12 TV Sitcom Remakes That Completely Bombed

Something that James Corden probably doesn’t look back at too fondly given his recent success in America is this Fox remake of his and Ruth Jones’ much loved comedy Gavin & Stacey. Which proves that a universal concept like a long-distance relationship doesn’t mean you’ll have a sure-fire hit on your hands.

To give Us & Them its due, it does feel like more of its own show than just a remake but it’s in the odd position of lacking the eccentricity of the original while at the same time being less grounded. The characters are duller but the situations are a little more out there, like Gavin getting a corkscrew stuck in his arm during sex but deciding to ignore it. Essentially, it misses the point of Gavin & Stacey drawing comedy from the more mundane parts of life.

Even though Fox filmed a full midseason run of seven episodes, Us & Them has never seen the light of day in America. Not even rushed off in a dead timeslot. But despite the show going unaired in its home country, it was broadcast in South Korea and South Africa. The jury’s out on if that did any harm to international relations.