American remake of "Life on Mars"?

Question

When they originally filmed the pilot, it was written by David E. Kelly, based in Los Angeles, and had Colm Meaney in the role of Gene Hunt. Most people who managed to catch a glimpse of this pilot thought it was a bit pants.

They've now taken David E. Kelly out of the equation, relocated the show to New York and cast Harvey Keitel in the role of Gene Hunt.

Do you think this will make it better than the original, and do you think it'll be as good as the UK version?

Answer 1

I too caught a glimpse of the original U.S pilot (the trailer to it in fact) and my initial thought was 'pants' Colm Meaney just didn't cut it as the Gene Genie Harvey Kietel though I do like him as an actor but I think the problem here is we have the U.K Life on Mars to compare the U.S one to and to be honest I think that John Simm as Sam Tyler and Phillip Glenister as Gene Hunt were perfect casting and that alone is going to be a hard act to follow.  

Answer 2

I saw the US remake of 'LOM' & was dissapointed.  I have alot of respect for Colm Meaney as he was great in Star Trek as Chief O'Brien & thought he would be a great Gene Hunt (Obviously not a patch on phil).  

It just felt kinda rushed?  And lost the subtlties that you could 'feel'.  for instance the car accident &the time-travel sequence.. you could 'feel' it..it had definition.  The lines felt they were 'recited' rather than 'lived'.  Annie didnt feel right, but I dont think it could've been the actresses fault..im willing to give her that chance.

I didnt like the idea of Gene and the team knowing that Sam was from the future, it kinda ruined things a bit, like the 'danger' of them thinkng he was mad, so sam in the UK version tried to hide that fact.  

The guy that plays Sam tyler wasnt convincing enough, I think mainly because John Simm done so well.  Which, I'll give him a fair chance as the series progresses.  But my overall impression was it was 'put on' rather than 'lived' on a convincing world.  

Harvey Kitel as Gene hunt, now that would be a curious sight.  He could do it, that sounds like it would be great.  I actually saw a picture from the set and he looks the part.  The actress for annie is 'annie like' and the guy they cast from the sorpranos as ray look like him with the haircut and moustache lol.  

But Great actors can only save a show so far... you gotta have great writers who have the talent to take something already great and keep the standard or make it better..

Just taking a winner, giving it a paint-job thinking...its a winner anyway isnt enough.  and thats how the US remake felt.  

Answer 3

I think Harvey Keitel will be good, but not sure about how the general concept would translate to America.

Answer 4

No American remake is as good as the original. Don't expect anything great of the new "Life on Mars". Trust me.

PS: The only American remake that I actually like is "The Office". I like both versions almost equally.

Answer 5

noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, leave it as it is.

Answer 6

I really don't think the show would work if anything was changed. It had a very specific balance of characters which wouldn't work if they were Americanised. Pretty much every person in the show thrives on a lack of modern political correctness (obviously it's most evident in Hunt) and a large part of the show was weighing up the pros & cons of 70s attitudes in Britain. These characters and plots are at odds with the general trend of American productions obsessed with not offending anyone (except big anti-remake heads like me, grrr!) so I really think it's a lost cause.

And removing Colm Meaney from anything is never the answer. To anything.  

Answer 7

i think it's impossible to make US version better than Original.UK "LoM" was brilliant and even Harvey Keitel won't convince me. I like that show because it has great cast( John Simm as Sam),  actors don't look like plastic dolls(like in many americans films, shows ) they are as human as it is possible and of course they are British(so they have specific sense of humor, accent etc.). Another important think it's distinctive local colour, characteristic only for UK. So I think US version wont be as good as original, it will be totally different...to the detriment of the show.

Answer 8

Nothing will be as good as the UK version.  I can see how Colm might not be the ideal Gene Hunt - but truthfully - he is a very English character so I am unsure how he will be portrayed in an American setting.

Answer 9

Reflecting 1970s American policing will rattle a few skeletons in a few cupboards.  I wonder if racism will feature, or if it will be glossed over? There was also Vietnam and draft-dodging. Loads of material ... if they dare.