Life on Mars

[stu]

An NYPD officer from the present gets hit by a car and wakes up to find himself as a cop in 1973. Strange premise and it's corny in a fun way, but so far it's worth watching for Micheal Imperioli alone.

[Evil Elvis]

I've watched it for 5 minutes and already saw 3 people from the Sopranos.

Then I saw a bug-sized robot fly out of some dead lady's chest wound.

[stu]

Yeah, I was going to comment on all the Sopranos actors. The tiny robot was odd.

[rattran]

An NYPD Manchester officer from the present gets hit by a car and wakes up to find himself as a cop in 1973. Strange premise and it's corny in a fun way, but so far it's worth watching for Micheal Imperioli John Simm alone.

fify
It's a brilliant series in the original, haven't seen the 'Merkin version yet though. I've heard they've removed the uncertainty of the original though.

[Righ]

It isn't as bad as I feared. No disco music. In fact, there is a lot of British music, although not as adventurous as the original series. Good cast. Really good cast. Better than the average crap on telly, but I greatly preferred the original two British series. Looking forward to Ashes To Ashes getting its US debut in March.

[HaemishM]

I tried to watch the American version, but just couldn't. It followed the Brit version too closely, which normally I'd be all for, except that the New York setting didn't match the style that the Brit version had. Just watch the goddamn Brit version.

[Azazel]

Hm.. I might download this one after it's all been broadcast and watch it a good distance from the Brit one. (Which is oarsome).

[Signe]

Brit series is over.  A good Brit series almost never ever lasts long.  Eastenders and Casualty go on forever and ever and ever.  It's all very inside out.

[pants]

Have they done an Office, and copied the British one scene for scene?  Or have they grabbed the basic idea like what the Office eventually became?

[Azazel]

Brit series is over.  A good Brit series almost never ever lasts long.  Eastenders and Casualty go on forever and ever and ever.  It's all very inside out.

Erm, yes. I know. I've got both. I just haven't watched them in full, so I'm going to do a start-over and watch both sequentially.

They copied The Office scene for scene to start with because they used the same script with slight modifications for the first episode. After that it slowly began to diverge. As you know.

[stu]

Looks like I lose points for not knowing there was an original British version.

[Azazel]

Not really, you're American, not British or an expat, not Australian (we get a lot of Brit TV here) and likely not one of those guys who seeks out British TV.

[Righ]

Those are just more points lost.

[stu]

Haha. Well, I do watch Coupling, but that's about it.

[Gutboy Barrelhouse]

Was cancelled today, they will have a wrap up for the last show that explains how he got to 1973. It may or may not be a copy of the original show.

[HaemishM]

Having seen the last episode of the British version, I can tell you right now, it would take city-sized brass balls to try to sell that to an American audience. I would almost bet money they do not follow the Brit version to end it at all.

[ashrik]

You know, I've only caught the last few episodes of the show and I've enjoyed it. I like the music, the weirdness, and the cast as well. Sad to hear it's getting canceled, I feel like it's just one of those things that slipped underneath the radar for a lot of people.

[kaid]

Its to bad harvey kitel is the total win in this show but I can understand why its being cancellled. Its just so odd a concept that most people just cannot get into it to enjoy the fun characters.

[ashrik]

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118000748.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

At least they're being allowed to finish the season and wrap it all up

[Paelos]

Having seen the last episode of the British version, I can tell you right now, it would take city-sized brass balls to try to sell that to an American audience. I would almost bet money they do not follow the Brit version to end it at all.

I would tend to agree. On HBO they would go for it, but on ABC? Disney? Hell no. Especially in this economy.

[Gutboy Barrelhouse]

I really liked the show and since I never had heard of the Brit version, it was all new to me. At least the network will allow them to give a proper finish to the story, so many other shows never get that chance.

[Sunbury]

"Lost" since it restarted had been peppered with Life On Mars promos, as of last night, not a single one.   I guess the marketing department got the word of the cancellation.

[Xuri]

Sigh. First Moonlight. Then Pushing Daisies. And now this.

I'm done, I'm never going to start watching any TV-series again until it has a minimum of five seasons under it's belt.

Edit: Oh, wait. I've already fallen in the same trap again (Dollhouse).

[Paelos]

Sigh. First Moonlight. Then Pushing Daisies. And now this.

I'm done, I'm never going to start watching any TV-series again until it has a minimum of five seasons under it's belt.

Edit: Oh, wait. I've already fallen in the same trap again (Dollhouse).

It seems that you like shows with a fantasy edge. I do too, for the most part. However, the problem is that network television is a horrible format for fantasy and they won't tolerate it. They give them slots that have little to no chance, and then bail if they remotely dip. The only reason that LOST got to be so popular is because they completely hid the fact that they were going into fantasy land for almost two seasons. By then, fans were hooked.

I'm frankly shocked that the X-files ever took off. FOX started it in the death slot of Friday night at 9 EST. I think it was helped by the fact that government conspiracies are more popular than fantasy elements, even though in many cases they are complete fabrications.

[ashrik]

Eli Stone syndrome

I know the 11 PM slot on Wednesday nights is BuMpIn', but c'mon

[Gutboy Barrelhouse]

Interesting ending for the show last night, not at all like the Brit version.

[kaid]

Made the title make more sense though but ya not at all like the brit one from what I rememeber.

[Signe]

[HaemishM]

Spoilered version for those who didn't want to watch it?

[Gutboy Barrelhouse]

The main cast were all on a mission to mars in deep sleep.

[kaid]

[Ookii]

Fuck this show.  Seriously.

THE TITLE OF THE SHOW WAS NOT MEANT TO BE TAKEN SO LITERALLY.

[ashrik]

Wow. Fuck that and fuck them.

Goddammit

I watched the entire last 10 minutes with my mouth agape in shock and horror.

I like to imagine that the reason this show was cancelled had nothing to do with ratings. The Last Remaining Man With a Soul at ABC got wind of what they were planning on doing and was like  HELL NO.

That's what I'd like to believe, anyhow.

[Rishathra]

I'm not getting the rage here.  It's not like they could have ended it the same as the UK version, because then everyone would have been screaming "those unoriginal, thieving hacks!"  Might as well take it in a different direction.  Or is it that you're mad at the way it was done?  Shitty effects, poor dialogue, something like that?

[ashrik]

I've no clue how the UK version ends. What other TV shows do you watch? The last episode reveals it was all a dream/coma/drug trip/indigestion. Basically the "these are stupid ways the show can end" list that Tyler kept at his apartment.  Let me know how awesome it is. Bonus points for being sexually aroused during the "...and you were there! And you were there!" moment?