Ok, just about an hour ago a picture surfaced on IGN UK. Here it is:
This is a picture of the MTV remake of The Inbetweeners. Fair enough, you may say. I don't see why they need to remake a series instead of just show the UK version, but what the hey. That's what a sane person would say. However, facebook is not full of sane people.
The subsequent outcry of people proclaiming this remake is a travesty has been nothing short of staggering considering the short space of time this photo has been out. The second comment under the picture was this: why do they ruin everything!!! (FYI for all of these I'm typing out responses verbatim; it gives my argument even more validity). That response is fairly reasoned as far as the later ones go. This person is maybe an ardent fan of the original and doesn't like the idea of a remake.
It gets much much much worse from there.
Actually, if you want to read these banal comments, it's right here.
The next comment made me guffaw. Actually guffaw.
"Americans don't understand English comedy - they thing it needs more toilet humour to make it funny."
Now before, I get into why this comment made me want to write this blog, I'll analyse that comment. They thing (sic) it needs more toilet humour to make it funny. More?!?!?! More than the already ludicrous amount of toilet humour the UK version of The Inbetweeners already has. In fact I'd go as far to say that's all it has. I like The Inbetweeners by the way, but I never claim that it's anything more than a procession of very crude jokes. And also, the series is basically a rip off of American Pie, which itself is a rip off of Porky's. So, who's copying who exactly?
But the thing that really annoyed me is the implication that Americans don't 'get' English/British comedy. An assertion which is quite frankly, bollocks. Here's a list of some of the choicest quotes.
"Same as 'the office'..british one is brilliant, the acting is really top stuff...but the American office is just dire, why do they try and do British comedy...it don't work you can't do it. Stick to what you do best...eating mega burgers and staying sweaty obese lard arses" - Yeah, you fucking fatties.
"why they need the re-americate everything? Can understand if they reproduce something when the rignal wasn't famous or good. But here there are just stupid money-loving idiots." - I would love to know how to re-americate something.
"Britain does things subtly, with grace and finesse. America does the same things but with all the subtlety of porn." - I would love to say something about this quote, but I'm too busy laughing.
"shameless, being human, only fools and horses and now this. you would have thought with america being the "greatest" country in the world they would have a few ideas of there own"
"This is why the Americans are the dumbest race in the world"
"This is like replacing the Metro Goldwyn Mayer lion with a fraggle. The U.S of A, 236 years old and still not grasping irony, Brit humour, the recognition of the letter U or the fact they got their freedom 236 years ago..." - what is this, I don't even.
" The reason they can't just show the UK version is because most Americans are so Gad damned ignorant that instead of learning about British culture and mannerisms, they'd just reject it."
Now, while certainly I agree that the success rate for remakes of British shows in the US isn't great, with a few obvious exceptions, I would love to know what makes people think that that makes Americans stupid. They really aren't, and overgeneralisations like that aren't helpful. I pointed out that 75% of the shows that these people probably watch are US imports, that are SHOCK HORROR, original. Nobody paid any attention to that, because they were to busy with their RIGHTEOUS FURY to listen to me.
Yes, there are stupid Americans, but guess what, there are stupid British folk too. Most of you posted comments on that photo. So grow up, losers.
Cheers
JC
You haven't said anything in this post, other than your own "righteous fury" against the "losers" critiquing this reboot.
ReplyDeleteBefore posting links to your blog on open forums like Facebook, please spend some time writing something worth reading.
Grow up, loser.
Anon
I was directing my RIGHTEOUS FURY at the imbeciles that were proclaiming Americans are stupid based on their proclivity for Americanising UK shows.
DeleteBefore you post comments on blog entries linked on open forums like Facebook, make sure you now what you're actually critiquing yourself.
Clearly you don't see how that is hypocritical.
DeleteConversely, I don't see how your "quip" is meant to be clever or a "burn" on me. I understand what I'm critiquing, your poor blog-writing
Nope, wasn't meant to be clever. I was actively being a dick.
DeleteAs others pointed out in the comments for the picture, it's slightly racist and shows a tremendously undeserved superiority complex, to declare all Americans as stupid because some American television networks remade several shows that originated in the UK. That's a sweeping generalisation based on their own personal love for the original series; I can understand being protective of a loved series. I, too, don't think this Inbetweeners remake will be any good. I don't automatically think all Americans are stupid for making it though.
I was merely pointing out, and at the same time intending to be a little humourous, that the comments made make the commentators look stupid, as opposed to the Americans.
But alas, this is the internet after all where fanboys will kick up stink over anything.
Then don't be surprised when people pull apart your awful posts.
DeleteYou're look more malintent where none exists. It's a logical fallacy and a strawman argument to say that they are racist because of their upset to see a show bastardized.
The problem is, your blog post is not humourous. (Show me a humourous line?) It only makes you look like a dick.
You didn't find it funny; not a problem. You think it makes me sound like a dick; not a problem.
DeleteI said 'slightly' racist to brand an entire nation 'stupid' because a network is remaking a beloved show. That seems like quite a leap in logic to me. I think it's unfair more than anything to attach that label.
letsnotbeataboutthebushLAD
ReplyDeletejust sayin' that was to caad4db8-bee9-11e1-ab7c-000bcdcb471e,
ReplyDeleteThe ironing is delicious.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete