'Absolutely Fabulous' to Get Pointless American Remake

Okay, maybe that headline is a little harsh, but I'm especially annoyed at the recent announcement that Fox is developing an American take on the classic British comedy Absolutely Fabulous. The TV landscape is littered with re-dos of foreign shows these days; it's a sign of the dearth of original ideas among network executives, or at least their fear of trying anything new. Granted, sometimes these shows work out well; all but the most stubborn purists would probably agree that the American version of The Office has been a creative success in its own right. And this new version of AbFab (as fans know it) will have among its producers Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwtiz and original AbFab creator/star Jennifer Saunders, which is somewhat reassuring.

But the original show has already had American success in reruns on Comedy Central, and its stars (Saunders and Joanna Lumley) are familiar faces in movie supporting roles. Their take on a pair of boozy, inappropriate 40-something London layabouts is indelible, and any effort to copy it will likely only pale in comparison. Instead of trying to recapture long-gone magic, why not give Saunders and/or Lumley, both extremely talented performers, a new vehicle to showcase their talents? Must we water down and/or update everything for American consumption?

(Luckily the entire original series is available on DVD, and you can catch repeats on BBC America Tuesdays at 9:20 p.m. EST.)