I think it boils down to the fact that people like stories. Stories are about characters in conflict, and if you can't develop the characters, you don't have much of a story.

That said, I assume sex still sells - I mean, they're not closing down the adult video industry. Outside of the realm of adult movies, however, people aren't going to tune in just for the skin: they're going to want stories. I tried to watch a few minutes of Skin, and I thought the whole thing was ludicrous - I couldn't stomach watching the whole thing.

I don't know what NBC was thinking with Coupling. There was nothing sexy about that show. Nor was there anything even remotely funny about it either. The British version was exactly the same. It's just bad TV, period. The common thing that makes a show last is that people get involved with it. Coupling didn't have a single thing to get involved with. It was just bad sex jokes over and over. As low-brow as popular American TV can be, this was far lower than the standard.

Not only that, but I heard one of the main actresses interviewed on Howard Stern and she said something like how much better she thought they would do after they stopped remaking some of the British scripts. I can't believe they were remaking scripts instead of creating new material. Anyway, it was a horrendous show.

i lvoed the british version of Coupling. But then i am english, and live in england. Surely it's not too wild a theory to think the americans have a differing sense of humour to the british? (generally speaking, natch)

I'm generally a big fan of "British humor" but found absolutely nothing but a bad sitcom in even the British version of Coupling. I liken it to Will & Grace, which gets hailed as "great comedy" in the US by some, but I still think, beyond its first season, it's simply become crap TV, too.

I dread what will happen to my one of my favorites, The Office, in the hands of NBC. Surely this will not work in the US.

Most of TV is mindless horseshit, but there is mindless horseshit and MINDLESS HORSESHIT, and even mindless horseshit has to have SOMETHING to distinguish it or no one will bother. Sex in and of itself isn't enough just like NOTHING in and of itself is enough.

There's also a much bigger topic in this. Cable channels, DVD's and other non-tv competition like the computer are slowly but surely making it harder and harder for the networks to maintain their previous popularity levels.

If you look at what we used to watch on TGIF growing up as kids, it is appalling. Perfect Strangers, Full House, URKEL for gahd's sake. None of those things would come close to holding up today when there are options like MTV, E!, Comedy Central, VH1, HBO (tv shows), not to mention directed options like the History Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery and others.

i have a feeling The Office WILL NOT WORK in the US. Even the british version would in all likelihood not be anywhere near as popular as it is/was here in the uk - not just due to the differing sense of humour between the us and the uk, but also because the point of it is that it parodies the many dreary office workplaces all-to-abundant here in the uk. There may be dreary office workplaces in the us too, but i bet they are different to those in the uk (it doesn't take a genius to say this either)

From my experience, the US has more than its share of "dreary workplaces." What I see in The Office is exactly what I've experienced in ALL of the companies I've worked for. I hardly think the UK has workplace-doldrum cornered. Hell, I think The Office crew has more fun that we do! If that's how it really is in the UK, sign me up.

Q: Does sex sell?
A: Only if it's for sale

Lol, nice one #10.

And I luv FRIENDs..

Sara