Life On Mars (US)

[ZT4]

The official trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-aDlRJVYuI)

...Yeeeeaaah. Apart from the eyes kind of bleeding, I'm fine.

Liked it better when they DIDNT cancel "Good Vs Evil"

[IamtheRock3]

one small promblem

Sam tyler to burly. I like that Gene Hunter bigger then him, could tossed his weight around

here American Sam Tyler seem like he would DESTROY American Gene Hunt in a fight

[Pól Rua]

one small promblem

Sam tyler to burly. I like that Gene Hunter bigger then him, could tossed his weight around

here American Sam Tyler seem like he would DESTROY American Gene Hunt in a fight

Pretty much my response.
Sam Tyler should not look like more of a thug than Gene Hunt.

[Pól Rua]

Just watched the trailer.
Holy crap, does that look awful.

wow.


and could that voiceover guy be worse?
That guy seriously needs to restrict himself to foreign dubs of Italian Sword-and-Sandal movies...

"It was a time of War. It was a time of Heroes... And Sam Tyler is just the guy to clean up the mean streets on 1972!"

yeah. pass.

Still, we'll always have Manchester.

[Royal]

*itches head*

So...we're not getting Starsky and Hutch?

[king mob]

*itches head*

So...we're not getting Starsky and Hutch?

In the same way the original LoM drew upon The Sweeney, the American one's sensible point of reference should be Starsky & Hutch. From the trailer it just looks appauling but I'll wait & see the episode proper before calling it a complete waste of time.

[noh-varr]

Wow I knew they lifted the premise, some character names and all. But it's like a YouTube rendition of the original. But they have Colm Meaney who made me sit through lots of boring episodes of Star Trek TNG (some of them bored me, so sue me) and got me into the great DS9. Them subtracing Ray and Chris seems wrong to me though. I really would rather have them just air the original and edit what parts, but meh will give it a shot.

[rick]

It's not 1965 anymore, there is just no reason to make a US version of a British show.

They ought to just run the original and be happy.

Didn't Cracker teach us anything?

[Deathstroke]

It's not 1965 anymore, there is just no reason to make a US version of a British show.

They ought to just run the original and be happy.

Didn't Cracker teach us anything?

Apparently not.

(Dreams of Penhaligon....)

I saw the British Life on Mars and loved it up to the crappy ending.

I don't need to watch it repeated over.

I love Colm Meaney, but sorry I'm not interested.

[Royal]

It's not 1965 anymore, there is just no reason to make a US version of a British show.

They ought to just run the original and be happy.

Didn't Cracker teach us anything?

yes.

Never follow a progressive show about Religon.

[ZT4]

Apparently not.

(Dreams of Penhaligon....)

I saw the British Life on Mars and loved it up to the crappy ending.

The ending was a work of genius, and techincally, thanks to Ashes to Ashes first season finale, is open to interpretation again

[Loren]

It's not 1965 anymore, there is just no reason to make a US version of a British show.

They ought to just run the original and be happy.

Didn't Cracker teach us anything?

Everyone's forgotten Cracker. But The Office now occupies NBC's premiere sitcom slot, so that's more on people's minds nowadays.

[jessecuster3]

and could that voiceover guy be worse?
That guy seriously needs to restrict himself to foreign dubs of Italian Sword-and-Sandal movies...

"It was a time of War. It was a time of Heroes... And Sam Tyler is just the guy to clean up the mean streets on 1972!"

yeah. pass.



That voiceover guy will not be on the actual show, he is just the regular ABC promo guy.

[mattx110]

That voiceover guy will not be on the actual show, he is just the regular ABC promo guy.
Maybe Pol meant he was passing on the promo?

[brundlefly]

They ought to just run the original and be happy.

Didn't Cracker teach us anything?

This is correct. That US remake of Cracker was awful. And, as much as I like Colm Meaney, the US LoM remake look the same, if that trailer is anything to go by. I have a feeling if I tune into this it will just make me miss the chemistry between Simm and Glenister in the original.

[Deathstroke]

The ending was a work of genius, and techincally, thanks to Ashes to Ashes first season finale, is open to interpretation again

I hated the ending.

[king mob]

The ending was a work of genius, and techincally, thanks to Ashes to Ashes first season finale, is open to interpretation again

Eh? Ashes To Ashes destroys any ambiguity & batters home that Sam commited suicide at the end of LoM. Yes, it was a great ending & the only one that really worked, but Ashes To Ashes crushed the deliberate vagueness of that ending in a roughly crude & simplistic way.

[IamtheRock3]

Eh? Ashes To Ashes destroys any ambiguity & batters home that Sam commited suicide at the end of LoM. Yes, it was a great ending & the only one that really worked, but Ashes To Ashes crushed the deliberate vagueness of that ending in a roughly crude & simplistic way.

think he talking about reather its a purely dream world

The ending of ashes to ashes left that up to question sense gene was in her Flashback and saved her as a kid

my theroy there WAS a gene Hunt that both Sam and Alex Saw back in the day

Sam saw him when his serial killer dad escape
And Alex saw him when her parents died

Sense he appeared during an important part in thier lives, they both put him in his dream world, and filled in the blanks

The REAL gene could be nothing like the Gene we come to know and love.

[Conn Seanery]

I don't understand why there was so much hesitation towards this show, out of everything they could've adapted from British TV does this premise really not feel like a good fit for anyone? Personally, when I think of the setting for a 70s style cop show, I think of the US (granted, I'm from Canada, so any early exposure to cop shows or TV cops in general on any show was not from across the pond.)

So what do people think now that we've gotten 3 episodes so far? I'm really enjoying the US version, and I'm finding it a lot more enticing than I did the UK version at this point. It's a lot more playful too, which I like (man, do I ever crack up when I see Michael Imperioli with the long hair and the big ass mustache). I think they've done great so far, I hope they keep it up.

Anyone else giving it chance?

[Sean Whitmore]

I'm liking it so far, but really for only the most base reason; it's funny watching the modern-day cop freak out over the way the 70's cops handle business.

So far I don't have the same level of interest in Tyler's personal journey. I don't hate it, I could get to like it, but right now it pales before seeing Keitel and his crew.


SEAN

[Pól Rua]

I don't understand why there was so much hesitation towards this show, out of everything they could've adapted from British TV does this premise really not feel like a good fit for anyone? Personally, when I think of the setting for a 70s style cop show, I think of the US (granted, I'm from Canada, so any early exposure to cop shows or TV cops in general on any show was not from across the pond.)

Living in Australia, we got 'Starsky and Hutch' AND 'The Sweeney'...
And 'Cop Shop' and 'Matlock Police', but the less said about those the better.

As a result, I think 'Life on Mars' works better as a British series.

But 'Ashes to Ashes' would probably be better made in the US.

[tangentman]

I'm watching it. I know the overall mythos, thanks to Chthulhudrew, but there's no way in Hell I was catching up on a few seasons before the U.S. version debuted. So far, I'm enjoying it. Sure, it's definitely Americanized, but seeing it without having watched the source material, I still think it's better than much of what's on this season. I think the ABC series captured the ambiguity, the magical realism, quirkiness, and tension of the original.

As the cast goes, I think Lisa Bonet was a brilliant choice for Maya! I think there's something vulnerable & ephemeral in her performance that sells her plight. I'm also liking Gretchen Mol & Michael Imperioli, too. Harvey Keitel seems like Harvey Keitel, but that works for the period.

Thumbs up so far...with renewed interest in catching up on the original series, too!

[Bill Thompson]

It's been great so far an d has already catapulted everything else on the air to join The Office and Chuck as the three shows that are clearly better than everything else.

[Spastic Minnow]

BTW, in the previous page people kept bringing back the "lesson" of Cracker... funny, considering that since those posts TNT has announced that they're lauching another remake of Cracker :rolleyes:



As for the current series, just the difference between 1973 England and 1973 New York can make this an interesting alteration. Oh sure, in England the cops were rough and a bit crooked, 1970's NY Cops- completely crooked. Serpico was based on a real story after all.

And yes, this can't be as "good" as the original, but it will be different and the difference might be good for different reasons. The original was a finite show. Once the mystery was dealt with it was over. From what I heard, they're going to be lessening the ambiguity, explaining more concretely what happened and therefore set it up that this show can be a contiuing series about a present cop living in the seventies.

Face it, we're snobs- we SAW the original, the true test of the show will be how it plays to the uninitiated.

[Libaax]

The reason i watch British crime shows ala LOM,Wire in the blood etc is to get away the crappy,hollywood like of american tv.

Sure i like Monk,The Wire,Law and Order:SCU but not much else.

So when i heard of this it made me wanna puke really because i remember the brilliant british sitcom Couplin and the day i saw the american version on tv.....

Not enough US gets the best british actors on tv,they now steal the shows too. How original.

[Ontir]

Coupling was crap on both sides of the Atlantic.

I'd heard of, but never seen the original Life on Mars, but I'm really enjoying the American version. It's got a really good cast, and they're making the most of the lead's hindsight, allowing us to look at our past from the perspectives of those in the middle of it, as well as someone who knows what's coming. I hope it lasts, because I really enjoy it.

[Mermaid]

Haven't seen the American Version.....I doubt i ever willl but the English original was awesome as!! Long live Sam Tyler!!

I was 9 in 1973 so I guess I remember a lot of what this time was like. :smile:

[Conn Seanery]

The reason i watch British crime shows ala LOM,Wire in the blood etc is to get away the crappy,hollywood like of american tv.

Sure i like Monk,The Wire,Law and Order:SCU but not much else.

So when i heard of this it made me wanna puke really because i remember the brilliant british sitcom Couplin and the day i saw the american version on tv.....

Not enough US gets the best british actors on tv,they now steal the shows too. How original.
Instead of prejudging all US adaptations of British television shows by the failure of Coupling, maybe you should actually watch the show and give it a fair chance. There have been successful adaptations in the past, like The Office.

[Libaax]

Instead of prejudging all US adaptations of British television shows by the failure of Coupling, maybe you should actually watch the show and give it a fair chance. There have been successful adaptations in the past, like The Office.

Nothing wrong with watching adaptations.

This how i think why waste time on remakes when i can watch the best from both sides. I can choose the best brits and the best US shows. Not watch the brit ones remade to suit american viewers.

[Ontir]

How about All in the Family and Sanford & Son? I think one could argue they were decent adaptations!

Once you get past the first seasons, I think the American Queer as Folk was better than the British. It went on longer, further, and better.

[Conn Seanery]

Nothing wrong with watching adaptations.

This how i think why waste time on remakes when i can watch the best from both sides. I can choose the best brits and the best US shows. Not watch the brit ones remade to suit american viewers.
Okay...but that "brilliant British sitcom" you were talking about? 6 Friends hanging out together...any clue where the idea for that came from?

[Libaax]

Okay...but that "brilliant British sitcom" you were talking about? 6 Friends hanging out together...any clue where the idea for that came from?

Yeah friends invented that ;)

I didnt say it was original. It was funny.

Like 70s Show, not so original with the group of teens friends but the early seasons cracked me up real hard. I watch the reruns daily.

Friends bored me except Chandler who was the only comedian.

[Ontir]

I guess you missed Lisa Kudrow in every episode?

She's from the Groundlings, and she's hysterical!

[Kaos]

Why can't you guys just take our versions and enjoy them?
we don't take heroes and make a british version.
(ok..we couldn't...be too expensive..and would probably only have Claude)

[Kaos]

I guess you missed Lisa Kudrow in every episode?

She's from the Groundlings, and she's hysterical!

no...she's annoying...headbuttingly so.

[Conn Seanery]

Yeah friends invented that ;)

I didnt say it was original. It was funny.

Like 70s Show, not so original with the group of teens friends but the early seasons cracked me up real hard. I watch the reruns daily.

Friends bored me except Chandler who was the only comedian.
That 70's Show seemed more like them trying to compact the spirit of Dazed & Confused into a sitcom, I don't think it really compares to Friends.

Not trying to give you a hard time, it's just you were the one who said you'd prefer to pick and choose the best original shows from the US and UK, and Coupling, while superior to Friends (IMO), was more or less the UK's answer to Friends.

Anyways, give the US Life On Mars a try. If The Office hasn't cleansed your pallet of the US Coupling, this just might.

[Conn Seanery]

Why can't you guys just take our versions and enjoy them?
we don't take heroes and make a british version.
(ok..we couldn't...be too expensive..and would probably only have Claude)
You're talking to a country that couldn't handle "Philosopher" in the title of the first Harry Potter movie (be glad they didn't change the second one to "Room of Things").

But you've touched on something there, the production value of the US version of LoM seems much better as well.

[Libaax]

That 70's Show seemed more like them trying to compact the spirit of Dazed & Confused into a sitcom, I don't think it really compares to Friends.

Not trying to give you a hard time, it's just you were the one who said you'd prefer to pick and choose the best original shows from the US and UK, and Coupling, while superior to Friends (IMO), was more or less the UK's answer to Friends.

Anyways, give the US Life On Mars a try. If The Office hasn't cleansed your pallet of the US Coupling, this just might.

I said the best shows of both sides, nothing about the most original.
I meant shows that was created by brits and american not how original they were ideas wise.

Heh we even agree Coupling is superior to friends :P

I didnt compare 70s to friends/Couplin just that its premise wasnt original either but it was funny.

Although i have to geuss there were sitcoms like Friends/Coupling way before them .

[Ontir]

no...she's annoying...headbuttingly so.

I intensely disagree.

As to "Philospher's" stone, it's because of the actual, pre-Rowling occult origins of the term. I turned Marion "Pat" Robertson on one morning (keep your enemies closer!) and he was going on about how Rowling was out to seduce American children to the ways of Satan.

[Kaos]

I guess you missed Lisa Kudrow in every episode?

She's from the Groundlings, and she's hysterical!

I intensely disagree.

As to "Philospher's" stone, it's because of the actual, pre-Rowling occult origins of the term. I turned Marion "Pat" Robertson on one morning (keep your enemies closer!) and he was going on about how Rowling was out to seduce American children to the ways of Satan.

Ah you yanks...you're so extremely insane

lol

[Conn Seanery]

I said the best shows of both sides, nothing about the most original.
I meant shows that was created by brits and american not how original they were ideas wise.
The first post of yours I replied to had you commenting on how the US is "stealing" shows instead of coming up with original ideas:
So when i heard of this it made me wanna puke really because i remember the brilliant british sitcom Couplin and the day i saw the american version on tv.....

Not enough US gets the best british actors on tv,they now steal the shows too. How original.
This how i think why waste time on remakes when i can watch the best from both sides. I can choose the best brits and the best US shows. Not watch the brit ones remade to suit american viewers.

Unless i'm reading those quotes wrong, you've made several arguments about originality, not whether or not something was just plain funny/good. I naturally assumed your preference was for original shows over "stolen" shows.

Anyway, if you're saying you like good shows regardless of their origins, cool. That's not what it sounded like, tho'. To go back to my original point, if you like good/funny shows you should give the US Life On Mars a try. It doesn't matter that it's been adapted, it's good.
Heh we even agree Coupling is superior to friends :P
Wasn't as good when Jeff disappeared, but still good. I think if you compacted Friends down to its better episodes it'd probably be about the same in quality (and quantity).

I didnt compare 70s to friends/Couplin just that its premise wasnt original either but it was funny.
Well, that was sort of the point with That 70's Show. It was supposed to be familiar, that was part of its charm.

Although i have to geuss there were sitcoms like Friends/Coupling way before them .
I think Seinfeld opened the door for these types of comedies.

[Jared]

Are there any British shows that are remakes of American ones?

[Treqqor]

Are there any British shows that are remakes of American ones?

The Golden Girls > The Brighton Belles
Good Times > The Fosters
Mad About You > Loved By You
Married... with Children > Married For Life
That '70s Show > Days Like These

And many game shows.

The big difference is, many American shows air in Britain unchanged and are accepted as is. For some reason, America has to revamp the British versions for their own tastes, perhaps thinking there are too many cultural differences that won't translate? I am not sure. :cool:

[Popgun]

The Golden Girls > The Brighton Belles
Good Times > The Fosters
Mad About You > Loved By You
Married... with Children > Married For Life
That '70s Show > Days Like These

And many game shows.

The big difference is, many American shows air in Britain unchanged and are accepted as is. For some reason, America has to revamp the British versions for their own tastes, perhaps thinking there are too many cultural differences that won't translate? I am not sure. :cool:

It's probably worth noting that all of those failed, with most cancelled within six episodes.

[Donald M.]

The big difference is, many American shows air in Britain unchanged and are accepted as is. For some reason, America has to revamp the British versions for their own tastes, perhaps thinking there are too many cultural differences that won't translate? I am not sure. :cool:

I think cultural differences are certainly a factor, I think that the most significant difference is the difference between the way British and American television programs are produced.

All of these adaptations of British shows appear on broadcast networks. The Office was very popular in Britain but its entire run would only fill about half a season on an American broadcast network. Broadcast networks are interested in long-term shows that fit their schedule and British shows just don't fit that standard.

Cable Networks tend to conform more to the British model, shorter season, longer breaks between seasons and the result tends to be consistently better television.

[Ontir]

Are there any British shows that are remakes of American ones?

There's also a Scottish "Next Generation" era Fan Star Trek series.

[Libaax]

The first post of yours I replied to had you commenting on how the US is "stealing" shows instead of coming up with original ideas:



Unless i'm reading those quotes wrong, you've made several arguments about originality, not whether or not something was just plain funny/good. I naturally assumed your preference was for original shows over "stolen" shows.

Anyway, if you're saying you like good shows regardless of their origins, cool. That's not what it sounded like, tho'. To go back to my original point, if you like good/funny shows you should give the US Life On Mars a try. It doesn't matter that it's been adapted, it's good.

Wasn't as good when Jeff disappeared, but still good. I think if you compacted Friends down to its better episodes it'd probably be about the same in quality (and quantity).


Well, that was sort of the point with That 70's Show. It was supposed to be familiar, that was part of its charm.


I think Seinfeld opened the door for these types of comedies.



My only real problem is that i dont support remakes. I dont care who borrow ideas from who.

It can be good but when you have seen the show it remakes its no point IMO.

Like this show if you are gonna change it so much and not just the setting you could have easily made a cool old cop show of your own.

[Ontir]

If you don't favor re-makes, should we never stage Shakespeare again? They're all re-makes. Should we abandon "Superman" because every new version after his creators' work is a re-make as well?

Nothing was stolen. US companies paid dearly to get the rights to do the American versions. It would be far more disingenuous of an American producer to make a number of changes and call it original, than it is to pay the creators, who probably earn more from the American versions than they did from the original British productions.

Life on Mars offers something particularly interesting, in terms of "an American version:" We get to see NYPD, pre-Serpico, pre-Attica and pre-integration of race and gender with our knowledge of how those things, along with the affects of Stonewall, the Women's Movement, a variety of racial incidents, AIDS and 9/11 will change the city and the country beyond it.

There is always life to be had in previously successful material. That's why repertory companies exist and why the re-make made its way into the film and television industries. Battlestar Galactica is a prime example of that, and it could be argued that the current series is the Canadian version of the original American series. Regardless, the quality is there and the show is extremely good. The same is true of Life on Mars.

[Spastic Minnow]

Life on Mars offers something particularly interesting, in terms of "an American version:" We get to see NYPD, pre-Serpico, pre-Attica and pre-integration of race and gender with our knowledge of how those things, along with the affects of Stonewall, the Women's Movement, a variety of racial incidents, AIDS and 9/11 will change the city and the country beyond it.

There is always life to be had in previously successful material. That's why repertory companies exist and why the re-make made its way into the film and television industries. Battlestar Galactica is a prime example of that, and it could be argued that the current series is the Canadian version of the original American series. Regardless, the quality is there and the show is extremely good. The same is true of Life on Mars.

Good points. You can almost think of the US version as a spin-off of Life on Mars like Ashes to Ashes. 70's England is different than 80's England and it deserves a separate look. 70's factory town England is a hell of a lot different than 70's New York and it deserves a separate look. Except for the first episode the following episodes have only borrowed important aspects of the UK show, the cases and some of the supporting characters are refreshingly different.

Face it, you're not going to have a Rasta bartender in NY or a hell of a lot of Curry shops. I don't even remember a single mention of Vietnam in the UK version- hippies and the peace movement is central to the New York instead of Pakistani refugees.

It's one of the best canidates for remake potential I've come across.

[Spastic Minnow]

and face it, the reason remakes fail isn't because "remakes suck" it's because the specific remake in question suck.

Kath and Kim... sucks

Eleventh Hour...salvagable maybe but mainly being strangled by Sewell's unrelenting "intensity."

[Conn Seanery]

My only real problem is that i dont support remakes. I dont care who borrow ideas from who.

It can be good but when you have seen the show it remakes its no point IMO.

Like this show if you are gonna change it so much and not just the setting you could have easily made a cool old cop show of your own.
I understand your point, but to hold to it like some absolute rule is absurd. You're denying yourself the chance to see something you may potentially enjoy out of stubbornness. It's a shame you're refusing to even give it a chance out of some strange sense of pride, it's just a TV show.