MovieChat Forums > London Spy (2015) Discussion > An American version would do great

An American version would do great

posted 8 years ago by anqier99
13 replies | jump to latest

I would love a US re-write of this. Then they can put their stamp on it and avoid the problematic issues of this format. Most importantly, they can keep Alex alive. Him actually dying was such a downer. In my view, I reckon American viewers would absolutely hate that. Not exactly a Hollywood ending. Plus Americans like shows to last longer, so with more spy stuff and the hunt to find Alex, it would make a great 10 part series. Also, Danny and Alex would have more time together at the start, with perhaps the disappearance happening in the second episode.

I love how America did superior (IMO) versions of Queer as Folk and Shameless. Let's hope they do it again.

[–] cmy13 8 years ago

I said it before and I'll say it again, I can tell that you are emotionally invested in the character Alex, and his relationship with Danny, but it's probably more satisfying for you to find something perfect for you in fanfics than a second series or a US remake.

I can only speak for myself, but I went through this sloppy plot majorly only for one reason, the cast's performance, and particularly Whishaw's performance, not like you, I have never invested in the Danny-Alex relationship or the character Alex, if there's no Whishaw's performance, I won't be watching a premise like this, no matter how the US producers expand the story.

BTW, I like the US QAF, but it has the usual problem that most American shows have: doesn't know when to end it at the right time. It really doesn't need 5 seasons for the US QAF, IMHO, just like The X Files would have been much better, if it ended at its forth season.

Sometimes it's actually better to just let it go.

[–] anqier99 8 years ago

I said it before and I'll say it again, I can tell that you are emotionally invested in the character Alex, and his relationship with Danny, but it's probably more satisfying for you to find something perfect for you in fanfics than a second series or a US remake.

Wow, can you be a bit more patronising and condescending please? Since when was your opinion better than mine?

You need to take your controlling instincts elsewhere. If you don't like my opinion, sod off. You can think what you like, but avoid coming on and denouncing others as somehow moronic according to some warped criteria you've made up and try to measure everyone else against.

[–] cmy13 8 years ago

This is a public discussion board, not your personal playground, you came here to post your opinion, on which people can and are entitled to comment on the public forum. If you are afraid to read or can't deal with opinions on your opinions, just don't post your opinions on a public forum to begin with, simple and easy.

[–] matanil 8 years ago

This is a public discussion board, not your personal playground, other posters have the right to their opinions and experiences without having to be afraid that they'll be ridiculed based on the fact that they differ from yours. You didn't give any concrete critique, just stated that you are interested in something else as if that is the one and only criterion for what people should be interested in when watching the show. I wasn't even going to comment on this thread because I'm not particularly interested in a US remake (though I'd probably watch if there ever was one) and I still had to reply because your condescension is that off putting.

[–] Prismark10 8 years ago

'Sometimes it's actually better to just let it go.'

Just imagine if Heroes just had its solitary season.

It would had been regarded as an all time classic.

It's that man again!!

[–] Prismark10 8 years ago

Washington Spy?

Phone Netflix now.

It's that man again!!

[–] calmeilles 8 years ago

In short, write an entirely different story.

And worse filtered through the US risk averse production system.

[–] skorkk 8 years ago

An American version would probably be horrific like the majority of American remakes of British shows.

[–] trudat20 8 years ago

Of course America will spoil it...they spoil 98% of everything

Silence is Golden and duct tape is Silver

[–] aesthete289 8 years ago

I totally agree with what you're saying. Alex must be kept alive. US versions of QaF and Shameless ARE superior. British people sometimes come up with such great stories and US improves them to even higher levels.

[–] highway_robbery 8 years ago

I think it depends on your perspective - shows like Shameless, The Office and QAF had UK-specific characters/lifestyles/settings. The remakes adapated those elements for the US market; a US viewer might view that as an improvement, because suddenly all the references they didn't relate to (or missed entirely) in the originals resonate a lot more in the remakes.... meanwhile UK viewers might wonder where all the stuff they liked from the originals has disappeared to.

This is a sweeping generalisation but on the whole I think the UK pulls off subtlety and ambiguity a little better, and is perhaps more inclined to make their lead characters unlikeable. Maybe it's because US shows have to cater for a larger audience so some of the quirks and individuality gets hammered out in the production process? I can't imagine a US remake of, say, Peep Show, and I assume the (cancelled?) US remake of Utopia would have kept the story but got rid of most of what made it so unique.

Likewise I can't picture a UK remake of Parks & Recreation or Curb Your Enthusiasm.

[–] aesthete289 8 years ago

Well, for your information, I'm an Indian and I like US versions of Shameless and QaF better. So to me, the characters/lifestyles/settings of both the shows don't really make much of a difference. The US versions just seem very well-executed and QaF (US) thoroughly explores even the remotest of the uncharted territories.

I think the UK pulls off subtlety and ambiguity a little better, and is perhaps more inclined to make their lead characters unlikeable

Totally with you on this one. Some UK stuff tends to be a little outrageous and hard-hitting than the US stuff.

[–] highway_robbery 8 years ago

Well, for your information, I'm an Indian and I like US versions of Shameless and QaF better. So to me, the characters/lifestyles/settings of both the shows don't really make much of a difference

Fair point, I was thinking only about the perspective of US and UK viewers - maybe viewers outside of either country are able to be more objective about it.

I should add that I've only seen a few episodes of Shameless and QAF UK, and only clips of the US versions, so I don't have much of a stake in the arguments for/against either version!