Coupling (American TV series)

Last updated
Coupling
Also known asCoupling U.S.
Genre Sitcom
Based on Coupling by Steven Moffat
Developed by Phoef Sutton
Written by
Directed by Andrew D. Weyman
Starring
Opening theme"Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps"
Composer Ralph Schuckett
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10 (6 unaired)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Michael E. Stokes
  • Liz Astrof
  • Paul Corrigan
  • Brad Walsh
  • Robert Peacock
Editors
  • Joe Bella
  • Danny White
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network NBC
ReleaseSeptember 25 (2003-09-25) –
October 23, 2003 (2003-10-23)
Related

Coupling is an American sitcom television series, a remake of the British show of the same title, which aired on NBC from September 25 to October 23, 2003.

Contents

Production

By 2003, three series, or seasons, of Coupling had been broadcast on BBC Two, all written by the show's creator, Steven Moffat. The show was loosely based on the beginnings of Moffat's real-life relationship with Sue Vertue. [1]

NBC commissioned a remake of the show for the American market, reportedly as a replacement for Friends , which was nearing the end of its run. [2] Moffat and original producers from Hartswood Films, Sue and Beryl Vertue, served as executive producers on the NBC adaptation, alongside Phoef Sutton and Ben Silverman. [3]

Unlike most adaptations, the NBC adaptation would reuse Moffat's original scripts, although these were adapted by Sutton and were shortened to comply with the reduced running time (NBC has multiple advertisement breaks compared to the original broadcaster, BBC Two, which has none). [4] Other writers, such as Danny Zuker and Paul Corrigan worked on episodes later in the series.

The original unaired pilot starred Breckin Meyer as Jeff, Melissa George as Susan and Emily Rutherfurd as Sally. NBC then fired the writers and replaced Meyer, George and Rutherfurd with Christopher Moynihan, Rena Sofer and Sonya Walger, respectively. [5] [6] George later commented that she "dodged a bullet" by being replaced before the show aired. [7]

Thirteen episodes were commissioned. However, due to poor critical reception, NBC announced the show's cancellation on October 31, after only four episodes had been broadcast. The final three planned episodes were not filmed, with the remaining six episodes unbroadcast. [3]

Reception

The show received a dismal reaction from viewers and failed to perform in the ratings, being canceled before the November sweeps, with six episodes remaining unaired despite heavy publicity by the network. [3] It was immediately panned as a poor imitation of the original UK series by viewers and critics. BBC America even ran commercials noting that they would play the original British versions on their station just after the American equivalent episodes on NBC aired, so that viewers could see instantly just how superior the original was. Miscasting and stilted delivery of a nearly identical script were believed to be the reasons for the failure, though creator Moffat blamed the show's failure on NBC's intervention during the creative and production processes. In 2007, he said: "The network f--ked it up because they intervened endlessly." [8]

The American adaptation came at a time when NBC was having success with remakes of BBC shows, such as The Weakest Link and Dog Eat Dog . NBC would find success in 2005 with a remake of another BBC series, The Office, which aired for nine seasons.

Because of what was deemed to be indecent content, two affiliates of NBC refused to air the program; KSL-TV (Channel 5) in Salt Lake City, and WNDU-TV (Channel 16) in South Bend, Indiana. Both stations were owned by religious organizations, as KSL is owned by the Bonneville International division of the LDS Church, while WNDU was at the time owned by a subsidiary of the University of Notre Dame. In those markets, WB affiliate KUWB (channel 30) and a UPN digital subchannel of CBS affiliate WSBT-TV (channel 22.2, now affiliated with Fox), respectively, aired the series after their network's primetime lineups, while nearby affiliates KENV (in Elko, Nevada, now an affiliate of Comet) and WISE-TV (in Fort Wayne, Indiana, now a CW affiliate) aired the series in accordance with the rest of the network.

Jeff Zucker, former President and CEO of NBCUniversal, later said of Coupling that it "just sucked". [9]

Cast

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions)
1"The Right One" Andrew D. Weyman Steven Moffat (original UK episode: "Flushed")September 25, 2003 (2003-09-25)15.30 [10]
2"Size Matters"Andrew D. WeymanSteven Moffat (original UK episode: "Size Matters")October 2, 2003 (2003-10-02)12.93 [11]
3"Sex, Death & Nudity"Andrew D. WeymanSteven Moffat (original UK episode: "Sex, Death & Nudity")October 9, 2003 (2003-10-09)10.74 [12]
4"Check/Mate"Andrew D. Weyman Danny Zuker October 23, 2003 (2003-10-23)9.56 [13]
5"Present Tense"Andrew D. WeymanPaul Corrigan & Brad WalshUnaired (Unaired)N/A
6"A Foreign Affair"Andrew D. WeymanTeleplay by : Phoef Sutton & Steven Moffat
Steven Moffat (original UK episode: "The Girl with Two Breasts")		Unaired (Unaired)N/A
7"Object Lessons"Andrew D. WeymanLiz AstrofUnaired (Unaired)N/A
8"Holiday"Andrew D. WeymanPaul Corrigan & Brad WalshUnaired (Unaired)N/A
9"Dressed"Andrew D. WeymanTeleplay by : Phoef Sutton & Steven Moffat
Steven Moffat (original UK episode: "Dressed")		Unaired (Unaired)N/A
10"Nipple Effect"Andrew D. Weyman J.J. Philbin Unaired (Unaired)N/A

Related Research Articles

<i>Coupling</i> (British TV series) British TV series (2000-2004)

Coupling is a British television sitcom written by Steven Moffat that aired on BBC Two from 12 May 2000 to 14 June 2004. Produced by Hartswood Films for the BBC, the show centres on the dating, sexual adventures, and mishaps of six friends in their early 30s, often depicting the three women and the three men each talking among themselves about the same events, but in entirely different terms.

<i>Suddenly Susan</i> American television sitcom (1996–2000)

Suddenly Susan is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from September 19, 1996, to December 26, 2000. The series was created by Clyde Phillips and starred Brooke Shields in her first regular series. Shields played Susan Keane, a glamorous San Francisco magazine writer who begins to adjust to being single, and who learns to be independent-minded after having been taken care of all her life. The series was developed by Gary Dontzig and Steven Peterman, who also served as executive producers during the first three seasons, and was produced by Warner Bros. Television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Moffat</span> Scottish television writer and producer

Steven William Moffat is a Scottish television writer, television producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work as the second showrunner and head writer of the 2005 revival of the BBC sci-fi television series Doctor Who (2010–2017) and co-creating and co-writing the contemporary crime drama television series Sherlock, based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories (2010–2017). In the 2015 Birthday Honours, Moffat was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to drama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melissa George</span> Australian actress (born 1976)

Melissa Suzanne George is an Australian actress. A former national rollerskating champion and model, George began her acting career playing Angel Parrish on the Australian soap opera Home and Away (1993–1996). After moving to the United States, George made her feature film debut with a supporting role in Dark City (1998). This was followed by parts in The Limey (1999), Mulholland Drive (2001), Sugar & Spice (2001), and Down with Love (2003).

<i>Good Morning, Miami</i> American TV series or program

Good Morning, Miami is an American sitcom created by David Kohan and Max Mutchnick. The series ran on NBC from September 26, 2002, to December 18, 2003, and centered around the personal and professional life of Jake, the executive producer of an incredibly low-rated morning show in Miami, Florida. The series was one of the first on NBC to be fully originated in high definition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rena Sofer</span> American actress (born 1968)

Rena Sherel Sofer is an American actress, known for her appearances in daytime television, episodic guest appearances, and made-for-television movies. In 1995, Sofer received a Daytime Emmy Award for her portrayal of Lois Cerullo in the soap opera General Hospital. She reprised the role of Lois in October 2023. From 2013 to 2022, she played Quinn Fuller on the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KSL-TV</span> NBC affiliate in Salt Lake City

KSL-TV is a television station in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is the flagship television property of locally based Bonneville International, the for-profit broadcasting arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and is sister to KSL radio. The three stations share studios at the Broadcast House building in Salt Lake City's Triad Center; KSL-TV's transmitter is located on Farnsworth Peak in the Oquirrh Mountains, southwest of Salt Lake City. The station has a large network of broadcast translators that extend its over-the-air coverage throughout Utah, as well as portions of Arizona, Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming.

<i>Joking Apart</i> BBC TV series, 1993–1995

Joking Apart is a BBC television sitcom written by Steven Moffat about the rise and fall of a relationship. It juxtaposes a couple, Mark and Becky, who fall in love and marry, before getting separated and finally divorced. The twelve episodes, broadcast between 1993 and 1995, were directed by Bob Spiers and produced by Andre Ptaszynski for independent production company Pola Jones.

<i>Veronicas Closet</i> American television sitcom

Veronica's Closet is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman. It aired on NBC for three seasons, from September 25, 1997 to December 7, 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNDU-TV</span> NBC affiliate in South Bend, Indiana

WNDU-TV is a television station in South Bend, Indiana, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Gray Television alongside Elkhart-licensed Heroes & Icons affiliate WSJV. The two stations share studios on the campus of WNDU-TV's founding owner the University of Notre Dame along State Road 933 on South Bend's north side; WNDU-TV's transmitter is located southeast of the St. Joseph County Fairgrounds on the city's south side.

The Book of Daniel is an American drama television series that was broadcast on NBC. The network promoted it as a serious drama about Christians and the Christian faith, but it was controversial with some Christians. The show had been proposed for NBC's 2005 fall line-up, but was rescheduled as a 2006 mid-season replacement. The program premiered on January 6, 2006, in the US and was scheduled to air in thirteen episodes on Friday nights. The series ended on January 20, 2006. NBC called the show "edgy", "challenging", and "courageous" in its promotional material. On January 24, 2006, a spokeswoman for NBC announced the show had been dropped.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonya Walger</span> British-American actress (born 1974)

Sonya Walger is a British actress who also holds American citizenship. She had starring roles in the short-lived sitcoms The Mind of the Married Man (2001–2002) and Coupling (2003) before landing her role as Penny Widmore in the ABC drama series Lost (2006–2010). Walger later starred on Tell Me You Love Me (2007), FlashForward (2009–2010), Common Law (2012), The Catch (2016–2017) and For All Mankind (2019–2022).

Beryl Frances Vertue was an English television producer, media executive, and agent. She was founder and chairman of the independent television production company Hartswood Films.

<i>Family Guy</i> (season 2) Season of television series

The second season of Family Guy first aired on the Fox network in 21 episodes from September 23, 1999, to August 1, 2000. The series follows the dysfunctional Griffin family—father Peter, mother Lois, daughter Meg, son Chris, baby Stewie and their anthropomorphic dog Brian, all of whom reside in their hometown of Quahog, a fictional town in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The show features the voices of series creator Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Lacey Chabert and later Mila Kunis in the roles of the Griffin family. The executive producers for the second production season were David Zuckerman and MacFarlane; the aired season also contained eight episodes which were holdovers from season one. During this season, Family Guy relocated from Sunday, with only episode airing on a Sunday. The season aired its first two episodes on Thursdays, then aired on mainly on Tuesdays between March and August 2000.

<i>Family Guy</i> (season 3) Season of television series

The third season of Family Guy first aired on the Fox network in 22 episodes from July 11, 2001, to November 9, 2003, before being released as a DVD box set and in syndication. It premiered with the episode "The Thin White Line" and finished with "Family Guy Viewer Mail #1". An episode that was not part of the season's original broadcast run, "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein", was included in the DVD release and later shown on both Adult Swim and Fox. The third season of Family Guy continues the adventures of the dysfunctional Griffin family—father Peter, mother Lois, daughter Meg, son Chris, baby Stewie and Brian, the family dog, who reside in their hometown of Quahog.

<i>Sherlock</i> (TV series) British television crime drama series (2010–2017)

Sherlock is a British mystery crime drama television series based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes detective stories. Created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, it stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Doctor John Watson. Thirteen episodes have been produced, with four three-part series airing from 2010 to 2017 and a special episode that aired on 1 January 2016. The series is set in the present day in which it aired, while the one-off special features a Victorian period fantasy resembling the original Holmes stories. Sherlock is produced by the British network BBC, along with Hartswood Films, with Moffat, Gatiss, Sue Vertue and Rebecca Eaton serving as executive producers. The series is supported by the American station WGBH-TV Boston for its Masterpiece anthology series on PBS, where it also airs in the United States. The series is primarily filmed in Cardiff, Wales, with North Gower Street in London used for exterior shots of Holmes and Watson's 221B Baker Street residence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sue Vertue</span> British television producer

Susan Nicola Vertue is an English television producer, mainly of comedy shows, including Mr. Bean and Coupling. She is the daughter of producer Beryl Vertue.

<i>Friends</i> (season 9) Season of television series

The ninth season of the American sitcom Friends aired on NBC from September 26, 2002 to May 15, 2003.

<i>The West Wing</i> (season 3) Season of television series

The third season of the American political drama television series The West Wing aired in the United States on NBC from October 3, 2001 to May 22, 2002 and consisted of 21 episodes and 2 special episodes.

<i>The West Wing</i> (season 4) Season of television series

The fourth season of the American political drama television series The West Wing aired in the United States on NBC from September 25, 2002 to May 14, 2003 and consisted of 23 episodes.

References

  1. ↑ Sternbergh, Adam (2003-09-07). "Selling Your Sex Life". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
  2. ↑ BIANCULLI, David (17 January 2003). "WITH THIS SIX, YOU GET SEX Brit gang back for fun & frolic". Daily News. New York. p. 126.
  3. 1 2 3 Griffin 2008 , p. 51
  4. ↑ Griffin 2008 , p. 53
  5. ↑ "Coupling: Season 1, Episode 0 Original Pilot (2003)". IMDb .
  6. ↑ "Coupling (2003– ) Full Cast & Crew". IMDb .
  7. ↑ "The Light from the TV Shows: A Chat with Melissa George (Cinemax's "Hunted")". Bullz-Eye. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  8. ↑ Sodano, Todd Michael (2008). All the Pieces Matter: A Critical Analysis of HBO's "The Wire". ISBN   978-0549998891.
  9. ↑ Crupi, Anthony (June 14, 2011). "Mormon Station Refuses NBC's 'The Playboy Club': Second time church-owned affiliate dumps a series". Adweek . Archived from the original on August 25, 2011. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
  10. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 22–28)". The Los Angeles Times . October 1, 2003. Retrieved June 8, 2023– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  11. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 29–Oct. 5)". The Los Angeles Times . October 8, 2003. Retrieved June 8, 2023– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  12. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 6-12)". The Los Angeles Times . October 15, 2003. Retrieved June 8, 2023– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  13. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 20-26)". The Los Angeles Times . October 29, 2003. Retrieved June 8, 2023– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.