I need more than one Life on Mars Icon

[evilhippo]

So, on the whims of my terrible internet connection (no clue what's wrong with it tonight), I'm attempting to watch Life on Mars. Only not the proper one... the American remake. So far, the only good scene has been the scene he gets hit by the car in. That scene is one of my favourites in all of television, but since it was done almost exactly the same way as the British version, it was pretty hard to screw up. (The shot of the twin towers afterwards was a bit of a punch in the gut). I'll concede, maybe, that portraying life in the 70s in New York City kind of justifies remaking a show like this (since we're not going to get the 70s British references)... but given that everything else, including (it's been a while, but I'm pretty sure) large chunks of the script, is lifted from the original, it makes for a pretty weird combination. Also, perhaps this is just preference, and I've only watched about half an hour of the show... but Sam Tyler and DCI Hunt in this? Nowhere near to being the sort of interesting, sympatheic characters they are in the original. Also I have no faith in American television in comparison to British television (with the exception of the third season of Doctor Who. Even we could've done that better). Also, why Sam Tyler is still from "Hyde" is a mystery to me, because there is no Hyde in New York. And Annie is a freaking blonde. Come on. Brunettes look so much less tacky in 70s police uniforms procedural dramas.

However, the greatest loss in this remake is the loss of the Rastafarian bartender. And the "What part of my subconscious do you hail from?" line to him falls completely, completely flat. Sigh.

Now I'm off to un-spoil myself for the second season of the British version, which I have yet to watch. Oops.

Comments

[zolac-no-miko.livejournal.com]

Lauren and I have been sort of fearfully toying with the idea of watching some of the American version. I think we still need to see this for ourselves, but your comments pretty much highlight all of our concerns.

Yes, watch the rest of Life on Mars (the real one!), it is good for your health. Dooo iiiitt.

[evilhippo.livejournal.com]

I think it might be worth it to watch more than one. Just the first one is pretty... unimpressive. I've got a bad feeling I'm going to keep watching it for a couple episodes, though, out of morbid curiosity (kind of like I did with the FMA dub).

I've never been so happy to . (-; Nothing beats the overdose episode, though. Then again, nothing beats drugged-up episodes of anything.

[zolac-no-miko.livejournal.com]

Well, keep us posted on the worthiness of the American version. It received rave reviews, but I suspect the reviewers hadn't seen the original.

Have you seen the whole thing to the end?

It's been a while since I've watched the show, which one was that? And which season was the episode that started with claymation? Because I loved the claymation.

[evilhippo.livejournal.com]

Did it really? Well, it's not like our standards are high. Though it worries me that someone at work (there are two with moderately decent taste in TV shows) will end up liking it, and I'll have to argue with them about the clear superiority of the British version and further cement my reputation as an aloof out-of-touch snob with a rather more sarcastic than necessary sense of humor and a guilt complex, at the moment, for not having wished all of her bosses a happy Boss's day, even though she also forgot Columbus Day and, let's face it, Columbus was a bit... bigger.

Yes I have seen it all. As of tonight, actually. And I guess now I'm going to have to figure out if Ashes to Ashes is any good.

The OD episode is the one that started with the claymation (2nd season... er... some episode). I plan on using that opening scene to draw people in, because clearly I'm way too far behind to have ever joined the proper fandom.

[zolac-no-miko.livejournal.com]

...We have a Boss' Day? I was unaware of this. It's not on the calendar. ...Columbus Day is. I forgot about that too. Perhaps I should show up at your workplace, and when they are confronted with two aloof out-of-touch snobs who prefer British originals to American remakes and enjoy extreme sarcasm and tend to forget holidays whether or not they are on the calendar, they will feel alienated in the face of an obviously growing and much cooler personality trend.

Oh good, I've been worrying about spoiling you. What did you think of that ending? As for Ashes to Ashes, we enjoyed it, but lamented Sam Tyler's replacement with an icky female and eventually just sort of... stopped watching it. Perhaps if you stick with it, I will feel compelled to return to it and see what happens.

...Obviously that was a superior episode, even if I remember nothing about it but the claymation.

[evilhippo.livejournal.com]

It's always some kind of random holiday. Happy Armilustrium!

No worries about spoiling me anymore. And the ending... got my little English Major gears turning (since they're looking for use all the time). It's a doozy of a psychological issue, really, since for all we've been shown, the 1973 universe depends on his being alive. So it's all bittersweet and... yeah. Not a bad ending, but not very satisfying either. Especially the lead-up, because most of the time I just didn't buy Sam selling them out to that extent.

I just finished the second episode of the American remake. On one hand... it diverts quite a bit more from the original (but still not a whole lot), and on the other... mostly all they did was cut out all the interesting bits of the investigation, so it's more a show about... um... actually I haven't quite pinned down where we're going with this version. And I'm finding myself lamenting Sam Tyler's replacement with an icky American. None of the proper softness, none of the bemusement... in fact, none of the interest about the situation. Which, er... I guess just makes him Not British, if stereotypes hold. Goshdarnit.

[zolac-no-miko.livejournal.com]

The Punjab government has declared today a holiday to celebrate the 300th year of Gurta Gaddi Divas, whatever that is.

I think the official explanation is that time passes differently in his head, so that last moment before he dies seems to stretch on for a loooooong long time in 1973. This is important in Ashes to Ashes. I liked the ending because it appears to be endorsing suicide... which is not something most shows would do. It's risky, and it messes with my emotions... I can't tell whether to be happy or sad.

God damn Americans. DDD: