Don't forget that "Men Behaving Badly" did not translate for all the same reasons that AbFab won't either

An AbFab remake will not work for contemporary American audiences because the era in which it was relevant has past. Besides, wasn't the CBS sitcom Cybill in the 90s basically an AbFab rip-off? How'd that fare? Also, those of us who have Comedy Central in the US have seen all of the real AbFab episodes anyway. It's going to be hard to convince people who have seen those to accept a new rip-off for any sustained period of time. It's like trying to convince someone that veggie burgers "really taste like hamburgers." Sure they do ...

I don't know if Ab/Fab will work here - it's mostly in the casting, frankly. But, you left out the most successful British import (in terms of ratings) in All in the Family, based on Til Death Do Us Part.

AbFab is hysterical. I wish they'd just run the original again. One Mother's Day they ran them all day! I've seen them several times but can't keep from belly laughing over & over at those crazy gals. And yes, it is the casting.
Brits situation comedy is totally different than our. I love all of theirs and I can't make it through any of our new ones. All the loud laughter is really irrating. I still watch Stanford & Son when I catch it on cable. We do have some great old classics.

I'm a huge fan of the original AbFab and can't wait for the American version and the different take. Ever see the same play with different actors and directors? It can be just as much fun the second or third time around with the right creative hands and I'm sure they're too smart to simply recycle old material.

Fashion and celebrity worship has become so much more mainstream in America since the mid-90s, there is a lot of fresh juice for them to squeeze. The economy is only going to heighten the main character's narcissism and hedonism.

The galaxy of side characters...I hope they have a character like Patsy's magazine editor boss in this version, they barely tapped the potential there.

Yay!

I dunno.... I love AbFab , but nothing I like ever plays well with middle America. My guess, is that they are going to have to water it down so much it will be like a wine cooler compared to a a glass of fine Saint-Emilion.

I hadn't realized they tried to american Coupling. I think I was better off not knowing, that clip was painful.

It's been attempted -- an American version of AbFab. Mary McConnell, I believe was in it. It failed miserably, which is why it's not even remembered. I think it was about 12 years ago.

"High Society" with Mary McDonnel and Jean Smart had 13 episodes during the 95-96 season. It was an American attempt to imitate but didn't come close to AbFab. Honestly, the concept's time has past; being amused by boozy, shallow 30-something women. We've all known too many whose lives became tragedies. I say continue to rerun the originals--they're rich!

Maybe I'm drunk, but I remember an American version of Ab/fab from about 10 years ago starring Jean Smart. I can't remember who the other lead was. If I remember correctly it was a pale imitation of the original and lasted about three weeks.

There was already a failed remake in 1995, "High Society" with Mary McDonnell and Jean Smart. Are the best writes these day the ones who watch BBC america and rehash what they see?

I can't imagine this working. The religo-nuts won't have it and the existing fan base will be there to rip it apart if it is even one step off.

Btw, Cybil already did it and it was a success for quite sometime though our memories may be a little foggy on that.

I think it was tried before in 1995. "High Society" starring Jean Smart and Mary McDonnell. See: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112002/

I can't see a U.S. AbFab working, unless on pay cable. Network t.v. - don't see it.

Though In Treatment (based on Israeli show) and Kath and Kim (an Austrailian show) seem to be doing ok.

Though Ex List (also Israeli) lasted what, two minutes?

There's so many great foreign shows I wish they would just air them hear (some do, but hard to find).

A few good ones you can find in the U.S. are:

The IT Crowd
Bro'Town (only first two seasons)
Trailer park Boys
Little Britain
Not Going Out
and others...

Also, don't forget Payne was also a Fawlty Towers remake.

The scene from the British show The Coupling is nearly identical to a scene from Seinfeld in which George unsucessfully tries to break up with his girlfriend. It was done brilliantly on Seinfeld. A poor rehash on The Coupling.