Top 10 American Shows Brits HATE

“The Fix” is pretty much a British panel show, but one that’s planted in The States, so of course it’s not as good. The format sees guests come up with comical solutions for the world’s biggest challenges. Though with Jimmy Carr as host, you would be forgiven for assuming that you’re watching “8 of 10 Cats”. With Katherine Ryan alongside him, you may even be confused into thinking that you’re watching “Your Face or Mine”. No such luck. This is a mere imitation of British television, and though they may have snagged familiar faces, nothing compares to the originals!

The a-typical American sitcom humour of “Two and a Half Men” is a bit too generic for most Brits’ tastes. UK audiences are used to rooting for comedic underdogs, the likes of Del Boy and Blackadder, while Charlie Sheen’s central protagonist is a wealthy ladies man who seemingly has it all. His bed hopping, alcohol fuelled antics may have been a guilty pleasure for some, but once he was replaced by Ashton Kutcher’s tech billionaire character, and the actor who portrayed Charlie’s nephew all but abandoned the series, the show became a hollowed out version of itself which was destined for eventual demise.

Like “Bake Off”, but without the charm. “Cake Wars” is the Americanised answer to the British favourite: just louder, more theatrical, faster paced, and all the other things that “Bake Off” thankfully isn’t. Although the concept is starkly similar, with contestants competing to deliver their finest baked goods in order to win over the judges, there’s no nuance here, and everything is overtly dramatised. When you’re sitting back, relaxing to a baking show, you’re probably not in search of break neck speed drama. Chill out guys, jeez; what goes into those cakes!?

With “The Big Bang Theory” being from the same producers as “Two and a Half Men”, it offers the same sort of humour, which is at odds with what Brits appreciate. Though it does have some following in the UK, those who hate it are tragically doomed to attempt to avoid the endless reruns for the rest of eternity, and with 12 seasons and 279 episodes, there’s no shortage of repeats to air on loop. It seems we’ll be stuck with Sheldon and the gang until the next big bang! As in the literal cosmic event, not a potential reboot.

Back when Piers Morgan ditched the UK and went off to seek greener pastures in the US, he took Larry King’s slot and presented “Piers Morgan Live!”. As host, he embarrassed himself often in front of the Americans, and Brits got second hand shame from it. For UK viewers, it was like witnessing your dad turn up to a party and trying to act hip in front of your cool friends. Additionally, he let personal, petty quarrels with celebrities impede the show, by banning everyone from Madonna to Hugh Grant. Mercifully, the show tanked in the ratings and never lasted beyond 3 seasons.

Another Brit who fled to The States to anchor a talk show was “Gavin and Stacey”’s James Corden. Some dislike Corden at the best of times, but critics of his consider him even more deplorable on “The Late Late Show with James Corden”, finding him to come across as insincere around American celebrities by putting on an act and not being himself. His obvious sycophantic gestures irks viewers to no end, and while the gig may have got him out of the country, it just offers yet another platform for Corden to hog the spotlight.

“I Wanna Marry, Harry” was an American reality show, offering guests who were actually gullible enough to believe they were competing for Prince Harry’s affections, not realising it was a lookalike. Please, as if Harry would ever marry an American… oh wait. Contestants buying into the idea of the prince actually settling down with someone just because they won a reality show was too cringe worthy for British viewers, and the show was a disaster in the US to boot, being pulled only half way into its run. Let’s just pray there’s never a spin-off featuring Prince Andrew.

Of all the British comedy shows the US has remade, this may just be just be their most pitiful effort. And that’s saying something! Like previous shows on this list, this one had a short shelf life and was thankfully put to rest following its debut season. As much as American viewers may have disliked the series, it was that much worse for any Brits who gave it a watch, with the humour not even coming close to the British incarnation. The original perfectly captured the essence of British comedy, with all the magic being lost when an American spin was added to it.

“Keeping up with the Kardashians”, the reality show that put the socialites on the map for their incredible… um… their ability to… er… their knack of… something involving OJ Simpson… the show that put them on the map. After years of being subjected to Katie Price, Paris Hilton flying over to the UK to find a BFF, and all other sorts of vapid reality tripe, Brits weren’t buying into this one. For those who have resisted, give yourselves a pat on the back! This is an offering most Brits simply choose not to keep up with.

The seemingly never ending “NCIS” may just be the epitome of trashy American TV. The police procedural exemplifies poor and corny acting, with typical by the numbers storytelling. The show follows the fictional Naval Criminal Investigative Service based in Washington, tackling crimes involving Navy or Marine personnel in often predictable fashion. Audiences across the pond may lap it up, but it’s simply an exercise in eye rolling for Brits. Not only that, but it’s spawned a couple a spin offs, assuring the franchise fills the airwaves for even longer. Give us “The Bill” any day!