reprise his role in the American version. A pilot was filmed and the show was picked up for a full series order set to air in 2007, but never made it to the screen thanks to negative early reception and a last minute change of heart by NBC. Though rarely seen, the pilot episode can be found in the far reaches of the internet, and by the looks of it, NBC made the right decision.