Life on Mars (2008–2009)

A present-day car accident mysteriously sends a detective back to the 1970s. An American remake of the BBC series.

Stars:

Jason O'Mara, Michael Imperioli, Gretchen Mol

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 4 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Jason O'Mara	...	Detective Sam Tyler (17 episodes, 2008-2009)
Michael Imperioli	...	Detective Ray Carling (17 episodes, 2008-2009)
Gretchen Mol	...	Annie Norris (17 episodes, 2008-2009)
Jonathan Murphy	...	Detective Chris Skelton (17 episodes, 2008-2009)
Harvey Keitel	...	Lieutenant Gene Hunt (17 episodes, 2008-2009)
John Cenatiempo	...	Sizable Ted (13 episodes, 2008-2009)

Storyline

Sam Tyler is a police detective in 2008 when he gets struck by a car and is knocked unconscious. When he comes to and finds himself in 1973 he goes to his precinct and is mistaken for a transfer from another precinct. He finds himself trying to do things a little differently from what he is used to. And he tries to figure out why he is in 1973.

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Plot Keywords:

detective | remake | 1970s | police | planet in title | 

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Taglines:

Back in the nick of time

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi

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Details

Official Sites:

ABC

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2008 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Kaufman Astoria Studios - 3412 36th Street, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kudos Film and Television, 20th Century Fox Television, ABC Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the series was canceled midway through the first season (March 2009), producers had time to make the last episode the series finale, solving the mystery and answering most of the outstanding questions.

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Goofs

The type of rifle that is in Sam's hands when it is kicked by his Dad changes. When he places it down when he goes to talk to his younger version on the boat it looks like a Ruger Mini 30. When he picks it up a minute later it has changed into a Ak-47 or SKS type of rifle, which is then kicked by his Dad and it seems to go over the side of the boat. That is a less expensive type of rifle, which may be why it was the one tossed into the water.

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: Ben Affleck/David Cook (2008)

User Reviews

Better than the original?

In some ways, it is.

When I first heard "Life On Mars" was being adapted for American television, I really didn't expect much. And when I first watched it, I was unimpressed. The British series is just SO original, and SO excellent. Who could replace the Gov? No one. Even now that my opinion of the show has changed, I still think he is irreplaceable. But that's okay! The American series has other things going for it, which I suspect largely stem from a bigger budget. The music is better, for one. Also, the attention to detail is immaculate. One of the joys of watching it is experiencing the atmosphere of 1973 New York. I also quite like Michael Imperioli as Ray— perhaps he's not as funny as Dean Andrews, but he's enjoyable to watch in a grittier kind of way. I also like Jason O'Mara as Sam Tyler. He brings a lightness to the role which was absent in John Simm's portrayal. Whereas Simm was often terribly serious and painfully moral (admittedly why we loved him—it is these traits which made his exchanges with Gene Hunt so entertaining), O'Mara's Sam Tyler immerses himself more in the time period. When he takes delight in 1973, so do we. One of the few elements damaged by the adaptation is DC Chris Skelton—played in the BBC series by the talent Marshall Lancaster. Jonathon Murphy fills the role in the ABC version and he is so extremely boring that I lament the adaptation of his character every time he appears in a scene. Finally, it's certain that Harvey Keitel has big shoes to fill but he's adequate. He's a professional and has a presence which embodies 1973 New York.

If you are a big fan of the British series, you will enjoy this show. And if you've only ever seen this adaptation, I encourage you to rent the original BBC series.