The reason why the US Version of Life on Mars mostly fails is this

[DS1]

The Sam Tyler character should not be bigger and buffer than his cohorts. He should be a little guy, out of his place, but he can use his brain to figure things out. The character that Michel Imperioli plays should be far more sexist. His character needs to be a douchebag beyond belief, which the US version will never match.

Also, as much as I respect Harvey Keitel, he is not even trying in this role. Phillip Glenister defined the role as "Guv", but Harvey isn't even trying. Even if Keitel did call Glenister for tips.

Both were giving the lines "You're surrounded by armed bastards!". Glenister made it work, Keitel simply repeated it.

/rant

[JeffR]

1. Anytime Keitel doesn't show his penis

is a small victory for Western civilization. I'm still bleaching my brain from seeing The Piano.

Beyond that, he gets no plaudits from me.

[DS1]

3. Give yourself a DUzy for that reply title

[Fenris]

2. I like it.

I mean, it's the same show (the plots are near facsimiles of the originals, changed for America). You're right about the Tyler character and the officers, though. The cops in the original were brutal apes compared to the diminutive and cerebral Tyler, and that was kind of the point. The cops in the US version are more violent than Tyler, but ultimately not as volatile as the cops in the original. They're too tame. It's almost as if some S&P pencil stain went in, looked at the scripts, and said, "Make the cops less awful or we're going to can this."

I do like Keitel, but he's no Guv.

Also, I'm still not digging the lack of a Ford Cortina. ;)

[DS1]

4. I like it too, however

Keitel called Glenister, asking for tips. Damn, Keital calling you asking tips, you did something right. But Keitel clearly didn't listen. Even the infamous line

"You're surrounded by armed bastards!" fell flat with Keitel. The assholishnesss in the character that Impirioli is playing isn't there. I dunno, there's a lot missing in this version. Call me a BBC snob, but if you've seen the original, it's still too easy to rip this version apart.

I watched the BBC version twice, just because it was so good. I can't see myself doing that with this version.

[Fenris]

7. Yeah, we actually bought the two Life on Mars series.

Thanks, Amazon.uk and JVC region-free DVD player! This show is pretty much a "watch it straight through and be done with it" affair because as enjoyable as it is it just isn't that great. The set design/filming/lighting/props/music is good, but the plots and acting are meh. I have seen this show before, and it was better the first time.

It will be interesting to see what happens if this show survives 2 seasons and the writers have to come up with original ideas instead of leeching off the UK series.

[coyotespaw]

5. Dammit, now you've got me watching another show...

I figured I'd check out the American version after reading this, (and I'm sure I'll get around to the other version) and now I'm hooked. Now there's two shows I care about on TV. Thanks a lot.

[kittykatkoffeekup]

6. Ringorld

I looked, right groove, left groove, sun above.