Life on Mars: The Complete Series DVD

ABC

Oct 01, 2009 Web Exclusive By Aaron Passman Bookmark and Share


They don't make 'em like they used to, and when they do they get cancelled. Case in point: Life on Mars. The show never had a chance, in part because for much of the season ABC scheduled the series in the hour following Lost—a slot that in five years has meant guaranteed cancellation in nearly every instance.

It's a shame, too, because the show—a remake of a popular BBC series which ran for several seasons and generated a spin—off-has something for just about everyone. Science fiction element? Check. Detailed '70s atmosphere? Check. Great classic rock soundtrack? Check. Harvey Keitel? Check. Mustaches? Check.

The basic premise is simple: NYPD cop Sam Tyler gets hit by a car and wakes up in 1973. Is it amnesia? Is he dreaming? Did he travel through time? Had the show not been cancelled there was ample material there to expound upon, but alas, that's not to be.

Aside from the ending—which is so categorically awful it may replace the term "jump the shark" with something entirely different-the series is short but sweet, and for those unsatisfied there's always the BBC version. The Brits, after all, know how to appreciate a show named after a Bowie song. (www.abc.com)

Author rating: 6/10

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