The Worst
5. Life On Mars
With all of its uses of 1970s fashion, pop music and knowing kitsch - and the barmy mix of sci-fi and gritty police drama - Life on Mars was considerably more accessible than most UK dramas. Boasting high production values and a giddily silly concept, Life on Mars was the kind of show that could easily play around the world. Its therefore baffling as to why ABC felt like a US remake could actually do anything substantially different, or even better than the original series. Things were perhaps doomed from the very start, when the initial pilot for the series led to a complete overhaul by an unimpressed ABC. Entire scripts for the series were re-written, while cast members were unceremoniously replaced at the last minute. Originally cast in the role of the politically incorrect Gene Hunt, Colm Meaney seemed like a suitable replacement for Philip Glenister, but was bizarrely replaced by a
completely miscast Harvey Keitel. Life on Mars US was cancelled after one season due to falling viewing figures, despite earning some strong reviews from select quarters. In an
interview with SFX, Life on Mars co-creator Matthew Graham best summed up the ill-fated remake, saying
It beggars belief, doesnt it?