Fox network to make Americanized version of CBC's "Little Mosque"

[mr.x]

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Fox network to make Americanized version of 'Little Mosque'

Lee-Anne Goodman, THE CANADIAN PRESS

BANFF, Alta. - The producers of the gentle CBC sitcom "Little Mosque on the Prairie" have announced a deal with Twentieth Century Fox Studios which aims to get an Americanized version of the show on the Fox network, known for pushing the envelope with programs like "The Family Guy" and "Mad TV."

"It's taken a long time to get here, some due to the writers' strike and some due to just making sure that we had the right collaborator," Mary Darling, head of Westwind Pictures, said after announcing the "Little Mosque" deal Monday at the Banff World Television Festival.

"The reason we pursued a deal with this studio is because we really feel we've found people who are in synch with us on the vision of the show. They're very earnest in terms of getting the tone of the show right, and yet they want to make it as funny as possible in order for it to play to a wide audience."

The deal also involves another Westwind Pictures show currently in development; Fox will help Westwind develop the show and then determine if it wants to buy it.

The CBC show, about a community of devout Muslims living in a small prairie town, won't be changed drastically for an American audience, Darling added.

"It'll be 'Little Mosque in Minnesota,' if I have my way," the Minnesota-born Darling said with a laugh.

A year ago, U.S. cable network the CW debuted the critically acclaimed "Aliens in America," which explores Americans' cultural ignorance of the Muslim community.

Darling speculated that by securing the "Little Mosque" deal, Fox was "trying to broaden their horizons and become a bit more of a serious player."

The deal was one of a flurry announced Monday at the festival, as BBC Worldwide and Toronto's Temple Street Productions revealed that they'd entered into a development partnership.

BBC Worldwide has acquired a minority stake in Temple Street, which is already producing the Canadian version of the BBC hit series, "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" The reality show, hosted by Gavin Crawford, premieres this weekend on CBC.

BBC Worldwide already bid successfully for international distribution rights to Temple Street's time-travel drama "The Session," debuting in January on CBC.

And Toronto-based Shaftesbury Films, the country's biggest producer of dramatic and children's programming, announced it had bought Smokebomb Entertainment, a developer of original, multi-platform digital content.

But it wasn't all wheeling and dealing amid the majestic snow-capped mountains and towering firs of Banff. A number of seminars were devoted to the very future of the TV industry, with "Digital Heavy Hitters" featuring industry insiders who were managing to find success on the Web stemming from their television productions.

The issue of piracy - people recording TV shows and posting them on YouTube, for example - and rapidly changing viewing habits were weighing heavily on the minds of most TV executives at this year's festival. The industry is grappling with the challenges posed by the lucrative younger generation of viewers who want to watch their TV on the Internet, on their cellphones and on their hand-held devices.

"It's scary," said Doug Ellin, the creator of the HBO hit series "Entourage," at Banff talking to producers about the success of the show. "You spend a lot of money producing these shows and producing content and if people are stealing the content, you're not going to be able to produce it for much longer."

He added the traditional methods of measuring viewers are flawed since there's no way to track how many people are watching shows like his on the web or via PVR.

"I talk to HBO all the time and I am not sure even our numbers are accurate, because I'm quite sure kids are watching the show other places," he said.

Nonetheless there was still plenty of celebration at the Banff festival. Brent Butt of "Corner Gas" fame won the Peter Ustinov Comedy Award while Sofia Milos from "The Border" was honoured with the festival's excellence award at a glitzy luncheon at the historic Banff Springs Hotel, the home of the annual event.

"When you're honoured, it's hard not to feel honoured by it," Butt said with a laugh. "I'm honoured and humbled and it's a tremendous award ... I'm sure they've mistaken me for someone else, but I'll take it."

Among other awards announced at the luncheon:

Blueprint Entertainment, the producers of shows including "Kenny vs. Spenny" and "Whistler," was given the the Lionsgate/Maple Pictures Innovative Producer Award.

ABC Studios, the producer behind such hits as "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost," was given the outstanding achievement award.

[Greco Roman]

Little Mosque Minnesota? It may as well be "Little Mosque in Manitoba"

Why don't they go somewhere more controversial, like the US Southeast?

[Calgarian]

Why would they copy Little Mosque? that show is terrible.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by johnnyc

Why would they copy Little Mosque? that show is terrible.

NBC copied BBC's "The Office", which isn't that great, and they somehow were able to turn it into a pretty decent show.

For Canadian standards, CBC's Little Mosque is actually pretty good and it brings in something like a million viewers and is highly syndicated around the world.

[IntotheWest]

^I thought it kinda had promise...but kind of like Corner Gas.

I see "Up the Yangtze" won an award...I watched this on the flight the other day, and thought it was quite good.

[Rusty van Reddick]

I was prepared to be pissed off that the Canadian version itself isn't "good enough" for US distribution, but the more I think about it, the more I think a set-in-America version would have more chances for controversy and laffs. Being Muslim in Canada is just not that provocative, but in rural America- definitely. I'd love to see how it's received and is played out.

[matt602]

They can have the show for all I care. Horrible show. Makes me cringe to even see commercials for it.

[The Chemist]

Why do some people hate this show? Is it because it's Canadian? I think it's a great show, and the fact that it's internationally syndicated shows that it has great popularity.

[theman23]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

NBC copied BBC's "The Office", which isn't that great, and they somehow were able to turn it into a pretty decent show.

I think that the BBC version is far superior, and I know that many people would agree with me.

As far as Little Mosque goes, I've never seen it.

[Rico Rommheim]

Originally Posted by The Chemist

Why do some people hate this show? Is it because it's Canadian? I think it's a great show, and the fact that it's internationally syndicated shows that it has great popularity.

I saw the pilot and thought it had its moments, I saw an other one since and didn't hate it but just didn't think it was funny.

[SlickFranky]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

NBC copied BBC's "The Office", which isn't that great, and they somehow were able to turn it into a pretty decent show.

Heresy!

Yes, the NBC version is good. The BBC version is amazing! The greatest use of social awkwardness ever aired. Plus the acting is "spot-on", as they say. I also think "copied" is the wrong word. Ricky and Steve were/are involved in it's production.
On a side note, if you are a fan of the BBC version, I'd highly recommend Peepshow (Malcolm & Webb) which has a similar sensibility, and obviously the Ricky Gervais Show podcasts.

Little Mosque...who cares. Though the title should stay, since the Little House pun is unfortunately the funniest part of the show.

[matt602]

Originally Posted by The Chemist

Why do some people hate this show? Is it because it's Canadian? I think it's a great show, and the fact that it's internationally syndicated shows that it has great popularity.

Because it's incredibly stereotypical, generally immature and seems to be created for the sole reason of making non-muslim canadians feel like un-cultured idiots.

Every muslim person I know hates the show as well and agrees that it's incredibly stereotypical and immature.

[Kevin_foster]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

NBC copied BBC's "The Office", which isn't that great, and they somehow were able to turn it into a pretty decent show.

For Canadian standards, CBC's Little Mosque is actually pretty good and it brings in something like a million viewers and is highly syndicated around the world.

BBC's "the office" is the best show on the planet. It pales in comparison to the American version.. IMO

[mr.x]

Just remember guys, most of Fox's new shows end up being canceled....every season, they unveil 4 new shows and they would be lucky if one show went through and got a second season.

[MistyMountainHop]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

NBC copied BBC's "The Office", which isn't that great, and they somehow were able to turn it into a pretty decent show.

Are you serious??

The BBC show is absolutely brilliant! It's unfortunate that many people in the US (and here) just can't appreciate good British humour.Everything has to be Americanized (and then Canadianized), destroying much of the originals' charm in the process. They even re-narrated Planet Earth for god's sake! (For those who haven't seen BBC's Planet Earth series, get it - it's the best documentary cinematography I've ever seen)

[ReginaGuy]

Originally Posted by marmorek

Are you serious??

The BBC show is absolutely brilliant! It's unfortunate that many people in the US (and here) just can't appreciate good British humour.Everything has to be Americanized (and then Canadianized), destroying much of the originals' charm in the process. They even re-narrated Planet Earth for god's sake! (For those who haven't seen BBC's Planet Earth series, get it - it's the best documentary cinematography I've ever seen)

I think the American version is much better than the British version.. Everyone has different tastes.

Some people like British humour, some people like North American humour.. Neither is better, it all depends on who's watching.

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by marmorek

Are you serious??

The BBC show is absolutely brilliant! It's unfortunate that many people in the US (and here) just can't appreciate good British humour.Everything has to be Americanized (and then Canadianized), destroying much of the originals' charm in the process. They even re-narrated Planet Earth for god's sake! (For those who haven't seen BBC's Planet Earth series, get it - it's the best documentary cinematography I've ever seen)

The Americans re narrated Planet Earth? wow, that's so sad. I think that's the best nature documentary ever, David Attenborough does a fantastic job narrating.

As for British humour, little Britain makes me cry every time I watch it, that show is hilarious. CBC on the other hand makes me cry because my tax dollars fund that crap.

[vid]

They only re-narrated the on-line and DVD versions. The version that aired on the Discovery channel there was the David Attenborough version.

[artvandelay]

I tried watching Little Mosque, as the original promos showed some promise, but it turned out like most of the other shows on CBC - unfunny and unwatchable. When CBC has a good show (Kenny vs. Spenny) they cancel it, but then they keep crap like little Mosque running for years; their management must be absolutely brutal.

Lets hope the Fox version turns out better.

[Berklon]

Count me as another one who thinks the original "The Office" (BBC version) is miles better than the Americanized version.