Life On Mars

[nufan]

Ok, in Australia we are just starting to get Life On Mars to television. I wasn't aware until today there is a british version. I discovered this today when i saw season 1 and two advertised at the shops only to find out it was the british version.

So my question is which show is better?

[Jimmy]

I haven't seen the American one, but the British one is top quality. Both series are fantastic, and well worth the buy.

[Sir Alan LCSugar]

The British one is one of my favourite tv shows ever. I urge you to check it out!

[Timmoru Suzuki]

The British original is phenomenal. I haven't seen the US remake, but the trailer made it look awful. Of course, that's just the trailer, so it's not fair to judge on that. So yeah, British one is teh greatness.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

There's an American version?!?!

Is it basically the Beastie Boys "Sabotage" video stretched out to make an entire series?

[MalaCloudy Black]

American version has Harvey Keitel, who is awesome. Less awesome is the rest of the show, however. >_>

[Dan]

the Birtish Life on Mars is awesome.

One of the best shows I've seen in a long time.

[LexChaney]

I've seen one or two episodes of the American version. I wasn't that inpressed with it. But I'm sure if I watch the first season of it I may get into it.

UK version is better and it has a better Gene Hunt.

[Adam]

The original is phenomenal, one of my favourite shows ever. I've not seen the american version, but I don't see how it could even work and still be anywhere near as good as the original.

[nufan]

Wow thanks guys I will have to check it out. First season to buy is only like $20...which for you guys is like 8 pounds lol.

I noticed that 90% of the people that replied are british and no Americans did, so they musn't really care for the show.

[naiwf]

There's only been about 8 episodes shown in the US and there was about a 2 month gap between the 7th and the one this past week. I like it quite a bit, but I don't see it surviving more than another season at best since nothing seems to these days.

[nufan]

There's only been about 8 episodes shown in the US and there was about a 2 month gap between the 7th and the one this past week. I like it quite a bit, but I don't see it surviving more than another season at best since nothing seems to these days.

Fair enough, it has been played up so much in Australia, every third advert is for it.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Well the entire British series was 16 episodes long. Perfectly contained in length without outstaying its welcome.

[nufan]

Well the entire British series was 16 episodes long. Perfectly contained in length without outstaying its welcome.

What is it with the Brits not keeping anything

The Office lasted 2 seasons and a christmas special

Faulty Towers last 2 seasons

Extras last 2 seasons and an extra episode

Hell you couldnt even keep the ashes for more than a year

take a risk every now and then, those shows are awesome and could have been awesome for at least another season. i suppose its better to end it before to bad to watch COUGHPRISONBREAKCOUGH.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

The mentality generally seems to be to keep it short and therefore you can keep the writing tight and contained. It's very rare that British programmes run for a long time, partly cos of budget but mainly it's a societal thing. Ironically it's generally the worse programmes that outstay their welcome.

A rare success is Only Fools and Horses which went for years but then they brought it back for specials after a break and they all sucked.

Red Dwarf got better and better to the sixth series, seventh was kinda ok in parts but the eighth was awful. Peep Show is still doing well too but has lost SOMETHING.

'Allo 'Allo was seriously amazingly funny for the first three series, even the fourth was good. They should have finished it there because every series after that was a parade of repeated jokes and catchphrases that while amusing for a cold Saturday evening, lacked the edge of earlier episodes which, having watched through again recently, actually had me laughing out loud.

Also British comedy series are generally 6 episodes long as a rule.

My favourite comedy series are:

Fawlty Towers (12 episodes)

Spaced (14 episodes)

Teachers (40 episodes over 3.5 series with series 3 being by far the best)

Nathan Barley (6 episodes)

Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (6 episodes)

The Day Today (6 episodes)

Armando Iannucci Show (8 episodes)

Peep Show (30 episodes)

Black Books (18 episodes)

The first two series of Mighty Boosh (20 episodes)

Nick Frost's Danger 50,000 Volts (8 episodes)

An example of a shoddy show getting even worse as it went on is the 63 episode horror of Two Pints Of Lager and a Packet Of Crisps.

[naiwf]

Well the entire British series was 16 episodes long. Perfectly contained in length without outstaying its welcome.

A typical new show on a major network gets 13 episodes up front here. Then they can extend it by 4 or a full order which is usually an extra 9. Generally, a returning show gets 22 episodes a year. The shows on HBO, Showtime, TNT just get 13 since they don't have the cash flow of the major networks. Any show over here that "only" gets 16 episodes was surely cancelled in its first season or early in its second if it was a midseason replacement and fell about 70 episodes short of syndication which is the goal for most shows. It's the reason that things like ER & the Simpsons continue to drag on and on because they will make more money in syndication than they cost to make even if the ratings are half of what they were during their peak. It's also the reason that most shows in the States are only good for about 2 1/2 seasons tops since it takes a great set of writers to make 50 or so hours of compelling TV if it's a drama or 25 hours of consistently funny TV if it's a comedy.

[Crybaby Bunting]

The funny thing is, that despite Life On Mars? being pretty short, it has a definitive beginning and a definitive end: which may not be the case for the likes of LOST or Heroes in the end.

[Timmoru Suzuki]

That's one thing that does annoy me slightly about American TV: Having seasons with 22-26 episodes in, when it means over half end up being generic filler that don't advance the main plot, or really say or DO anything. Some shows I really like such as Star Trek and The West Wing are like it, and with good writers it's not so bad, but I prefer having a series that just has as many episodes as it needs and then goes without out-staying it's welcome. Life on Mars is a perfect example.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I got to see the Life On Mars finale today for the first time. I've always missed it before but they've been showing both British series over the last few months on MYSTERY CHANNEL!

Spoiler: Click here to view

That's how you end a series.

Happiness in suicide.

[Skummy]

An example of a shoddy show getting even worse as it went on is the 63 episode horror of Two Pints Of Lager and a Packet Of Crisps.

Especially when 61 of those episodes were criminally unfunny.