This week, SCI FI Wire will run a daily series of stories looking at the competition among new television series we like to call our Fall TV Deathmatch. We'll pit two fall shows against each other and see which one comes out the winner. Are the comparisons fair? Of course not. It's about as fair as only getting a five-episode season of Torchwood next year. What's that about?!!!
Next up for our fourth matchup, it's the clash of the Really Confused Guys as ABC's Life on Mars goes up against My Own Worst Enemy. One guy can't figure out why he's suddenly stuck in 1973, and the other one has two personalities trapped in one body. Talk about a body-slamming battle of the titans! Now if only they could figure out what what their name is, what year it is, and where they are ... Life on Mars. ABC, Thursdays, 10 p.m. ET/PT. Premieres Oct. 9. NYPD detective Sam Tyler (Jason O'Mara) is on the trail of a serial killer when he's hit by a car. When Sam comes to, the David Bowie song "Life on Mars" is playing on the radio, and he's somehow gone back in time to 1973. As Sam struggles to figure out what's going on, the cops at the station assume he's a new transfer. While it may be the 1970s, Sam has a murder to solve that looks a lot like the one he was investigating in 2008. As he has to deal with politically incorrect fellow cops and solve crimes in a world before DNA analysis, Sam attempts to find a way back home to the woman he loves, Maya (Lisa Bonet). Life on Mars' Secret Weapon. The cast is top-notch, and O'Mara looks like a star. And with Harvey Keitel as the gruff Lt. Hunt, that performance will be an Emmy nomination waiting to happen. The cast also includes Bonet, Michael Imperioli as the resentful fellow detective Ray and Gretchen Mol as Sam's ally in the department, Annie. Life on Mars is based on the British limited series of the same name. Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec and Scott Rosenberg executive-produce. The Outlook: As the biggest wild card of the season, Life on Mars has the potential to be great. The early pilot took place in L.A. and had a mostly different cast. The move to New York City seems to be a good one, and anything with Harvey Keitel can't be bad. Beyond that, Jason O'Mara is really good. But whether the new production team can pull Life on Mars together remains to be seen, especially considering it's landed in the most challenging timeslot of the season. The battle between this series and CBS' Eleventh Hour will be a difficult one, since the premise is a tough sell. Is it time travel or not? If not, what is it? (Possible spoiler ahead!) In the British version, the main character was in a coma. Producers have said that that is not necessarily the case with this American version. But if viewers can sit back and enjoy the ride and embrace how much the world has changed, they just might like this successor to NYPD Blue. Best guess for success: If Life on Mars can win over critics, ABC will give the series time to grow an audience. My Own Worst Enemy. NBC, Mondays, 10 p.m. ET/PT. Premieres Oct. 13. Henry Spivey (Christian Slater) is an average guy who has a good job as an efficiency expert and a nice home in the suburbs with a wife, two kids, a dog and a minivan. Edward Albright is a cold-blooded spy who speaks 13 languages, can run a four-minute mile and can kill a man with his teeth. Unfortunately, Henry and Edward share the same body. A secret government organization called the Janus Collective has put an implant in Henry/Edward's brain that gives them the ability to switch between the two personalities, ensuring the safety of their secrets if Edward gets captured. But when the chip malfunctions, the two personalities begin to learn about each other, and each man finds himself in unfamiliar territory. And if the company finds out, they'll both be history. My Own Worst Enemy's Secret Weapon: Not one, but two Christian Slaters! The series also stars Alfre Woodard as Mavis Heller and Madchen Amick as Henry's wife, Angie. My Own Worst Enemy was created by Jason Smilovic, and the pilot was directed by David Semel. The Outlook: No pilot has been available, but the previews look great. Slater certainly has the range to play the mild-mannered Henry and the calculating Edward. Producers promise that My Own Worst Enemy will spend equal time as a family drama and a spy thriller, as Henry and Edward have to deal with each other's worlds. As for the timeslot, Enemy airs after Heroes. While that didn't work out well for last season's Journeyman, Enemy appears to be a better fit. The series will have to take on two proven shows on opposite networks: ABC's Boston Legal and CBS' CSI: Miami. It will be a tough job. But if Slater's Jekyll-and-Hyde character get some meaty material to play, he just might find a home on Mondays. The Winner: There's no doubt Mars looks like it's going to be a fighter, and it has great potential. But you've also got to love a show that stars Christian Slater and Christian Slater. The only thing better would be three Christian Slaters! The decision goes to ... My Own Worst Enemy. –-Kathie Huddleston Coming Friday: True Blood vs. Sanctuary Peace out, CapnHollis. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Joe Bob's Trailer Park" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Joe-Bobs-Trailer-Park?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
