Comments | karaokegal: Doing the vindictive happy dance of cancellation for LOM-US

karaokegal

Doing the vindictive happy dance of cancellation for LOM-US

Mar 03, 2009 12:46

Please note, the happy dance does NOT apply to any of the other shows mentioned in the article which I know are near and dear to the hearts of many on my F-list. The happy dancing applies only to the stupidity of trying to recreate perfection and doing it badly.

And it ain't no lie, baby, bye-bye-bye!

happydancing, journal, life on mars

Comments 27

drunken_hedghog March 3 2009, 21:55:46 UTC

Broke the Eli Stone news to my bro. He was disappointed but not surprised. I'm not even a fan of LOM and I'm glad that the US monstrosity has gone.

karaokegal March 3 2009, 22:03:24 UTC

It's a pity in that some very talented people were involved. It would have been great to see Harvey Keitel in something where he'd be creating an original character. But no way in hell could he ever been Gene Hunt.

amproof March 3 2009, 22:31:08 UTC

I've come to, if not love, then have a great fondness for LoM USA, and I will be sad to see it go. The first several episodes were not good, but lately it has really taken off and come to its own as they have stopped copying UK and given the characters lives and histories of their own. Sadly, I suspect the decision for cancellation was already made by then.

I especially like the Ray-Sam dynamic, and even Ray-Annie.

I am very happy that they will be concluding it properly and not leaving it with a cliff hanger.

karaokegal March 3 2009, 22:39:59 UTC

I'd like to see Harvey Keitel get a TV role where he's not in such a big shadow.

But seriously...whatever made them think this could really work?

amproof March 4 2009, 01:16:10 UTC

Yes, 'Gene Hunt' never gelled with me. Always seemed off due to Phil's huge shadow hovering over that role, and even when he was saying lines original to the new version, I expected them to be delivered in Philip's pattern. I even started liking O'Mara's alternately goofy and dour Sam, which was markedly different from SimmSam. I think the only worse they they could have done to Gene Hunt, would be if the original plan had gone through and they'd gotten Philip and John to reprise their roles with American accents. Having suffered through Phil's in Demons, I am pretty sure that would have killed the Gene Genie legend. But at least the facial expressions would have there. LOL

I don't know what made them think it would work, especially due to how iconic Gene Hunt is thanks to Philip--but I think that it was a better bet than the disaster that was Coupling USA. LOL!

karaokegal March 4 2009, 01:30:51 UTC

Well that was COMPLETELY INSANE, although in the other direction of not changing anything in the scripts at all.

I'm trying to think what was the last UK to US remake to really work. I know there were tons of them in 70's that became American sitcomes. I guess the last one that got anywhere would be Queer as Folk.

Thread 12

51stcenturyfox March 4 2009, 08:56:03 UTC

With you on LoM. Wouldn't even peek at the US version.

US Office is fine. After the first season it stopped being so derivative.

Random LoM :)

karaokegal March 4 2009, 17:49:24 UTC

Me either. I was on my HELL TO THE NO high horse from the minute it was announced. Hence the vindictiveness of the happy dancing.

filthgoblin March 4 2009, 11:19:45 UTC

I only ever watched the trailer and couldn't bring myself to look at any more. I don't generally like US remakes. We don't generally do British remakes of US hit shows and to do the same in reverse seems patronising to me.

I was unbelievably glad when they abandoned the idea of remaking "Spaced" in the US before it even got off the ground. It was so "of it's time" and the pop culture references were so very specific that I just don't see how it could have worked if they'd remade it. That, and the fact that Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes ARE Tim and Daisy to me. But I digress...

People have been telling me that US Queer as Folk is worth a watch, though. Do you agree?

joanne_c March 4 2009, 16:06:20 UTC

*coughs*Law&Order*coughs*

And yes to Queer As Folk. Very good show, good actors and interesting storylines.

karaokegal March 6 2009, 18:02:30 UTC

You'll have to take the word of others. I've only seen a few episodes when they were showing them late at night on Logo during the "Hubby in the Hospital" period when I was up late every night anyway.

I didn't find most of the characters very appealing and some of the stereotypes were annoying, but I hadn't been watching from the beginning and I get the idea is the kind of soap thing where you have start the journey with the characters to really care about them.

lifebecomesart March 5 2009, 03:18:15 UTC

Thank goodness. That was just a matter of time. How horrid was that show?

You just can't mess with LoM the original

karaokegal March 6 2009, 18:00:34 UTC

Strangely enough, I'm less perturbed about the upcoming Spanish version than I was about the American attempt.

joanne_c March 7 2009, 13:48:41 UTC

Which, no offence, weirds me out. If they can't recreate perfection then they shouldn't try it anywhere, you know?

Then again, I think that though US LOM had its bad points, it was better than 99% of what's on TV anyway - it still had that LOM feel, if shadowed. Or, I agree with amproof *g*

And okay, I apparently am genetically programmed to adore Chris in all incarnations.

karaokegal March 8 2009, 02:45:41 UTC

Love your Icon!

I know. It's weird and hypocritical. Which should be in my profile somewhere.

Thread 6