I can understand the alteration of certain dialogue in order to make the programme relevant to an American audience, but
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lwaha — 15 years ago(August 24, 2010 11:45 AM)
I just rewatched the first series and thought the Les Dennis episode was the best, but I'm not even sure there was any point airing it in the US. i mean they won't know who Les Dennis is, what Family Fortunes was, who Mavis Riley wasso I think it would fall a bit flat.
Also would they know Ross Kemp and Vinnie jones?
BTW i loved Seinfeld. -
MycroftHolmes — 15 years ago(August 24, 2010 04:33 PM)
I've seen Les Dennis on Bloopers shows and his show is like one here called Family Feud. I know Vinnie, but not Ross Kemp or Mavis Riley.
I still love this series.
What we have here is failure to communicate! -
gallifreyrises — 15 years ago(August 25, 2010 03:04 AM)
The topless model, the northern comic, and the woman whose son was murdered are fictional. The others are all real. Lisa Scott-Lee is a Welsh singer who was in a band called Steps during the late 90s. Lionel Blair is an actor, TV presenter, and dancer. June Sarpong (The one Andy berated for making porridge in stilettos and a thong) is a television pesenter who has recieved an MBE for her charity work. Chico Slimani was a contestant on The X-Factor.
Smoke me a kipper. I'll be back for breakfast. -
jh66 — 14 years ago(April 17, 2011 06:32 AM)
Yes, Americans might not be too au fait with many British stars and phrases, even if they are fans of the many great British shows, lingo and stars?
To sell abroad, language and culture changes have to be made- I just wish that US show networks had the same courtesy? -
eru0527 — 13 years ago(August 25, 2012 04:00 PM)
But wasn't Extras a BBC and HBO production from the very beginning? So then it makes sense to make small alteration. For me, a Swede, I didn't know who any of the many B- and C-list actors/celebrities like a couple that had one big role on one succesful British sitcom way back when were Or that's how it was presented, but all the guest stars were self-deprecating, so maybe Ross Kemp and Les Dennis are well respected and they just joked that their career was pathetic? Or? I really didn't get many of the celebrity references.
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Helena727 — 10 years ago(January 11, 2016 04:52 AM)
To sell abroad, language and culture changes have to be made
I respectfully disagree. I'm American, and when I watch something from the UK, Canada, or Australia, I want to be immersed in whatever I'm watching; I don't want any references changed to make them more easily understandable.
For onething, good writing provides enough context such that th viewer can get the gist. When I watched Kath and Kim, I missed a lot of Australia-specific references, but I virtually always understood from context what was intended. (For ex., there was a reference to a famous cricketer that one of his lookalikes had mistakenly been booked for a hen party, and they had to pay him to stay clothed. Didn't matter that I didn't know what he looked like, I got it.)
Or, with Extras I don't know who Mavis was or what she looked like (tho I know what Cor. St. is). But it didn't matter; it was a funny and distinctively expressive voice, and the way it was used within the ep was just funny.
Finally, if the context stumps me, then I google. Easy enough these days for anyone to do so, and people who are inclined to watch shows from other nations are, presumably, enough of an enquiring mind to do so.
"All you need to start an asylum is an empty room and the right kind of people." -
jlprizm86 — 9 years ago(January 02, 2017 08:51 PM)
I am in agreement with you on this. I am also an American viewer and when I watch a show from a different country I really don't expect them to change the content so that it makes it easier for me to understand what is going on or why something is funny. If I wanted to watch American content and references I would just watch an American show. Even if I don't know exactly who someone is or what they are referring to I still get the joke and if I'm even more curious I can look it up online very quickly as you said. I love Kath and Kim too! I have watched it too many times to count.
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dgates64 — 9 years ago(July 12, 2016 12:03 AM)
The changes would not be relevant to a UK audience, but the Extras tweaked for the US audience only played in the States.
Either way, they did leave ONE glaring British slang word in the US version, and that was fags instead of cigarettes.