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Life On Mars Forums

ABC (ended 2009)

The cast and characters

  • Avatar of phf3947

    phf3947

    [1]Aug 3, 2008
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    Now that most of the roles have been cast and production will start this month, let's discuss our favorites. Cast so far:

    Jason O'Mara as Sam Tyler
    Harvey Keitel as Gene Hunt
    Michael Imperioli as Ray Carling
    Jonathan Murphy as Chris Skelton
    Gretchen Mol as Annie Norris
    Lisa Bonet as Maya Daniels
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    Dawnsdinosaurs

    [2]Aug 4, 2008
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    Great idea.

    My favorite by far is Jason O'Mara (bet you didn't know that LOL). I think he's a great actor and I think with the new writers Sam's character is going to be really interesting.

    Harvey Keitel is going to be great. I can't wait to see what he does with Gene Hunt.

    Michaeal Imperioli, I loved him in the Sopranos and we know he can play a cop because of his role on L&O a few years back. I can't wait to see him in this role. It seems he's going for that Serpico look.

    Jonathan Murphy and Gretchen Mol I'm really not familiar with either one of them.

    List Bonet, I don't like her, didn't like her in Cosby. Couldn't understand why they gave her a spinoff. Let's hope she's better now than she was then.

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    phf3947

    [3]Aug 4, 2008
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    Dawnsdinosaurs wrote:
    My favorite by far is Jason O'Mara (bet you didn't know that LOL). I think he's a great actor and I think with the new writers Sam's character is going to be really interesting.

    You definitely could've fooled me I've been a fan of Jason's since September 28, 2002, on or about 8:10 p.m. CST.
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    Dawnsdinosaurs

    [4]Aug 5, 2008
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    Me too. He was excellent as a hero in The Agency as ex-marine CIA, and on In Justice as ex-com, now we get to see him as a cop, in both 2008 and 1973.
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    topoopon

    [5]Aug 5, 2008
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    Seems like they kept all the other character names except for Annie's? Why change it from Cartwright?
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    Richiebcfc25

    [6]Aug 6, 2008
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    topoopon wrote:
    Seems like they kept all the other character names except for Annie's? Why change it from Cartwright?
    this is what always gets me about the remake is that they decided to keep the names which are all quintessential english names i mean casting an italian america michael imperioli with a very english name such as ray carling makes no sense what so ever but iam glad they changed the name from from cartwright to norris because as a englishman i know there isnt a more english sounding surename than cartwright
    Edited on 08/06/2008 5:17am
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    phf3947

    [7]Aug 6, 2008
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    Regarding the surname Cartwright. Someone should've mentioned that to the creators of the hit show Bonanza back in the fifties. The Ponderosa Ranch was owned by Ben Cartwright and his three sons, and they weren't English. Both my maiden name (Howard) and married name are English. So does this mean I'm English? No, but my ancestors were. IHMO, Annie's last name was changed because the new Annie will be written as a completely different kind of character than the Annie in the BBC version. But I could be wrong...
    Edited on 08/06/2008 6:59am
    Edited 2 total times.
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    Finnegan77

    [8]Aug 6, 2008
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    I think the cast of characters is pretty terrific, minus Lisa Bonet. Yikes! Whose idea was this?

    I think most great actors - Imperioli included - can play characters outside of their own experience, can't they? Sort of the meaning of "acting." I'm sure he will be excellent. The premiere of this show cannot come too soon for me!
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    phf3947

    [9]Aug 6, 2008
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    Finnegan77 wrote:
    I think the cast of characters is pretty terrific, minus Lisa Bonet. Yikes! Whose idea was this?!

    I'm not feeling the love either, but maybe time will tell?
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    Mlebaron

    [10]Oct 6, 2008
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    I posted this in another thread, but I'm worried about Harvey Keitel. Unless Gene is entirely different (read: uninteresting) in the US series, the almost-70-year-old actor will seem extremely out of place.
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    azsunnygrl

    [11]Oct 9, 2008
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    I'm glad the show is premiering tonight as I am getting tired of the promos that appear to air a zillion times a day on ABC. I guess I have an advantage (?) over some viewers because I have never seen the original series. I therefore can't compare this show with the UK original. I think they've assembled a fairly talented cast, although, I am also not a big Lisa Bonet fan. It'll be interesting to see how it does as compared to Journeyman.
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    THEJELLYBEAN66

    [13]Oct 13, 2008
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    So...most of us are all in agreement...no love for Lisa Bonet.

    UK LOM was an excellent series and I highly recommend you (azsunnygrl) watch it. John Simms was very good and so far, O'Mara is doing great. I can't wait for the next episode.

    One thing I'm wondering about...there is a part in the US version (pilot) that I don't recall seeing in the first season of the UK version. I'm going to have to go back and watch that pilot and see if it's just my bad memory...I could swear that it was part of season 2.

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    Mlebaron

    [14]Oct 16, 2008
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    You know, since many of us are anti-Lisa-Bonet, it's interesting to note that ABC is selling the show as "Lisa Bonet's return to television!" I wonder if that will turn anyone off right there.
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    phf3947

    [15]Oct 16, 2008
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    Considering how long she has worked in film after leaving television, the method by which she is being promoted could be part of her contract. However, she just announced she is seven months pregnant (read story here), so her involvement in future episodes most likely will be reduced.
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    Dawnsdinosaurs

    [16]Oct 16, 2008
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    To be honest, my guess is we won't actually be seeing too much of her from now on. Probably some visions or memories Sam would have. Even in the pilot after he was in 1973, he heard her but didn't see her. In the past shows have worked around major stars pregnancies, by always having something in front of them so I would think it wouldn't be a problem and I'm sure the producers knew before they hired her or otherwise her career will definitely be over.
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    phf3947

    [17]Oct 16, 2008
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    Since she was cast in the role in August (correct me if I'm wrong) and she's seven months pregnant now, they most likely knew. Hearing her voice is okay by me, but I just didn't see any chemistry between the two actors. Or maybe I'm just use to seeing him with Paige
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    Eric10301

    [18]Oct 17, 2008
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    Harvey Keitel was a big miss cast. He is too old to be playing gene hunt. I also don't like the casting of Michael Imperioli. Lisa Bonet doesn't matter because you will never see her. As a huge UK Life on Mars fan I think they really goofed on the casting.
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    raygoshay

    [19]Oct 26, 2008
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    Eric10301 wrote:
    Harvey Keitel was a big miss cast. He is too old to be playing gene hunt. I also don't like the casting of Michael Imperioli. Lisa Bonet doesn't matter because you will never see her. As a huge UK Life on Mars fan I think they really goofed on the casting.
    TIME OUT! I want some clarification. A) How does being 70 lessen an actor's ability to play a hard-nosed cop? B) How similar were America and England in 1973? C) Before this degenerates into an across the pond spat, I note from the forum rules: 11. Since Life on Mars is a remake of the BBC series please keep discussions in this forum to the US version only. It can easily cause disputes and flaming when the two are being compared as there are fans for each that will start to defend them. I'm not telling anyone to shut up, but I just visited four forums concerning Life on Mars and about a quarter of the comments involve put-downs based on comparisons to the Brit series - before anything aired. If the American version piles up enough episodes to actually compare, it's only natural to do so, but slamming the cast listings on that basis is not fair. I for one think casting Keitel and Imperioli is such a stroke of genius I would not have thought it possible. I especially love Michael Imperioli's moustache. Keitel IS NYC. We had returning vets and the people spitting on them, we had Nixon etc. By it's very nature our Mars is a different planet than the UK version. I've seen 3 episodes of the US series, and I love it so far. I imagine the Brit show must be very good. As far as I'm concerned you should be proud that the show you love has inspired a rendition over here I enjoy.
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    lynna12000

    [20]Oct 28, 2008
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    When I heard that there was going to be a US version of LOM, I was kind of hesitant; alright, I was NOT at all happy. I'm pleased to report that I was EXTREMELY, and happily surprised by the US version.

    The cast was well chosen, and the scripts are well written and acted. I liked Imperioli's cop character in L&O, and he isn't too bad here either. Keitel has always done a good job of playing hard nosed characters. And Gene Hunt is NOT supposed to be young man. He has been in place for a long time & knows how things are done. His job is to pass the benefit of his experience on to the next generation.

    Here's hoping it gets a second season.
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