Case Study: Shameless, UK vs. US - BuzzJack Music Forum

BuzzJack: Forum Index

General Discussion

Television

Latest Site News

Espresso is still number one

Sabrina Carpenter climbs to number one

A chart double for Taylor Swift

Case Study: Shameless, UK vs. US

Display modes

Track this thread | Email this thread | Print this thread | Download this thread | Subscribe to this forum

Calum View member profile	28th April 2024, 11:02 PM Post #1
nabad Pronouns: he/him Joined: 13 February 2013 Posts: 28,470 User: 18,316	Someone I talk to on socials told me they're watching Shameless (US) at the moment after I asked if it was the UK or US version they were watching, and (as has been the case with the majority of people I've spoken to about it, and opinions I do tend to see) said that they much prefer the US version to the UK version. It's something that's always baffled me, because in my eyes the US version has always been a poor man's version of the show, much like most American attempts at re-making UK shows. Admittedly, I've never given the US version a proper chance, because I've always been put off by how dependent the pilot episode was on copying the UK's pilot episode line for line, direction for direction, etc. So any Shameless fans out there that have strong opinions on which is the better of the two? I grew up watching the UK version and I'd regard it one of my all-time favourite TV shows that I could go back to at any time and fall in love with all over again, but what do you think? Is there more to the US version that makes it appeal to the masses? Are there specific reasons why people think it's better? Has the UK version fallen victim to not being omnipresent on Channel 4 in the era of social media, despite it being on Netflix now too?


HausofKubrick View member profile	29th April 2024, 05:55 AM Post #2
⬛ Joined: 17 February 2011 Posts: 56,285 User: 13,007	I haven't seen a single second of the US version because I'm a purist and for me originals tend to be the way for most cinema/TV. I grew up(!) on the UK series and rewatched it too and it maintained the magic it always had. I can't see how such a quintessentially British show can be done for a US audience but maybe I need to give it a go at some point?


Cowboy Cody View member profile	29th April 2024, 05:58 AM Post #3
Gia, do you know the order of the solos? Joined: 24 October 2014 Posts: 39,406 User: 21,308	QUOTE(Calum @ 28th April 2024, 04:02 PM) Is there more to the US version that makes it appeal to the masses? Three words White Boy Carl I've been seeing Shameless US clips all over YT and TikTok (half thanks to thirsty Jeremy Allen White stans) and he's one of the best things about the show


Calum View member profile	29th April 2024, 08:24 AM Post #4
nabad Pronouns: he/him Joined: 13 February 2013 Posts: 28,470 User: 18,316	QUOTE(Cowboy Cody @ 29th April 2024, 06:58 AM) Three words White Boy Carl I've been seeing Shameless US clips all over YT and TikTok (half thanks to thirsty Jeremy Allen White stans) and he's one of the best things about the show Okay but do fans of the US version realise that Carl from the UK version is 100x hotter (a quick Google tells me the US actor is… not it)? And it begs the question for me - for people that jumped on and started watching the US version with no prior knowledge of the UK version, have they actually watched the UK version to compare or is there a sense of Americanised TV and how familiar that’s become overpowering a sense of nurturing the UK roots that started it all?


Herbs View member profile	29th April 2024, 08:41 AM Post #5
BuzzJack Platinum Member Joined: 14 March 2006 Posts: 5,815 User: 214	Isn't it the character of Ian who gets the glow up in the US one I have always wanted to watch the US one & did watch numerous episodes of the UK one (partially because it was one of the only shows with a gay character at the time!)