Life on Mars season one overview
December 10th 2007 01:16
This 2005 sci-fi/police procedural from Britain first screened here in Australia on the ABC network (that common receptacle for all things English) some time ago. I neglected to watch it then; so I’ve been taking the opportunity presented to me by the Foxtel UKTV network to acquaint myself with the series. The show is about a police detective in the present day, named Sam Tyler, who is hit by a car and wakes up in Manchester, circa 1973. Is he in a coma, going mad, or has he actually travelled back 30 years in time?
The lead star is John Simm (who I was previously familiar with, thanks to his stint recently as the Master in Russell T. Davies’ revitalised Doctor Who series. Incidentally, the character Sam Tyler was apparently named for the Ninth and Tenth Doctor’s companion, Rose Tyler). The series is named Life on Mars for a couple of reasons: The police precinct in which Tyler finds himself in ‘73 is so totally removed from the one in his time period that he might as well be living on a different planet. And the song Life on Mars by glam rocker David Bowie is playing on his Ipod when he gets hit by the car.
I like a series which teases the audience with a fascinating science fiction premise. Life on Mars succeeds in that it reminds one of classic science fiction series like Quantum Leap; or 70s cult shows like Randall and Hopkirk: Deceased. People who grew up in the early 1970s will also find great nostalgia value in the show. The producers have done their homework. The period detail looks pretty authentic (if a person born in 1982, such as this reviewer, has any right to an opinion). One highlight is when Tyler meets the late T-Rex singer Marc Bolan in a nightclub and says ‘Be careful when driving in Minis’.
Unfortunately, I’m not as keen on cop shows as I am on sci fi, so the Bill-esque antics with Sam Tyler clashing with his superior officer DCI Gene Hunt left me somewhat cold. The show has an unfortunate tendency to focus too much on the cops n robbers plotlines, when they have a great sci fi premise which reeks of potential sitting right there next to them. Occasionally, the programme actually uses its premise. There is a great episode when Sam meets his mother in the past timeline. And he nearly meets his own four year old self on a number of occasions.
Time travel shows work best when they reflect upon the differences inherent between the two time periods. Or when they show how little things have changed between the two eras. Life on Mars slips in some delightful pop culture references, courtesy of our lead protagonist, which fall entirely on deaf ears. When Tyler says ‘May the Force be with you’, for example, he receives nothing but blank looks from his fellow officers. (Star Wars came out in 1977, four years in their future) Or when he is asked about his experience handling firearms, he responds with ‘You should see my Playstation scores!’ There is a little bit of culture-clash comedy in this series, but not quite enough for my liking.
The show does come armed with a brilliant early 70s soundtrack. All the who’s who (when it comes to classic rock and glam rock) of that era appear: The Who, Led Zeppelin, Slade, T Rex, David Bowie, Free, The Sweet, Cream, etc. Retro fans will be in heaven.
Ultimately, there were elements of this show I liked, and some I did not. I wonder if series two will up the ante when it comes to actually delivering upon its good premise. Eventually, shows have to start answering their mysteries, or the audience WILL get bored and move on. The season one finale was excellent, I’ll give it that. Finally, some answers.
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