Life on Mars

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 10 Jan 2006, 17:25

Anyone see this? The first part was very good IMO, its' a quirky, original police drama.

DCI Sam Tyler (John Simm) is knocked unconscious in an accident following his girlfriend Myra's kidnap. When he wakes up, he finds he's been transported back to 1973.
Is it real, or fantasy? Why is he there? There are some great little touches like the retro fashion, technology and Open University on BBC2 late at night with the famous test card

Its' interesting to see the different attitudes to police work, how the 70;s cops thump suspects, and any woman who walks into a room is belittled and patronised.
Part 2 continues next Monday (but Part 1 is repeated this Thursday on BBC1). I'll be watching it, its tops

Incidentally, just before the accident, we see Sam listening to Bowie's Life on Mars on his I-Pod (which was a hit in 1973) and from which the drama takes its title. Maybe thats' a clue?

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 20 Jan 2006, 09:49

Brad did you see Monday's episode?

Good stuff IMO. I like the way it works on different levels, there's the cop show of course, the humour, and the surreal "Is this real or am I dreaming?" aspect which makes it seem more like a thriller.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 20 Jan 2006, 12:24

It sounds like Total Recall.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 20 Jan 2006, 13:07

Yes it kinda does

Like Quantum Leap meets The Sweeney.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 27 Feb 2006, 14:26

Final episode of Life on Mars tonight. I have to say I really enjoyed this series

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 28 Feb 2006, 09:13

Life on Mars Finale - 4/5

Good episode of whats been (IMO) a superb series - and its nice to see some humor back after last weeks immensely dark episode. But as a finale it seems to tease us viewers by coming so close to a conclusion and then throwing it away.. I can't believe we have to wait another year for Season 2, and I wonder how long they can up the "Is he dead/mad/in a coma" premise again.

Some nice moments with the radio commentator though.. "and there really is an improvement in Sam's condition.. the signs are stronger" and I loved Gene's comment about the porn titles being "a disgrace to the Western.. if Sergio Leone knew what they were doing!"

I think there must be some sort of clue as to why Annie turns out to be the woman in the red dress in Sam's dream somehow...

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 10 Mar 2006, 21:04

The 4 disc DVD set will be released in October.

Shen · Post by **Shen** » 10 Mar 2006, 21:08

my mom watch this everyweek and well boresville....seemed a bit like heartbeat, no point to it, nothing happened, just a drunk obnoxious cop with an inferiority complex and some dude from the 21st century who everyone thinks is nuts.

as a one off show or 2 part drama it would have been cool,

just had that whole british tv show thing to it, one you wouldnt really watch only as a means of torture to someone...kinda like eastenders or coronation street

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 10 Mar 2006, 22:06

Ooh thats harsh IMO

But then I don't watch Eastenders or Coranation Street.

Fair play if you didnt take to it after viewing the whole season, my mum watched the first episode and didnt like it, and wouldnt watch anymore. I liked the first episode but was maybe a bit sceptical, glad I stuck with it

Shen · Post by **Shen** » 10 Mar 2006, 22:17

i wonder where they will go with another season, i mean where is there to go except back to present day?

a series or two or more just seems to much, and dragging out a bit..

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 10 Mar 2006, 22:32

That was exactly what I thought when I heard the BBC had comissioned a 2nd season, that really is far as it should go (2 seasons). I thought S1 was very good but the programme should not be extended beyond its' natural life (the same goes for Lost IMO).

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 11 Mar 2006, 00:57

I thought that the show should've been wrapped up by the end, instead of carrying on with a second season, but I did like the vibe of the programme.
Lost is something that was always planned to go on for more than one season. Three I think is where they're looking to take the total to. First season, you get the original characters back stories, as well as some island stuff, second season you learn about the new batch of characters as well as more island stuff, and the third will have backstories, island stuff as well as escaping the island.
That's what I think, anyways.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 28 Mar 2006, 11:39

LIFE ON MARS US VERSION ANNOUNCED!

David E Kelley to make US Life on Mars
Dan Wootton
28 March 2006 11:12

Ally McBeal producer David E Kelley is developing Kudos drama Life on Mars for Disney-owned US network ABC, the home of Desperate Housewives and Lost.

Kelley will write and executive produce a pilot through his own indie - David E Kelley Productions - and major studio 20th Century Fox TV, according to reports in American trade titles this morning.

Kudos joint managing directors Stephen Garrett and Jane Featherstone are expected to serve as executive producers on the series, which is being developed to debut in the latter half of 2007.

Variety said ABC would pay a significant penalty fee to Kelley if the broadcaster does not order the series following the pilot.

Featherstone this morning said no agreement had been finalised, but sources say confirmation of the deal is imminent.

Kelley is one of America's most respected producers, having been responsible for hit series LA Law (Channel 4), The Practice (ITV) and Boston Legal (Living TV).

Meanwhile, The IT Crowd star Chris O'Dowd has signed up to star in The Weekend, a CBS comedy pilot being developed by RDF-owned drama indie Touchpaper and the Paramount Studio.

He will act alongside American actors Kevin Hart and Oliver Hudson in the series - which will premiere later this year if greenlit by CBS - about the antics of three young men over the course of a weekend.

O'Dowd has previously starred in The Year London Blew Up and Irish series The Clinic and Showbands.

Source:broadcastnow.co.uk

I'm not sure about this - it depends on who the cast is, also will the US audience get many of the Hunt-isms

Also some US versions of shows like Red Dwarf were terrible.
David Kelly is a very good writer though, so lets see

It could become a Starsky and Hutch sort of thing.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 31 Mar 2006, 20:23

Hey,

For anyone who wants to see it but didnt manage to first time round - BBC4 are repeating Life on Mars (the whole season) from Sunday 2 to Sunday 9 April at 10pm.

Its now being released on 15 May 2006, according to Play.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 03 Mar 2008, 02:55

Colm Meaney Spills the Beans on Life on Mars USA:

http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/lake_pla ... s/1688281/

Colm Meaney definitely has the acting chops to pull of the difficult task of replacing Philip Glenister as Gene Hunt.

I'll check out the first episode and see what I think. Will anyone else? It's going to be hard to beat or match. Gene Hunt is such a British character with British slang. They'll need to change dialogue considerably.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 03 Mar 2008, 08:54

Woo-hoo another convert

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 03 Mar 2008, 09:12

You already know I'm a convert

. I honestly wasn't expecting Ashes to Ashes to be as good as it is.

Ashes to Ashes is so good I will likely pick up the Series 1 Life on Mars box set after Ashes to Ashes has finished, which I was certainly not planning to do before I saw Ashes to Ashes.

Also unlike American shows it's only 16 episodes total so nice and easy to get through.

I'm intrigued to see how different Gene Hunt is in Life on Mars. I do like the fact Ashes to Ashes has a strong female and male role though, instead of male and male. That makes for an interesting contrast.

I'll probably even compare Life on Mars to Ashes to Ashes and complain Life on Mars isn't as good, as I saw Ashes to Ashes first

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 03 Mar 2008, 14:34

does Ashes To Ashes improve after the first episode then?

http://www.joo-see.com/ashesreview.html

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/cult/a89408 ... e-two.html

will probably borrow my brother's box set and watch it when he gets it.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 03 Mar 2008, 21:22

I think so. Did you give up after the first episode?

The first episode of any show is always tricky as it has a lot to to set up. The second episode in particular is hilarious, that's my favourite so far.

Also remember there is an element of "the first is best" here. Many people are comparing it too much to Life on Mars and because "they saw that first" Ashes to Ashes can never possibly compete.

Clearly The Sarah Conner Chronicles can never compare to T1 or T2 but it's still damn good IMO.

Both LOM and ATA are first rate drama!

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 25 May 2008, 08:00

Trailer for the US remake.

Here I thought that they had made a pilot, but decided not to pick it up.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 25 May 2008, 11:24

A2A does indeed improve after Episode 1, the later episodes are particularly fine and well made.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 25 May 2008, 16:39

EvaUnit02 wrote:Here I thought that they had made a pilot, but decided not to pick it up.

Thanks Eva.

It looks hideous but then when I've seen the original and the remake looks like a clone I would say that. Some of the scenes and Sam's facial expressions have been lifted entirely from Life on Mars Episode 1. Check out the photo of Gene Hunt, he's even wearing the exact same clothes:

http://uk.tv.ign.com/dor/objects/882634 ... 49839.html

I'm sure those who've not seen the original will love it. Me I "may" check out the first episode but cannot see myself watching it.

Are you going to BT Life on Mars (Original) or Ashes to Ashes Eva?

p.s - I wonder if one day another country will try and remake an American show? I doubt it. They should though.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 25 May 2008, 17:18

The remake looks awful IMO, as Brad said some things are lifted wholesale from LOM and it just doesnt feel right.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 25 May 2008, 21:24

bradavon wrote:
p.s - I wonder if one day another country will try and remake an American show? I doubt it. They should though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U. ... ish_market

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 25 May 2008, 21:37

bradavon wrote:Are you going to BT Life on Mars (Original) or Ashes to Ashes Eva?

I haven't yet. I'll buy the DVDs eventually.