TUESDAY NEWS DAY - A BRITISH "GOOD WIFE"?

It's believed that ITV is currently developing a British version of 'The Good Wife'.  Hopefully, they'll at least change the names of the characters.  (I hate when they're that lazy with a remake!)  But it would also be nice if they strike out on their own with the plot developments.

There's nothing wrong with the basic premise being used  again - a woman finds out her husband, who was powerful in local government, is brought low by a sex and corrupton scandal which will be sending him off to jail.  

Needing to bring in the income herself now for her family, the woman re-enters the workforce as a lawyer - for the first time since she got married.  

It's not unreasonable to believe that happens often in Toobworld.

But when it comes down to the details, I'd rather not see British counterparts to Eli Gold or Clarke Hayden or Louis Canning.  At least not slavish copycats.  I would especially hate to see this woman begin an affair with a co-worker, only to fight him in a power struggle over the law firm and then see him get gunned down.

If all that happened, I think there would be no choice but to ship this drama off to another TV dimension.

'All In The Family' may have been a remake of 'Til Death Do Us Part', but they established their own voice from the get-go despite have the same basic family dynamic.  The American version of 'The Office' may have followed the Ricky Gervais original for about a dozen episodes but then struck off into fertile new territory so that they were quite different beasties.  (Which is a good thing since David Brent eventually met his American doppelganger, Michael Scott.)

But the American version of 'Shameless' took the lazy route and used the same names for the family members as the original series did.  And the American 'Being Human' couldn't think of any other combination for the roommates than vampire, werewolf, and ghost.  Is that really so commonplace?

Not that it matters, I guess.  I shipped all the vampire shows off to their own TV dimension.  They are just too prevalent and in the spotlight (even if it burns.....)

So here's hoping the British version of 'The Good Wife' doesn't try to pass itself off as the same show.  She should stand on her own feet and make her mark on Toobworld.  That way they can co-exist.

BCnU!