Television In translation Drama Focus
Television drama is often allows people to escape though be able to relate as it is an exaggerated reality. The famous Sherlock Holmes is an example of a well known fictional character who’s ability to solve crime is beyond the real world. Sherlock has had great success both as a novel a film character and also television. The recent popularity for Sherlock Holmes is through television series having both an American and English adaptation of his character and endeavours. The American version named Elementary still embeds traditional values into the original storyline and maintains the charming English nationality of the main character though transitions the placement of the film to an American setting with the other characters being American especially his main partner Lucy Loo. Both television series remain popular as the integrity of the show remained when translated and the adaptions only enhanced the audiences response as the setting made it easier for American viewers to relate. Skins that is originally a British television series also saw an attempt to try and replicate it’s success into an American Version of the show. However the attempt was unsuccessful as Skins was originally known for it’s rawness and representation of a messy teenage lifestyle. Though show originally received it’s popularity from engaging the audience through the absurd language and behaviour of the teenagers and allowed the characters to depict the pain and harsh reality of teenage years. When the American version was created the show’s adaption saw changes to original character and modifying them into American Roles, a main example of this was changing one of the dances into a stereotypical American cheerleader. The characters views and beliefs were also adapted when changing one of the relationships with the characters, the UK version saw that the Islamic male did not agree with his friends homo-sexuality due to his religious values, though the US version adapted this to them seeing it as fine as long as they could watch them getting with other females. The adaption replaced one value with another hoping it would fit into American boys cultural characteristics and avoid speculation in the public as being anti-gay. The controversy was still created amongst the American public though as viewers saw the show as sexually inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour for teenagers due to nudity, drugs and alcohol. The American version had reduced nudity and sexual referenced compared to the UK version though was still seen as unacceptable due to the cultural barriers which haltered the viewers to be able to relate. For UK viewers watching the American version they saw it as a bland remake of what had already been created though without the original rawness. Translating television is difficult due to barriers of culture if an audience can’t relate to the text they may mis-understand the message and the show may create a negative response as shown with skins.
Asher-Perrin, E (2014) ‘Battling Super Sleuths: The Awkward Case of Elementary, Sherlock, and Building the Better Adaptation’ Tor.com, available online at
Penny, L (2014) ‘Sherlock and the Adventure of the Overzealous Fanbase’ New Statesman, available online at
http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2014/01/sherlock-and-adventure-overzealous-fanbase
Bryan, S. (2012). Goodbye Skins – you will be sorely missed. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2012/mar/08/skins-tv-sorely-missed
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