The Empire strikes back
America to remake two more Britcoms
Two more BBC comedies are to be remade for the American market.The first is Roman’s Empire, a largely overlooked series that aired on BBC Two last April and concerned a self-made businessman, his former glamour model wife and their three daughters.
Chris O’Dowd, Morwenna Bank and Neil Dudgeon were among the stars of the original, which has been likened to the acclaimed, but poorly-viewed, US series Arrested Development.
The ABC network has ordered a pilot episode of Roman’s Empire, to be co-produced by Britain’s Tiger Aspect. Executive producers will include Ashton Kutcher, host of the Punk’d prank show, as his production company Katalyst is also involved.
ABC has also ordered its own version of Never Better, about a man in recovery for alcohol addiction now trying to be a good husband and father. The BBC Two original starred Green Wing’s Stephen Mangan.
Published: 3 Apr 2008
