Americans borrowing TV shows from other countries is nothing new. American television producers often take one look at the success of a foreign show and attempt to adapt it to a U.S. screen. People have criticized producers for trying to capitalize on the cash a popular show can bring while disregarding originality. Shows like "The Office," originally from the U.K., or "Ugly Betty," originally from Columbia, have seen a good amount of commercial success in the United States, but other remakes have not been accepted by an American audience. America seems to take quite a few of their television ideas from the UK. Here is a list of 5 British TV show remakes that fell flat.

1. "The IT Crowd"

This British sitcom, written by Graham Linehan, was taken to America in 2007. Like the original, the American remake is also set in the London offices of Reynholm Industries and the plot focuses mainly around three members of the I.T. Department: the dorky genius, Moss; the lazy Roy; and the clueless Jen. The American pilot of "The IT Crowd" is nearly identical shot-for-shot with its British counterpart. Though it had the similar comedic British charm and even borrowed Richard Ayoade to reprise his role as Moss, it lacked the spark of awareness that could have set it apart and given the show a unique edge. Instead, we were left disappointed by Joel McHale’s Roy and left to wonder how it all went wrong.

2. "Coupling"

The 2003 remake of the British romantic comedy show "Coupling" (originally written by Steven Moffat of BBC "Sherlock" fame!) is possibly the most disappointing. The American version, like the original, features six young singles and the awkwardness of their relationships. It features common messages like the awkwardness of romance and the strength of friendship. American producers must have liked the original idea in order to borrow it for themselves, but they made the drastic decision of removing comedic timing and scrubbing the dirty jokes. This only left viewers with a shell of the original show, which failed to deliver as promised.

3. "The Weakest Link"

I, for one, love to watch foreign game shows. The basic premise for most game shows are formulaic and can be easily understood and enjoyed. So I was surprised to learn that the British trivia game show, "The Weakest Link," had failed to survive its American remake. In the game, contestants must answer trivia correctly in order to build a chain that will give them more money. Answer incorrectly and break the chain and you are ‘the weakest link,’ in danger of being sent home. Though the host, Anne Robinson, has become well-known for her role as severe sass-master, many viewers criticized the harsh words she often uses to speak to the contestants. I guess, to Americans, this show really was the weakest link.

4. "Fawlty Towers"

Americans have tried four different times to remake "Fawlty Towers," a 1970's sitcom about the misadventures of an unhappily married couple as they attempt to run a hotel. Starring John Cleese of "Monty Python" fame as Basil Fawlty, it was a guaranteed success. So too thought American producers who tried multiple times to capture the same spark in their remakes. Though Basil can be a generally unlikable character, Cleese is still a master of comedic timing, especially with his physical comedy. In one of the American remakes, "Amanda’s," the main character is a bit more sympathetic to the audience, but the physical gags fall flat and the balance of plot and comedy just aren’t present. Many television greats have attempted to tackle a Fawlty remake, including Betty White, Steve Carell, and Tim Curry, but there is just no replacement for the original.

5. "Gracepoint"

I love David Tennant -- there, I’ve said it -- so I could never imagine disliking something he stars in. The American remake of the popular murder-mystery show "Broadchurch" might be an exception, though. The Scottish actor, Tennant, was prompted to use an American accent for the remake, which didn’t deliver as expected. Many fans took it to be disingenuous, and felt that the changing of costars for Tennant could have affected the onscreen relationship between the detectives. Like "The IT Crowd," "Gracepoint" has also been criticized as a shot-for-shot remake of the original. For whatever reason, the remake did not survive past its first season, unlike its source material which is anticipating its third season in early 2017.