Back view of couple in living room watching a movie on the TV while eating takeaway food (dragoscondrea (123RF))
Fans of “The Office” know that the American adaptation of the Ricky Gervais show features a pilot episode that is essentially a shot-by-shot remake of the British version, something that almost completely doomed the show. However, the magic of “The Office” captivated audiences as it found its own American-style voice and comedy structure over the course of eight seasons. The British version was only 12 episodes long over two seasons with a two-part Christmas special.
Adapting British television for American audiences does come with some challenges as there are differences between American and British television productions.
Americans use the term “season” when referring to what is normally a section of a show, usually connected by a theme or underlying plot. The British use the term “series,” which is a term Americans use to describe an entire show.
British series tend to be shorter; they have always followed the streaming idea of 6-10 episodes per season/series.
American shows tend to focus on hiring conventionally attractive, if not unrealistically beautiful people; British shows frequently use actors that look like typical people. (Looking at you early 2000s teen dramas).
Product placement is less common and nearly non-existent in British television shows. I recall many “One Tree Hill” episodes not only featuring the aforementioned unrealistically beautiful teenagers (played by 20-somethings) but also having episodes where the characters shamelessly promoted cellphones, deodorants and other products via unnatural dialogue and plot points.
“The Office” isn’t the only example of American television that has been adapted from British television and given an “American” spin (to varying degrees of success). This dates back as early as the 1970s.
Here are 10 American shows that were adapted from British television.
1. Sanford and Son (1972-1978)
This is one of the first, if not the first series adapted for American audiences; however, American television networks broadcasting BBC and other British network shows dates back even further. “Sanford and Son” is the story of a man and his adult son running a junkyard in Los Angeles. It was adapted from the show “Steptoe and Son” set in London (1962-1965 and 1970-1974). The American version focuses more on themes such as race and class that the British one did not pay as much attention to. Other 1970s American sitcoms that were adapted from the U.K. include “Three’s Company” (“Man About the House”) and “All in the Family” (“Till Death Do Us Part”).
2. Being Human (2011-2014)
This SyFy network series was adapted from the British show of the same name originally running from 2008 to 2013. Both versions of the show follow twenty-something supernatural creatures including a werewolf, ghost and vampire as they try to live their everyday lives in a human world. The British version had a higher production value and more swear words whereas the U.S. version featured faster pacing, more episodes (despite fewer seasons) and more melodrama.
3. Shameless (2011-2021)
Both versions of this show, with the British version running from 2004-2013, follow the lives and relationships of the dysfunctional Gallagher family and deal with hard-to-talk-about issues such as drinking, drug use and mental health. However, there are some differences as well. The relationship between Mickey and Ian ends differently, the U.S. and U.K. counterparts of various characters leave at different points throughout the show meaning that they affect the plot in distinct ways, and the neighbors play a much bigger role in the U.K. version.
4. Skins (2011)
Both versions of the series follow a group of teens as they navigate their last years of high school (sixth form in the U.K.) and the melodrama that occurs. The American teen drama lasted only 10 episodes in comparison to its U.K. counterpart which ran for 61 episodes from 2007-2013. This was in part due to advertisers withdrawing their support of the show in America because of its content which was deemed too adult. American viewers might recognize Nicholas Hoult when they watch the British version. He has since gained fame in the States for having roles in the X-Men and Mad Max franchises as well as in the films “Nosferatu,” “Warm Bodies” and “The Menu.”
5. The Great American Baking Show (2013, 2015-2019, 2022-Present)
Everyone knows Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood of “The Great British Bake Off” (aka “The Great British Baking Show,” 2010-Present), which took the world by storm. The low-stakes baking competition, featuring amateur bakers competing under the large white tent, is just the comfort show we all need. America has been adapting this show in one form or another since 2013 with Christmas specials, celebrity competitions and more.
Various vintage things and gifts on a table (nadyginzburg (123RF))
6. Antiques Roadshow (1997-Present)
In the U.K., people have been showing off their antique treasures since 1979, but the phenomenon didn’t catch on in America until almost 20 years later. The premise is a team of experts traveling around the country and appraising people’s antique items. Click here to see where the American version is touring in 2025 and find out if you have any secret valuable treasures.
7. Queer as Folk (2000-2005)
The American version was adapted by the British show of the same name which ran from 1999-2000. The British version follows the lives of three men living in Manchester whereas the American version branches out and follows the lives of several people living in Pittsburg, PA. Both shows were groundbreaking when they aired with the American version being the first hour-long drama to portray the lives of gay men and women.
8. Whose Line Is It Anyway (1998-2007) (2013-2024)
Game shows are not immune from the American treatment. This competitive show where players earn points by participating in improvisational games made people laugh out loud from 1988 to 1999 in the U.K. The American premise is essentially the same; it just uses a different cast of comedians. Other game shows Americans have adapted include “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” and “The Weakest Link.”
9. Mistresses (2013-2016)
Both shows follow the lives of four women on paths of self-discovery as they navigate complicated relationships. Because the American version had more episodes to tell the women’s stories, it tends to delve deeper into their lives. The British version of the same name ran for 16 episodes across three seasons. The American version adapted many of the original plot lines, but the characters had various personality quirks or other minor changes that made it obviously different from its U.K. counterpart.
10. The X Factor (2011-2013)
After launching the careers of One Direction on the seventh season of this British reality television show (2004-Present), Simon Cowell (of “American Idol” fame) brought the show to the U.S. The premise of both shows is essentially an amateur singing competition where the judges are looking for the person, or group, that has the “X Factor.” This is not the only reality competition show Americans have adapted. Others include: “American Idol” (“Pop Idol,”) “Dancing with the Stars” (“Strictly Come Dancing,”) “Love Island,” and “Kitchen Nightmares.”
Two blond women watching cooking channel on TV at home (sakkmesterke (123RF))
These are just 10 of the dozens of British shows that America has adapted over the decades. “Ghosts” is one of the most recent adaptations that has been “haunting” people in the U.K. since 2019 and since 2021 in America.
Did your favorite adaptation make the list?
