So Fox is remaking the British Cop Show "Luther" for US TV

[Darks63]

http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/fox-developing-remake-of-bbcs-luther-with-creator-neil-cross-1201359232/

So apparently Fox is making a American TV version of the British cop show Luther. Idris Elba will be a Exec producer but will not star in the new show. The show creator Neil Cross is also on board writing for the new show. However no word on who will star the titular role in the remake at this time.

I think that this is unnecessary for these reasons and it wont work out on US TV:

The British version is not very old and is quite good even with the culture gap.

With the prevalence of cop shows on US TV will this show even stand out?

One of the things that made the original Luther so interesting was the mostly unarmed police force. This forced Luther to use his wits vs alot of the foes he faced off against in the show. By having this take place in the USA everyone will be armed eliminating that factor.

What do all of You think will this work or not? Can you think of reasons why it could work? or more reasons why it probably wont?

 

[DefunctTheory]

I watched some of Luther on Netflix. it wasn't my particular cup of tea, but production value was very good, and I can definitely see the appeal.

I'm going to say I disprove of this, because it doesn't make sense. Luther transplanted into the US becomes a generic cop show, loosing all its flavor. And its made worse because Luther isn't even old - Why can't they just re-edit the show to meet American scheduling?

A side topic to discuss: How much of this is related to the success the House of Cards, which is a American remake of a 1990s show of the same name from the UK? Such a remake was justified due to the differences between government, and due to the age of the original programming, and because Kevin Spacey is amazing, but has it inspired networks to begin to blindingly adapt British material, in the hope of duplicating that success?

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Wouldn't Luther in America just be Dirty Harry? They might as well make a Dirty Harry TV show instead, it'll have more brand recognition.

Seriously though, I agree with the OP. The reason Luther works as a TV show is because of the suspense that comes from the fact that the police aren't armed. Luther has to uphold the law and take down killers without constant access to a gun. Much of the suspense would be mitigated if he was carrying a pistol at all times. Hell, the second part of season 3 would have been over in the first episode if all the police in England carried firearms.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

A side topic to discuss: How much of this is related to the success the House of Cards, which is a American remake of a 1990s show of the same name from the UK? Such a remake was justified due to the differences between government, and due to the age of the original programming, and because Kevin Spacey is amazing, but has it inspired networks to begin to blindingly adapt British material, in the hope of duplicating that success?

It started before House of Cards. Being Human got an American remake, and Torchwood got a season that mostly takes place in the US with American actors before House of Cards became a thing. I'm sure I could think of more shows of I racked my brain a bit longer.

 

[Kae]

I LOVE Luther, it's an amazing show and I think this is really unnecessary, I mean why remake it?
The show isn't even over yet and it's really good, why not just focus on more Seasons, plus Idris Elba is amazing as John Luther whoever replaces him has some pretty big shoes to fill and as you mentioned the whole gun thing might make the show less interesting, I don't think it's necessarily going to be bad, in fact it might be great but it most definitely is unnecessary.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Oh, this is something that always ends well.

Can't the US make their own police shows? I heard that they did that once.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I love Luther, and I'm sad that this is where the series has gone. I thought Neil Cross had a movie version in the pipeline? The reason they stopped doing series was because Idris Elba's hollywood schedule was interfering with shooting. Making a movie about Luther seems like it would be the perfect place to go to get aroudn that.

 

[Darks63]

I LOVE Luther, it's an amazing show and I think this is really unnecessary, I mean why remake it?
The show isn't even over yet and it's really good, why not just focus on more Seasons, plus Idris Elba is amazing as John Luther whoever replaces him has some pretty big shoes to fill and as you mentioned the whole gun thing might make the show less interesting, I don't think it's necessarily going to be bad, in fact it might be great but it most definitely is unnecessary.

Neil Cross said that there will not be a fourth season, but there might be a Luther movie to wrap things up.

A side topic to discuss: How much of this is related to the success the House of Cards, which is a American remake of a 1990s show of the same name from the UK? Such a remake was justified due to the differences between government, and due to the age of the original programming, and because Kevin Spacey is amazing, but has it inspired networks to begin to blindingly adapt British material, in the hope of duplicating that success?

It started before House of Cards. Being Human got an American remake, and Torchwood got a season that mostly takes place in the US with American actors before House of Cards became a thing. I'm sure I could think of more shows of I racked my brain a bit longer.

How could you forget the Office? If any show kicked off the transplant craze its that one.

 

[Kae]

I LOVE Luther, it's an amazing show and I think this is really unnecessary, I mean why remake it?
The show isn't even over yet and it's really good, why not just focus on more Seasons, plus Idris Elba is amazing as John Luther whoever replaces him has some pretty big shoes to fill and as you mentioned the whole gun thing might make the show less interesting, I don't think it's necessarily going to be bad, in fact it might be great but it most definitely is unnecessary.

Neil Cross said that there will not be a fourth season, but there might be a Luther movie to wrap things up.

Oh that sucks, last I heard was when they were saying they were doing it Sherlock style, as in 3 2 hour episodes per Season, in any case a movie would work great though.

 

[Thaluikhain]

A side topic to discuss: How much of this is related to the success the House of Cards, which is a American remake of a 1990s show of the same name from the UK? Such a remake was justified due to the differences between government, and due to the age of the original programming, and because Kevin Spacey is amazing, but has it inspired networks to begin to blindingly adapt British material, in the hope of duplicating that success?

It started before House of Cards. Being Human got an American remake, and Torchwood got a season that mostly takes place in the US with American actors before House of Cards became a thing. I'm sure I could think of more shows of I racked my brain a bit longer.

How could you forget the Office? If any show kicked off the transplant craze its that one.

The US has been doing this for ages. Remember the US Red Dwarf? Or the several US Fawlty Towers? Including one where they got rid of the Basil Fawlty character? Or any number of others.

Ok, no good reason to remember them, but it's hardly a new thing.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

How could you forget the Office? If any show kicked off the transplant craze its that one.

Wow, I honestly legitimately forgot that The Office even existed. I never watched the British version and only watched 2 seasons of the American version, and that was about a decade ago. Suffice to say, didn't make much of an impression.

 

[Boris Goodenough]

How could you forget the Office? If any show kicked off the transplant craze its that one.

Wow, I honestly legitimately forgot that The Office even existed. I never watched the British version and only watched 2 seasons of the American version, and that was about a decade ago. Suffice to say, didn't make much of an impression.

Ricky Gervais is still bitter at Steve Carell for, what he claims, stole his idea.

 

[Parasondox]

Let's see how this plays out. I love Luther, great drama and great writing. Oh, it'll be on FOX?

CANCELLED!!

Just kidding... I think.

 

[Czann]

This need to americanize TV shows is beyond stupid.

Are americans such xenophobic, self-important pansies they can't be exposed to different cultures?

 

[Rednog]

How could you forget the Office? If any show kicked off the transplant craze its that one.

Wow, I honestly legitimately forgot that The Office even existed. I never watched the British version and only watched 2 seasons of the American version, and that was about a decade ago. Suffice to say, didn't make much of an impression.

Ricky Gervais is still bitter at Steve Carell for, what he claims, stole his idea.

Well then Ricky Gervais must be pretty daft considering he's been an executive producer on the American office for all 9 seasons.

 

[Boris Goodenough]

How could you forget the Office? If any show kicked off the transplant craze its that one.

Wow, I honestly legitimately forgot that The Office even existed. I never watched the British version and only watched 2 seasons of the American version, and that was about a decade ago. Suffice to say, didn't make much of an impression.

Ricky Gervais is still bitter at Steve Carell for, what he claims, stole his idea.

Well then Ricky Gervais must be pretty daft considering he's been an executive producer on the American office for all 9 seasons.

Maybe he owns the rights but that is all there is to it, which might not be enough to him, or he's doing an elaborate troll on everyone outside the inner circle to boost talk about it *tinfoil hat*.

 

[game-lover]

I dunno. Only having access to BBC America, there's still quite a few British shows I've never seen. Luther was one of them.

Hell, I didn't even know Idris Elba was British until I looked him up which was around the time he was cast to play Heimdall and people were also wondering if there could be a black James Bond and if he could fit the part.

But I guess it could probably work. There's no reason why not and if it fails, it fails.

The US has had its own share of original cop shows that didn't get off the ground. The remake of Dragnet. This one show where the main character was a blind cop. Most recently the one starring Blair Underwood where he was a cop in a wheelchair.