US version - any good?

Look out for their remake of The Long Good Friday.

"any program remade by the Americans will be *beep*"

Well, that's probably not quite true for every single thing they've done, but it's certainly a handy rule of thumb.

As for "On The Rocks", it was indeed written by Clement and La Frenais, back in 1976, between series 2-3 over here. Several of the final series' storylines started out life in the American show, notably "Poetic Justice". They said writing for American television was the worst experience they ever had professionally. Also, they say it didn't work because the American version "didn't have a Ronnie Barker". Sounds about right. There's not many people could do what Ronnie Barker did. While some people might be on a par with him in one area, they would fall horribly short of the mark in others.

For example, the late, great Humphrey Lyttelton. He could deliver a double-entendre better than anyone else in the world, but he couldn't act. Not that I'm holding that against him, acting wasn't his profession, he was a jazz trumpeter and a panel game host. He didn't need to act. But when the ISIHAC team did "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Christmas Carol" and "Humph In Wonderland", he was playing a character of himself, and it somehow felt very slightly fake. Only slightly, I hasten to add, because both productions were still very funny, and he was doing his straight-laced double-entendres in both with great relish. Who else could get away with lines like:

"Samantha's off now to visit an elderly gentleman friend. She says he's a bit of a grumpy old miser who doesn't like spending money, but if she butters him up properly, she can occasionally get him to splash out."

What about Three's Company? I wouldn't consider that completely without merit.

Oz was not a comedy, and so doesn't compare. (apples and oranges really)