OK, so I started watching the US version of Life On Mars this week.

Where to start? I suppose I'll start at the beginning. And I'll be doing a lot of comparing of the UKand US versions, which really can't be helped as many scenes are not only identical in script, but in direction as well.

However, the two show do not start off identically. The big premise of the UK show, is a "real life" detective arrives in a 1973 that is less like the real 1973, more like an idealists version of a 1970's police procedural show. The US version veers off that formula from the start; it involves a chase around the streets of New York, ending in a fight involving a garbage lid and some pithy one-liners. Straight away it's apparent that this is not a show about a real life copper, but a cop from a 2008 TV police procedural show.

So the two shows are built on the same high concept idea, but with a slightly different premise. This should be a good thing. It opens up a chance to reinterpret the ideas within Life On Mars, without being a straightforward copy. So, off to a good start? Read on, faithful reader!

There are other minor changes - Sam Tyler and Maya are not on the verge of breaking up, as hinted at in the UK version. Nor does US Sam pull Maya off the case. As an aside, why the Hell didn't the US rename the characters? It would make it far easier for us comparitive reviewers, and didn't hurt the Office much. The bad guy, Colin Raimes, is released an air tight alibi, much like the original. Although in the US version, it turns out his alibi is false, and in fact he is a twin! His twin was used as an alibi! See, so much more like a 2008 police show, than a real life 2008 detective.

Now, for some reason, Maya is following US Colin, and gets kidnapped. US Sam doesn't get upset and cry like a girl, he gets angry and manly. And then he gets run over. And wakes up in 1973. In a scene swiped exactly as the UK version. But at least the UK version had the decency not to use the twin towers for an awe factor...

At this point, you see the American writers are very lazy writers indeed. Some of the weaker dialogue from the UK series, such as in this scene with a pun about a jeep, is kept in. I can only assume the writers just couldn't be arsed to change much dialogue. And I bet they got paid a bucket load of cash. Talk about money for nothing.

Next, everything happens as the UK version; Sam checking out the Super-8 player in the car, Sam bumping his head on the car, checking himself out in another car's wing mirror, walking in a daze into the police station. Gotta say the music was cool, though.

Then we meet the other key characters, Skelton, Carling and, of course, Gene Hunt. Ah, Gene Hunt. The Gene Genie.

I originally heard that Colm Meaney had won the role for this part, and according to various sources on the net, actually filmed the pilot version. For whatever reason, though, the role has now been taken over by Harvey Keitel, you know the one, the cool fixer in Pulp Fiction. On paper, this must have sounded like a dream for the show. Big(ish) Hollywood star doing a TV show, he's known for his nasty yet cool type characters.

But how good is he? Ah, see that I don't actually know yet - after he appeared on screen, my wife screamed at me to turn it off, and refused to watch it with someone as unsexy as Keitel trying to fill Philip Glenisters shoes. And, hey, I value my life too much to keep it on after that kind of response. Based on my wife's reactions, Keitel could be a huge casting mistake.

I plan to watch the rest of the episode tomorrow, and will be back to finish my reveiw then. However, from the first 20 minutes, I am far from convinced this show has anything to offer after the brilliance of the original. But I'll give a fully informed opinion after watching the whole thing... I'm kind of intrigued at Raimes having a twin, and wonder if the plot could veer off the original tracks at some point?