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"But I think in the end, American audiences want to see the good in people, especially the main characters." I used to work in TV series development. One of th

"But I think in the end, American audiences want to see the good in people, especially the main characters." I used to work in TV series development. One of the ongoing legends in the TV development business is how every American TV exec loves Fawlty Towers, and even though everyone's tried to adapt it for American TV, none of their attempts has been successful. The reason being that American audiences need the protagonist to be "likable," and making the John Cleese character "likable" totally saps the comedic power of the show. I suspect there's more to it than that. Fawlty Towers plays to some decidedly more British cultural issues surrounding class and social climbing. Also, it's really freaking hard to find someone who can fill Cleese's shoes. Nevertheless, the likability issue is a big one.

joshuapants 12y ago
Maybe I'm weird but I found Basil to be likable. He's like a more competent, better-spoken Homer Simpson.
dmolony 12y ago
But Basil is totally likeable. He's very reasonable, but the world (and his wife) always conspires against him. His only real fault is his class consciousness, but show me a Brit without any of that.
- mhurron 12y ago
  Basil Fawlty is many things, but I wouldn't say reasonable is one of them.
TylerE 12y ago
Is that really true? See, for instance, House: MD.
- dagw 12y ago
  House is smart, confident, funny, always right and always wins in the end (well almost) against the 'idiots' that surround him. Even when he seems to suffer setbacks they are always minor and he always twists the world to his will to get out of them. The destruction and pain he inflicts on the world never touch him. I think a lot of people like House, not necessarily as someone they'd want to work with, but as someone they'd want to be like.
- SixSigma 12y ago
  of course, House is played by an Englishman.

joshuapants 12y ago

Maybe I'm weird but I found Basil to be likable. He's like a more competent, better-spoken Homer Simpson.

dmolony 12y ago

But Basil is totally likeable. He's very reasonable, but the world (and his wife) always conspires against him. His only real fault is his class consciousness, but show me a Brit without any of that.

mhurron 12y ago
Basil Fawlty is many things, but I wouldn't say reasonable is one of them.

TylerE 12y ago

Is that really true? See, for instance, House: MD.

dagw 12y ago
House is smart, confident, funny, always right and always wins in the end (well almost) against the 'idiots' that surround him. Even when he seems to suffer setbacks they are always minor and he always twists the world to his will to get out of them. The destruction and pain he inflicts on the world never touch him. I think a lot of people like House, not necessarily as someone they'd want to work with, but as someone they'd want to be like.
SixSigma 12y ago
of course, House is played by an Englishman.