Life on Mars: TV show with three versions in three years

Life on Mars is a TV show that has been filmed three different times with the exact same characters and plot in three years. Here is a complete comparison of all three series each filmed in a different city.

Location
Manchester, UK	Los Angeles	New York
MOST NOTABLE: The Los Angeles version was not picked up by ABC and never aired on television.

iPod playing Life on Mars Before Accident
Manchester, UK	Los Angeles	New York
MOST NOTABLE: All three locations had an iPod, the Manchester series had the cheapest one filmed in 2005 with the lowest budget of the three.

Car Accident
Manchester, UK	Los Angeles	New York
MOST NOTABLE: Manchester was the most startling car acciedent scene, where Detective Sam Tyler flies into the air with the most style after getting hit by a car.

Old Car
Manchester, UK	Los Angeles	New York
MOST NOTABLE: The cars got more muscular from series to series, with New York having the coolest car and Manchester having the wimpiest car by far.

Badge
Manchester, UK	Los Angeles	New York
MOST NOTABLE: Each ID is authentic for the period and the city.

Street Scene
Manchester, UK	Los Angeles	New York
MOST NOTABLE: The New York version had some amazing outdoor sets with large numbers of extras dressed in period costumes.

Buildings
Manchester, UK	Los Angeles	New York
MOST NOTABLE: The New York series shows the intact World Trade Towers and has the best CGI, the LA version’s CGI was washed out and looked very unusual.

Police Precinct Exterior
Manchester, UK	Los Angeles	New York
MOST NOTABLE: The Los Angeles headquarters is never shown in the Los Angeles version.

Police Headquarters
Manchester, UK	Los Angeles	New York
MOST NOTABLE: The New York set is by far the most expensive and detailed – you can even see a video from the prop department at ABC here.

Autopsy
Manchester, UK	Los Angeles	New York
MOST NOTABLE: Annie who is a police detective in the Los Angeles version replaces Skelton’s character in investigations.

Music Store
Manchester	Los Angeles	New York
MOST NOTABLE: All 3 music stores provide the ‘clue’ to solve the kidnapping mystery, soundproofing material found during the autopsy.

Dramatic Moment
Manchester, UK	Los Angeles	New York
MOST NOTABLE: The NY dramatic movement was the only major departure from the others, during which he pulls out his revolver and nearly shoots the boy who will grow up to kidnap his girlfriend.

Detective Sam Tyler
John Simm Manchester	Jason O’Mara Los Angeles	Jason O’Mara New York
MOST NOTABLE: Jason O’Mara is the only actor to be on two of the versions playing Sam Tyler in both the LA and NY versions.

Lieutenant Gene Hunt
Philip Glenister Manchester	Colm Meaney Los Angeles	Harvey Keitel New York
MOST NOTABLE: Keitel was the most famous actor to play in any of the series, although Philip Glenister of the Manchester version was fantastic and virtually steals the series.

Annie Norris
Liz White Manchester	Rachelle Lefevre Los Angeles	Gretchen Mol New York
MOST NOTABLE: The Los Angeles Annie was the only one to have a weapon, the other two were basically police assistants.

Det. Ray Carling
Dean Andrews Manchester	Lenny Clarke Los Angeles	Michael Imperioli New York
MOST NOTABLE: Lenny Clarke was the only true comical character in any of the iterations, and had some pretty good one-liners.

Det. Chris Skelton
Marshall Lancaster Manchester	Uncredited Los Angeles	Jonathan Murphy New York
MOST NOTABLE: Skelton’s character was basically a no-show in the Los Angeles version.

Maya (Girlfriend)
Archie Panjabi Manchester	Stephanie Jacobsen Los Angeles	Lisa Bonet New York
MOST NOTABLE: All three versions have different minorities playing Maya: Indian in Manchester, Hispanic in Los Angeles and African American in New York. Cutest: Los Angeles

Kidnapping Prodigy – Present
Manchester, UK	Los Angeles	New York
MOST NOTABLE: The kidnapper appears in both series as a child in the past and as an adult in the present, the New York version has twin red head kidnappers which throws a minor curve. Creepiest: New York

Kidnapping Prodigy – Past
Manchester, UK	Los Angeles	New York
MOST NOTABLE: The New York kidnapper nearly gets killed by the time traveling Sam Tyler in the past before he can kidnap Maya. Creepiest: Manchester

The BBC version filmed in Manchester had 16 episodes over 2 seasons (2006-2007) was a critical success and won several awards including the International Emmy for Best show in 2007.

The Los Angeles version was re-written by David E. Kelley but never aired.

The New York version was aired in 2008 to low ratings and may never get a full season order.

Spanish Television network Antena.neox bought the rights from the BBC, and will remake the show and base the first series 5 years later than the U.K version, in 1978 post-Franco Spain.