If you have not seen the British version of House of Cards you should.

[redstatebluegirl]

It is fabulous and shows how we got where we are.

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. it's the best - so good that we really never warmed up to the US version

[redstatebluegirl]

2. We didn't either.

[pansypoo53219]

15. i did not even try it.

[kimbutgar]

28. My sister saw the British version and refused to watch the US version.

[DavidDvorkin]

3. More accurately called the original version

Rather than the British version. And it's wonderful.

[Raster]

26. Indeed it is.

[Ilsa]

4. I saw it before the latest version.

Glad I watched in that order. It was fabulous, great acting.

[California_Republic]

5. Loved it!

FU was soooo classy!

3 rd season drags a bit.

[yallerdawg]

6. "You might very well think that...

I could not possibly comment."

[Adrahil]

12. +1... was gonna post that! NT

[Me.]

14. Then You Should 'Put A Bit Of Stick Around'

[a kennedy]

7. Always laugh at some of the American versions of the original British version TV show.....

most of the time, the British versions ARE ALWAYS better. JMHO.

[Bucky]

10. Yeh, but the British version of Married with Children was weak sauce

It's really about knock-offs being inferior products

[Adrahil]

13. OTOH, the American version of The Office was brilliant! NT

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

29. Meh, I loved the original Ricky Gervais version much better.

Horses for courses...

[Adrahil]

33. I love them both!

Have you seen David Brent, Life on the Road? If not, I highly recommend it.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

38. Yes, that was good.

I just couldn't get into his show where he played Derrick (was it called Derrick?), but I love just about everything he's done. His original podcasts, with Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington, have kept me laughing for years! Have to take a little break to make them fresh again, but always go back to them.

[Adrahil]

39. Yeah, I'm a fan Gervaise.

I liked Derrick, but did not love it. But LOVED Extras.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

42. Yes! I though Extras was exceptional.

Good story lines, hilarious, and w loads of great guest stars.

[Vinca]

8. Agreed. We loved it.

We're pretty much hooked on British TV dramas and mysteries.

[northoftheborder]

9. yes --- saw original when it ran... my favorite by far!!!!!!!

[Bucky]

11. The American version is so radically different though

Changing the "hero" from a Tory to a moderate Democrat completely rewired the message of the show. Frankly, a movie about how murderously evil Republicans are wouldn't have been very interesting to me. Taking the partisan edge off the show, I think, made the American version more thematically compelling. And a stronger indictment of political corruption.

As delicious as Francis Urquhart's mustache twirling was, the core message there was a simple "They are evil." The message of Frank Underwood's corruption is "We kind of want evil." That might be a more important theme

[PCIntern]

16. It is terrific and wastes no episodes or time...

some of the plot devices in the American version are insipid and unnecessary and quite frankly, dull.

[CBHagman]

17. With a brilliant performance by Ian Richardson.

What a harrowing series, but so quotable!

[msongs]

19. yesa no matter how nasty his character was the character was somehow still loveable nt

[First Speaker]

18. Urquhart makes Richard III seem warm and cuddly...

[FarCenter]

41. Both are accurate portrayals of high level politics as it actually is done

Which is why high school students should still study Shakespeare -- to be introduced to the world as it actually is.

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Cards_(UK_TV_series)

House of Cards was said to draw from Shakespeare's plays Macbeth and Richard III,[4] both of which feature main characters who are corrupted by power and ambition. Richardson has a Shakespearean background and said he based his characterisation of Urquhart on Shakespeare's portrayal of Richard III.[4]

[Gabi Hayes]

20. Far superior to the US version, as is Shameless and The Office

No mugging from

[eleny]

22. He was so chilling!

[Gabi Hayes]

23. Ever seen this?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081919/

Me either

Looking for it now

Wonder if world cat has it

[eleny]

24. No! I checked...

My library system, our library's Prospector system and WorldCat. Nobody has a copy. Amazon only has copies for Region 2. So that's probably why nobody carries it here. Could be that no U.S. compatible dvd is available.

[Gabi Hayes]

25. I HATE it when that happens!

[eleny]

31. LOL!

[Adrahil]

40. I'd argue about the Office.

But agree about House of Vards and Shameless. IMHO, the 'Mercian version of the Office developed into its own magnificent thing. Michael Scott managed to evoke a lot of the same pathos as David Brent, but in an entirely different way than David Brent. I thought no they are both brilliant.

[eleny]

21. I found the dvd at the library some time ago

It was while we were waiting in the queue to borrow the first season of the U.S. version dvd. A hard act to follow!

[Gabi Hayes]

27. Saw it on PBS......

Would think they’d take advantage of the American show and play it again

I couldn’t get through one episode of the new version

[eleny]

30. We gave up on the U.S. version after a few seasons

I'm surprised we lasted so long. They jumped the shark pretty early.

I'm getting very picky. This morning we watched an old movie I recorded a few weeks back, Shanghai Express, starring Marlene Dietrich and Anna May Wong. Omg, more atmosphere in the first 15 minutes than I've seen in a long time. And if there's no TCM on the tv there's the library that has tons of classics to borrow.

[Gabi Hayes]

32. Believe it.....

Or not:

John Wayne was a hard-nosed Marine sergeant, a naval lieutenant and a commander of an airborne battalion during the invasion of Normandy. But those were his movies.

Wayne never served a day in the US military and has long been accused of being a ‘draft dodger’ because he staunchly avoided putting on a uniform and going to war when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941.

The truth is that he did avoid military service but not because he was a coward. It was so that he could continue his torrid affair with the older German film star Marlene Dietrich, then aged 40.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2819281/John-Wayne-DID-dodge-draft-continue-torrid-affair-sexy-German-actress-Marlene-Dietrich-best-lay-ve-new-book-reveals.html#ixzz59V32YocG

[eleny]

34. The stories about his military deal are all over the place

He had that distinct gate because of an injury when he was a young man and that kept him out of the service. So who knows the true facts. But a torrid affair with Ms. D is steamy news!

[Gabi Hayes]

35. My favorite picture of him

https://mobile.twitter.com/WeirdHistoryPix/status/451523480555896832/photo/1

[eleny]

36. 1947 and looking right at home in 2018

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

37. I watched the first season and really liked it.

I started the second season and it lost me partway through the first episode.

I have zero interest in watching the American version.

All too often the Americans totally screw up a perfectly good show.

Life on Mars is a good example. I watched the first episode or two of the American version and wasn't impressed. I'm currently watching season 2 of the British version and wow, is it good.