Life on Mars

[Timmoru Suzuki]

So, series two started last night did anyone watch?

After the fantastic first series, last nights series two opener started a bit badly, then got ace in the middle, before ending a bit iffy, but it was an enjoyable show. Marc Warren was superb as Crane, continuing his run of awesome appearances in things (Hogfather, Dracula).

Next weeks looks like a good show.

I'm planning on rewatching series one in the next few days, because that was some brilliant TV right there.

[therockbox]

When's it repeated? It clashed with Battlestar and I forgot to record it.

[Timmoru Suzuki]

Once it got going, that was an exceptional episode. Early on, a little of the humour was a little ham-fisted, but it had some laugh out loud bits, and the story telling was fantastic. I loved having Sam and Gene's mentor's in there, and Sam having to mentor his mentor. I'm interested more in where the Hyde thing is going too, but again, the main story tonight was good, and was superbly written.

I don't know when the repeat is anyway. I assume there is one on either BBC3/BBC4 at some point.

[Xand]

Gene Hunt: Best TV Police Officer since that one from Noddy. Fact.

[Timmoru Suzuki]

I'm watching through series one at the moment, and I'd actually forgotten just how sodding brilliant it is.

And I agree about Gene! He could so easily have been one dimensional and a cardboard cut-out character, but he's been written and portrayed so well.

On a different note, Annie is much more attractive in series two.

[therockbox]

Figured I'd bump this, it's the last episode tonight. I'm really looking forward to seeing what the explanation is.

[Timmoru Suzuki]

I can't believe its the last one, I'm actually feeling a bit down because of it.

This entire show has been awesome, just totally off the charts awesome. I'm gonna be watching the DVD's over and over. The greatest cop show in just about forever has only 16 episodes.....

But yeah, I'm REALLY looking forward to the episode, and the outcome/explanation, but I don't want the end!

I have a feeling that if only one series had have been made (as was the plan), the end of season one would have been better then what ever is going down tonight, and would have made more sense, with Sam waking up after solving the puzzle of his dad. This idea in series two of brining Gene down has been touched on throughout the series, and has been dismissed, but cleverly left open at the same time. Still, I expect this, the end to be awesome.

[Timmoru Suzuki]

That was the single greatest episode of any TV show ever. That was just a perfect show in every single way. I haven't felt like this after watching a TV show ever, and I'm just SO sorry that that's it.

The scene early on with Sam and Annie was brilliant. Just when it seemed the 'coma' theory was all but concerned, the bits with Morgan threw a spanner in the works (Sam/amnesia and the M.A.R.S project) and provided a great distraction as well as a new thing to worry about for Sam.

The shootout on the train was just so fucking gripping, moreso than just about anything I've ever watched and it REALLY made you feel just how agonising a choice that was for Sam. Then, I won't ruin the last 10 minutes, and the very end, but they were great too, and the last couple of minutes were the perfect sendoff.

Plus, Sam and Annie FINALLY kiss, Annie gives Sam the stiffest slap in history, Gene was being Gene as usual, and the last ten minutes being a TOTAL Bowie-a-Thon (Life on Mars, right into Changes into Life on Mars again) helped a fucking lot too.

I wasn't sure how the last ever episode of one of the best TV programmes (and the best cop show ever) in years would go down, but they pulled it off fantastically well. Purely sodding perfect send-off, gripping, funny and wiith a good ending. Perfection.

*****

[therockbox]

I thought they'd ruined it when it faded to black after Sam jumped off the building, I thought that you CAN'T end it like that.

Edited April 10, 2007 by therockbox

[Adam]

Mad. Absolutely mad. Awesome too. An awesome show, great ending, im glad it didnt end when it looked like it had too, though some of the end was still confusing, it was still fantastic

[Skummy]

That was brilliant...I didn't think there was any ending they could come up with that would be completely satisfying, as they'd discussed pretty much every probability throughout the series, but it proved that you don't need to end that kind of show on a massive SWERVE~! for it to work. Gene Hunt is, and always will be, one of my favourite TV characters, and the introduction of the "M.A.R.S." project really had me intrigued, as it did start seriously suggesting more of a "Sam is mad" vibe, whereas before that you'd been encouraged to take his side and believe he's in a coma, yet by this episode you really find yourself questioning that.

When he woke up I thought "it can't end like that, it just can't", and I actually would have been satisfied with the series ending with Sam jumping off the roof, but then the actual ending made it all worth it. It was cheesy, but it was so brilliantly done.

Bring on Ashes To Ashes, I say. The story won't work nearly as well second time round, but fuck it, I need more Gene Hunt on my telly.

EDIT: The Guardian put forth some interesting alternate ending ideas today, including the possibility that Gene Hunt was driving the car that hit Sam in the first place, or that the whole thing was actually taking place in Gene's head, not Sam's, and it was a test of his morals.

Personally, I was expecting the show to end with Sam in the 21st century, but he'd encounter Gene Hunt while he was there, to a bemused look from either man, which would have left some ambiguity as to how real the whole thing was, and set the stage for Ashes To Ashes to explain the situation further.

Edited April 11, 2007 by Godspeed You! Black Skummy

[Timmoru Suzuki]

EDIT: The Guardian put forth some interesting alternate ending ideas today, including the possibility that Gene Hunt was driving the car that hit Sam in the first place, or that the whole thing was actually taking place in Gene's head, not Sam's, and it was a test of his morals.

Personally, I was expecting the show to end with Sam in the 21st century, but he'd encounter Gene Hunt while he was there, to a bemused look from either man, which would have left some ambiguity as to how real the whole thing was, and set the stage for Ashes To Ashes to explain the situation further.

Edited April 11, 2007 by Mushiking timmayy

[Skummy]

The ideas I mentioned apparently were lifted from a couple of theories circling message boards and blogs and the like, the general kind of G2 reporting of "Here's what some bloke said on the internet, here's a news story around it" that they do so well, while they were reviewing the episode...I think that kind of thing would have been a nice twist, especially the "Gene was driving the car" idea, but I think how the episode went basically proved that you don't need a massive twist at the end of a story, as long as what you've got is written well, and that's something that people need reminding of.

I can see why Annie wouldn't be in Ashes To Ashes...she pretty much only existed as an affectionate character towards Sam. With no Sam, there's no need for her. She's had all the character development they can really stretch out of her, to be honest.

Ashes To Ashes could go either way, really...obviously it's more Gene Hunt, which can only be a good thing, but unless they twist it up a lot more, I can't see how they can pull off what is essentially the same plot with a new character. I'm looking forward to it regardless, as I am to any continuation on the feature film rumours. The American version will probably be dire if it goes ahead, though, I reckon.

[Timmoru Suzuki]

I agree with you totally about why Annie won't be in Ashes to Ashes, and about her development, but I'll still miss her damn it! I can see Ashes to Ashes being a solid to good show, with mucho hilarity from Gene, and if Life on Mars is anything to go by they'll get the style and the vibe spot on, but it won't be as good as Life on Mars overall.

There are film rumours? And yeah, I can see the American's ruining the show big time.

[Skummy]

Gene Hunt should be awesome in Ashes To Ashes if only because the new main character is going to be a single mother. That just writes itself.

David Kelley's in charge of the American version, apparently, the only work of his I'm familiar with, checking his Wikipedia, is Boston Legal, Ally McBeal and Lake Placid, so I can't really imagine him getting it right, not to mention that I can't think of a single US adaptation of a UK show that's worked for me.

I can't find anything on Wiki or anything about the film rumour, but I read it somewhere...may also have been in The Guardian, I'll check it later.

[Crybaby Bunting]

here's what confuses me - sam is dead and it turns out that everything was in his head all along, so how come the new show will be in the 80s with most of the characters that sam has made up in the first place.

Or am i completely missing the point of a spin-off?

[Timmoru Suzuki]

Sam isn't dead.

I assume the spin-off will be someone else goes into a coma, this time they go back to the 80's, and they just imagine Gene, Ray and Chris, like they're stock coma characters or something. If eveyone who goes into a coma sees Gene hunt, it makes the idea of a coma a lot more appealing to me.

[Guest TheBlueyComplex]

Fresh from his Life On Mars exploits in 1973 Manchester, Gene Hunt will be fast forwarding to 1981 London for a new spin-off, Ashes to Ashes.

Alongside Philip Glenister's return as the brash and brutal Hunt, Dean Andrews and Marshall Lancaster will be returning to reprise their roles as sidekicks Ray Carling and Chris Skelton respectively. However, Gene will be swapping his iconic Ford Cortina for an Audi Quattro, Chris will be a surveillance supremo and Ray is destined to be seduced by perms and London nightlife.

The series will follow the same format too, with a modern day police officer transported back in time after suffering a horrific accident. Whilst Sam Tyler will not feature, his presence will be felt as the new lead character - DCI Alex Drake - spent months studying Tyler's psychological evaluations after he emerged from his coma, where he detailed Hunt and his team.

Drake, a single mother, has yet to be cast but is described as "sexy and inteliigent" by the programme's makers and is an expert in psychological profiling. A romance is also hinted at between Drake and Hunt.

Named after a David Bowie song like its predecessor, Ashes To Ashes will also be developed by the same writers - Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharaoh - and the same co-production between Kudos, Monastic Productions and the BBC.

“Ashes to Ashes is the next chapter in the life of Gene Hunt, as seen through the eyes of a modern, no nonsense woman," stated Executive Producer Jane Featherstone. "It’s a touch of Moonlighting teamed with a measure of Miami Vice! The search for Gene’s sexy side-kick is definitely on; she’ll hopefully give him a serious run for his money!”

The Life On Mars sequel is scheduled to begin filming in London this summer for transmission on BBC One early in 2008.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Sam isn't dead.

I assume the spin-off will be someone else goes into a coma, this time they go back to the 80's, and they just imagine Gene, Ray and Chris, like they're stock coma characters or something. If eveyone who goes into a coma sees Gene hunt, it makes the idea of a coma a lot more appealing to me.

[therockbox]

Depends on which way you want to look at it - perhaps it's Sam's heaven?