All in the Family was adapted from a series, title Till Death Do Us Part, starring Warren Mitchell, Dandy Nichols, Una Stubs, and Anthony Booth. I've never seen it; but, the basic set-up is the same: reactionary father, long-suffering wife, daughter and husband who doesn't work much.

One of the problems with seeing older British tv is the habit of wiping the tapes for re-use, causing many classic shows to be lost forever. Till Death Do Us Part is largely missing the first 3 series, before it switched to color. Doctor Who is the most famous example, with a great many episodes from William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton's years missing. A lot of the 1950s material is completely gone and the 60s are a mix.

Dixon of Dock Green was a long running favorite, with Jack Warner (Mr Jorkin in the Alistair Sim A Christmas Carol), ran from 1955-1976, about a police constable, which helped form the stereotype of the "bobbie". You have a lot of variety shows and dramas, serial like Quatermass and adaptations of things like 1984. There was The Adventures of robin Hood, with Richard Greene as Robin and the future Jerry Ledbetter and MP Jim Hacker, Paul Eddington, as Will Scarlet. That was done by ITV and distributed in the US (even Opie saw it, on the Andy Griffith Show). roger Moore starred in a series based on Ivanhoe, starting in 1958.

Commercial tv came to the UK in 1955, which did a lot to change the programming the BBC was showing, though I haven't come across anything that really illustrates what was being shown. Even the BBC's website is rather vague, talking about milestones, like broadcasting Parliament and the Queen's coronation, plus the start of the childrens program Blue Peter.

Most of what I am aware of is from the 60s and later, since more of that survived wiping and was syndicated in the US (either network or syndicated television or PBS).

Re: The Office. I like both, but they are different animals. Ricky Gervais gave them some notes about the Michael Scott character that helped define him, by saying he was a good salesman, so you can see how he has kept his job. In the UK Office, you are left to wonder about David Brent until you see him in the reunion special, actually selling (though that is offset by his attempts at staying a celebrity). The US version did go on too long and definitely should have been put to rest when Michael left, though the final season does a good job of wrapping things up for favorite characters and the final episode was quite well done, with plenty of satisfying moments for fans. The prior season was pretty dire.

One of the advantages of the British system, especially with comedies, is they have fewer episodes, so less time is spent on throwaway and filler episodes. if you are only doing between 6 and 13 episodes, you stick to the main plots and character development. Also, you tend to have the same writers for the whole series. US Network tv is 24 episodes (shorter, sometimes, for new series or replacement series), which leads to some uneven quality and larger writing staffs. Burnout is high. The US Office actually kept a large portion of its key writing staff through its run.

I have trouble, sometimes, with some 1960s British tv, especially BBC, since it is usually studio bound. It depends on the series, but, it can be hard to sit through some of the Cathy Gale episodes of the Avengers, when I was introduced to the series in the Emma Peel years. It's less an issue with comedies and more traditional dramas; but, for an adventure series, it can be a big deal. I didn't so much have a problem with it, in doctor Who, depending on how good the writing is for the story.

codystarbuck, how do you feel about Sanford and Son then as far as American Adaptations go?


While more recent, there was also a british version of That 70's Show that didn't last too long called Days Like These

That 70's show is pure gold. Incredible casting, stories that truly carry the taste of growing up in the era. I and my friends (junior high through high school 1974-80) were pretty dang close to the gang except we don't have basements out here I the desert of Arizona. Really laugh out loud moments to be found during the entire run of the series. It dig drag on too long but it was fun while it lasted for those of us who survived the decade.

It's really not about the 70s; it just happens to be in the 70s.  It's really about the relationship between the friends, as well as Eric and his parents.  If it weren't for the clothes and decor, you'd never know it was set in the 70s.  The only time they really said it was the 70s, in capital letters and numbers, was the first season episode, revolving around them seeing Star Wars.  There are subtle little nods here and there, like Jackie and Fez entering a roller disco competition; but, that's just an excuse to put Jackie and Fez together in a situation, with a wink at the fad.  Really, it is less about the 70s than Happy Days was about the 50s (early on, at least).  For those of us who did grow up in the 70s, there are familiar things and nostalgic nods; but, it's not so blatant that it distracts you.

The producers said they felt it was the last innocent time, for kids, which is nonsense, for those of us who grew up then.  You knew people who lost family in Vietnam, or you heard the news reports about Kent State or the Munich Massacre.  We had Watergate.  There was Patty Hearst and the SLA, Attica, Wounded Knee.  You had airplane hijackings, war in the Middle east, the killing Fields of Cambodia, wars in Africa, domestic terrorist incidents, labor unrest, high crime rates, Son of Sam, etc...  It was hardly an innocent time, any more than any other decade.  Just look at our tv of the period.  It reflected the spillover of the 60s, urban decay, crime & violence, drugs, political corruption, race relations, gender relations...you name it.  They just meant that it was when they were that age (or nearabouts) and felt innocent about the world.

It is really funny; but, like most successful network comedies, they tried to hang onto it past its natural lifespan and wore out their welcome.  I still say Carl Reiner got it right, with the Dick Van Dyke Show:  5 seasons is a good number.  It gives enough for syndication, but is short enough that you aren't endlessly repeating the same plots.

With That 80s Show, I think the problem was the approach.  I only watched the pilot, which was horrendous, with the bulk of the jokes built around it being the 80s, rather than deriving from the characters, as in That 70s Show, and slapstick.  A lot of it was like the guy in a bar, talking to someone on a portable phone, then going on and on about talking to someone on a portable phone.  I didn't watch the subsequent episodes, as I found the pilot so unfunny and the characters kind of stereotypes.  Maybe it got better after the pilot.  That 70s Show hit the ground running, when it debuted.

This is one of the shows I'm most looking forward to watching or re-watching, as I was so young at the time that I don't remember much beyond the introduction with its iconic theme music. I never saw any re-runs at an older age so it'll all feel new to me while still enjoying that aura of nostalgia - the best of both worlds!

Laundry time so while folding and ironing put on a disc of the final season of Matt Houston. Fun little bored rich man PI series starring the good looking Lee Horsley, the scrumptious Pamela Hensley and as Matt's Uncle Roy the eternal Buddy Ebsen for the assist. Wonderfully likable cast.

Entertaining show without being overly complicated. And as with most great TV shows you have a splendid time putting names to instantly recognizable faces of elderly movie or television stars along with the mix of new fresh up and coming stars.