The TV series I mean :P, I think it deserves a thread of its own.

 

Reviews

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By ROBERT ABELE Wednesday, July 19, 2006 - 12:00 pm

 

It’s a breezily simple story to explain: 2006 cop becomes 1973 cop. Detective Sam Tyler (John Simm) is a smart-suited, sensitively hip Manchester crime fighter with the latest technological advances in perp tracking at his disposal. But when a car hits him one day during the hunt for a serial killer, he wakes up a policeman in a very different world: one of wide lapels and sideburns, crackly radios instead of cell phones, unchecked police brutality and the blaring sounds of The Who’s “Teenage Wasteland” and Wings’ “Live and Let Die.” Okay, he can’t hear the songs — they’re on the soundtrack for our benefit — but what Sam does hear in moments freakier than his already freaky how-the-hell-did-I-wind-up-here moments are the hospital pings and hushed voices that indicate he’s a present-day coma patient on a very bizarre consciousness side trip.

 

But don’t mistake the slick-but-not-stupid Life on Mars for brain-bending sci-fi or Austin Powers–style farce. Aside from the psychological stress of its star — who is trying to determine if he’s nuts, a dream-world lost cause or in possession of the tools to correct his predicament — this is actually at heart an old-school cops-and-robbers show, with that dash of Twilight Zone to give it 21st-century cachet. Creators Matthew Graham, Tony Jordan and Ashley Pharoah don’t want you to distance yourself from their premise as if you were on a museum tour of pre–Diet Coke days. Although their cop-culture points of reference may be different, the gist is that they want you to love Quinn Martin productions and hard-knuckle law-enforcement guys like Mannix all over again, but at the same time reflect on their tough-guy ways. Because, hey, it may suddenly be 1973, but there are still bad guys to collar. That’s why Life on Mars keeps the ha-ha no-computers gags to a minimum and jumps right into the knotty drama of having Sam try to figure out how to merge his more thoughtful, rules-aware police methods with the archaic-seeming modus operandi of men like his new-but-not-really boss Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister), a brutish, sexist, evidence-planting believer in keeping crooks off the street by any means necessary. (You enjoyed the buddy format once too, remember?)

 

The setup is so enjoyably thorny that you don’t always side with Sam either, especially when he whines about why he felt compelled to release from custody an obviously guilty guy: “But we didn’t have any evidence!”

 

If you’ve seen the great miniseries thriller State of Play, you know that I’m going to tell you that star John Simm is trustily excellent as Sam: emotionally on target as a lost soul and charmingly smart as a by-the-book sleuth. And he’s well-matched with Glenister, who has an engaging snarl and a wonderfully light touch playing the humor of an old dog — remember, he’s also experiencing his own measure of head scratching, thanks to his often puzzled-looking, future-obsessed new investigator. Everyone’s take on Mars is relative.

 

In the end, Life on Mars makes us realize we’ve all been crime-show accident victims in a collective trance for far too long — and it’s time to wake up.

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The Making

Part1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OVw4QiIxlo

Part2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx1hLCaDUvo

 

 

Interviews

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrKGueFHLh4

 

 

Trailers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZYOD_W6dwI

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY1EBJvDHmg

 

 

Episodes - Watch them here

Series Two

Episode 1 - Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven

Episode 2 - Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six

Episode 3 - Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six

 

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The first series got me hooked - it really intruiged me.

The second series hasn't been AS good as i thought it would be so far though, apart from the 3rd episode perhaps.

 

Anyone else like this series?

Anyone even heard of it?

hehe thought you meant the David Bowie song! was really excited its one of my favs but ... tv series never heard of it i'll give it a look cheers.

It's one of the best series ever. I can't get enough of it. Unfortunately this series is going to be the final one.

However, there's a possible spin-off in the offing, featuring the Seventies detectives - so don't despair!!:D

It's one of the best series ever. I can't get enough of it. Unfortunately this series is going to be the final one.

However, there's a possible spin-off in the offing, featuring the Seventies detectives - so don't despair!!:D

 

Ah good to see another fan!

 

To be honest, its about the only TV I watch.

Yeah its the last one, but I watched an interview with John Simm saying that the ending is going to be really big, or something like that ;)

 

I'll see If I can find the interview.

 

Did you read sumwhere that theres going to be a spin off, or is that your own prediction?

Ah good to see another fan!

 

To be honest, its about the only TV I watch.

Yeah its the last one, but I watched an interview with John Simm saying that the ending is going to be really big, or something like that ;)

 

I'll see If I can find the interview.

 

Did you read sumwhere that theres going to be a spin off, or is that your own prediction?

 

It's being discussed but isn't guaranteed. A couple of the actors mentioned it in a TV interview.

It's being discussed but isn't guaranteed. A couple of the actors mentioned it in a TV interview.

 

Ok sounds good ;)

About to add two links to John Simm interviews.

I've just found episodes from Series 2 uploaded onto youtube ;)

See first post.

I LOVE this show! But the channel that airs it here only aired the second series. Do you have the first? Or can I Watch it somewhere on-line?

See first post for Series Two so far Tracie ;)

But no one's uploaded Series One on youtube for some reason though :\

See first post for Series Two so far Tracie ;)

But no one's uploaded Series One on youtube for some reason though :\

 

The BBC probably had it removed!:angry:

The BBC probably had it removed!:angry:

 

Yeah probably, well hopefully the series 2 ones will last longer ;)

This is a very good show. Missed it last week though, watching the champions league.

So anyone from the UK watched it tonight? (Episode 4)

I watched Life on Mars and I really enjoyed it. Especially the music was hot (Jethro Tull, Uriah Heep or Louis Armstrong´s "Wonderful World" ). When I read it played in 1973, I knew I had to watch it because I love the music of the 70s. But after the first twenty minutes I was also interestet in the story.:)

Been catching up with it again this week. I'm all up to date now and bloody loving it! What a great show. I can't stop doing Gene Hunt impressions :laugh3:

Love this show!

First watched it yesterday...and I'm up to series 2 episode 3 already :lol:

Can't wait to see what will happen and everything

 

(Please don't spoil it for me anyone :P)

it was showed here, i saw the first episodes but it disappeared :uhoh:

the same tv channel is going to do it on a spanish version now. :thinking:

I love Life on Mars!!

I saw John Simm and Philip Glenister in "State of Play" and ordered both series of Life on Mars without even knowing much about it... never regretted that order!

 

I think the second series isn't that bad!!!

The "Camberwick Green" episode was great!!

 

Now I can't wait for the second series of "Ashes to Ashes"!!!

It's just started airing here and they've changed it from 2006 cop to 2008 cop - but it kicks ass :wacko:

It's just started airing here and they've changed it from 2006 cop to 2008 cop - but it kicks ass :wacko:

Are you talking about the US remake??

I saw a trailer for that and all I can say is ewwww :shocked2: :sick:

Didn't like it at all.

Probably if I wouldn't know the original series I'd like it but the US version is just awful compared to it.

You should watch the UK series!!!!

 

There is only one DCI Gene Hunt!! :)

UK Life on Mars region1 DVD out in July!!! :dance: :dance: :dance:

 

Finally! Took them long enough. Such a good show. :nice:

 

And the crappy American remake is being killed off too. :dance:

The hell? The American one's actually okay. :shifty:

 

And I can get the UK one here as easily as I can get Spaced :rolleyes:

dp

^I've tried to watch the American one with an open mind, I really have. But it makes me want to throw things at the TV screen- even the commercials for it do- which just plain isn't safe. So I gave up on it and will be glad to see it go. They are letting them finish it properly for a nice change, at least.

 

I think it would have worked far better if it had been done more like Ashes to Ashes- the same thing happening to a different person. It would have given them a lot more creative freedom.

Watched the last episode on thursday and it was amazing :D bit of a head-fuck but still amazing :P

I've already been shown the end to Ashes to Ashes so dunno if I should bother watching that :lol: