Written by: Samuel K. Sloan (SoSF Producer/Managing News Director)
Looks like the U.S. is going to try out another popular U.K. product on for size and try to make it uniquely its own. In a long line of British programming that gets copied by U.S. networks, this latest foray will be an American remake of the British SF hit show “Life On Mars” which runs on the BBC America cable network. For you trivia buffs, the show got its name from the old David Bowie song of the same title.
Writer/producer David E. Kelley, the creator of such mega hits like “The Practice,” “Ally McBeal,” “Boston Public” and the multi-Emmy winning “Boston Legal” has decided to take on a product not originally his own and put his unique taste and style to it.
This has been tried many times with the most successful U.K.-to-U.S. transplant being “All In the Family” which made ultra stars out of the likes of Caroll O’Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers, who, until that time, were either total unknowns or lesser known character actors from the stage and screen. Kelley is hoping to do for ‘Mars’ what producer Norman Lear did with ‘Family,’ make it another gigantic U.K. adaptation hit for U.S. network television.
There are two things that might hinder him from making that happen. First, “All In the Family” was groundbreaking, touching on subjects which, until that time, had been totally taboo on American television, and secondly, the U.K. version was really, really good and gave Lear a great jumping off point to tantalize American viewers.
The U.K.’s “Life On Mars,” while being pretty decent television is neither groundbreaking or that tantalizing and, unlike the 1970’s, American audiences can already get all the original “Life On Mars” they want from the cable network BBC America, plus Netflix, Blockbuster and DVD sales. So, Kelley has his work cut out for him if he is wanting his “Life On Mars” to be a record-setting new series.
The story of “Life On Mars,” for those who don’t listen to our Slice of Scifi show, (where we have talked about the British show on several occasions) or who have not had the opportunity to see it on cable, is about a detective who finds himself transported back to 1972 after his girlfriend has been kidnapped.
Kelley has signed on Rachelle Lefevre (“What About Brian,” “Veronica Mars”) to play the only main female character in the 1972 police department, who forges a bond with the mysterious detective and teams with him to track down the same serial killer that plagued one of his 21st Century investigations. It looks like young newbieTrevor MacFarlane (who was born in England) may star as detective John Holden, the 21st Century officer who, after a motor vehicle accident, awakens to find himself in an America 30-years in his past. The same character is older and named Sam Tyler on the British series. Actor William Atkinson has also joined the cast. As more valid casting news is made available stay tuned to Slice of SciFi for updates.
This Americanized “Life On Mars” is currently in pre-production and is slated for the upcoming ABC Fall lineup.
Well, I can’t say I’m excited – for I’ve seen the US versions of Coupling and the pilot for the Red Dwarf – both were incredibly bad, even when you try to forget about the originals.
Disclaimer: I haven’t seen Life on Mars either but I really trying to get US pilot of Red Dwarf out of my mind!
I’d be interested in seeing an American version of LoM, if only to see how they integrate bits of US culture that aren’t used in the UK version. (things like the Vietnam war, Watergate, etc.)
I’m a big fan of Life on Mars and of many other British TV shows, so I am obviously skeptical at this plan. Especially after the Coupling fiasco. Though I have to admit that I actually like the American version of The Office better than the Brit one, so who knows.
I think the problem is going to be that a lot of the charm of the show has to do with the specific actors performances so I think that’s going to be hard to recreate.
Well it’s a David Kelley show, so it will probably be brilliant for the first season and a half, then will immediately start to suck. Every former Ally McBeal & Boston Public fan in here can attest to that. *points to self*
I really enjoyed the UK version. Here’s hoping they don’t screw it up. And, as always, I’ll watch it until it dies an early death, as so many good shows do.
Well this sucks I would reather see the UK production.
Just heard out Life on Mars season 2 begins the 13th of this month in the UK. Can anyone corroborate?
doh, scratch “out” please.
More on the Scif TV pilots ordered for the fall.
http://www.tvscifi.com/content/view/46/28/
“American audiences can already get all the original “Life On Mars†they want from the cable network BBC America, plus Netflix, Blockbuster and DVD sales.”
Although they can get the original on BBCA, Life on Mars has not come out in Region 1 on DVD yet. So unless they have a region-free player, which few Americans do, the DVD is not an option.
Also, according to his IMDb profile, Trevor MacFarlane is 18, 19 at the oldest. If he is indeed in the American version, it sounds more likely that he would be playing the Chris character rather than Sam.
Yes, series 2 began here in the UK last week. The first episode was good, the second – where Sam meets his mentor from the 21st century as a young DC – is brilliant.
I’m intrigued as to how well this series will translate to the US. Don’t quite know how they’ll be able to translate the football hooliganism storyline from series one as this would appear uniquely British.
I got a chance to be a Extra on Life on Mars American Version a couple of months ago. I played a Guy in a Flop house in the Pilot Episode. In the scene I am kinda of Hudlem making out with a girl on a couch and the police bust the flop house. Thats all I am going to say don’t wanna give to much away. I got a good part in the scene even though you will only see me fore a few seconds but hey I had a girl in my lap the entire time what I nice moment take after take. “Wink”
bloody yanks always stealng evrything our stuff the even stool dads army
The ONLY good thing about this is that it might mean the BBC finally getting the British LoM released on DVD in the US.
i’m really looking forward to seeing this show. hopefully it will be conventional enough that my wife will like it as well.
what did this guy say “LOM isn’t ground-breaking??” how wrong can you be……..LOM is truly ground-breaking, the best show to come out of England in years. You just have to look at some of the comments on the web, the 2 series’ and the final episode got the nation talking.
Hope the US version isn’t embarassing but do yourself a favour people and watch the original first – you won’t be disappointed.
Life On Mars U.S.A. version stunk up the place! It reminded me of the U.S. attempt at Cracker…..another one bites the dust!
My god. First Queer as Folk, Absolutely Fabulous, Vicar of Dibley, Coupling, Spaced, The Office, Red Dwarf, The IT Crowd, and the list goes on. And now Life on Mars. Perhaps its true what they say about Imitation being the best form of flattery, but this is getting ridiculous. Americans, you need to start coming up with YOUR OWN ideas for TV shows FFS…. IDIOTS…..
OMG i totally disagree the original was completely groundbreaking and about as tantalizing as telly gets… the american one however was pathetic in comparison… the acting was poorer the overall production less tight and just didn’t seem right… you just can’t beat the original cast… they were perfect!!
oh yeah and get your facts straight… he gets transported back to 1973 not 1972…. and you say the producers try to make it “uniquely [their] own” however the show has so many shots that are almost exactly identical to the original counterparts and almost all the lines follow the same suit and although they are almost carbon copies they pale in comparison. I don’t want to dig into the show to aggressively, don’t get me wrong… but all this hype that says it is far superior the original is just bollocks and someone has to right the wrongs!!!
… the original all the way!!