Why did Life on Mars US version get cut?

[Canadave]

Maybe the original U.S. version would have done better. From what I remember reading, they filmed the first pilot with an almost totally different cast, including Colm Meaney in what became the Harvey Keitel character.

I doubt it would have done better, I saw it and Colm Meaney was fucking dire. I like the guy, but he was not good at all in that part.

Yup. The original pilot was bloody terrible, all around. The second pilot was passable, but it failed to grab me... never ended up watching more than the first episode. The original series was brilliant, though.

 

[lennier1]

It improved drastically when they stopped copying the (superior) original and gave the show its own identity. Hell, US Gene Hunt even became a great character of his own.
Unfortunately by then it was already far too late.