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May 25, 2013

Untraditional autumn set for ABC

by Allison Waldman, posted Mar 12th 2008 11:01AM

Life On MarsAutumn may not look the same way it usually does on ABC in 2008. The network is seriously considering opening the new season sans new drama series. There will still be returning shows, including the dramas from 2007 which have been deemed successes by the ABC brass, including Pushing Daisies, Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money -- but no new pilots.

In the current post-WGA strike, pilot-happy rush for pick ups, ABC has not chosen a single drama pilot. According to the net, they still have plans to order as many as seven hour pilots this season, but since these dramas would not be ready till mid-season -- that is, January 2009 -- they're in no big hurry, according to sources in the Hollywood Reporter story.

There is at least one completed drama pilot on the ABC docket, though, and it's the highly anticipated American version of the British hit Life on Mars. David E. Kelley (Boston Legal) is behind that, and his successful track record adds to the hope that this version will be as good as the UK creation. Jason O'Mara (Men in Trees) was cast as Sam in the LOM project, with Colm Meaney (Star Trek: The Next Generation) as Gene. Thomas Schlamme (The West Wing) directed the pilot.

In addition to Life on Mars, Section 8, a six-episode sci-fi drama has been given the go-ahead by ABC before the strike. No word on when that will air.

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~J~

Gotta agree with Karen, Life on Mars is just NOT going to translate well for the Americans (us Brits know what an unusual sense of humour they have!!)

Colm is a great actor, but I don't think he'll portray the political uncorrectness that Philip Glenister can throw at the screen and of course the great John Simms was perfect for the roll.

Who are they going to have for Annie, Ray and Chris? And how are they going to translate the quaint typically London Pub? Will this be a cocktail bar in Manhattan!!

Sorry but LOM can't be Americanised.

March 13 2008 at 5:30 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
D Colin

maybe this means that they will keep Men In Trees and hopefully not treat it like cr-p like they have for the last season and a half

March 12 2008 at 6:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Karen

"the highly anticipated American version of the British hit Life on Mars. David E. Kelly (Boston Legal) is behind that, and his successful track record adds to the hope that this version will be as good as the UK creation."

There is so much wrong with these two sentences I hardly know where to start.

First of all, as Akbar notes, no one who is a fan of the original LOM is anticipating this, highly or otherwise. And, second, David E. Kelley may have a successful track record, but not in this kind of show. His stuff always has an element of farce that is not appropriate to LOM.

I find the entire project APPALLING.

March 12 2008 at 2:50 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rogphi

An American Version Of Life On Mars? be afraid, be very afraid. Although Colm Meaney is great Casting as Gene!

March 12 2008 at 1:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Franklin

ABC should just go ahead and air the original "Life On Mars" instead, but I still hope the US version is good.

March 12 2008 at 1:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
khamel

i didnt really know anything about life on mars until i heard they were making it again, so obviously i had to watch the original as soon as possible. it was great and in the tradition of great british shows, it ended too soon and i was sad at its brevity.

saying that, it HAS to be better than the american coupling (so terrible) and hopefully will be better than the first season of the office (US). This show has a decent shot to be good but im not sure if 70's US will be as interesting as 70's England.

where is the remake of footballers wivez? i couldn't stop watching the utter train wreck and was looking forward to a prime-time soap opera on network TV.

March 12 2008 at 1:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
slacker chic

i cannot wait for the return of Pushing Daisies. And The Riches! Just one more week!

March 12 2008 at 11:51 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to slacker chic's comment
Chip Douglas

Can't wait for the Riches to come back. Only 6 or 7 episodes, so it will be a short season. Promos look great - right where they left off.

March 12 2008 at 2:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chip Douglas

Can't wait for the Riches to come back. Only 6 or 7 episodes, so it will be a short season. Promos look great - right where they left off.

March 12 2008 at 2:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
C C

Nice to see that ABC's going to give last fall's newbies a chance to catch on. The strike halted any momentum any of those series had. Although I'm not sure that either Pushing Daisies or Dirty Sexy Money is destined to become a major hit.

March 12 2008 at 11:18 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Akbar Fazil

"highly anticipated American version of the British hit Life on Mars"

Really? Who exactly is anticipating that? Anyone that I know who is a fan of the original show is dreading the american version.

March 12 2008 at 11:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Akbar Fazil's comment
Oreo

*Shivers*

I agree....

*Shivers*

Has America ever made a decent version of a British show besides "The Office", which really isn't like the British version, or Whose Line Is It Anyways? which was better in England.

March 12 2008 at 5:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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