As a rule, the US remake of a UK program usually pales in comparison to the original UK version, like a "new stereo remake" of classic oldie. The characters of the US version are usually a little tamer and have a more heart. For example, when the UK series TILL DEATH DO US PART became the US series ALL IN THE FAMILY, the despicable bigot, Alf became the the lovable bigot, Archie.
After watching the UK version which I thoroughly enjoyed, I got the US version and was initially disappointed. Both characters were living parallel lives that were initially identical. They even shared the same name, Sam Tyler. On the pilot episodes, both the Brit and the Yank on opposite sides of the Atlantic, were pursuing identical crimes and both got run down by a hit and run driver and both landed in 1973. As if that wasn't enough, both Sam Tylers found themselves working for a Gene Hunt. Both the British Gene Hunt and his American counterpart had identical personalities, though their accents were a bit different.
The story line on both versions were almost virtually identical. But some additional twists and turns were added to the US series, just enough to change the storyline which in turn would also change the outcome.
In spite of the British version having the distinction of being "the original", life in 1973 New York City for a 21st century cop is more like another planet than life in 1973 Manchester.
The Twin Towers overshadowed the landscape in 1973 New York City. The cars were bigger muscle cars, unlike the small 4-cylander cars that make up most of the traffic on today's American highways.
Unlike Manchester's unrest which was limited mainly to a few strikes, some hooligan activities and some Irish unrest, New York City's unrest went a lot deeper, deeply torn apart by the war in Vietnam, the draft (which was stopped that year) college protests, racial strife and the hippie movement. And the streets of New York were a lot meaner with a higher crime rate than the streets of Manchester.
The US version grew on me, mainly because I remember 1973. The music takes me back and the issues of the time are still as vivid to me today as they were way back then.
As a whole, I must confess that I think the US version is actually better than the UK version. Even though I loved the UK version, it was the US version that I found myself wanting to watch again and again.
I think Jason O'Mara is a better actor than John Simm, not that John Simm isn't a great actor, he is. But John Simm is a British actor playing a British detective. Jason O'Mara is an Irishman playing an American detective, going as far as to nail the New York dialect and passing off as a native New Yorker!
The series also captured that 1973 flavor, even going as far as to use the same style background music that was used in the good police dramas from that era, except that some hits from that era do pop up.
Give it a chance, the series will grow on you.
After watching the UK version which I thoroughly enjoyed, I got the US version and was initially disappointed. Both characters were living parallel lives that were initially identical. They even shared the same name, Sam Tyler. On the pilot episodes, both the Brit and the Yank on opposite sides of the Atlantic, were pursuing identical crimes and both got run down by a hit and run driver and both landed in 1973. As if that wasn't enough, both Sam Tylers found themselves working for a Gene Hunt. Both the British Gene Hunt and his American counterpart had identical personalities, though their accents were a bit different.
The story line on both versions were almost virtually identical. But some additional twists and turns were added to the US series, just enough to change the storyline which in turn would also change the outcome.
In spite of the British version having the distinction of being "the original", life in 1973 New York City for a 21st century cop is more like another planet than life in 1973 Manchester.
The Twin Towers overshadowed the landscape in 1973 New York City. The cars were bigger muscle cars, unlike the small 4-cylander cars that make up most of the traffic on today's American highways.
Unlike Manchester's unrest which was limited mainly to a few strikes, some hooligan activities and some Irish unrest, New York City's unrest went a lot deeper, deeply torn apart by the war in Vietnam, the draft (which was stopped that year) college protests, racial strife and the hippie movement. And the streets of New York were a lot meaner with a higher crime rate than the streets of Manchester.
The US version grew on me, mainly because I remember 1973. The music takes me back and the issues of the time are still as vivid to me today as they were way back then.
As a whole, I must confess that I think the US version is actually better than the UK version. Even though I loved the UK version, it was the US version that I found myself wanting to watch again and again.
I think Jason O'Mara is a better actor than John Simm, not that John Simm isn't a great actor, he is. But John Simm is a British actor playing a British detective. Jason O'Mara is an Irishman playing an American detective, going as far as to nail the New York dialect and passing off as a native New Yorker!
The series also captured that 1973 flavor, even going as far as to use the same style background music that was used in the good police dramas from that era, except that some hits from that era do pop up.
Give it a chance, the series will grow on you.