US TV Shows That Still Don’t Have A UK Broadcaster – Early 2021 Edition
With a raft of renewals from The CW yesterday, I thought today might be a good time to check in once again with some of the US TV series which still have yet to find a home in the UK.
Over the past 12 months, tv production has, understandably, slowed down due to the pandemic. This made us think that some of the ongoing US shows which have yet to grace the UK might get picked up to fill the gaps. Whilst we did get some “new to the UK” series, in most cases they were shows which had already been cancelled in the US, meaning the UK got some new content without the broadcasters here having to commit to ongoing seasons. However, there are a number of shows which have been airing in the USA for multiple seasons, but still, inexplicably, despite our hundreds of channels, haven’t managed to find a home here across the Atlantic.
For this article, we’re just looking at which have already aired multiple seasons in the US, rather than new shows that have yet to air (or have just started airing) in the US (such as CW’s ‘Walker’ or ABC’s ‘Call Me Kat’). We also are not including shows which have previously had a broadcaster in the UK, but have since lost them (such as ‘Burden Of Truth’).
Legacies – CW – (Renewed To Season 4)
A spin-off series from ‘The Vampire Diaries’ and ‘The Originals’, ‘Legacies’ tells the story of the next generation of supernatural beings at The Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted. It’s here that Klaus Mikaelson’s daughter, 17-year-old Hope Mikaelson; Alaric Saltzman’s twins, Lizzie and Josie Saltzman; and other young adults – including political scion MG and the mysterious Landon Kirby – come of age in the most unconventional way possible, nurtured to be their best selves… in spite of their worst impulses.
Why hasn’t this been picked up? ITV2 previously aired ‘The Vampire Diaries’ whilst ‘The Originals’ was bounced around between Syfy UK and Netflix. It’s possible that could be the reason this spin-off hasn’t landed a home. I can see a UK broadcaster looking at ‘Legacies’ and not wanting to pick up a spin-off if they have no connection to the previous two dramas, which rather limits potential buyers. The only obvious broadcaster right now would be Netflix UK, who already have all seasons of ‘TVD’ and ‘The Originals’. If they aren’t interested (although, I’m not sure why they wouldn’t be…) then I’m not sure who else might want to take it.
A Million Little Things – ABC – (3 Seasons)
They say friendship isn’t one big thing, it’s ‘A Million Little Things‘, and that’s true for a group of friends from Boston who bonded under unexpected circumstances. Some have achieved success, others are struggling in their careers and relationships, but all of them feel stuck in life. After one of them dies unexpectedly, it’s just the wake-up call the others need to finally start living. Along the way, they discover that friends may be the one thing to save them from themselves.
Why hasn’t this been picked up? Despite having some well-known faces, such as ‘Grimm’s David Giuntoli and ‘Hawaii Five-0’ star (and Cylon) Grace Park, I think the main problem for this show the type of drama it is… It seems to be similar in tone to something like NBC’s ‘This Is Us’, and whilst that show was a juggernaut hit in the US, it really struggled to find an audience in the UK until it landed on Amazon Prime UK. You would have thought this would be an obvious show to air on Disney’s new STAR “channel”, however, it wasn’t there when they announced the launch line up. There are a number of companies involved in its production, so it could be that Disney doesn’t have control of the rights outside of the USA, or it may get added later, but at the moment, the series is still in limbo for the UK.
All Rise – CBS – (2 Seasons)
‘All Rise‘ is a courthouse drama that follows the chaotic, hopeful, and sometimes absurd lives of its judges, prosecutors, and public defenders, as they work with bailiffs, clerks, and cops to get justice for the people of Los Angeles amidst a flawed legal process. Among them is newly appointed Judge Lola Carmichael (Simone Missick), a highly regarded and impressive deputy district attorney who doesn’t intend to sit back on the bench in her new role, but instead leans in, immediately pushing the boundaries and challenging the expectations of what a judge can be.
Why hasn’t this been picked up? Given how well procedurals generally go down in the UK, it seems odd for this one to have flown under the radar. It would seem like a perfect fit for either Sky Witness, Alibi or FOX UK, so why this had yet to land is currently a mystery. The only thing I can think of is that, although this airs on CBS in the US, it is a co-production with WB, and WB handles the international distribution which may possibly make things more complex for an international sale.
The Unicorn – CBS – (2 Seasons)
The Unicorn is a single-camera comedy about a tight-knit group of best friends and family who help Wade (Walton Goggins) embrace his “new normal” in the wake of the loss of his wife. As a sometimes ill-equipped but always devoted single parent to his two adolescent daughters, he is taking the major step of dating again. To Wade’s amazement, he’s a hot commodity with women, and his friends explain that he’s the perfect single guy – a “unicorn”: employed, attractive, and with a proven track record of commitment. With his daughters and best friends rooting him on and hoping he’ll find happiness again, Wade and his healing heart are ready to try life… and love… again.
Why hasn’t this been picked up? With comedy, it can sometimes be the case that they just don’t travel well. What might be funny to a US audience, the UK broadcasters may feel won’t work here. It’s also difficult to know where this could air. Comedy Central UK is co-owned by ViacomCBS and Sky, so that may seem like the most likely option. Sky Comedy would also be a reasonably fit, although they do already have a decent stream of shows from their deal with HBO.
The Neighborhood – CBS – (3 Seasons)
‘The Neighborhood‘ stars Cedric the Entertainer in a comedy about what happens when the friendliest guy in the Midwest moves his family to a neighbourhood in Los Angeles where not everyone looks like him or appreciates his extreme neighbourliness.
Dave Johnson (Max Greenfield – ‘New Girl’) is a good-natured, professional conflict negotiator. When his wife, Gemma (Beth Behrs – ‘2 Broke Girls’), gets a job as a school principal in L.A., they move from Michigan with their young son, Grover, unfazed that their new dream home is located in a community quite different from their small town. Their opinionated next-door neighbour, Calvin Butler, is wary of the newcomers, certain that the Johnsons will disrupt the culture on the block. However, Calvin’s gracious wife, Tina (Tichina Arnold – ‘Happily Divorced’), rolls out the welcome wagon; their chipper younger son, Marty, thinks the Johnsons could be good for the community; and their unemployed older son, Malcolm, finds Dave may finally be someone who understands him. Dave realizes that fitting into their new community is more complex than he expected, but if he can find a way to connect with Calvin, they have an excellent chance of making their new neighbourhood their home.
Why hasn’t this been picked up? As with ‘The Unicorn’, comedy can sometimes be something that doesn’t always translate as well into other countries. It’s possible that the UK broadcasters just didn’t think it would find a big enough audience in the UK.
There is also the possibility they could (I stress “could”) be being held for a possible launch at some point of the Paramount+ streaming service in the UK. Paramount+ will be the new name of CBS All Access from March 2021, when they begin to expand the service into international markets, launching first in Australia and Canada. Currently, there is no confirmed information on whether Paramount+ will come to the UK or not, but you would think we would be a likely target for them. However, a number of the CBS All Access originals – such as ‘Star Trek’ series Discovery, Picard and Lower Decks, ‘Why Women Kill’, ‘The Good Fight’, and ‘The Twilight Zone’ – have already been sold to other UK broadcasters, so if it did launch, they may be looking to boost that content with other CBS series.
In The Dark – CW – (Renewed To Season 4)
‘In The Dark‘ follows Murphy (Perry Mattfeld), a hard-living, hard-drinking, disaffected twenty-something with a penchant for cigarettes and casual sex. She’s also blind. Murphy lives with her supportive best friend, Jess (Brooke Markham), and – more reluctantly – her trusty guide dog, Pretzel, whose presence she resents. Murphy’s closest friend is a sweet teenager named Tyson (Thamela Mpumlwana), who she befriends after he saved her from a violent mugging. Her life comes crashing down when she stumbles upon what she’s sure is the lifeless body of Tyson in the alley outside her apartment. But when the police arrive there is no body to be found – and with Murphy not exactly sober, the police aren’t especially inclined to investigate. Murphy is determined to find the truth, no matter the risk… even if it means she has to sober up a little.
The series comes from CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television, in association with Red Hour Films, with executive producers Corinne Kingsbury, Jon Collier (‘Bones’), Ben Stiller (‘Zoolander’), Jackie Cohn, Nicky Weinstock and Michael Showalter (‘The Big Sick’).
Why hasn’t this been picked up? Unclear at this point. Seems like an interesting little murder/mystery series which would fit right in on somewhere like Alibi or Sky Witness. It’s one of those shows that seems to have slipped through the cracks so far.
Nancy Drew – CW – (Renewed To Season 3)
‘Nancy Drew’ is set in the summer after high school graduation when the 18-year-old Nancy (newcomer Kennedy McMann) thought she’d be leaving her hometown for college. But when a family tragedy holds her back another year, she finds herself embroiled in a ghostly murder investigation – and along the way, uncovers secrets that run deeper than she ever imagined.
The series comes from the duo behind ‘Gossip Girl’ & ‘Runaways’, Josh Schwartz & Stephanie Savage. Schwartz & Savage serve as exec producers alongside Melinda Hsu Taylor and Lis Rowinski. ‘The Magicians’ writer Noga Landau penned the pilot script.
Why hasn’t this been picked up? Whilst Nancy Drew is a something of a “known brand”, I think it would be fair to say, it’s a character that is probably better known in the US than the UK. As you can see from this list, outside of the superhero and sci-fi/fantasy genres, The CW shows generally don’t seem to have grabbed the attention of any UK acquisitions teams. I would have thought this would be a good fit for Netflix UK though, or possibly even BBC iPlayer, whose imported US content tends to skew towards a younger/teen audience.
