The American version of hit Australian comedy Kath & Kim has failed abysmally, with advance reviews labelling the remake as “jaw-droppingly awful”.

TV commentator Tim Goodman told the San Francisco Chronicle that the much-hyped NBC version of the show was possibly the worst remake America has ever produced.

“The first two episodes of Kath & Kim… were jaw-dropping in their awfulness,” Goodman said.

“[The show is] a fantastically funny Australian comedy that goes into the record books on these shores as a contender for worst remake ever.”

“(The show is) a fantastically funny Australian comedy that goes into the record books on these shores as a contender for worst remake ever.”

He added: “The American version misses the mark so badly that it’s barely recognisable as a distant cousin to the original.”

Goodman also had criticism for the show’s lead actresses, Molly Shannon [Kath] and Hellboy’s Selma Blair [Kim], who he said “lacked the well-drawn humour” of the show’s original portrayers, Jane Turner and Gina Riley.

“Shannon is able to get down some of the tackiness, translated to American mall culture,” Goodman said, “but misses pretty much all the other Kathisms.”

“Blair’s Kim is merely stock poutiness and insincere anger, it all goes nowhere.”

Another reviewer, Glen Walker from the website Welcome to Hell, had something slightly more scathing to say about Shannon and Blair’s performances.

“The three leads are at best uninteresting and at worst annoying and nerve-grating, I hated this,” Walker said.

Kath & Kim, the US version, premieres in the States on NBC Thursday, and on the Seven Network in Australia this Sunday. But with reviews like that, I wouldn’t expect many people would be bothered to tune in, if only to laugh hysterically at how extraordinarily LAME it all is.

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The U.S. version of Kath & Kim is almost upon us, and NBC has released a special preview to get everyone excited.

It didn’t work. While I’m a fan of the two female leads in their own right – I’m thinking of Selma Blair’s bang-up job in Cruel Intentions when I say that – neither of the actresses really manages to capture the essence of what their characters are about.

I mean, it’s Americans attempting to pull off Australian humour. Enough said.

To see for yourself whether this latest version does the original justice, follow the jump to check out a preview of both for comparison.

The American version, with Molly Shannon as Kath and Hellboy II’s Selma Blair as Kim.

The original Kath & Kim, as portrayed by Aussies Jane Turner and Gina Riley.

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