Life On Mars

[cubbiebluestew]

I don't know why, but this series reminds me of the 1970's series  "The Prisoner".  Probably only a couple of you ever saw that series.  Patrick McGoohan being chased by a gigantic white beach ball. The "Simpsons" did a spoof of the "Prisoner" a few years back and I thought that it went over the heads of 99% of its audience. 

[cubbiebluestew]

Hmmm.  The '60s.  I am older than I thought.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prisoner

[Kerm]

I don't know why, but this series reminds me of the 1970's series  "The Prisoner".  Probably only a couple of you ever saw that series.  Patrick McGoohan being chased by a gigantic white beach ball. The "Simpsons" did a spoof of the "Prisoner" a few years back and I thought that it went over the heads of 99% of its audience. 

AND a drunken Jack Black yells out "McGoohan" in response to a question by traitor John Cusack in High Fidelity.

[DwightKurtz]

I suspect Harvey Keitel was a bad choice as Gene Hunt.  For one thing, I couldn't understand a goddamn word he was saying.  For another thing, Sam Tyler could kick his ass.  Part of the awesomeness of the Guv was that he was physically intimidating, and would have smacked the shit out of Sam.

Also, they made Ray's character too likable.

I hope this ends up being good, though.

Keitel sucks as the Guv.  He's like a sad parody of the British Gene Hunt.

[Jon]

I don't know why, but this series reminds me of the 1970's series  "The Prisoner".  Probably only a couple of you ever saw that series.  Patrick McGoohan being chased by a gigantic white beach ball. The "Simpsons" did a spoof of the "Prisoner" a few years back and I thought that it went over the heads of 99% of its audience. 

Great show. I would dress like #6 every day if I had those mod clothes.

[Internet Apex]

I've never seen a second of the British version but I saw the first episode of this American retake. I thought it was about a C+ and could have been a strong B if either female supporting character would have taken her top off and revealed some guns on camera. This being network TV, I offer this review:

Things move really fast on network TV. They have to excite their viewers enough to bring them back from the frequent commercial breaks. So they spice up the screen with stunts and special effects... CGI out the yin-yang... visual MSG.

Way too many "A HA!" moments. Characters figuring things out too quickly and then predictably oscillating back to utter disbelief of the science-fictional circumstances they've been chucked into arbitrarily.

Just slightly too much music. Good music. A little too good. A little too appropriate. Not plausible that those theme-related tunes from the 70s would be playing exactly when and where they were. Take it from the Soprano's and The Wire. Use the source music sparingly for chilling effect. Not to jazz up the goings on with romping drums and guitar riffs. David Bowie. Yeah! Again? Ok. Again? Of course.

And Meh. Great concept for a show that was produced to critical acclaim in the UK and adapted in the US for a star-studded cast including two personal faves Harvey Keitel and Michael Imperioli. So the acting was ace. The story above average. The writing average. The production cranked up about 30 notches too high. Relax. We get it.

I'll probably not tune in next week unless I'm completely bored. But I do want to check out the British version.

Hot ass chick on the show. Gretchen Mol. But since it's CBS. No boobilige. Booooooo....

[Weebs]

I've never seen a second of the British version but I saw the first episode of this American retake. I thought it was about a C+ and could have been a strong B if either female supporting character would have taken her top off and revealed some guns on camera. This being network TV, I offer this review:

Things move really fast on network TV. They have to excite their viewers enough to bring them back from the frequent commercial breaks. So they spice up the screen with stunts and special effects... CGI out the yin-yang... visual MSG.

Way too many "A HA!" moments. Characters figuring things out too quickly and then predictably oscillating back to utter disbelief of the science-fictional circumstances they've been chucked into arbitrarily.

Just slightly too much music. Good music. A little too good. A little too appropriate. Not plausible that those theme-related tunes from the 70s would be playing exactly when and where they were. Take it from the Soprano's and The Wire. Use the source music sparingly for chilling effect. Not to jazz up the goings on with romping drums and guitar riffs. David Bowie. Yeah! Again? Ok. Again? Of course.

And Meh. Great concept for a show that was produced to critical acclaim in the UK and adapted in the US for a star-studded cast including two personal faves Harvey Keitel and Michael Imperioli. So the acting was ace. The story above average. The writing average. The production cranked up about 30 notches too high. Relax. We get it.

I'll probably not tune in next week unless I'm completely bored. But I do want to check out the British version.

Hot ass chick on the show. Gretchen Mol. But since it's CBS. No boobilige. Booooooo....

And I get shit for The Office thread?  [GeorgeOscarBluth]COME ON![/GeorgeOscarBluth]

[5laky]

I suspect Harvey Keitel was a bad choice as Gene Hunt.  For one thing, I couldn't understand a goddamn word he was saying.  For another thing, Sam Tyler could kick his ass.  Part of the awesomeness of the Guv was that he was physically intimidating, and would have smacked the shit out of Sam.

Also, they made Ray's character too likable.

I hope this ends up being good, though.

Keitel sucks as the Guv.  He's like a sad parody of the British Gene Hunt.

I think in the first and only 20 minutes I watched, this is what killed it for me. These "characters" offer little appeal. Maybe the 70's in England were just way better. I always thought they would have been awesome in the US. I guess I was wrong.

Dazed and Confused IS A LIAR.

[Andre Dawson's Creek]

It's an American problem.  We don't like unattractive leads in our dramas (especially our action dramas).  The lead needs to be an attractive, well built, person.  Unless you're doing comedy where the lead is wacky or the perennial underdog, most of America won't buy in, the show gets critical acclaim and low ratings, and gets canceled after 9 eps.

Who could you picture bullying around the US version of Sam?



On the plus side, I think they found their lead in the new Captian America movie.

[cubbiebluestew]

I suspect Harvey Keitel was a bad choice as Gene Hunt.  For one thing, I couldn't understand a goddamn word he was saying.  For another thing, Sam Tyler could kick his ass.  Part of the awesomeness of the Guv was that he was physically intimidating, and would have smacked the shit out of Sam.

Also, they made Ray's character too likable.

I hope this ends up being good, though.

Keitel sucks as the Guv.  He's like a sad parody of the British Gene Hunt.

I think in the first and only 20 minutes I watched, this is what killed it for me. These "characters" offer little appeal. Maybe the 70's in England were just way better. I always thought they would have been awesome in the US. I guess I was wrong.

Dazed and Confused IS A LIAR.

I think that the '70s were awesome.  Although generally we produced crap (Peter Max was the iconic artist of the times) there was a lot of innovation.  Music.  Polyester.  Sideburns.  Nixon.  Impeachment.  Vietnam protests.  Weed.  Experimentation.  Peace and Freedom.  Huey Newton.  Eldridge Cleaver.  I got through it.

[Kerm]

It's an American problem.  We don't like unattractive leads in our dramas (especially our action dramas).  The lead needs to be an attractive, well built, person.  Unless you're doing comedy where the lead is wacky or the perennial underdog, most of America won't buy in, the show gets critical acclaim and low ratings, and gets canceled after 9 eps.

Who could you picture bullying around the US version of Sam?



On the plus side, I think they found their lead in the new Captian America movie.

Harvey Keitel is attractive now?

I was honestly going to suggest the dude from Con Air and Cliffhanger (Colm Meaney) because he looks like the Guv, and in searching for his name I found this.  Apparently, the unaired pilot HAD Colm Meaney as Hunt.  I wonder if I read that somewhere.  It also had the hot girl from BSG: Razor as Maya instead of Lisa Bonet.

Damn.

[5laky]

I suspect Harvey Keitel was a bad choice as Gene Hunt.  For one thing, I couldn't understand a goddamn word he was saying.  For another thing, Sam Tyler could kick his ass.  Part of the awesomeness of the Guv was that he was physically intimidating, and would have smacked the shit out of Sam.

Also, they made Ray's character too likable.

I hope this ends up being good, though.

Keitel sucks as the Guv.  He's like a sad parody of the British Gene Hunt.

I think in the first and only 20 minutes I watched, this is what killed it for me. These "characters" offer little appeal. Maybe the 70's in England were just way better. I always thought they would have been awesome in the US. I guess I was wrong.

Dazed and Confused IS A LIAR.

I think that the '70s were awesome.  Although generally we produced crap (Peter Max was the iconic artist of the times) there was a lot of innovation.  Music.  Polyester.  Sideburns.  Nixon.  Impeachment.  Vietnam protests.  Weed.  Experimentation.  Peace and Freedom.  Huey Newton.  Eldridge Cleaver.  I got through it.

My faith has been restored. Thanks Stew.

[Andre Dawson's Creek]

It's an American problem.  We don't like unattractive leads in our dramas (especially our action dramas).  The lead needs to be an attractive, well built, person.  Unless you're doing comedy where the lead is wacky or the perennial underdog, most of America won't buy in, the show gets critical acclaim and low ratings, and gets canceled after 9 eps.

Who could you picture bullying around the US version of Sam?



On the plus side, I think they found their lead in the new Captian America movie.

Harvey Keitel is attractive now?

I was honestly going to suggest the dude from Con Air and Cliffhanger (Colm Meaney) because he looks like the Guv, and in searching for his name I found this.  Apparently, the unaired pilot HAD Colm Meaney as Hunt.  I wonder if I read that somewhere.  It also had the hot girl from BSG: Razor as Maya instead of Lisa Bonet.

Damn.

Harv ain't the lead.  I was speaking more towards the problem of casting a non-attractive male lead so Harvey could play the badass. 

[cubbiebluestew]

I suspect Harvey Keitel was a bad choice as Gene Hunt.  For one thing, I couldn't understand a goddamn word he was saying.  For another thing, Sam Tyler could kick his ass.  Part of the awesomeness of the Guv was that he was physically intimidating, and would have smacked the shit out of Sam.

Also, they made Ray's character too likable.

I hope this ends up being good, though.

Keitel sucks as the Guv.  He's like a sad parody of the British Gene Hunt.

I think in the first and only 20 minutes I watched, this is what killed it for me. These "characters" offer little appeal. Maybe the 70's in England were just way better. I always thought they would have been awesome in the US. I guess I was wrong.

Dazed and Confused IS A LIAR.

I think that the '70s were awesome.  Although generally we produced crap (Peter Max was the iconic artist of the times) there was a lot of innovation.  Music.  Polyester.  Sideburns.  Nixon.  Impeachment.  Vietnam protests.  Weed.  Experimentation.  Peace and Freedom.  Huey Newton.  Eldridge Cleaver.  I got through it.

My faith has been restored. Thanks Stew.

You had faith in bell bottoms and wide lapels?

[5laky]

I suspect Harvey Keitel was a bad choice as Gene Hunt.  For one thing, I couldn't understand a goddamn word he was saying.  For another thing, Sam Tyler could kick his ass.  Part of the awesomeness of the Guv was that he was physically intimidating, and would have smacked the shit out of Sam.

Also, they made Ray's character too likable.

I hope this ends up being good, though.

Keitel sucks as the Guv.  He's like a sad parody of the British Gene Hunt.

I think in the first and only 20 minutes I watched, this is what killed it for me. These "characters" offer little appeal. Maybe the 70's in England were just way better. I always thought they would have been awesome in the US. I guess I was wrong.

Dazed and Confused IS A LIAR.

I think that the '70s were awesome.  Although generally we produced crap (Peter Max was the iconic artist of the times) there was a lot of innovation.  Music.  Polyester.  Sideburns.  Nixon.  Impeachment.  Vietnam protests.  Weed.  Experimentation.  Peace and Freedom.  Huey Newton.  Eldridge Cleaver.  I got through it.

My faith has been restored. Thanks Stew.

You had faith in bell bottoms and wide lapels?

I have faith. Have.