This fall, one of the new TV shows will be Life on Mars, which is a remake of a British TV series. It is about a guy who is a cop and gets hit by a car and wakes up in 1973, and you don't know if it is a dream that he is having while in a coma, if he has really gone back in time, or if he is crazy and has been in 1973 the whole time. British shows have been remade into US shows before, with The Office for instance. This one is unique for me because I actually watched the British version before it was remade. Really, Life on Mars and MI-5 are about the only two British shows that I have ever watched around the time they originally aired. But it makes me feel cool, especially because I absolutely loved the show. However, that is what worries me too.
See, when The Office had its American version, I hadn't seen an episode of the British version (and still haven't!), so I was able to judge the US version on its own merits. I read a lot about how it wasn't as good as the original - Steve Carell was no Ricky Gervais, and the British version had a finite number of episodes to tell their story. I was ready to defend the US version though - I thought it was great, and I loved the cast.
This time, I am worried that I will be one of those people who don't judge the show on its own merits, because I am married to the British version. Really, I can't imagine falling in love with the cast and the story the way I did with the British show - the guy who played the lead character Sam Tyler was awesome, as was the guy who played Gene Hunt. The chemistry was just good stuff, everyone got along. The female lead was cute but not drop dead gorgeous or anything. Plus, for some reason on the BBC, they can just say "shit" whenever they want and not get bleeped. There was even nudity!
With the American version, I am already wary of the guy playing the lead. The guy who plays Hunt seems like a good casting decision, but the female lead looks to be really hot, which for the first time ever seems like a negative to me. Like, that was part of her appeal was that she looked normal, not "Hollywood". Then, Christopher Moltisanti was just added to the cast. Now, that almost seems to work for the character he is playing, but it is someone I will be familiar with, which just makes me seem apprehensive.
Also, the British version had 16 episodes. Total. It was enough time for the characters to develop their awesome chemistry, but also just enough time to tell the story. The last 2 episodes wrapped up the series perfectly. It was all a neat package, and I worry that the US version will lack that neatness. I am trying to go into it without any preconceived notions. But it will be difficult - like hearing a remake of a song, you always compare it to the original.
Then again, the advantage of being on American TV will be that there will be potentially SO many episodes. When Life on Mars ended, I really wanted more. I wanted to see more of DCI Tyler and the "Guv" and Annie and the whole crew. I liked the locations - 1973 just seemed so real in Manchester. I hope the US version will pull it off - we'll see. It is going on the TiVo season pass list for sure. Just don't be surprised if I am that annoying guy who says that the original was much better.
PS - I know I should watch the British Office, as well as Torchwood and Dr. Who and all. Maybe down the line.
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4 comments:
I haven't seen the British version, but i am very excited for Life on Mars. I thought the lead actor was brilliant in his guest appearance on Grey's Anatomy last season. Also, I can't stand Torchwood. It comes on HD Net evry week and I just can't watch it. And I tried watching the British Office on BBC America, and the humor was different, and I was annoyed that I couldn't understand half of what they were saying.
I have the British Office on DVD (or possibly just on the computer) but in any case, you should borrow it from me. The first several American episodes followed the plots pretty faithfully, so it's fun to compare. I prefer the American version because I'm American and so I get American humor and I'm a sucker for love triangles. I'm not saying I'm proud of it, but it is what it is.
But yeah, I am going to put Life on Mars on the season pass list.
As one who regularly watched the BBC version of The Office, I was initially put off by the American version. But I gave it time and eventually came around. Now I love the American version. It is different, but somehow the American humor is much less painful than the British. Good luck with Life on Mars.
I think that when an American show is trying to copy the British version exactly, like the Office or Coupling, a lot gets lost in translation. I think the American office came around when they started writing original episodes. American humor for an American audience, I guess.
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