BBC America (and Maybe the BBC, I don't know) has started a new show called "Life on Mars".
The synopsis won't help you understand this show very well - it sounds too absurd - but it is as good a show as any I've ever seen.
It involves a DCI(Detective Chief Inspector) in Manchester who is investigating a murder. His girlfriend is kidnapped by this killer and he is shaken. Stopping on a remote street, he gets out of his car and is is struck by another motorist. Awakening he finds he is a Detective in Manchester in 1973. There is a similar murderer and he is assigned to the case.
During the course of his investigation he "hears" voices that indicate he might be in a coma and halucinating this scenario. BUt it is all too real to be just a hallucination.
This show will keep you pondering on several levels and it is riviting television. Watch this original show on BBCAmerica in the States or look for it on BBC-related chanels in your part of the world.
Side Note: Apparently this show is goig to be developed as a US television show (set in an american city with american actors). It will be interesting to see if it manages to capture the surreal feeling that the British show has or if it just comes off flat and lifeless. I'll keep you posted.
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Life on Mars
Yeah this series was aired on BBC1 last season though I can't give my opinion on it since I never watched it.
In response to the side note though, it really annoys me that American TV networks can't just air a British show without having to do an American remake a la The Office, Red Dwarf, Days Like These etc, etc, :evil: :evil:
Life on Mars
There was an American Red Dwarf? When did that happen?
Part of why they do that is that your "seasons" aka Seris are so damn short.
No US Network in its right mind would go to air with only six episodes. Thirteen is considered a bare minimum...and thats only been a recent thing.
Life on Mars
They did the pilot for the American Red Dwarf about the same time they did the DS9 pilot. Fortunately for Terry Ferrel's career, they picked up DS9 (she played Cat on the American one).
And have to be honest: as a viewer, I would much rather have less episodes of a show that's actually good than more episodes of sub-par quality. In fact, if US networks did that more often, we'd probably be much more willing to go with, say, a 6-episode series rather than needing 24 episodes.
One of my favourite shows right now, It's Always Sunny in Philadephia, had a first season of all of 7 episodes. It's also back for a season 2, which is still really awesome, but if you said to me, "Adam, you have 24 episodes of Sunny, but the quality is cut in half," I'd say, "No thank you! Stay at the lower number."
Of course, FX has never been in its right mind to begin with, either. :)
Life on Mars
The best way (from what I've seen) to do an american remake of LOM would be simple: ALLOW DAVID LYNCH TO MAKE IT!!! This way, it captures the weirdness, and none of that bland shite gets anywhere near it.