Before you folks who get BBC America point this out, yes, I know this is practically a shot for shot remake of a cult U.K. series set in Manchester (minus the WTC, obviously). Judging from this clip, the guy who starred in it is a better actor than Jason O'Mara, who plays the role in the American version. I immediately tried to Netflix the original, only to find it exists solely in Region 2 DVD format. This is exactly the kind of situation that encourages illegal downloading. (Er, not that I would resort to that, naturally!)
Anyway, as someone who remembers the funky, pre-Giuliani Manhattan they're recreating, I'll keep watching this, though the anachronism jokes are getting old. (Hero: "I need my cellphone." 1973 cop: "You need to sell what?" Hero: "I'll have a Diet Coke." 1973 bartender: "I wish!") Harvey Keitel plays the old-school police chief, for a touch of authenticity, since in 1973 he appeared in Martin Scorsese's gritty NYC drama Mean Streets. There are some creepy suggestions that the hero is actually hallucinating all this. (If you saw the original, please don't spoil it for me!) And the soundtrack, which includes the original version of the title tune, is awesome.
But the show has good reviews, so it'll probably get canceled. Damn.
Comments