When viewers found out that the British series Life on Mars will be remade by ABC, they were ecstatic.  Add to that the fact that Men in Trees actor Jason O’Mara will be spearheading the show, which will begin airing on October 9 at 10pm.  O’Mara plays NYPD detective Sam Tyler, who, after a car accident, gets thrown into New York City circa 1973, where he is to blindly find his way back to the present, while trying to make do with what and who he has in that time period.  Because the show is set in the 1970s, some might assume that ABC will be sticking to the original series down to the costumes.  They might’ve gotten it wrong this time.

“I don't think it's really necessary to do anything to my hair,” O’Mara told the Daily News.  He added that his character, Sam has been living in 2008, so his hair will be styled as is.

Nonetheless, O’Mara promises to give his character some spunk, as he is working on an accent.  He says, “I'm gonna try and give it sort of a New York flavor.  That's very difficult to do, to do a subtle New York accent.  It's easier to do Italian or something very specific.”

O’Mara’s previous television appearances include those in The Closer, Grey’s Anatomy, CSI: Miami and Criminal Minds.  However, Life on Mars will be a little bit more challenging for him, not just because of the accent, but because he takes lead in the series, which is based on a highly successful British show.

"I've been working with ABC for the last four years and this is kind of the culmination of a lot of that work," he said of this project.  "This is a new deal for me, I've never had a fall launch like this."

Moreover, he adds that "We're the only ABC fall drama so there's a lot of pressure.  It's very exciting."

Catch ABC’s Life on Mars as it hits TV screens on October 9 at 10pm.


-Valerie Anne del Castillo, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Daily News
(Photo courtesy of Stephen Thorburn)