This past week saw the premiere of a handful of U.S. remakes of shows originally done for other channels in other countries. Life on Mars, Eleventh Hour and Kath & Kim seem to be the three big ones currently being pushed. I caught all three. I also haven’t seen the original versions of any of them.
Life on Mars seems worth watching for three things: The Soundtrack, Harvey Keitel and Gretchen Mol. Not necessarily in that order. After the first episode, it feels an awful lot like Journeyman (or any of the other numerous Quantum Leap style shows that’ve been done since QL did it best) mashed up with TJ Hooker. Some of it is kind of like how I’d imagine CSI: The Past would be. The actor in the lead, Jason O’Mara, just doesn’t do it for me. Neither does the non-too-subtle bleed through of the present (especially the hospital sounds) into the past (or the future into the show’s present, as the case may be). I was hoping for a little more ambiguity than I’ve gotten so far. I don’t see it lasting, mostly because it’s so close in theme and execution as most of the shows that got canceled last season. Maybe in the next few episodes, it’ll do something to impress me. I’m not going to hold my breath.
Eleventh Hour was OK. I like the female lead, Marley Shelton, better than I like her counterpart in Fringe. The plot we have so far, though, leaves a bit to be desired. I’m OK with the big science mystery line, but Fringe beat them to the punch and has a crazier scientist character. If I could scramble the two shows together, I think we’d have a real winner. Until then, I’m on the fence with this one as much as I am with Fringe–it has potential, but I don’t know if it’ll get the chance to find it’s stride before it tanks.
Kath & Kim is utter and complete trash. Selma Blair, I love you dearly, but, damn girl, this show… why? You did your turn as trash in a John Waters movie, no need to revisit that as an inferior interpretation on the small screen. The really sad thing is that this show is even a waste of Molly Shannon’s talents. There isn’t a single likable character. They’re all dull and loud and oblivious. If I want that, all I have to do is hit the mall on any given day. Or, you know, watch news about the Republican vice presidential ticket. At most, this show’s getting one more half hour of my time to make me laugh and not groan. (And that’s only if I can fit it in between reruns of the original Addams Family.)
Of course, of these three shows, Kath & Kim will probably be the biggest hit.
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