I’m taking a divergence from the Bookshelf Project here, but since it’s my blog I can talk about whatever I want. And one of those things I like to talk about is TV shows.
Before I say anything else, let it be known here that I am a massive fan of the original (U.K.) Life on Mars and anything related to it: the soundtrack, the sequel show Ashes to Ashes, so on and so forth. I thought that the stories were amazing and doing things in the plot that really pushed boundaries yet played off of cliché at the same time. Not to mention the absolutely crackling chemistry between John Simm and Phillip Glenister. And just the sheer wonder that is Gene Hunt. So the original version will always hold the place of honor in my heart.
However, I had the opportunity to acquire the U.S. version of Life on Mars for dirt cheap, so I decided to buy the whole series and give it a shot. I’d seen a few episodes of the show back when it was on TV (searching out anything that relates to the original, as I have a tendency to do) and caught the ending that defines ‘WTF’ perfectly. But being related to the wonderful original, I almost feel like I would be a bad fangirl if I didn't give the new show a chance. So why not? I’m hoping that the show actually doesn’t end up being just a blatant copy of the U.K. edition. I’m about ten minutes into the first episode and they’ve even had identical film cuts to the original so far.
Life on Mars U.S., I’m willing to give you a chance. Don’t let me down. You have the same amount of episodes as the original, so let’s see what you do with that time. Give me a reason to believe that you actually planned out that insanity defining ending.
Brace yourselves, it’s going to be a bumpy ride…
I'll have to check out the original series! I'd never heard of Life On Mars before, but you've given it such a high recommendation that I'm intrigued. I look forward to hearing what you think of the U.S. version, and I'll let you know what I think of the original once I get my hands on it and watch a few episodes. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLife on Mars is definitely an interesting experience. Think 70s cop show crossed with a time travel mystery, with a smattering of magical realism on top because no one's quite sure what's going on. I'm a sucker for a good time travel story, which is what got my attention about the show in the first place, but then it turned into so much more, which then turned a good show into a totally amazing show. So if those elements sound like they could be somewhat up your alley, I say to go for it. :)
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