Why Do America Always Copy British TV Shows?

We Had 'Pop Idol' and America come out with 'American Idol'

We Had 'Strictly Come Dancing' and America come out with 'Dancing With The Stars'

'Britains Got Talent' Amercia come back with 'America's Got Talent'

Big Brother (although i think we copyed that from Germany or something).

Deal or No Deal

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire

List Goes On.

Comments

  • The formats were sold to the US -they weren't exactly copied. Think of it as a big world market where the formats of TV shows are sold around the world to the production companies who are the highest bidders.

    British companies didn't invent the formats to Deal or No Deal, Big Brother or who want to be a millionaire -they simply bought the rights to produce them.

    Simon Cowell co-owns the rights to Pop Idol and Britain's got talent- and gets paid an absolute fortune selling the format around the world.

  • I suggest you watch more American TV. Most American shows are not copied. Very few shows on in America have British origins. If you actually watched American TV you'd know this. Most British shows that end up on American TV are actually brought to the US by British executives looking to strike it big in a larger market. Most of the shows are "adapted" to the American comedy style. Frankly most Americans have never seen British comedy and are not used to British humor so things are often changed considerably. The American Office is quite different than the British Office. The Sopranos, Star Trek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Simpsons, Seinfeld, Lost, The West Wing, 24, Law and Order, CSI, Grey's Anatomy, South Park, Family Guy, Scrubs, Futurama, The Shield, The X-Files, Battlestar Galactica. The US makes good Sci-Fi television if you ask me. All of those are American made TV shows and are considered to be of high quality or are popular worldwide. That is just a tiny sample. Americans have plenty of original television.

  • Ellie must be joking. I am an English born Canadian and I love the American TV shows. Throughout the years there have been many unique productions on American TV. If a show is successful in Britain, why not produce it in the USA and vice versa? I would like to see a Canadian or American version of "Yes, Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" for instance, or a British version of "Two and a half men." There is not as much difference in the sense of humour between Britain, Canada and the USA, or the other English speaking countries for that matter.

  • actually it's not that America copies British. The creators of these british shows come over to America and put them out here in America. It is Britain that is doing this, not America. Like with Pop Idol - the british guy who is the creator of Pop Idol is the same guy that came out with American Idol. He saw how well it did in the UK and decided to come over to America to put it out here. Same with Britain's Got Talent, etc, etc. It is not American people doing this - it's British people. It is not America copying Britain, it is British people coming to America and doing the same show here.

  • Because there is more money to be made in America. Britains bring successful shows to America to make money if it is a big hit in Britain....They aren't allowed to just copy them.

  • America's got talent came first i think? Simon said something along the lines of "it's been a huge success in america, and i can't wait to bring it here."

    Our cultures are too similar

    Thats why we never win the Eurovison, we are the 'Americans in Europe'

    xoxo

  • Because they are Americans and they can't think up their own shows so we Brits have to do it for them as we have the best idea's (Naturally). We'll probably be seeing a version of i'd do anything for a different broadway show for like south pacific or something.

  • 5 shows in 60 years. Yeah, you make a great point. lol

  • Actually there are other countries included...we have spanish/ german and english tv..and they all have the same stuff.

  • dont forget one of the most legendary shows!

    the office!!!

    the office USA? wth lol

    although americas has some pretty awesome movies!

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