Click here to visit the new home of AOLTV!

Hot on HuffPost TV:

See More Stories
EDITION: U.S.
CA Canada US United States UK United Kingdom
Powered by i.TV
February 10, 2012
 
CONNECT    

TNT and Cracker, try try again

by Brett Love, posted Jun 30th 2008 1:39PM

Geraldine Somerville and Robbie Coltrane - CrackerUpon seeing the headline that TNT is going to be doing a new version of the UK series Cracker, I suspect I had the same reaction as many of you: Wasn't this show already remade for U.S. audiences? Yes, it was. It happened in 1997 and starred Robert Pastorelli and an unknown Josh Hartnett. They even managed a guest spot for the star of the original, Robbie Coltrane. Unfortunately, it never really caught on, and struggled to make it through that one season.

Granada America still thinks the show can be a success stateside. More specifically, they think it can be a success on cable. As senior VP Julie Meldal-Johnson puts it, "We thought the timing was right and that American cable, edgier and more open, would be a better venue for it than broadcast." And that's the bit that, kind of, sells me on the idea. Cable does offer certain freedoms and TNT does have a pretty good thing going with The Closer and Saving Grace. We'll just consider that Heartland mess a learning experience, for now. Despite failing once, Cracker remains a great story, and I'm willing to give yet another incarnation a go.

Link Squad

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

5 Comments

Filter by:
BC McKinney

If nothing else, the first US "Cracker" will be remembered for giving us teenaged Josh Hartnett gagged and chained to a bed dressed only in his tighty-whities (and maybe socks; it's been a while). I, for one, was immediately enchanted.

June 30 2008 at 8:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
gonnabechef

Every time a superior British show is remade stateside, an angel loses its wings. I'm looking at you, Life on Mars.

Seriously, folks, Cracker is on DVD and you should definitely check it out if you haven't seen it.

June 30 2008 at 7:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Gordon Werner

There is no need to do this ... the BBC show was perfect

June 30 2008 at 6:59 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
C C

When they tried to do the first Americanized Cracker, the timing wasn't right. 15-20 years ago, we didn't like dark, flawed, and complex protagonists on our tv shows. Things have changed, thanks to cable tv offering the likes of The Sopranos, The Wire, and Dexter. If I were to compare any American show to Cracker, it would be Dexter. Though Dexter isn't as addictive or self-destructive as Fitz, the characters share a similar modus operandi; their "dark sides" are an asset when it comes to solving crimes.

June 30 2008 at 4:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Nhex

Let's not forget the godawful Saved. Atrocious show. It seems more and more likely The Closer was a fluke.

June 30 2008 at 2:50 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

Follow Us

TV Squad Hot Topics

From Our Partners