It was last year that Packed to the Rafters began to attract international attention.
“After the second week’s ratings results here, the overseas people just came out of the trees to buy the show – US networks, US studios, UK producers – and everyone wanted copies,” Seven programmer Tim Worner said last December.
Even Lost‘s Damon Lindelhof and Carlton Cuse wanted to take a look at it.
Now Lionsgate Television, maker of Mad Men and Weeds, is reportedly working on a US adaptation, with ABC network also involved in the development.
Lionsgate has previously picked up Aussie formats including Chandon Pictures for a possible off-shoot.
The original Packed to the Rafters has already been sold to a number of territories including South Africa, Belgium, The Netherlands, several Scandinavian countries and Ireland.
Meanwhile CBS is in negotiations with Granada USA about a US version of Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation. Hope they got a good equivalent of Micallef.
The format for the quiz show was developed within Granada Australia.
Source: Sunday Telegraph
Yes we know what happened to the usa version of kath and kim. They seem to have the attitude ” any thing you can do, we can do better” Alas this is not the case. I cringe when I think of what they would do to the wonderful show rafters.
Wow they never stop do they. I wonder if they’ll look into ‘MasterChef America’ ……………
Just show the damn show as it is if you want to show it at all.
Sorry not a DVD blog. I have enough to monitor with on air content. But I doubt it….
Oh question not sure if this is the right place but its related is Rafters coming to DVD soon I really want to know if they are planing to cause I want to buy it i missed a few eps and really want to rewatch the series.
It will be the 2nd Aussie tv show that I will buy the first being Rush when its out
I never thought I’d say that as I’ve never been a fan of Aussie drama shows till now
cool so are they showing the aussie version in the US ro are they just intrested in making their own version of it?
If done right it could work I jsut hope it doesnt become a flop like kath & kim
I think “packed” will do well in the US – they’re really down in the dumps and really need a family unit to look up to – family units do not really exist in the US but in the bible belt – i think it could really have a good impact on such a depressed nation…
this will be terrible. just like kath and kim
The US pretty much already have their own version of Packed to the Rafters – Brothers & Sisters.
Will. Not. Work.
Maybe there are no new ideas anymore?
hehe.. we can only hope they don’t use a laugh track like they did on Eight is Enough.. Packed with a laugh track.. *shudders*
I don’t know why they would bother to buy rights to remake the show. It isn’t a unique concept. NBC could just do it and say they are remaking their 2003 sitcom “Happy Family”.
“Days of your lives” Young and the useless. Mum, Dad and all the families..???? All could be lost
To DP and AlexT:
To answer your question, would all Americans turn off their TV if an Aussie show came on? In a nutshell. Yes. You are talking about a country that has almost zero foreign content across hundreds of channels. As an Aussie living in America, I can tell you after 5 years here they still have a tough time getting around my accent at meetings at work. Let alone sitting through a TV show. Not only that, but like Australia, the UK and Japan, Americans like to turn on their TV and see stories and themes and people they can relate to. They like their own local content as much as we do. Americans cannot relate to a suburban Aussie family. They are just not going to sit down and watch that.
The same way that on Aussie TV their is almost zero Canadian, UK or NZ content. We have US content – yes – but only because our TV industry and population base s not big enough to support 100% Australian content. Look at Aussie ratings – the top shows are ALWAYS Australian. In fact, US imports are not that popular anymore. And we have had American TV in OZ for 40 years to get used to. They’ve never seen anything foreign on their TVs. And like us – theya re not really interested to.
Is the saying ‘Packed to the Rafters’ even relevant or familiar in the US? Might go through a name change.
A US equivalent of Shaun Micallef? A tall order indeed. How about Ryan Stiles?
Reckon they already ‘remade’ it as Eight is Enough anyway….
98% chance they’ll ruin Rafters – it’s about time a major US network stopped trying to remake everything and just screened the version that they like, and the one that seems to work.
I agree that TAYG has too many local references to work as is – and Australians have taken long enough to get used to Shaun Micallef, so that’s probably too big an ask for the US market also.
I can understand the US wanting to make their own version of TBYG, since that type of shaun micallef humour would probably not go down very well in the U.S.. Or at least.. not in the same way that we understand it.. But Rafters.. I mean, on the one hand, it’s great that they’ve decided to support australian ideas.. but on the other hand, why is it that they believe that americans can only watch american shows.. Is that really the case? Would they all turn of their telly’s if they heard a non-american accent?
Ah well.. just gotta look at the positives of it all i suppose.. hehe
Why o why must the Americans always develop there own shows (Queer As Folk, Kath & Kim etc)
Whats wrong with our version? I hope our Rafters gets on US tv, it’s a good quality drama & runs rings around some of the US crap where subjected to.
Just leave the damn thing alone I say!
Although it is flattering.
lionsgate. so ch9 will get the remake of a ch7 show. that’ll be interesting.
This is great to hear, however I would like to see the US pick up the original Packed to the Rafters instead.
I do like the fact that Talkin bout your will be picked up and made into a local version though!
Good news.
I think the US version of Packed to the Rafters could be developed along the lines of 7th Heaven, which also has a family flavour.
Fantastic news, Thanks David !
Australian content has improved tremdously in the last couple of years and we are supporting it instead of watching US shows.
Remember what happened when an Australian show got Americanised.. ‘Kath & Kim’ It tuned out to be a Disaster.
It will be interesting to see what the US can do, and how bad they screw up, Kath & Kim anyone…
Are the yanks serious.Can they not leave well enough alone?
Agreed about Mr Micallef.He has settled nicely into the show.At last the man is getting the recognition he deserves.That has not been seen since the Full Frontal days when he was the slightly deranged but hilarious Milo Kerrigan, ex boxer….check it out on You Tube.