Don't think the original would've worked with different British actors either. One of those shows with an abysmal plot but good characters and dialogue that works on some strange level.
4 stars for evil alone. I guess the original did work because the actors were so good at timing and stuff. Plus the Liverpool accent does make you sound like a complete gimp.
I'm a fan of the show, so I tend to lean towards the thought of: 'there was nothing wrong with the concept or the show...like anything else that is brilliant, it becomes fucked up when you let other people dick around with the formula'.