British Television Invasion

The bright folks at ABC have gone where a great many others have in the recent past to get their ideas for their new fall shows. This time rather than raiding televisions past like NBC did to bring us American Gladiators and Night Rider, ABC simply skipped across the pond and just like The Office, we are now presented with Life On Mars. The original series was great. I just started working my way through it again as BBC America ran a marathon of reruns leading up to the American versions launch. My concern what would the American adaptation work. Coupling did not translate well. The British version was witty and sharp, were as the American dull and plodding. The Office translated well to greater success stateside. The premiere was good, not great, and so far I still prefer the original, but it has the chance to be good. The casting of Harvey Keitel as Gene Hunt is a master stroke. Check out Life On Mars, and find out what it would be like to wake up in 1973.