Virginia Madsen has landed the lead in Scoundrels, an ABC dramedy about a family of small-town criminals who attempt to go straight after the patriarch is sent to prison. Madsen would play the mom. The show — which has been picked up for eight episodes (all of them slated to air this summer) — is based on the New Zealand series Outrageous Fortune.
Feb 2
2010
10:30 PM ET
Scoop: Virginia Madsen joins 'Scoundrels'
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Oh great – ANOTHER US remake of a non-US show.
The original never grabbed me, so I’m sure that THIS will be even tackier..
How long ago did you see the original NZ series, because it’s awesome, and so much better now than it was in series one!!
I don’t know which series I sampled. (It seems to be on all the time here in Oz, and two channels, too!) It was amusing enough, but it just didn’t make me want to make time to sit down want watch each week.
I’m sure that the American version will be a toned down, sanitised vanilla version that will make people wonder why they bothered. Or so completely over the top that people will wonder why they bothered. If it was on a cable channel there might be hope that it’d be OK, but this is *network* TV…
The only recent shows that were successfully remade from a non-US show were Ugly Betty and The Office. (And I LOVE the US version of The Office waaay more than the original!)
Best of luck to ‘em anyways (seeing as they’re not NBC).
That might explain why you didn’t really like it. It seems to strike a chord more with NZers than anyone else because it’s a stereotype. It will be interesting to see if it work – I have a feeling it won’t unless they change it completely – I can’t imagine an American family being ‘Westies’
The remake I thought was really bad was when the US did a version of Kath ‘n’ Kim. It was a terrible remake and I don’t think Americans using Australian humour worked well at all. I have a feeling that it’s going to be the same with this remake of Outrageous but I hope I can be proven wrong – PROVE ME WRONG HOLLYWOOD!
She has a nice body to look at
I love Virginia Madsen. I’m happy to watch anything she’s in.
I like her, too. But there’s no way I’ll watch anything new on ABC anymore. I have invested all the time I’m going to and have given them more chances than they deserve. And yes, I know it’s all about the numbers, but this network does everything it can to purposely sabotage its own great shows, and then uses the “numbers” excuse to cancel it and replace it with something cheaper. No producer, desirable actor, fan, etc. should invest any valuable money or time on such a proven unsupportive network.
Amen. When I like actually give an ABC show a chance, they cancel it (Samantha Who?, Eastwick, Life on Mars…). I’ll only stick with ABC for General Hospital and LOST.
I’m with you Ed…the original NZ series is beyond awesome!! But I really don’t know how American Television can do the original justice. We’re way too censored here in the states. There’s just no way we can compare to the storylines and the great wit of the writers of the Original. And the cast is off the hook… it’s hard to pick a favorite character, but I’d have to go with Van and Munter. I have all 5 seasons and waiting for season 6 to come out in DVD… I’m a huge fan.
America is good at coming up with their own series and doing well with them. When they adapt another country’s show for their own audience, it fails – UNLESS the country is very similar or the show is adapted so far from the original plot lines and humour that it gets better over time. For example, The Office. Loved the UK version, the first US season was average (Americans trying to do British jokes with the exact same script) but it has got far better over time
I love Outrageos Fortune too and since I am American and living in the States i have to resort to watching tis fantastic show online. The original is betetr than most of the TV dramas in the United States. I always thought that other countries make better TV shows than America.
I also watched the UK remake of Outrageous Fortune called “Honest” and that one was great as well. Too bad it lasted only one season
Outrageous Fortune is awesome. The best show to hit Nz – i’m sorry america – i think you’ll stuff it up
I love Outrageous Fortune, but it only works because it has a great cast. Virgina Madsen against Robyn Malcom seems okay, but what about the other parts Van, Jethro, Loretta, Pascal, Wolf, and Wayne Judd?
…and what about Ted??? I cant imagine anyone doing it better than Frank Whitten…he’s probably my favourite actually
And, yeah, the Yanks will screw it
Lol Ted West is a scream! Im in NZ and out west I was at Westfield mall and I saw Ted West. He looked exactly like he does on tv…and I also saw Munter with his little girl at Lynnmall. He was telling her off and he sounded just like he does on tv…duh! Lol
I see a cancellation in this shows future
Jeez why bother! The NZ show is great – it’s rare when a remake eclipses the original it copies, or even comes close like “The Office.”
Outrageous Fortune is the best show ever to hit the screens in NZ….the british did do another type of show quite close to OF called ‘Shameless’, its stared James Mcavoy, it was brilliant. The british are a class of their own when it comes to making dramas and comedy. The Americans try hard but ‘No cigar’……..you guys try way to hard and always have the censors chewing your arses.
I agree with all the New Zealanders. Screw “The merit!” Leave Outrageous Fortune in New Zealand. That’s where its real home is. The u.s. will screw it up, just like they do everything else (Ex “Street Fighter: Legend of Chun Li.” My niece and I saw 15 errors in it.) They’re all b-rated million dollar bratty actors who only look for the pay check, not for what the shows worth. Outrageous Fortune is the first real show I’ve watched with a real story plot. I stopped watching “american tv” since 2000 because of all the junk on it (I only watch CSI shows, 3 hours a week.) Yes, that’s coming from a person who lives in the u.s. (Ugh. I’m human, not a nationality.) I swear, if the u.s. does make the show “Based on” it’s own tag along version of Outrageous Fortune (They never use they’re own ideas,) its proven to be the dumbest area on the planet when it comes to TV, not that it already hasn’t.
either way it doesn’t matter if it’s any good or not – the UK version “honest” was rubbish but in the end what matters is the makers of “Outrageous Fortune ” are ebing paid by the overseas networks for their work which means “outrageous Fortune” has a bigger chance of continuing – I am from oz and a huge fan so lets hope the US version suceeds so the orginal OF can continue to entertain us for a few more hilarious seasons to come ☺
haha i agree the yanks will screw it up,its there fault the worlds screwed up as it is..leave outrageous fortune to the experts………..US KIWI’S haha cant wait for series 6 to start airing on tv here in the next few months, sucks still being filmed but those guys/gals are brilliant and do need a break from performing so awesomely for us all to enjoy
The problem I have is that it is a great show and Virginia Madsen is a TERRIBLE actress. The producers must just want to stare at her boobs or something.
This show will be AWESOME!! I’ve seen script tests, and am really excited for it. It is hilarious. I hope people watch it, so ABC gives it the chance it deserves!