US to remake Silk, Wire in the Blood.
Two more UK dramas are ready to be Americanised.
- Published by David Knox
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Two more UK hits are rife for an American remake: Silk and Wire in the Blood.
ABC network is teaming with Silk creator Peter Moffat and Marty Scott (Drop Dead Diva) to adapt the legal drama.
The UK series stars Maxine Peake as an unorthodox barrister and her ambition to become Queen’s Counsel.
Hollywood Reporter notes Silk has received a script commitment from the network Scott will pen the script and executive produce alongside Moffat, with the production from ABC Studios and BBC Worldwide Productions.
HBO is already adapting Moffat’s 2008 drama Criminal Justice.
ABC is also developing an adaptation of Wire In The Blood, the searing psychological crime that starred Robson Green, based on the novels of Val McDermid.
Deadline reports it will be adapted by author/TV writer A.M. Homes (The L Word, novel May We Be Forgiven) and produced by ABC Studios, Endemol Studios and Mandeville Films.
Attending a session at Sydney Writer’s Festival earlier this year, A.M. Homes told me she had also been working on a US adaptation of The Fall.
It’s not the first time the series has been considered. In 2009 CBS and DreamWorks Television were to adapt the series under CSI: Miami writer Ildy Modrovich. The original series was produced by Robson Greene’s own production Coastal Productions, now part of Endemol. In 2008 he told me the secret to the show’s success was in lead character Tony Hill.
“He leads the police down the right path. But in the end he doesn’t solve it. The killers get away or escape or other do things. Tony Hill never solves the crime. And that’s the truth,” he said.
Both Silk and Wire in the Blood have aired in Australia on ABC.
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- Tagged with Criminal Justice, CSI: Miami, Drop Dead Diva, Silk, The L Word, Wire in the Blood
6 Responses
Can’t see either of those working in the US.
Silk is entirely about the customs of UK barristers and their chambers. It was rather uneven. The first series with a lot of focus on the pupils didn’t really work, the second was better with the corruption theme, the third was patchy and full of Moffat’s rants.
Wire In The Blood they made a TVM set in the US and it was dreadful and killed of the series.
Sometimes the magic works and sometimes it doesn’t-the number of eps needed by a US network show usually means a drop in the quality of the writing and /or a different emphasis in plot or character-I would think detective drama would be a better fit than a legal one given the different judicial systems and the fact that there are plenty of US series already on the subject.
davis …… they remade Rake and look how that turned out……..LOL.
How can they remake /Silk/? American doesn’t have Silks!
Americans have a Long History in Remaking hit British TV ever since Norman Lear bought the US Rights to Johnny Speight’s UK Sitcom Til Death Do Us Part and made it as All In The Family which ran for Nine Seasons and winning a Swag of Emmys along the Way.
Was big fan of the original Wire in the Blood.
Seriously creepy, especially the title song by The Insects.
Robson was perfect as the mild mannered Tony Hill – best performance of his career.
Am a bit doubtful if it will travel well regarding a US remake though.