US Life on Mars: ‘You are surrounded by angry bastards!’

Oct 5, 2008 at 5:45 PM
11 comments

ABC has made a ‘Starter Kit’ to introduce people to Life on Mars, beginning this Thursday. The clip below shows many scenes familiar to fans of the original, and compared with the Kelley effort, it looks very good. Gene Hunt’s most (in)famous line gets changed by one word, but Appelbaum and Nemec, the new producers, seem to have hit the formula correctly. Importantly, there appears to be social commentary hidden within the show, which the Kelley pilot lacked.
British fans may take this to be an equivalent to the old BBC site, which is still up. Just that broadband has moved on a bit since the original series’ début in 2006.

Life on Mars US starter kit

A second clip has emerged, this time of Sam’s arrival at the 125th Precinct. Again, it is very familiar, and it is established early on that he has transferred from ‘Hyde’. By Chris’s discussion with Sam, it is Hyde Park in New York, as I had guessed. Harvey Keitel has the personality to carry Gene Hunt’s character, and Jason O’Mara is finally less beefcake compared with his first outing.

Life on Mars US episode 1 Sam arrives

11 comments

Jack Yan’s rating:

★★★★

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[this is good]

Sometimes I'm an angry bastard!

Jack Yan replied to Zak Klemmer’s comment:
Oct 5, 2008
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Philip Glenister’s original line was, ‘Don’t move! You’re surrounded by armed bastards!’ which had become iconic in the UK. To hear it modified is a bit strange, though it suits the American audience and Harvey Keitel’s delivery.

Sometimes I'm an armed angry bastard. LOL

Jack Yan replied to Zak Klemmer’s comment:
Oct 5, 2008
Reply

[這個好]

You’re allowed—it’s in the Constitution!

not bad - I still pref the original....

Me, too. John Simm is the better Sam Tyler and there was a more depressing feel to 1973 Manchester. I shall be interested to know how Vida en Marte looks!

The network has been promoting Life On Mars but I don't recall seeing any ads for Journeyman. :-(

Really curious about this -- we set our DVR. Starts on Thursday on ABC for us.

Zak: I don’t know what prompted NBC’s decision to never give Journeyman a chance because there is an appetite for this sort of time-travelling show.
Steve: the original was huge in the UK and I was a big fan of it. From these clips, I think the producers have done a superb job at re-creating the dissonance and cultural commentary that were a big part of the original. ABC also seems to have spent a lot more money giving it an authentic 1973 feel.

NY in '73 looks pretty cool tho - kinda like the Sesame Street feel to it.

I love how they had to explain in the ABC trailer what was happening in the US in 1973. As far as I'm aware they didn't have to do this in the UK...

aussies stand against this type of american crap being shoved at us remember the american attempt of our kath and kim, turn off telling them to leave best alone,to those who have not seen the british version go and request your public library to purchase it or ask your local dvd rental shop

US Life on Mars: ‘You are surrounded by angry bastards!’

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