5 British Sitcoms That Need Hollywood Remakes

When a Hollywood remake of a British sitcom is announced, it often strikes fear into the hearts of audiences on both sides of the pond. For decades, the American TV industry has tried to prove that lightning can indeed strike twice by remaking the greatest British sitcoms in the States. "Gavin & Stacey" became "Us & Them," "This Country" became "Welcome to Flatch," and "Miranda" became "Call Me Kat."

Despite how often this happens, it's pretty rare that the translation works. The American versions of the hit British sitcoms "Coupling" and "The Inbetweeners" were both pretty much declared dead on arrival, for example. However, when Hollywood does find a way to crack the U.K.-to-U.S. translation, it can result in shows that rival and even outdo the original in some cases.

While they're both fantastic, the U.S. version of "The Office" with Steve Carell is arguably better than the U.K. version created by Ricky Gervais. Yes, there have been a lot of duds, but viewers in the States have been treated to a handful of great remakes of British sitcoms over the years. With that in mind, we're taking a look at some British sitcoms that we think are perfect for the Hollywood treatment.

American sitcoms tend to be centered on commonplace locations such as the family home or workplaces. One scenario that hasn't really been thoroughly explored in sitcoms is cults, which is why we need a U.S. remake of "Everyone Else Burns." The original follows a family in Manchester, England who are part of a puritanical Christian sect that believes the world is going to end soon. It stars Kate O'Flynn of "Widow's Bay" fame and "The Inbetweeners" star Simon Bird as the overbearing parents.

Flynn's character Fiona is desperate to escape the restrictions of the cult, while Bird's David wants to become a leader in it. Their daughter disappoints her parents by getting good grades at school despite the end being nigh and their son believes the rest of the family deserves to go to hell. Together, these four characters create a varied and hilarious look into cult life in the United Kingdom.

An American version of "Everyone Else Burns" would no doubt work incredibly well. While "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" (which TVLine named one of the best Netflix original series of all time) focused on life after escaping a cult, there's currently a gap in the market for a sitcom following a family of cult members. And with up to 10,000 active cults in the United States, the networks and streamers wouldn't have to look too hard for inspiration.

This wonderful sitcom set in Glasgow, Scotland was originally called "Scrotal Recall" to tease its bizarre but also fairly realistic premise. After Dylan (Johnny Flynn) discovers he has chlamydia following a check-up, he sets about contacting his previous sexual partners directly to inform them that they may also have it. The surprisingly wholesome show jumps through Dylan's romantic history, showing what went wrong in each past relationship and Dylan's growth in the present. Through it all, Dylan has a deep connection with his friend Evie (Antonia Thomas), but neither are brave enough to say how they really feel.

The show's name change came after it was picked up by Netflix and branded as an original series, with the original name (a play on the title of the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi film "Total Recall") apparently deemed too crass. Sadly, the streamer cancelled "Lovesick" after its third third season and fans never got to see the story conclude. That's all the more reason to start over with an American cast. The premise is totally transferable and it may help tackle the stigma around sexually transmitted infections in the United States, where they occur at a higher rate than in other Western countries.

"Things You Should Have Done" is an ongoing series, so creating an American remake may seem premature, but it's becoming increasingly clear that Hollywood is desperate for a hit Gen Z television show. "TV is desperate to connect with young people, who increasingly opt for YouTube or social media for their screen time," said The Guardian in a write-up about the state of sitcoms aimed at young people. One show that's managed to bridge the gap in the U.K. is "Things You Should Have Done," created and written by Gen Z internet comedian Lucia Keskin.

Keskin stars as awkward 20-year-old Chi, who has to learn to fend for herself after her parents suddenly die, leaving her an orphan. In the will, her parents give her the house as long as she completes a list of assignments that proves she can be a responsible adult. Chi stumbles down the path toward womanhood with the help of her step cousin, her uncle, and her aunt, who wants to sell the house.

We already know that Gen Z shows can work if done right, with FX's "Adults" giving the sitcom world a much-needed injection of youth. There's also HBO's "I Love LA," but the pool is still very small, and a remake of "Things You Should Have Done" could be that one sitcom that comes to define Gen Z. That's partly because it's focused on one young woman rather than a friend group, and for a generation that's embracing solo-maxxing, this selling point could turn a remake into a big hit in the States.

"Stath Lets Flats" follows Stath, a self-confident and bumbling fool trying to prove his worth to his father by working for his family's real estate agency. The Channel 4 sitcom, created by and starring Jamie Demetriou, puts Stath in some interesting scenarios, but the main pull is Demetriou's uncomfortable, awkward performance. It's the perfect balance between cringe and humor, making each episode a hilarious journey where you almost want to look away to save yourself from second-hand embarrassment.

Fox actually got the ball rolling on an American remake of "Stath Lets Flats" called "Bren Rents" not long after the original show debuted, even hiring "The Good Place" writer Joe Mande, but the project remains in limbo. "It's very complicated getting it right to make sure it feels like its own thing," Demetriou told The Hollywood Reporter in 2023. "We're still very much in talks about it, it's just taking longer than we thought."

There's clearly an appetite to remake this one for U.S. audiences, and there's every chance that this remake could work: Unlike most British sitcoms, "Stath Lets Flats" relies on the kind of slapstick and embarrassing humour popular in American sitcoms, so a U.S. version could really thrive if cast correctly.

In 2025, HBO cancelled the Max show "The Sex Lives of College Girls," leaving a gap in the market for a great college-set TV show. A "Fresh Meat" remake fits the bill, since it's one of the best sitcoms the U.K. has to offer and it would translate pretty seamlessly. It follows a group of students who missed out on spots in student dorms and are forced to live together in a separate student home. Each comes from a different walk of life, from middle-class kids who boast about their wealth (or hide it) to students who come to college to party rather than learn. This clash of backgrounds creates much of the humor in the series as the characters learn to put up with each other.

Most American college shows put the main characters either in a fraternity or sorority house or in dorm rooms, which would make the "Fresh Meat" scenario in a U.S. remake unique. While they couldn't recreate the exact same comedy beats from the original show as many of the gags are specific to life in the U.K., those creating the remake could utilize American student archetypes for similar results. Plus, "Fresh Meat" has a sweet and messy will-they-won't-they couple that keeps audiences tuning in to find out where they end up. Some sitcoms have been ruined by romantic pairings, but this one did it right, and any remake would surely follow suit.