Not as many viewers watched last week's first presidential candidates debate between U.S. Sen. John McCain and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama as the first debate in the 2004 election cycle. Nielsen has all the details here.
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The British sitcom "The I.T. Crowd" (10 tonight, IFC) almost made the leap across the pond to America a year ago when NBC developed a series based on this show.
Actually, NBC filmed the pilot of an American version of "The I.T. Crowd," written by David Guarascio and Altoona native Joe Port ("Manhattan, Az."). NBC also ordered a series but then backtracked.
Watching the British original, with its over-ripe BBC laugh track, I can see why.
This story of two computer I.T. guys and their computer illiterate boss is overly obvious and plays on stereotypes in an over-the-top way that may have been au courant in the '80s but feels woefully dated today. Supposedly it's become a "cult classic" in England but I find that difficult to believe.
American TV comedy has been in the doldrums for several years. If "The I.T. Crowd" is representative of the state of British comedy, it looks like our friends across the pond aren't in any better shape.
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Posted
Sep 30 2008, 03:50 AM
by
Rob Owen