This UK version of Life on Mars formed the basis for the US series. Prior viewers of the US series will recognize certain episodes almost immediately, however there remains a great deal in the UK series that was not repeated in the US version, and other plot lines that are similar but varied between the series.The accents can be little difficult to pick up in the beginning, but it gets easier after you view a few episodes.While the ensemble cast in the US version was strong from top to bottom, the UK series belongs to Philip Glenister as Gene Hunt. The Sam in this series seems particularly weak in the presence of DCI Gene Hunt, and the actors playing Ray and Chris tend to fade into the background, although I found this version of Annie a bit more lively.All in all, this series is entertaining to watch and a nice change of pace from US summertime TV viewing. Be warned: nudity standards are different on UK TV.