Life On Mars: "Out Here In the Fields" 10/9 - Grading & Discussion
- Thread starter Aragorn
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Thanks, That's what I was trying to go for, but wasn't clever enough to put it like that.
I'd love to see a historical show about broadcasting. I have this weird thing for seeing people using old technology.
I completely understand and get what you mean about that. It wouldn't make a lot of sense without the coma, mad, or back in time story element. I was just going on about how it would still work on a level without the sci-fi idea. Without the time-travel element, it's essentially a period drama, much like Mad Men. I know I keep coming back to that but it's the only example I can think of at the moment. That show is almost sci-fi in a sense where you watch these people and you feel like you are watching an alien world, where Temis said, "the Mad Men-esque fun of seeing people behave in ways they couldn't get away with now." And each episode you would still have Sam and Gene butting heads with their different philospohies with them coming to an agreement someplace in the middle. All that would be changed would possibly Sam is a new Detective, fresh from the Academy who still has a lot of ideals, and wants to do his job the best he can and by the book. And Gene is still the grizzled veteran who is more streetwise than Sam with a lot of things to teach Sam, with a lot of things to learn himself.
That's just an idea I had, But everything you said I completely agree with as well.
I plan on it. I checked out the Original The Office as well, and liked them both. Are the LOM DVDs on Region 1, or would I have to downolad it? The stuff I've managed to find on Youtube I liked. But if this version gets big over here they'll probably issue them in R1.
I'll give it some time.
That was pretty cool to do that.
Actually, the creators came up with the show because the networks were looking for police shows, and the only why they thought they could bare writing one was if it was set in the 70s, so that's what they did.
It's mostly a nostalgia trip, but I wasn't even born in the 70s, and I love the show. There's some great character work from the actors.
Seeing Gene do the stuff he does is a large part of the appeal, but the creators admit they had to tone him down, because people would be turned off by a character as totally racist and misogynistic as would have been realistic.
The aired American version is remarkably like the BBC version.
The most interesting thing about the unaired first American pilot is the difference in tone of Meaney's portrayal of Hunt - resulting in about equal parts from his performance and from a substantially less wordy script.
Exactly.
It's one thing to think you see the WTC in the disoriented moments following a car accident... it's quite another thing to walk into a highly familiar and comfortable place (like your daily workplace) and find it radically changed.
How different does he sound than when he's Miles O'Brien?
and these other two are pale versions.
^^ That's true. Suffice to say, the US version is best seen without seeing the British version first. Having said that, I still find the US version watchable though. Keital got better as the episode went along, and although no John Simm, O'Mara wasn't bad.
The bloke who played Ray looked too much like Ben Stiller from Dodgeball!
The bloke who played Ray looked too much like Ben Stiller from Dodgeball!
Without comparing it to the BBC version, the un-aired pilot, or the sock puppet version done by the creators for the ABC execs in the pitch meeting, I think it stands up well on its own legs and shows some promise. The supporting characters are strong, the premise is interesting, and as long as they don't go to the well too often on the cheap and easy jokes on decade differences ("Diet Coke! Wow! Wouldn't that be something!") I think it will do fine.
Nit: I am in agreement that these hard boiled no nonsense 70s cops take a man clearly disturbed and claiming to be from the future a little too much in stride. But I'll waive that complaint since it's needed to make the show work.
Nit: I am in agreement that these hard boiled no nonsense 70s cops take a man clearly disturbed and claiming to be from the future a little too much in stride. But I'll waive that complaint since it's needed to make the show work.
Honestly, the interesting episodes of the original, at least on my end, was when they did the scifi thing and address social issues.
So I'm expecting racism/sexism/homophobia episodes... and in NYC? They have endless possibilities really.
So I'm expecting racism/sexism/homophobia episodes... and in NYC? They have endless possibilities really.
They should do a more authentic 1970's cop show soundtrack, with the wacka-wacka-wacka guitar sound and all that. 
That may be true. Although I stand by my assertion that everyone prefers whichever version they personally saw first. I saw the aired US version first, and even if I watched the UK one now, I'd probably prefer the US one. I don't get BBC America, so I never have the chance to see UK cop shows anyway.
About the only possible nit I can really have with the US version is that Harvey Keitel seems a bit too old to be playing a Lieutenant. They should have made his Gene Hunt a Captain, like the UK version (well, UK Gene is a DCI, but that is the same rank as a police Captain in the US).
That may be true. Although I stand by my assertion that everyone prefers whichever version they personally saw first. I saw the aired US version first, and even if I watched the UK one now, I'd probably prefer the US one. I don't get BBC America, so I never have the chance to see UK cop shows anyway.
About the only possible nit I can really have with the US version is that Harvey Keitel seems a bit too old to be playing a Lieutenant. They should have made his Gene Hunt a Captain, like the UK version (well, UK Gene is a DCI, but that is the same rank as a police Captain in the US).
He sounds like O'Brien only wooden and boring.
