Coincidentally came up in a post on US remakes of British TV shows but I thought was worth a separate post (but go and check that other thread out too):
In 2007, an American adaptation of The IT Crowd was said to be in the works, with Ayoade reprising his role as Moss alongside Joel McHale as Roy, Jessica St. Clair as Jen, and Rocky Carroll as Denholm. Produced for Universal Media Studios with Steve Tao as executive producer, the series also credited Linehan as an executive producer, although he later clarified his lack of direct involvement.
Since its debut in 2006, the show has become a cult classic, with its catchphrases and memorable moments permeating popular culture. However, when a British television show becomes successful, creators often attempt to recreate its magic overseas for American audiences. With the exception of a couple of American adaptations, these shows don’t usually translate well.
In 2007, an American adaptation of The IT Crowd was said to be in the works, with Ayoade reprising his role as Moss alongside Joel McHale as Roy, Jessica St. Clair as Jen, and Rocky Carroll as Denholm. Produced for Universal Media Studios with Steve Tao as executive producer, the series also credited Linehan as an executive producer, although he later clarified his lack of direct involvement.
Despite filming a pilot in January 2007 and receiving an order for a full series slated for the 2007–08 season, a September 2007 report from The Hollywood Reporter claimed that the show would not proceed to production after it failed to resonate with the new NBC chairman. Later appearing on The Graham Norton Show, Ayoade appeared to shed light on why the show never made it onto the small screen.
Appearing as a guest on the show, the comedian admitted that it wasn’t a very good idea, and that he was glad it didn’t come to fruition in the end. He explained, “I was the only one [of the original cast] dumb enough to do it. It was deeply weird. It was a bit like a play where everyone else had left. It was very odd.”
While the network has hinted at potential plans for a second go at adapting the beloved sitcom, it’s uncertain whether this will come to fruition. As demonstrated by numerous past endeavours to remake versions of popular shows, sometimes such projects just aren’t meant to be.