I like Couping US, and I love the British version too

I decided to compare the first season of the British Coupling and the
US Coupling back to back, just to see what the difference was between
the two series.

I think people didn't give this show a fair shot. Everyone saw this as
a remake of the BBC show or the BBC Coupling, but there's something
brilliant about the American show. Yes, yes...they used the original
scripts in the beginning of the show and it felt a bit too forced. But
once you get to the original scripts, you realize that the people they
had on the show (the writers and the actors) were actually pretty good.

This show needed time to find a voice away from the Friends and
Coupling naysayers/reviewers. Colin Ferguson was fun as a more
self-centered Patrick. Rene Sofer needs another sitcom because she's
just the nice comedic actress...playing a great straight-woman to the
zaniness that is the main cast. Lindsay Price is just too perky and
cute, in a good way, doing a great americanized version of Jane (making
Jane's narcissism more American than British). Sonya Walgner and Jay
Harrington work well as a budding couple that have their difficulties.

And, I know this is blasphemy, but Christopher Moynihan is great as
Jeff. You needed a couple of episodes to get passed the original
version of Jeff, but Christopher eventually makes the character his
own...doing some things that aren't Richard Coyle (or even Richard
Mylan for that matter). I liked that Christopher was bolder than
Richard Coyle. Sure he was still crap with women, but he also didn't
mind taking the piss out of his friends (which endeared this version to
me).

People sell this show short because how it was marketed (as a Friends
show) and the ghost of it's forbearer (the UK Coupling), but I think
this show definitely has it's own vibe that people didn't give a
chance. This isn't a British version of Friends, or the American
version Coupling, this was something that was evolving into it's own
show with it's own character.

If you have the chance, check out the American version. Just make sure,
if you've seen the British version, just skip the first three episodes
and watch the fourth through tenth episode. Then, after getting warmed
up to the American characters, watch the first three with fresh eyes
and you'll enjoy the series.