Posted November 26, 2007 Comedic actor John Michael Higgins ("Best in Show," "Fred Claus") has been cast in the lead role of an American remake of cult Irish comedy "Father Ted." Higgins tells Teletext UK that "It's not on Craggy Island, it's a fishing village down on its luck in New England." The big question is, will it work? Only a scant few shows (eg. "Pop Idol," "The Office") have made the transition, most have crashed and burned or not even gotten off the ground. Higgins himself is dubious "The English have a very robust history of being unkind about religion. We don't have that in our country, we're frightened of it. It's basically that you guys are doing an Irish joke also, we don't have that. So I'll be Father Ted, we'll see how it goes." Shooting is scheduled to begin in January. The only words that come to mind is what the feck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 26, 2007 The big question is, will it work? No. And the makers are fecking eejits for thinking that it will. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 26, 2007 Gargh =P This should and hopefully will fail. Lazy people remaking programmes for a different audience, can't anyone think of any origianl ideas anymore >_< Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 26, 2007 Higgins himself is dubious "The English have a very robust history of being unkind about religion. We don't have that in our country, we're frightened of it. It's basically that you guys are doing an Irish joke also, we don't have that. So I'll be Father Ted, we'll see how it goes." Hang on a fecking sec, what has England got to do with it? Wasn't Father Ted written by Irish writers, with Irish actors, and was completely fecking Irish? I can't figure out what this eejit's saying... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 26, 2007 Hang on a fecking sec, what has England got to do with it? Wasn't Father Ted written by Irish writers, with Irish actors, and was completely fecking Irish? I can't figure out what this eejit's saying... To Americans, all of the UK&Ireland = England. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 26, 2007 Most likely will fail, but if they try and base it around American church culture and have a good bunch of writers it could well work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 26, 2007 To Americans, all of the UK&Ireland = England. I'd have thought they'd be able to tell the difference, as so many of them have Irish roots... Clearly, I was wrong. I'm always wrong when it comes to the Yanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 26, 2007 ha i look forward to seeing the pilot and cringeing as i do so. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 26, 2007 I, for one, am highly unimpressed with this decision. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 26, 2007 Hang on a fecking sec, what has England got to do with it? Wasn't Father Ted written by Irish writers, with Irish actors, and was completely fecking Irish? I can't figure out what this eejit's saying... To Americans, all of the UK&Ireland = England. Nah - what he's saying is that it was an English show (Channel 4) taking the piss out of Ireland and the predominant Irish religion - Catholicism - and that English TV (read: UK) has a tradition of satiricising religion whereas US TV doesn't. It was an Irish show, written by, acted by and produced by a predominantly Irish cast and crew but in essence it was an English show because Channel 4 ran it not RTÉ who turned it down...feckin eejits... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 26, 2007 This is one of those pesky "what the hell's wrong with the original anyway"? things. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 26, 2007 I heard about this and it is bound for doom and failure surely? I mean the Office was atleast universal, but Father Ted very much played on its setting and the Irish nature of it all... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 26, 2007 Why can't America get ideas for good comedies (Bar a handful of good ones) instead of ruining ours and coming out with drivel like Friends. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 26, 2007 on a positive note, the guy from best in show who i think it is is very, very funny. that film is fucking ace. still...why? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 26, 2007 Oh no.. There's not much more I can say without cursing uncontrollably. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 26, 2007 Maybe someone shoud give Ardal O'Hanlon a call...The dole can't be doing him any good. He is the KEY to this doing well Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 27, 2007 Recreating Father Ted is just as impossible as recreating the conception of Jesus. It's not something that can be done twice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 27, 2007 This will fail terribly and will give the original Father Ted bad credit and will most likely cause Dermot Morgan to roll in his grave. America cannot keep stealing our classic comedies, they did try stealing Red Dwarf and could of if the original writers script and some original cast was used. This will be another one of them destined for the pilot show grave, c'mon America come up with some original ideas Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 27, 2007 Am I the only one who sees this as *some what* disrespectful to Dermot Morgan? (Father Ted) I mean, Im not easily offended etc, but I feel out of respect for him it should be left alone, as he made it. Bah. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
