They know certain shows have been imported for them and specially tailored for US tastes. British comedies spawned "All in the Family" and "Sanford and Son" in the early 1970s. More recently, "Ugly Betty" was adapted from a Colombian telenovela. And NBC's "The Office" was a domestic reimagining of the British original.

Meanwhile, it's no surprise that American series are sold around the world, dubbed or subtitled for each local audience.

Even so, who knew "Married ... With Children" had been shot from scratch in a Spanish production -- or that "The Nanny" inspired homespun productions in countries including Poland and Turkey? US viewers can get a dandy look at such a foreign transplant thanks to cable's BBC America, which is bringing 26 episodes of "Law & Order: UK" back to the land where the "Law & Order" TV empire was born.

Premiering Sunday at 10:30 p.m. EDT, with subsequent episodes airing Fridays at 9 p.m. EDT, "Law & Order: UK" is unmistakably kin to the "L&O" family.

While the classic Mike Post licks have been swapped out for a different theme, each episode begins with the sonorously voiced "In the criminal justice system ..." rap. (Though here, it's "the crown prosecutors" who prosecute offenders.) And - never fear - location cards remain part of the format, along with the accompanying "cha-CHUNG" sound effect.

New York City plays an integral role in "Law & Order," but its British offshoot is set in London, where people say "mate" and threaten to "put him in the dock"; where they wear funny wigs in court and drive on the other side of the road.