Netflix Mockumentary 'American Vandal' Could Legit Be Getting A British Spin-Off

A series mocking true crime sounds like it shouldn't work, but Netflix's American Vandal has proved that theory wrong. First airing in September 2017, the mockumentary-style show has built a cult following. With fans already done and dusted with the second season, Brits are beginning to wonder whether there will be a UK version of American Vandal?

If you have no idea what the storyline entails, the title of the series is pretty self-explanatory. Taking inspiration from hit documentary series like Making a Murderer and The Jinx, each half-hour long episode is set in an American school and follows aspiring teenage documentary-makers Peter Maldonado and Sam Ecklund as they try to uncover the real culprit of various school-based pranks.

Although a third season is still yet to be announced, it's looking likely that Netflix will commission another — especially given that American Vandal became one of the most watched show on the platform in 2017. But what about UK fans? Will Netflix bosses invest in a spin-off series set in good old Great Britain?

Well, on Twitter, British fans are already asking the question, so there's certainly demand for a potential UK Vandal. Will producers listen though? I reached out to Netflix to find out. Annoyingly, I am yet to hear back on whether American Vandal will be getting a British spin-off. But Netflix, if you're listening, the people have spoken. Let's make this happen, yeah?

The first season of American Vandal saw Peter and Sam attempt to figure out who was behind the phallic images that appeared on 27 cars belonging to staff members of their school. The second — which premiered earlier this month — was a little more explosive and saw the teenagers travel to an elite Catholic school after a prankster, known as the "Turd Burglar", decides to fill the school's lemonade with laxatives. I don't have to explain what happens next but let's just say it's not the nicest thing to watch.

Given the success of the first two American series, a UK version would make sense. However, producers could face a few problems. The huge difference between American and UK secondary schools is one issue, not to mention the fact that most true crime documentaries have focused on U.S. characters. Then, the title of the show doesn't really lend itself to a version based in another country either. However, these are all factors that could easily be ironed out with the right writers.

If Netflix bosses did commission a UK version of the show, there certainly wouldn't be a shortage of pranks to take inspiration from. As The Telegraph reports, muck up day is the pinnacle of any British student's school years and often involves animals being brought into the school, police being called, and, yes, plenty of phallic creativity.

You see. I'm not sure about you, but I see huge potential right here.

Speaking about the show's success and second series, creator Tony Yacenda told Entertainment Weekly: "We were looking at a bunch of different true crime documentaries that we loved, and different tropes that we hadn't hit, and the way these great documentaries steer us and manipulate us, and one of the things that the particularly dark ones do is they show you these really brutal dark crimes. We thought, 'What's the dark horrific version of our show?' And that's poop covering the halls of a Catholic school."

Of course, murder isn't funny and there is an argument that making light of an awful situation isn't exactly ethical, but the series has managed to steer clear of controversy. That may not last forever, however. Tyler Alvarez, who plays Maldonado, told Business Insider that he would like to see the series take on things like "government corruption" and "the justice system, in terms of the courts and prisons." He added that, although the show is purely satirical, it does have a purpose in managing "to shine the light on" various true crime topics.

As well as allowing comedy fans an insight into the issues that permeate our society, the series has also been praised for depicting how social media amplifies crimes (especially in local communities) and for examining the effects that privilege (or lack of it) can have on those who are accused.

The fact the show takes these unserious crimes so seriously is what makes American Vandal so unique IMHO. Using everything from false confessions to conspiracy theories, the series satirises all of the cult Netflix documentaries that you've probably binge watched over the past couple of years. This series is honestly so addictive. I'm just hoping the good people over at Netflix acknowledge the UK demand and give the people what they want.