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Life on Mars

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TRDejaVu

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Just finished watching the US version; not bad, we'll see how it develops.

The UK original gave us flashbacks we could relate to with cars, music and the look of the times from 1973. Did the US version do the same for those who grew up over here?
 
A US version... I wonder if I could see it on-line anywhere. Is it available?
 
Have not seen the US version - but I believe Harvey Keitel plays Gene Hunt. Good casting if nothing else.
 
It was on ABC last night. First episode followed the UK story line quite closely. Harvey Keitel wasn't bad, but he isn't in Phillip Glenister country as Gene Hunt, yet.

I wonder if they will do the infamous Hunt line, "Don't move, you are surrounded by armed bastards".
 
To be honest I cannot believe the Gene Hunt character could be as rasist, misogynistic, coarse and generally flawed in a US version as he was in the UK series. For one, the FCC wouldn't allow it! (I mean, can anyone still smoke on TV in thye US?)
 
They can glorify violence on US TV shows and that is OK, but a hint of skin (shock horror) or a depiction of what life was like in past times (without swearing in the UK version I hasten to add, so even they have pandered to a certain group by sanitizing it) and a large group of the population goes up in arms. Perhaps they should only have the Lawrence Welk show on TV lest anything else corrupt us.

It sums it up when Benny Hill was considered to be on the edge of daring in the US, while it was just a lame out of date attempt at humor in the UK after the 60s.

Rant over and now back to the LW Show and some wholesome polka music...
 
I was there for the British version, in real life! Trust me, there were coppers who really were as "rasist, misogynistic, coarse and generally flawed" in that job during the seventies, as the British version portrays. It is a certainty that some of these guys were very, very good at what they did. Not so much in the uniform side, but CID were definitely on the dodgy side.

I have some stories I could tell.
 
You mean that it wasn't as portrayed by Dixon of Dock Green; I'm shocked!!!
 
Steve said:
Trust me, there were coppers who really were as "rasist, misogynistic, coarse and generally flawed" in that job during the seventies, as the British version portrays. It is a certainty that some of these guys were very, very good at what they did.
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Oh - I did not mean those comments in a bad way! Actually Gene Hunt reminded me of my own dear dad - from South London, and of that generation. Both real softies underneath!

If you like "Life on Mars", you might want to try "The Sweeney" (with John Thaw (Inspector Moorse)and Dennis Waterman (the Minder)- a UK police drama set in the 70's because it was made in the 70's) or "The Bill" - kind of a UK version of "NYPD Blue" (in its better days).
 
Been looking for it (Life on Mars) - what channel, what time?
 
<span style="font-weight: bold"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'"> <span style="font-size: 14pt"> <span style="color: #FF9900">FOUND IT!!! </span> </span> </span> </span> Still wish I could find the UK version again...

Are they reusing UK scripts? Think I saw that show before...
 
They are highly likely to be using British scripts, subtly changed to use American terminology. Not much originality among screenwriters here? Certainly there is not likely to be one or more with experience of police work in the seventies, which is the key to authenticity. And if you have a turn-key formula that works, then why try to reinvent the wheel? It's also a lot cheaper to produce that way.

From what I saw, the British series was very true-to-life, but I couldn't sit and watch any of the programmes because of that.
 
RobT said:
(I mean, can anyone still smoke on TV in thye US?)
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Have you seen Mad Men on AMC? It's set at an ad agency in the 60's and they smoke and drink constantly. It is cable though.
 
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