US Life on Mars Episode 1.06 comment post

[ausmac]

Here be the weekly post for comments on this week's episode of US Life on Mars. A reminder: Please, no other posts that relate in any direct fashion to discussion on the US series

Comments

[amproof]

I think this ep in UK is one of the best Gene/Sam. It has my favorite Sam moment, the gun to the head, the whistling, and the smile. I was glad and not glad that they didn't replicate that moment. I thought they made a mistake doing an actual flashback to the bar. It was confusing for a moment, and then 'Maya's' acting was not great. I actually found O'Mara's rendition of what she said far more touching than seeing her say it.

I wondered if the brother had a connection to Sam, maybe he represents Sam in the coma? Trapped inside a body that won't connect with his brain...

I'm missing Windy. 2 eps without her!

Was anyone else surprised/delighted to see Bill Irwin as the doctor? He's a New York icon, a great dramatic actor, but probably best known for fusing intellectualism with clowning. He plays the dad in Rachel Getting Married, and at the theater where I saw it, the audience roundly squealed in delight when he appeared, prompting my friend to lean over and whisper 'only in New York'. Surely not *only* here! LOL

[undersea]

Summed up from a post in my journal:

+ The plot was similar to the corresponding episode in the original LoM (a man taking hostages), except instead of a war veteran taking hostages in a warehouse it was a man taking hostages in a hospital. I really enjoyed this episode in the original series, but not so much with the US version. I feel the emotional effect lost a lot with the changes they decided to make.

+ I really, really miss the dynamic between Sam and Gene. That was an integral part of the original - one of the most important parts, in my opinion - and it just isn't there in the remake. In the original, if Gene weren't around, you would notice his missing presence. In the American version, it's barely noticeable - he's very much expendable, which is one thing he wasn't in the original

[ausmac]

except instead of a war veteran taking hostages in a warehouse As I recall, he wasn't a war veteran, he never actually served. Also, it was a newspaper office, not a warehouse.

[undersea]

I stand corrected! It's been quite a while since I've seen the original ep. Thank you for pointing out the errors.

(edited for typos. i'm all over the place today. sheesh.)

[amproof]

I agree on the comparison of Simm!Sam wanting to get home and US!Sam not seeming to bothered by it. If I may put forward a theory--it could have to do with the time limit of the shows. UK had a limited number of episodes, so they had to keep that undercurrent of Sam trying to find his way home and looking for clues throughout. Whereas the US show could run a long time, so there is time for Sam to think about other things I guess. LOL He seems to be enjoying himself, whatever he's doing. I really don't think he believes he's there. He's picking up a cue from Ashes to Ashes on that. LOL I'm just hoping that the writers have a clear view of what has happened/is going to happen and don't go off the rails if the show goes on too long like a lot of shows with complicated plots have done.

I thought Sam being the life of the party fit in just fine with this characterization. After all, this is the same guy who got a little too enthusiastic in rapping Ice Ice Baby last week. US Sam is SuperGeek. LOL

[meli_64]

It was ok. It was the Hostage episode mixed with the Maya leaving Sam episode

[dragonlit]

Edited to add some actual comments about the specific episode

[amproof]

US!Sam have any idea that the operation wouldn't work. Not sure about that angle.Common sense, I'd say. You missed the part where they said the patient had already had a lobotomy. The doctor was now going to open him up again and poke around a bit more. For what? He can't put back the part he'd removed already. That guy was as good as dead if he'd opened him up again. Sam knew the doctor was acting out of fear for his life

[dragonlit]

You missed the part...

Which is why I shouldn't have made actual comments about the episode. Lol.

I've come to really enjoy the show on its own merits...

And truthfully, that is what people should try to do if they are going to watch it, treat it as a new show, treat the characters as new to them and not compare them. In all honestly, I don't think that I can do that as I am very obsessed with vested in the UK LoM characters. If I had never seen it however, I don't know that I would have even given the US version a second glance.

[ac_123]

Am I the only one who sees Amer!LoM as a completely seperated identity? I mean, the only one who has seen the original and loves it to death?

I agree, they're slowly shaving away Gene's importance in the series, which is a crying shame, but it sort of gives more dimension to other characters. I swear, Amer!Ray has had more lines in six episodes than probably the entire first season, maybe even half of the second. Chris I am finally starting to accept, and Annie has a personality! (Sam seems to have suffered from the need to improve the minor characters as well.)

Overall, this was (for Amer!LoM standards) it was a pretty good episode. I think the hostage taker was the crappiest actor since...I don't know what...but that is the only thing I can really complain about.

[ausmac]

You have to remember, there are 1900 members of this community. Any comments posted are a tiny, tiny proportion of that membership. There are doubtless many people who have differing opinions on the US version; many who like it, who hate it, and any variant in between. I am prepared to give it the chance to create its own character, and any negative comments I make are the sort I would make about any show. I think Keitel has a long way to go give his character any read depth. Six episodes in and he's still fairly two dimensional. Sam has improved a lot, so have the other characters. I don't know, maybe he just hasn't figured out who is yet or maybe the writers want him to develop slowly.

[dragonlit]

I think your approach to it is the right one if you are going to watch it, treat it as a separate show apart from the UK original and like amproof commented to me enjoy the show on its own merits.

My issue I guess is that a show has to grab me from the start - call it short attention span or just that there are other things I'd rather do - for me to spend time watching it. The UK!Lom did just that, from the first episode.

You obviously are enjoying it and are willing to give the characters a chance as new characters and that's great.

[seileach67]

You definitely aren't the only one. ;D I love them both.