The BBC One TV show Life on Mars is drama series which stared John Simm as DCI Sam Tyler who after being struck by a car in the year 2006 and reawakens in 1973. The TV show follows the life Sam Tyler working for the Manchester Police alongside Gene Hunt who is played brilliantly by Philip Glenister whilst trying to work out if he is dead, in a coma, traveled back in time or just gone totally mad and is imagining that he's in 1973.
Life on Mars got its title from an old David Bowie song and was a huge hit with viewers on BBC One and with TV critics. It was actually originally proposed as an idea to Channel 4 by John Yorker, but after senior management told him "it was going to be silly" he rejoined the BBC who commissioned the show. The show only lasted 2 series (both are now on BBC DVD) with a total of 16 episodes with the producers and writers saying they didn't want to drag the show out as it would lose its impact. Life on Mars won both BAFTA and International Emmy awards and is now shown in North America and Europe, ABC in the USA have also brought the rights to remake the show, but both leading actors Philip Glenster and John Simm declined the opportunity to star in the American remake.
After the end of Life on Mars BBC executives confirmed that they were looking into producing a spin off of the TV show which is now known as Ashes to Ashes (another David Bowie song title). The show is similar that the main character wakes up in the past but this time in the 1980's. The highly popular DCI Gene Hunt will again be in the show and will probably be just as politically incorrect as in Life on Mars. The main character will be called Alex Drake a female police officer played by Keeley Hawes and will be broadcast this year (2008).
Life on Mars Episodes:
Life on Mars - Series Two
Life on Mars cast
After the end of Life on Mars BBC executives confirmed that they were looking into producing a spin off of the TV show which is now known as Ashes to Ashes (another David Bowie song title). The show is similar that the main character wakes up in the past but this time in the 1980's. The highly popular DCI Gene Hunt will again be in the show and will probably be just as politically incorrect as in Life on Mars. The main character will be called Alex Drake a female police officer played by Keeley Hawes and will be broadcast this year (2008).
Life on Mars Episodes:
| Life on Mars - Series One | ||||
| Episode Number | Title | Writer | Director | Airdate |
| 1 | "Episode One" | Matthew Graham | Bharat Nalluri | January 9, 2006, 9-10pm |
| 2 | "Episode Two" | Matthew Graham | Bharat Nalluri | January 16, 2006, 9-10pm |
| 3 | "Episode Three" | Matthew Graham | John McKay | January 23, 2006, 9-10pm |
| 4 | "Episode Four" | Ashley Pharoah | John McKay | January 30, 2006, 9-10pm |
| 5 | "Episode Five" | Tony Jordan | SJ Clarkson | February 6, 2006, 9-10pm |
| 6 | "Episode Six" | Matthew Graham & Ashley Pharoah | John Alexander | February 13, 2006, 9-10pm |
| 7 | "Episode Seven" | Chris Chibnall | SJ Clarkson | February 20, 2006, 9-10pm |
| 8 | "Episode Eight" | Matthew Graham | John Alexander | February 27, 2006, 9-10pm |
Life on Mars - Series Two
| Episode Number | Title | Writer | Director | Airdate |
| 1 | "Episode One" | Matthew Graham | SJ Clarkson | February 13, 2007, 9-10pm |
| 2 | "Episode Two" | Chris Chibnall | SJ Clarkson | February 20, 2007, 9-10pm |
| 3 | "Episode Three" | Julie Rutterford | Richard Clark | March 6, 2007, 9-10pm |
| 4 | "Episode Four" | Ashley Pharoah | Richard Clark | March 13, 2007, 9-10pm |
| 5 | "Episode Five" | Matthew Graham | Andrew Gunn | March 20, 2007, 9-10pm |
| 6 | "Episode Six" | Guy Jenkin | Andrew Gunn | March 27, 2007, 9-10pm |
| 7 | "Episode Seven" | Mark Greig | SJ Clarkson | April 3, 2007, 9-10pm |
| 8 | "Episode Eight" | Matthew Graham | SJ Clarkson | April 10, 2007, 9-10pm |
Life on Mars cast
| Character | Played by |
| DCI/DI Sam Tyler | John Simm |
| DCI Gene Hunt | Philip Glenister |
| WPC/WDC Annie Cartwright | Liz White |
| DS Ray Carling | Dean Andrews |
| DC Chris Skelton | Marshall Lancaster |
| Nelson | Tony Marshall |
| WPC Phyllis Dobbs | Noreen Kershaw |
I seriously love Life on Mars its a shame the follow up show (kind of sequel I guess) Ashes to Ashes hasn't really hit the same spot mainly down to the main actress being absolutely awful. She's so annoying I hope she's not in a coma and is dead so they don't make a second series, I know its harsh but its my opinion.
Anyway Life on Mars rocks and so does this tv show information site, keep up the good work and start adding some more television shows.
Life On Mars was a great TV show, Philip Glenister is a legend and John Simm is much better and likable than Keeley Hawes who plays Alex Drake in Ashes to Ashes. Are you going to do one of these tv information pages for Ashes to Ashes anytime soon? Really liking what's been done so far.
Cheers for the comments guys/girls. Gladius I'll try to add an Ashes to Ashes tv show info page after the first series has finished on BBC1. Only because I like to try and add a short episode guide along with the show information as I have done with Life On Mars and the other shows on this part of the site. Really need to pull my finger out a bit more as there are only 4 on here so far and I really want to have them for every major television show but not having enough time thats easier said than done.
Having watched almost the whole first series in its entirety, (I missed it the first time around on BBC TV so just brought the DVD box set of series one of Life On Mars) on the sheer basis of the first six episodes alone I think its great. John Simm is proving to be an excellent actor, certainly he plays DI Sam Tyler with the right mixture of confusion, vulnerability, sadness and determination that makes him instantly likable. Not exactly a review of Life On Mars but its my 2 pennies to the pot!
Loved Life On Mars, Ashes to Ashes really can't compete with it. Love the politically incorrect stuff too, makes such a change on our television screens and certainly a TV show for the boys ;).
Loving this tv show information part of the site by the way. You really need to start adding more shows though as I can only see about 4!