Life on Mars USA [** Spoilers **]

Mr E

There was alread a LOMUSA thread, CiDeRmAn..... threads merged.

Looking forward to hearing your review... I'm afraid to watch!

CiDeRmAn

It's very very good.
Suprised me, given that the original pilot was awful, playing around with the formula, no Annie, the team comprised of a more traditional US cop line up, much more CSI than The Sweeny!
But now, thank the gods, they went back, made some hard changes, no more Mr Meaney, and went right back to the source, the BBC show that started it.
While it's not a carbon copy of Life On Mars, it is, I would say, as close to the original as possible, whilst changing those things that had to change.
To start with it's now set in New York '73, and the language that may have upset US censors has been removed, it still manages to give you the idea that these are hard bitten cops, certainly Harvey Keitel as Gene does that almost on his own, the rest of the squad is there too, with a thankfully reinstated Annie, a similarly smart and capable cop who is reduced to the go-fer simply by being female, similar stories then as Sam tries to get her to see what she can do, how she can overcome the obstacles of a sexist world, and the same incredulity from Annie, as she wonders what planet he's from!

A nice return to the screen too for Lisa Bonet as Sams future love interest, also maintaining the themes are the talking tv characters, addressing Sams "real world 2008" predicament.

Music, also sets the scene, with the whole thing feeling nicely familiar to seasoned Gene Genie fans, as the opening episode really does feel nicely done, fears of a travesty abated in this viewers mind anyhow.
The best comparison is with The Office, where they took a UK show, did the series opener as an almost scene for scene copy of the UK original and then took it off on it's own path, I'm hoping they do the same here.

I'm sure better and more verbose folk will be able to turn a more critical eye on the series, but I'll be looking forward to more, new old tales from NYC circa '73.

lostexpectation

what wierd gratituos ipod placement

Mr E

lostexpectation wrote: »

what wierd gratituos ipod placement

Heh... 40% of that sentence was spelt incorrectly. Good going.

Looking forward to watching this later...

Basq

Mr E wrote: »

Heh... 40% of that sentence was spelt incorrectly. Good going.

If you were being pedantic, you could say 60% since iPod should technically be spelt with a capital 'P'

Not gonna bother watching the new version of the pilot since, bar the actors, it's essentially the same plot and shot-for-shot scenes throughout. Though if I'm wrong, let me know.

chalkitdown1

basquille wrote: »

If you were being pedantic, you could say 60% since iPod should technically be spelt with a capital 'P'

Not gonna bother watching the new version of the pilot since, bar the actors, it's essentially the same plot and shot-for-shot scenes throughout. Though if I'm wrong, let me know.

It's about 95% similar to the uk first ep. There's a couple of scenes that they added, one of which was a great addition, imo.

JoeyJJ

I enjoyed it alot, can't wait for the next episode, what night is it aired in the US?

Basq

JoeyJJ wrote: »

I enjoyed it alot, can't wait for the next episode, what night is it aired in the US?

Thursdays, I think.

J-blk

JoeyJJ wrote: »

I enjoyed it alot, can't wait for the next episode, what night is it aired in the US?

Basquille is right - Thursdays. New episode airs tonight:

http://epguides.com/lifeonmars%5Fus/

JoeyJJ

Happy days something for Friday evenings...

Sherifu

As much as I like Meaney he was pants in that original teaser. I still have a bad feeling about where this is going. Hopefully they'll pull it out of the bag.

lostexpectation

somebody said they were worried keitel was going to be short and i was like no way, and then i saw the show and i as like damn he is short, and somebody in the guardian i think criticised it for placing it in newyork, the original show was in manchester and a downtrodden post industrial second city, apart from the social attitudes that was the other key part of the first life on mars, he said it should be in somewhere like baltimore.

Basq

** MINI RANT ALERT **

Well balls... here was me thinking the second episode would be an original storyline (a lá 'The Office').

But no, it was a rehash of an existing UK episode, and it was pretty poor IMO. Both myself and my girlfriend were cringing and fidgeting throughout it.. it was a tad boring, over-acted by O Mara and Keital (seriously, watch the scene where Gene tells Sam to clean up June's blood - it's really woeful).

And it was the first episode I'd seen with the new casting choices and I wasn't too happy with them to be perfectly honest. Keital appeared angry with none of Gene's likeability and O Mara just seemed out of his depth in the role. But on the plus side, always good to see Lee Tergesen back on our screens.

I really don't think I can take this show seriously if it continues rehashing scenes and storylines from the UK version (the US Office had it right but all original storylines after the pilot).

I mean just as a comparison.. watch the UK version of the "swimming pool getaway" scene:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qD1tkEsgDA

Perfect use of music ('Live and Let Die'), humour ("get off him, he's got a veruca!") and it shows how likeable and watchable both John Simms and Philip Glenister are as actors.

And now watch the US version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP69cMwgt14

Notice the lack of everything that made the original scene it's lifted from fantastic.

I really wanted to enjoy it.. but unless it goes forward independently with original storylines from now on, it'll always be a poor comparison in my eyes!

** END OF MINI RANT **

Would love to know what everyone else thought though..

Mr E

Interesting, basquille... I watched episode 1 tonight, and thought it was a vast improvement on the pilot that was leaked earlier this summer. Jason O'Mara was more natural (and more likeable) as Sam. Apart from some terrible, out of place (and out of character) dialogue from Keitel's Hunt, it was a really solid opener to the series.

I'll try and get around to the second one over the weekend.

Disappointed that they're sticking with copies of UK episodes though. I was hoping episode 2 would be something new. I'll still watch with interest. What I saw of episode 1 tonight makes me want to see more, and thats good enough for me.

Basq

Mr E wrote: »

Interesting, basquille... I watched episode 1 tonight, and thought it was a vast improvement on the pilot that was leaked earlier this summer. Jason O'Mara was more natural (and more likeable) as Sam. Apart from some terrible, out of place (and out of character) dialogue from Keitel's Hunt, it was a really solid opener to the series.

Might give the reshot pilot a watch so.. but pretty damn disappointed with episode 2.

mancduff

Saw the first episode and allthough a remake of the original i thought it was a good remake especially

the twin towers shot

but after seeing the second episode i agree with basquille, F in terrible cringe inducing tripe.

The fight in the hospital was very poorly done carryonesque

just can't see harvey keitel pulling hunt off. Hopefully as many have said it pulls off in its own direction because i keep comparing it to the original when they're doing the same scenes and it doesn't hold up to it IMO. (and wots with the 90's daytime soap ally mcbeal piano crap during tender moments, really pulls you out of the seventies)

Basq

Put on my Life on Mars - Season 1 DVD this evening and watched the second episode. And it made me realise how much of it was lifted for this episode.. don't get me wrong, there was some scenes left behind and original scenes added but nothing worthwhile!

mancduff wrote: »

F in terrible cringe inducing tripe.

The fight in the hospital was very poorly done carryonesque

Also from the UK version, it didn't change much:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG2f34GAnTg

Maybe was a tad more up-front with punches and violence.. but the "fight" around the hospital room was supposed to be somewhat "slackstick-y". Still, it comes down to the likeability of Hunt and Sam (and that's something the performances from Keital and O Mara lack).

J-blk

The second episode apparently took a massive 25% drop in ratings from the premiere:

http://www.tvsquad.com/2008/10/17/life-on-mars-ratings-falling-to-earth/

Given how trigger happy US networks are with cancellations, it might not be around long enough to produce any original episodes (if that was ever the intention of the writers though...).

Sherifu

Lol at Imperioli and Keitel in the clip basq posted. The state of them.

ixoy

Caught the pilot in the U.S. and thought that, while fairly well executed, it was still just an inferior copy of the original show's pilot.

Keitel has none of Glenister's charisma and just seems angry without that cocky charm that worked so well. O'Mara just does not have that quiet intense presence that Simms brought either. Others in the cast are okay, although I can't take their Ray substitute seriously as I keep hearing Chris' voice (from "The Sopranos") in Michael Imperoli.

At least they kept the "Life on Mars" playing when Sam gets transported back - I honestly would have flipped the station if they hadn't. There were hints also that it would follow the original show's first season arc with some of the visions, although I'd like to be surprised!

As to lower ratings, I imagine they're fairly keen on it doing well - it was pretty well advertised over there, including a big billboard at Time Square. On an aside, there's an excellent Dexter advertising campaign there.

Mr E

I'm almost certain that they'll follow the UK's first season arc (when Sam had the accident, there were flashes of the girl in the woods from the UK S1 finale).

Basq

Apparently it's going to be a different story arc for Sam - though I'm not sure if it'll be a huge departure from the original storyline.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/cult/a112699/life-on-mars-remake-changes-tyler-story.html

Having only ever watched the original sporidically I went into the US version with no expectations. The initial pilot was quite ropey and while it entertained for 42 minutes it was far inferior to the original. The redone version was fantastic and gave me goosebumps during the scene where Sam wakes up in 1973 and is framed by the Twin Towers. Easily one of my favourite scenes of all time, I've rewatched it a dozen times since.

Watching episode 2 atm and while it's nowhere near as entertaining as the first episode it's still quite fun and I hope that the writers try to do something other than copy and paste from the BBC version.

JP Liz

Has it been renewed for Season 2?

Also any UK / Irish channels picking it up?

Mr E

Thats what they get for trying to turn an 8 episode season into a 22 episode one.... I haven't been keeping up with this at all. Will they go with the ending of the original?

Breaking: ABC cancels 'Life on Mars'
Mar 2, 2009, 09:53 PM | by Michael Ausiello

Once again I get attached to a show with the word Mars in the title. Once again I'm mourning its premature demise.

Multiple sources are confirming that ABC has canceled my beloved Life on Mars. Per an insider, the network recently advised the show's producers that it would not be ordering a second season. The heads-up will allow them to make this year's season finale a series finale, thus leaving no questions unanswered.

Basq

Mr E wrote: »

Thats what they get for trying to turn an 8 episode season into a 22 episode one.... I haven't been keeping up with this at all. Will they go with the ending of the original?

Yep, I haven't watched it since after the break at Christmas.

I'd presume they will stay with the UK ending.. the last episode before the break was more or less was the final episode of UK's season 1.

JP Liz

The American version of Life on Mars takes the place of hit drama True Blood in FX's winter schedule, starting this October. The network channel that brought us Dexter, NCIS and Burn Notice has added Life on Mars to its long list of American acquisitions today, having successfully secured the exclusive UK rights. Gaining a primetime slot in FX's winter schedule, the US re-working of the time-travelling BBC series will replace True Blood when the vampire drama's first season concludes later this year. Relocating the British show of the same name from Manchester to New York, the 17-part series sees original character detective Sam Tyler resurrected and transported back in time to 1973. Tyler, however, is played by American actor Jason O'Mara in the US version. FX's director, Jason Thorp, says: "The original Life on Mars and its follow up Ashes to Ashes have a huge fan base in the UK that numbers millions. We are therefore delighted to be able to bring this version to a British audience." Though not as popular with critics as the original Life on Mars, the American version is only ranked half a point below its British parent show by international users on TV.com. The show was axed after just one series in the States, however, after failing to attract a sizeable audience. Life on Mars makes its British debut on FX on Friday, October 9, at 10pm

Its a shame it was cancelled kinda enjoyed it

Basq

It was about as enjoyable as sticking your testicles in a toaster! :pac:

ixoy

JP Liz wrote: »

Tyler, however, is played by American actor Jason O'Mara in the US version.

What crap site did you pull that from? Jason O'Mara is Irish. Stupid site.