US version of Being Human - Cult

jackrules · 29-10-2009, 10:03

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/new...t-by-syfy.html

whip · 29-10-2009, 10:08

Let's see just how badly they can cock this one up.

MoreTears · 29-10-2009, 10:14

"....we loved the originality of Being Human..." the Syfy executive said. Originality? Hilarious. If Syfy cared about originality they wouldn't be doing so many remakes and spin-offs.

spaintv · 29-10-2009, 10:33

Don't now what to thinki of this. Read it last night and thougfht..they should at least allow the original to have a bit of a run before they remake it. BH is only 6 episodes in and they alrady want to remake it. They shuld just acquire the original and screen it on US SyFy Channel. Then again, the yanks seem to have a major problem with our accents! lol

Hopeless_Savage · 29-10-2009, 10:38

Oh for gods sake

Ghost World · 29-10-2009, 11:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoreTears

Originality? Hilarious. If Syfy cared about originality they wouldn't be doing so many remakes and spin-offs.

They also wouldn't be making another vampire show.

Smint · 29-10-2009, 12:59

Why do they need to remake it?

IvanIV · 29-10-2009, 13:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoreTears

"....we loved the originality of Being Human..." the Syfy executive said. Originality? Hilarious. If Syfy cared about originality they wouldn't be doing so many remakes and spin-offs.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but they might be too sincere.

Dizagaox · 29-10-2009, 14:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smint

Why do they need to remake it?

Because the original is cheap looking, and doesn't have the same production values as their usual $2 to $3 million series. Advertisers won't pay $50,000 for an ad slot. That's why remakes get made.

If advertisers were prepared to pay for ads during imports, Syfy would just air the original.

Dizagaox · 29-10-2009, 14:53

It's depressing how uninformed this forum is.

Inky Binky · 29-10-2009, 15:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smint

Why do they need to remake it?

To make money.

You can't make a lot of money if you air something that's not yours. But if you buy the rights to a program for remake purposes, then you partially own it (still have to give a generous percentage to the original creators). And, if all goes well, you can make an extremely nice profit for years to come from future DVD sales, syndication deals, potential movie deals, advertisements, etc. So remaking a TV show that has proven to be popular elsewhere is actually a smart (but still risky) business decision.

Sometimes it works better than expected as in the case of "The Office" and sometimes it doesn't ("Life on Mars").

Besides most people outside of the UK never heard of "Being Human" so it's going to be "new" to them.

By the way, I watched the original "Being Human" and it wasn't bad. I didn't think it was as amazing as some people claimed it to be (fans can be biased), but it was alright. It also aired on BBC America but I believe that was slightly edited.

afx237vi · 29-10-2009, 15:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dizagaox

Because the original is cheap looking, and doesn't have the same production values as their usual $2 to $3 million series. Advertisers won't pay $50,000 for an ad slot. That's why remakes get made.

If advertisers were prepared to pay for ads during imports, Syfy would just air the original.

But I'm guessing that's why the British version is so popular in the first place.

Despite the rather outlandish concept, BH looks and feels real. It's not glossy or glamorous - it's 3 people trying to live a normal life in a house in Bristol. That's why it works.

Hopeless_Savage · 29-10-2009, 15:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by afx237vi

But I'm guessing that's why the British version is so popular in the first place.

Despite the rather outlandish concept, BH looks and feels real. It's not glossy or glamorous - it's 3 people trying to live a normal life in a house in Bristol. That's why it works.

Quoted for truth

Bolly81 · 29-10-2009, 15:28

Why do they have to do this all the time - they ruined life on mars and now this

it just seems to be anything I like the americans have to remake it, Im waiting for Doctor Who next

Inky Binky · 29-10-2009, 15:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bolly81

Why do they have to do this all the time - they ruined life on mars and now this

The U.S. version of "Being Human" hasn't even been made yet so how was it ruined? And why get upset over it? You haven't even seen it yet.

And the last time I checked, UK's original "Life on Mars" is still pretty much intact. So how was that "ruined" by the (now-cancelled) American remake?

You may not realize this but you have the option of not watching the remakes. No one is forcing you or anyone to watch them. So don't worry so much about it. You're getting upset over nothing.

performingmonk · 29-10-2009, 16:04

Vampire stuff is IN right now. That is the sole reason they're making this. I'm sure it'll be better than the U.S. Life On Mars though. Anything would be.

spaintv · 29-10-2009, 16:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bolly81

Why do they have to do this all the time - they ruined life on mars and now this

it just seems to be anything I like the americans have to remake it, Im waiting for Doctor Who next

Didn't they try already - with that big time flop that was the 1999 made for TV movie?? It was meant to be a pilot for a potential US series of Doctor Who

Inky Binky · 29-10-2009, 18:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaintv

Didn't they try already - with that big time flop that was the 1999 made for TV movie?? It was meant to be a pilot for a potential US series of Doctor Who

The movie was made in 1996 and was a co-production between the BBC and Universal Studios. The TV movie flopped in the US but strangely enough was a success in the UK.

I've never seen the film but then again I'm not a Doctor Who fan.

Smint · 29-10-2009, 21:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dizagaox

Because the original is cheap looking, and doesn't have the same production values as their usual $2 to $3 million series. Advertisers won't pay $50,000 for an ad slot. That's why remakes get made.

If advertisers were prepared to pay for ads during imports, Syfy would just air the original.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inky Binky

To make money.

You can't make a lot of money if you air something that's not yours. But if you buy the rights to a program for remake purposes, then you partially own it (still have to give a generous percentage to the original creators). And, if all goes well, you can make an extremely nice profit for years to come from future DVD sales, syndication deals, potential movie deals, advertisements, etc. So remaking a TV show that has proven to be popular elsewhere is actually a smart (but still risky) business decision.

Sometimes it works better than expected as in the case of "The Office" and sometimes it doesn't ("Life on Mars").

Besides most people outside of the UK never heard of "Being Human" so it's going to be "new" to them.

By the way, I watched the original "Being Human" and it wasn't bad. I didn't think it was as amazing as some people claimed it to be (fans can be biased), but it was alright. It also aired on BBC America but I believe that was slightly edited.

Thanks for those answers - and, yes, I am uninformed about American imports!

Do they ever show the UK series before the American version on mainstream channels (so, other than BBC America), or do they only ever show the remake?

spaintv · 29-10-2009, 21:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smint

Thanks for those answers - and, yes, I am uninformed about American imports!

Do they ever show the UK series before the American version on mainstream channels (so, other than BBC America), or do they only ever show the remake?

VERY VERY few UK series ever make it to mainstream US TV. Surprisingly, the BBCs MERLIN was the first British TV series to air on Mainstream American TV Primetime (NBC) for THIRTY years!!!!

dejavue · 30-10-2009, 00:53

What did I say on this forum months ago!!!??? I KNEW that there will be an American version.

Because, the US can never have enough vampire fiction

Dizagaox · 30-10-2009, 01:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smint

Do they ever show the UK series before the American version on mainstream channels (so, other than BBC America), or do they only ever show the remake?

As mentioned before, Merlin is the only example in recent years. And because Merlin is an import, NBC could only charge $30,000 per ad slot, which is nothing compared to say Heroes' $150,000 price-tag per ad.

US advertisers only pay regular prices for:

1) Completely original programming
2) Co-productions, with the majority stake being American

That's why remakes are preferred over imports.

Also, even if Syfy wanted to air the original, BBC America wouldn't allow it, they would want the remake because it raises the profile of the original (making money from increased ratings and DVD sales) and they make money from the US version.

Aneechik · 30-10-2009, 02:02

Those Americans will only ruin it with their better special effects, more complex storylines, better characterisation, extended run, and generally higher production values.

Russell Tovey's "unique" acting talents probably won't get a look in

Ghost World · 30-10-2009, 13:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aneechik

Those Americans will only ruin it with their better special effects, more complex storylines, better characterisation, extended run, and generally higher production values.

It's not being remade by HBO. This is SyFy, their track record with original programming isn't exactly stellar.

NewbieCanuck · 30-10-2009, 15:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dizagaox

As mentioned before, Merlin is the only example in recent years. And because Merlin is an import, NBC could only charge $30,000 per ad slot, which is nothing compared to say Heroes' $150,000 price-tag per ad.

US advertisers only pay regular prices for:

1) Completely original programming
2) Co-productions, with the majority stake being American

That's why remakes are preferred over imports.

Advertisers couldn't care less about the origin of a show. They care about how many people are viewing it and what kind of people they are (age, sex, income, etc.)

Merlin was transmitted in a terrible time slot on the fourth-place network at the lowest viewing time of the year and is a genre of programme that has traditionally performed very poorly on American television even when produced domestically.

Major US channels don't buy imports because US viewers don't watch them. Cable channels buy them because they're cheap.

29-10-2009, 10:03	#1
jackrules Forum Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: GallifreyInn via Bonnie Scotla Posts: 4,241	US version of Being Human http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/new...t-by-syfy.html

29-10-2009, 10:08	#2
whip Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Glasgow Posts: 7,614	Let's see just how badly they can cock this one up.

29-10-2009, 10:14	#3
MoreTears Forum Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 2,025	"....we loved the originality of Being Human..." the Syfy executive said. Originality? Hilarious. If Syfy cared about originality they wouldn't be doing so many remakes and spin-offs.

29-10-2009, 10:33	#4
spaintv Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Gibraltar (UK Territory) EU Services: UK / Spain / Gibraltar / SKY Posts: 1,790	Don't now what to thinki of this. Read it last night and thougfht..they should at least allow the original to have a bit of a run before they remake it. BH is only 6 episodes in and they alrady want to remake it. They shuld just acquire the original and screen it on US SyFy Channel. Then again, the yanks seem to have a major problem with our accents! lol

29-10-2009, 10:38	#5
Hopeless_Savage Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Gender: Female Location: Derby, England Services: Virgin Media VIP Posts: 2,435	Oh for gods sake

29-10-2009, 12:59	#7
Smint Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 334	Why do they need to remake it?

29-10-2009, 14:53	#10
Dizagaox Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 548	It's depressing how uninformed this forum is.

29-10-2009, 15:28	#14
Bolly81 Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: In the Quattro with Gene Hunt Services: Virgin Media, BT Broadband Posts: 76	Why do they have to do this all the time - they ruined life on mars and now this it just seems to be anything I like the americans have to remake it, Im waiting for Doctor Who next

29-10-2009, 16:04	#16
performingmonk Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 8,556	Vampire stuff is IN right now. That is the sole reason they're making this. I'm sure it'll be better than the U.S. Life On Mars though. Anything would be.

30-10-2009, 00:53	#21
dejavue Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Croydon and proud Services: Freeview Posts: 782	What did I say on this forum months ago!!!??? I KNEW that there will be an American version. Because, the US can never have enough vampire fiction

30-10-2009, 02:02	#23
Aneechik Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Middle England Posts: 3,704	Those Americans will only ruin it with their better special effects, more complex storylines, better characterisation, extended run, and generally higher production values. Russell Tovey's "unique" acting talents probably won't get a look in