Review by: Cecilia Jansink
Do you like your crime TV with a dash of sci-fi, with deeply embedded clues and a few red herrings thrown into the mix? Have you ever wanted to revisit the time and place that changed the course of your life forever? If yes, ‘Life on Mars’ is a must for you.
But, don’t let the title fool you; there are no aliens, space ships or galactic happenings – but life as Sam Tyler knows it, is over.DCI Sam Tyler ( John Simm best known as The Master in Doctor Who) is the epitome of modern policing. He has all of the procedure’s down pat, the respect of his colleagues and is just plain good at his job.
After being hit by a car, Sam wakes up in 1973! The very year that holds the biggest mystery of his childhood – one that has haunted him all his life.
The million dollar question though is – how did he get here? Is he dead, in a coma, managed to time travel or just gone stark raving mad?
Along with hard-drinking DCI Gene Hunt (Phillip Glenister), Sam not only has to work out what happened to him and how he ended up back in 1973, he must also figure out how to stop the “big bad” from his childhood from ever occurring.
Life on Mars not only broke the mold when it comes to police drama – it shattered it!
It boasts an astounding cast, of not only main characters, but also the walk-on roles of the crims our rag-tag CID deal with each episode.
The touching and often hilarious moments of Sam’s struggle in his new world; the haunting voices and visions that leave us little clues to Sam’s truth; and the layer upon layer of intrigue, mystery, suspense and good old crime all in one package, leave the viewer double guessing their observations and hanging out for more.
Throw in some awesome 70′s music like David Bowie’s, ‘Life on Mars’-which is playing on his IPOD when
he’s run over and on an 8-track in the Rover 6 when he wakes up- hence the title. Not to mention the oh-so-tragic fashions that in themselves will give you a good giggle. It’s no wonder that the US produced its own version.
Life on Mars only ran for two short seasons but is well worth hunting out on DVD. The ending will leave you breathless and no matter how many times you enter Sam’s world, you’ll find something new so that it never grows stale. There is also a sequel of sorts “Ashes to Ashes” (again a Bowie song) that tells the story of the police officer who investigated Sam’s strange disappearance, who then finds herself back in the 80′s. Regular viewers will recognize some familiar faces.
Available at most DVD retailers, online and at ABC shops.
July 12th, 2011 at 6:32 am
I LOVE this show!!
The only thing I liked slightly more about Ashes to Ashes was the upgrade of Gene Genie’s car to an Audi Quattro. Otherwise LOM is unparalleled for inventiveness, satisfying scripts and brilliant performances. Of course, I’d happily watch John Simm read the phone book
Thanks for this reminder. Could very well be a LOM fest in our house some weekend soon. Woohoo!
July 12th, 2011 at 11:35 pm
Lol don’t know if I’d go as far as watch him read the phonebook- well unless he was shirtless!!