They've cast all the guys, now let's bring on some gals. (After all, shooting on the revamped pilot starts in a week!) Gretchen Mol has joined the cast of ABC's Life on Mars adaptation, playing the lead female role of Annie Norris.

When Jason O'Mara's modern-day detective, Sam Tyler, is transported to 1973, Annie is a member of the Police Women's Bureau, making do with menial tasks and combating the sexism of the times, despite being the smartest person in the squad room. Annie's battle for equality on the force will one day pave the way for Sam's contemporary love, Maya Daniels, to herself become a police officer.

In the BBC's original Life on Mars, Annie was played by Liz White.

Mol's credits include Rounders (opposite Matt Damon), Sweet and Lowdown and, most recently on TV, The Memory Keeper's Daughter. — Matt Mitovich

Gretchen Mol? Then I have to watch

Is there any actor from the pilot that they're not replacing?

Apparently the lead - Jason O'Mara.

As for Gretchen, it's been some time since I've seen Rounders, so I don't recall much. I have a vague notion that I enjoyed her performance.

She looks like she can play the serious Annie part. http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2285476608/nm0001543

I am not sure I buy O'Mara yet. Although he did portray a great creepy guy on The Closer.

If you have the opportunity look up his two part stint from Grey's Anatomy this past year (season 4).

From Ew.com:

Denise Huxtable's about to inhabit a truly different world.

Former Cosby Show offspring Lisa Bonet is joining the cast of ABC's adaptation of the time-tripping U.K. cop drama Life on Mars, sources confirm to me exclusively. Bonet will play Jason O'Mara's present-day girlfriend.

Bonet's hiring comes on the heels of another high-profile Mars casting: Earlier this week, Gretchen Mol signed on to play O'Mara's circa '73 squeeze, setting the stage for one unorthodox love triangle.

Previously announced Mars inhabitants include Harvey Keitel and Michael Imperioli.

So after spending the money to shoot the pilot and then ordering it to series, ABC decided they weren't happy with it and fired everybody except O'Mara and re-shoot it? For anyone who has seen it, did it really suck that bad?

Yes, it did. It really was that bad. Here's a brief write-up I did on my website about the leaked pilot.

With every casting change, I am getting less and less excited about the US version. I'll probably stick with the UK version, but I'll give the updated one a shot.