LA CHICA DE AYER (THE SPANISH LIFE ON MARS)

2009, Samuel Santos is an ambitious and determined Chief Inspector of the Madrid police. Violently hit by a car, he awakes 32 years before, in 1977, during the España de la Transición (Spain during the transition to democracy, two years after the death of general Franco).

Not only he's now only Inspector but he must work under the command of Chief Inspector Joaquín "Quin" Gallardo, epitome of the macho type in a sexist, homophobic police which constantly flirts with the borders of the Law. And only Ana Valverde, in charge of administrative tasks, doesn't think Santos is mad. Sounds familiar? Of course... La chica de ayer (The Girl from Yesterday) is the official Spanish adaptation of Life on Mars, the cult classic BBC television series with John Simm as Sam Tyler.

This Spanish version (a first series of 8 episodes), produced by the company Ida y Vuelta, will arrive soon on Antena 3 (Un Paso Adelante - sort of Spanish Kids from Fame) with Ernesto Alterio as Samuel, Antonio Garrido as Gallardo - the Spanish Gene Hunt, and Manuela Velasco as Ana.

Unlike the US unnecessary remake for ABC, the idea of a Spanish Life on Mars is naratively very attractive - with the cultural clash between the 2009 cop and the Police force in a Spain at the beginning of the post-Franco era. This Spanish historical and cultural input could make La chica de ayer (in reference to a standard by the band Nacha Pop) far more interesting than its US counterpart. And Spain did a rather good job on its adaptation of RIS Delitti Imperfetti (RIS Cientifica, for Telecinco) - the Italian answer to the CSI franchise.

La chica de ayer on the Antena 3 website: http://www.antena3.com/lachicadeayer/

Some first impressions (in Spanish): http://www.chicadelatele.com/2009/02/17/la-chica-de-ayer-cuatro-minutos-que-bien-valen-mi-atencion