When “The Office” first premiered in 2005, it was met with mediocre success. The original was a beloved British series starring Ricky Gervais, who also created the show. But thanks to the genius that is Steve Carell and the rest of the Dunder Mifflin cast, the show slowly climbed up the ratings chart and became a cult success. It also didn’t hurt that it won the Emmy Award for Best Comedy in 2006.

Due to the success of “The Office,” other networks followed suit, hoping to find the next big thing. ABC had its success with “Ugly Betty,” an adaptation of a Colombian telenovela. But other than that, Americanized versions of shows from overseas have a mixed record of success.

CBS tried its luck with Hugh Jackman’s “Viva Laughlin,” which was adapted from the BBC series “Blackpool,” but it was canceled after airing two episodes. NBC tried to find a replacement after “Friends” left the air with “Coupling,” a remake of the BBC sitcom of the same name, but it failed to reach the success of “Friends” or that of the original.

This trend was also present during the ’70s when networks took a liking to British shows such as “Till Death Us Do Part” (“All in the Family”), “Steptoe and Son” (“Sanford and Son”) and “Man About the House” (“Three’s Company”).

But what networks must realize is that for every “The Office,” there’s a “Coupling.”

Some Successes

1. “The Office” (“The Office,” United Kingdom)

2. “Ugly Betty” (“Yo soy Betty, la fea,” Colombia)

3. “All in the Family” (“Till Death Us Do Part,” U.K.)

4. “Sanford and Son” (“Steptoe and Son,” U.K.)

5. “Three’s Company” (“Man About the House,” U.K.)

6. “Queer as Folk” (“Queer as Folk,” U.K.)

7. “American Idol” (“Pop Idol,” U.K.)

8. “Dancing with the Stars” (“Strictly Come Dancing,” U.K.)

9. “Big Brother” (“Big Brother,” Netherlands)

Some Failures

1. “Coupling” (“Coupling,” U.K.)

2. “Viva Laughlin” (“Blackpool,” U.K.)

4. “Dog Eat Dog” (“Dog Eat Dog,” U.K)