10 Classic British TV Shows That Failed As American Remakes

7. Life on Mars(2006-2007) /Life on Mars (2008-2009)

There are lots of science fiction on television and lots of police procedurals, but not many that combine both classic genres. With a title taken from the David Bowie 1973 song, both Life on Mars shows were about a modern day cop, who after a car accident, wakes up in 1973. The British original ran for two series on BBC One, was a big hit with critics and audiences, and was nominated for numerous BAFTA awards and winning various others. The only reason the show ended after 2 years was because the producers€™ felt it was a finite story and did not want it to drag on unnecessarily. When the show moved to America in 2008 it not only took the acclaimed premise, but enhanced it with a terrific cast, including Harvey Keitel, Jason O€™Mara, Michael Imperioli, Lisa Bonet, and Gretchen Mol. Originally slated in the cushy post-Grey€™s Anatomy timeslot, the new show premiered to decent ratings but good critical acclaim €“ all positive factors for a unique new show to find an audience. But then TV executives do what they do and ruined a potentially good thing by forcing a two month hiatus and changing it to a less desirable timeslot, thus effectively losing its audience.
 
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Chris lives in New Orleans. He writes for several local publications and national websites - mostly about film, television, books, music, food, special events, and pop culture. Since writing unfortunately never pays much, he pays the bills with his day job in marketing.