via press release:
SYFY GIVES GREENLIGHT TO
“BEING HUMAN”
New drama based on UK series to premiere in 2010
New York, NY – October 29, 2009 – Syfy has ordered 13 episodes of Being Human from RDF Media USA, it was announced today by Dave Howe, President, Syfy, and Chris Coelen, CEO of RDF Media USA. Being Human will premiere on Syfy in Summer 2010.
Being Human is a re-imagining of the acclaimed BBC original. Three 20-something roommates, a ghost, a vampire, and a werewolf, struggle to keep their dark secrets from the world, while helping each other navigate the complexities of living double lives. The original UK series is produced by RDF subsidiary Touchpaper Television and executive produced by Rob Pursey.
“Being Human is a smart, contemporary, young and imaginative series that reflects Syfy's new brand positioning. We are very excited to adapt this for an American audience and bring it into Syfy’s family of programming,” said Dave Howe in making the announcement.
Mark Stern, Executive Vice President, Original Content for Syfy and Co-Head, Original Content for Universal Cable Productions added, “We’ve loved this project and been tracking it for a while. Being Human definitely distinguishes itself as something new and different in a landscape filled with familiar supernatural fare. In adapting it, we intend to work closely with RDF to keep the wit, insight, and humor of the original, while opening up the series for a new audience.”
“We're incredibly proud of our British series and had a tremendous amount of interest in adapting the project for the States. With Syfy's unwavering passion and dedication for the show, we're confident it can be as successful here as it is in the UK,” said Chris Coelen, CEO of RDF Media USA.
About RDF Media USA
RDF Media USA, Inc. is the American umbrella of the RDF Media Group, one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing production and distribution companies. RDF Media USA has offices in New York and Los Angeles and consists of four operating companies: RDF USA (non-scripted and scripted programming), Pangea Management Group (talent management), Full Circle Entertainment (branded entertainment), and RDF Digital USA (digital content). Since its launch in 2006, RDF USA has produced over 30 series for 14 different networks, including Wife Swap (ABC), Secret Millionaire (ABC), Don’t Forget the Lyrics (Fox), Find My Family (ABC), Hitched or Ditched (CW), How to Look Good Naked (Lifetime) and Jessica Simpson’s Price of Beauty (VH1). www.rdfusa.com
About Syfy
Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in 95 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)
This decision is just stupid. Why don’t they just get the rights to air the British version. There is no need to Americanize this wonderful show.
Hmm. I’m not sure about this. I watched the first series of the original, and I honestly still don’t know whether I liked it or not. Can’t imagine it getting anything but worse on adaptation. On the plus side, the special effects of the werewolf costume can’t possibly get any worse…
I have to agree with chrisjozo, just air the BBC version. I suppose there could be problems with that since its already aired on BBCA. I love Being Human. I just hope they don’t ruin it they way that Life On Mars and Coupling were by the sad attempts to make them palatable to the masses. Personally I enjoy my British shows left British. If there is to be a second season of the BBC version I hope that this deal doesn’t prevent it from airing over here. I need to see what happens to George’s girlfriend.
I watch the show over the weekend on BBC America and enjoyed the show
I am not that gib on scify
I think that the us version will suffer and it would be better just to show the UK version.
Aboleyn24,
The are already taping the second season of the British version. Its supposed to air early next year.
wow the US sure didn’t stick to having their version of yet another British show. i mean it ony had 1 season so far. i love shameless skins and like being human and there’re all gonna have american versions. hope they don’t mess them up but i’m curious. anyway no matter what i’ll still ahve the originals. the inbetweeners is great too, wonder if they’ll try this one as well.
I loved the show when I saw it on BBCA. Very original. The problem with an American version will be the overwhelming desire to get in on the vampire bandwagon and make the stars way too pretty. I liked the off-beat casting of the British version very gritty. And I agree about Life on Mars. American adaptations of British stuff usually don’t improve.
A big exception: All in The Family!
Sandford and Son and Three’s Company were also based on British sitcoms, and the adaptations, of course, did well. That has been way over twenty five to thirty years now, though, and at that time the only way we saw British stuff was if it was on PBS. Since we now can see the originals on things like BBCA one does wonder why they want to do an American version that is a complete redo.
In most cases, I agree the British versions are just as good, if not a bit better, though there are some exceptions (The Office). All just a matter of opinion I guess.
I’m beyond disgusted at this news. No way in hell could this remake ever measure up to the brilliance of the original. Stupid, stupid Syfy. Stop remaking shows and movies that are too good to be remade! *praying this idea falls through*
Everyone seems to be missing something here…Syfy didn’t spontaneously decide to copy Being Human and issue a press release. The people behind the original Being Human are in on this deal. They probably brought the idea to Syfy. I’m not saying its a brilliant idea, but the blame lies just as much with Being Human as with Syfy.
Stop remaking shows and movies that are too good to be remade!
you’re blaming the wrong side for this, shelly. You’re blaming the buyer. But Syfy couldn’t have bought the rights if RDF wasn’t selling them.
At this point if Syfy ended hunger and poverty and created a lasting peace in the Middle East I’m pretty sure some of you still wouldn’t be satisfied.
I hope the show turns out closer in tone to the exceptional original pilot, and not the hokey mess that the actual series became.
Life on Mars is a fine example of how badly a lot of British shows are “translated” for the American market.
SyFy probably only greenlit this show for the Vampire element.
I don’t care whose idea it was to do the remake it still shouldn’t be done. Don’t fix what isn’t broken. That goes for the potential disaster that will be the MTV remake of Skins.
Well, I’ve seen the British version of this shows first season and I think it was very well done. OK, so the special effects weren’t always great, but the show had a gritty street sense to it that really made it exciting and the characters were interesting for the most part.
It will be interesting to see how they cast this. Also as the British version only had six episodes in the first series and probably will have the same in the second you have to wonder where they’ll get thirteen episodes from or if they’ll be totally original and take the show in a different direction.
Thanks, Lizard
I have to agree with Dirk and wonder if it’s not being tapped for the vampire angle. The dynamic that makes the BBC version so great is the balance and the “human” factor. It’s a program about 3 peole who are out to overcome personal challanges and they happen to be otherworldly. Not the other way around. Now…..if Syfy wanted to pick up PRIMEVAL I wouldn’t be too heartbroken. That season/series finale was the cliffhanger from you-know-where
@Jo, I believe they are shopping the rights for an American version of Primeval, but it did actually get picked up for a 4th and 5th season by BBC.
Bummer. I worry about what the American version will look like with too pretty people. Hope they get some decent writers but that’ll only happen if Syfy isn’t in charge. I shudder to think what will happen if they ever get their hands on Torchwood.
I can’t help it, Robert, I’m too attached to my British tv. It’s pretty much all I watch now and I feel strangely protective of it, like Cordelia protecting her demon child in that episode in the first season of Angel.
And I agree with Chris that I don’t care who’s buying or selling, I still don’t want to see this show remade. And I’m sure quite a few will agree when they cast one of the Jonas brothers as Mitchell and Paris Hilton as Annie. *VOMIT*
(Okay, they won’t go that far but how much do you want to bet they’ll get those CW castoff pretty actors who can’t act worth a damn to play the 3 leads?)
I still loathe this idea and I still want it to fall through.