I'm very pleased about the casting of Colm Meaney as Gene Hunt (far-right); one of very few actors who could put a decent spin on Philip Glenister's iconic performance, but... there's no sign of the classic Gene Hunt attitude in that photo, is there?
Indeed, everyone looks a bit odd to me. They've clearly sexed-up the role of Annie by casting Rachelle LeFevre (which is fine), but won't Sam Tyler (Jason O'Mara) cause blindness with that orange jacket? Bleugh. And who's that guy on the far-left? I'm assuming they've ditched Chris and he's the new Ray? Hmmm.
Is this project doomed to failure? Or will only people familiar with the BBC original kick up a stink? The overwhelming majority of Americans have no clue about Life On Mars' history, so they'll just accept the show at face value -- unable to make comparisons.
Still, while the premise of a modern cop being sent back to the 70s remains enticing, and should work well in America (with Brit nostalgia for The Sweeney replaced by Starsky & Hutch), I hope the chemistry between O'Mara/Meaney is as strong as Simm/Glenister.
And hey, if it's a massive hit -- they'll inevitably do their own Ashes To Ashes spin-off. Who could play Alex?
