Those darned British remakes

I see British television is coming up with its share of bad ideas. After ruining New Zealand show Outrageous Fortune—a show so West Auckland it can’t even be set in another city, let alone another country—ITV will launch Law and Order UK with a 13-part series this winter. And it gets more worrying: there will be a remake of The Prisoner, starring Jim Caviezel in the Patrick McGoohan role. Sir Ian McKellen is Number Two.
   It is said that the Prisoner remake is the product of a fan, so I hope he will maintain a high standard for it.
   Just as Britons have little faith in American remakes, I have little faith in British ones. Here is what they thought Who’s the Boss? should be like, calling it The Upper Hand. Even the typeface family is the same (Goudy). Joe McGann is horribly miscast in the lead—his accent is not as working class as Tony Danza’s—though Bond girl Honor Blackman, formerly Pussy Galore, is perfect. Diana Weston was, once upon a time, in The Professionals. Ask Britons today and many do not remember the show except for die-hard fans. In New Zealand it only managed an afternoon slot while Who’s the Boss? got prime-time.

   Here is the original for comparison: Danza is more lively, with better timing. The direction is also better in the American original.
   There are just some shows the Americans do better, and some shows the Brits do better.