David Kelley, Thomas Schlamme on Mars
Variety reports today that David E. Kelley, creator of Ally McBeal, The Practice, and favorite among many ComicMixers, Boston Legal (among others) has hired Thomas Schlamme to direct the pilot for the American version of Life on Mars.
Schlamme previously worked on Sports Night, The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and Jack and Bobby, written by comic book guy Brad Metzler. He also once inspired New York Times writer Joyce Wadler to devote an entire paragraph to how much fun it was to say his name ("Tommy Schlamme!").
The show is based on the BBC series about a time-traveling detective who gets stuck in the 1970s.
Only in the American version he gets stuck in an endless series of corridors he has to traverse at rapid speed whilst talking to other characters.
Only if that was commonplace in US seventies TV.
The UK version accurately used and parodied UK seventies TV in terms of colour palette, plot structure, and character scenes while providing a metatextual commentary. So… what aspects of US seventies TV could the US version of Life On Mars play up?
Oh, just about any early Aaron Spelling stuff, jiggle-TV and such…
None worth remembering, Rich.
I think Life On Mars was a hell of a teevee show, and my problem with a U.S. version is that ABC will drag it on and on, way past the point where anybody will care about the theme. The Brits aren’t afraid to end a series when it’s the right thing to do for the story.
Having said that, I should point out that I think both the producer and the pilot director are two of the finest minds working in American television today.
But if the pilot doesn’t match the quality of the U.K. series, I’m outta there.