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Title: Life on Mars (2006–2007)
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9 wins & 30 nominations.
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Ashes to Ashes
(2008–2010)
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Stars:
Philip Glenister,
Keeley Hawes,
Dean Andrews
Life on Mars
(2008–2009)
Crime
|
Drama
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Mystery
Stars:
Jason O'Mara,
Michael Imperioli,
Gretchen Mol
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Cast
| Series cast summary: | |||
| John Simm | ... | Sam Tyler 16 episodes, 2006-2007 | |
| Philip Glenister | ... | Gene Hunt 16 episodes, 2006-2007 | |
| Liz White | ... | Annie Cartwright 16 episodes, 2006-2007 | |
| Dean Andrews | ... | Ray Carling 16 episodes, 2006-2007 | |
| Marshall Lancaster | ... | Chris Skelton 16 episodes, 2006-2007 | |
 |
Noreen Kershaw | ... | Phyllis Dobbs 16 episodes, 2006-2007 |
|
|
Tony Marshall | ... | Nelson 12 episodes, 2006-2007 |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
After being involved in a car accident in 2006, DCI Sam Tyler wakes up to find himself in 1973, the era of 'Sweeney' type policing, Mark III Cortinas, and flared trousers.
Plot Keywords:
car accident | manchester | surrealism | title based on song | manchester england |Taglines:
Two cops in the same town at the same time... 33 years apartParents Guide:
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
24 July 2006 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Život na Marsu See more »Company Credits
Production Co:
Kudos Film and Television,British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC),Red Planet Pictures See more »
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
(16 episodes) (cut) | (16 episodes)Sound Mix:
StereoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.78 : 1
Edit
It was revealed in Ashes to Ashes that this era inhabited is a kind of police purgatory: Heavy artistic license can be used with these details, as it's not the real living world/ reality being portrayed. See more »
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Following the conclusion of filming the second and final series, the Ford Cortina was auctioned on eBay to raise money for Comic Relief. See more »Goofs
The bar scene: No beers cost 22p in 1973. Also, as the UK were still changing the money over, use and handing over of decimals would have been a lot slower than as shown in the film. Beer in Manchester would have been between 10np and 15np (or 2-3 shillings).It was revealed in Ashes to Ashes that this era inhabited is a kind of police purgatory: Heavy artistic license can be used with these details, as it's not the real living world/ reality being portrayed. See more »
Quotes
Sam Tyler: [credits introduction] My name is Sam Tyler. I had an accident, and I woke up in 1973. Am I mad, in a coma, or back in time? Whatever's happened, it's like I've landed on a different planet. Now, maybe if I can work out the reason, I can get home.See more »
Alternate Versions
While the version shown on BBC in the UK are 58 minutes in duration, the repeats on Bravo (UK) and the versions shown worldwide are cut down to about 42 minutes to make way for adverts and to cut down on the more adult material (particularly nudity and swearing). Much of the 1970s music is also replaced with public domain music due to rights issues. See more »Contribute to This Page
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I'm giving a vote of 9 out of 10 to Life on Mars, even though I know BBC America must be butchering the episodes they are screening in the US. IMDb says the runtime is 58 minutes. After you take out the commercials and endless promos BBC America runs each hour (at least 8 or 9 minutes must be for that brain sucking waste of time, Footballers Wives), I'm guessing we in the US are viewing about 44 minutes out of the 58. So good is Life on Mars, however, I'm willing to put up with it--and hope for the full version DVDs later.
What makes this show tick? Perhaps it's the ever present dreamscape quality--made possible by the slight sepia tint seemingly applied on most setups, which combine with the bright incandescent interior lighting of the institutional quality police stations, bar rooms, and housing projects to give a greenish, otherworldly haze to many scenes.
Combine this with the fun look back into a time without computers, fax machines and those damnable cell phones and you have poor Sam Tyler facing off with an English version of Dirty Harry. Combustible. Not to mention that Sam's holier than thou attitude is beginning to lose out to the realists on the beat. All of it makes for a very interesting hour--or 44 minutes.