Life On Mars

[altariel]

I haven't seen this anywhere else: Life on Mars will end after the current season (due to start transmission in the new year).

Well, it is disappointing, in that it's an absolutely brilliant programme, but if there's one show I don't want to see keeping on and on until it becomes rubbish, it has to be this. I wasn't sure if whether it even had a second season in it but, rewatching the DVDs, I think that it does.

Comments

[aervir.livejournal.com]

I was rather relieved to hear this announcement for the very same reason you mentioned.

And the potential of the second season will probably lie in clearing up the time-travel/coma mystery and sending Sam home.

*covets your DVDs*

[altariel.livejournal.com]

In a way I'm not sure if I want Sam to go home. I think he might already be home.

It's a nice set of DVDs!

[aervir.livejournal.com]

The perfect ending for me would be if Sam got home to see his Mum (the older version) and his girlfriend again and to notice that Gene and Annie and the rest are real people, too, who had indeed a colleague called Sam Tyler back in 1973.

I'm very intrigued by the prospect of a solution anyway.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

Thanks for flagging the news.

I think I feel much as you do: I'm sad about the news, but I'm glad that we have a second season, and I'm glad that they're going to be able to finish the arc properly. Also, I can't *wait* to see what they do.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm very excited about how they're going to resolve it!

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Somebody posted it, very carefully, behind a spoiler notice on lifein1973. And then five hours later somebody posted it as a big Wah! open message, which didn't actually spoil me because I'd decided to read the first one - and they'd never have kept the lid on something that basic, anyway - but did make me wish that people would think of reading earlier posts before jumping in. Anyway, the reaction was largely similar to yours (though I still wish we'd got three seasons: coma, madness, back in time).

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oops, I didn't even think of it being the kind of thing that needed a spoiler warning, it was all over the BBC website.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

I think it's news on the scale of "Billie Piper leaves Doctor Who", i.e. impossible to suppress, particularly within that community.

[the-wild-iris.livejournal.com]

I still haven't seen Life on Mars, but have heard only good things about it. I need to catch up.

Definitely agree that TV series shouldn't be renewed into the ground. I've seen it with Red Dwarf, Frasier (though that still had moments in its later seasons), The Simpsons... it's always sad.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Definitely a set of DVDs you need to borrow.

While it was on, I thought they were pushing it even to go to a second series, but watching the DVDs back, I think they'd actually hit a vein of really good writing.

*grumps* still want more Firefly though...!

[the-wild-iris.livejournal.com]

If it would be okay with you, I'd love to borrow the DVDs sometime.

Alas, poor Firefly... victim of the reverse disease. So much more that could have been done with it. So much story left untold. So much UST. Darn.

[kradical.livejournal.com]

Life on Mars's first season just showed on BBC America over here, and I absolutely adored it. But I agree, it's not a terribly sustainable premise (and, if nothing else, it's cruel to make all those guys have 70s hair for too long).

[altariel.livejournal.com]

it's cruel to make all those guys have 70s hair for too long

*snort!* Heh, Good point! What do you think of the prospect of a US version, either likelihood or how well it would transfer?

[kradical.livejournal.com]

This is one that I think could translate well. It's pretty much someone in a CSI world being shoved into Kojak.

Having said that, I never drank the David Kelley Kool Aid, so I'm not sure he's the right person to do it. We'll see....

[altariel.livejournal.com]

It's pretty much someone in a CSI world being shoved into Kojak.

I agree it's one that should transfer very well - I think it would probably need to have a different "feel" from the UK one, but I don't think that would in any way detract from it. I'd love to see a US version of it. I hope it's set in New York, that somehow seems right.

I love Boston Legal - which I think is one of Kelley's? - but Ally McBeal never did anything for. His style seems a bit 'light' for Life on Mars.

[manna]

So long as they had enough warning to end it properly, I agree with you that it's probably a good thing. There's only so long they can carry it on before Sam becomes completely 1970s guy and the premise is wrecked.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yes, and I think there's only so long they can carry on the main conflict of Gene vs. Sam, 70s guy vs. 00s guy.

[manna]

I hope they'll bring Gene forward to the present day for at least one episode.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

I'm ok with this, as I'd rather have two good seasons than it just drag on endlessly.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Exactly my feeling.

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

I'm increasingly of the opinion that with TV shows, like with chocolate, too little is definitely better than too much...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

But chocolate and TV are an unbeatable combination.

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

Well... only beaten by TV, chocolate and good company :)

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Having just finished watching the first season now (thanks, kalypso_v), I'm not sure it will stand a second season of equal length (tho' I'm hoping to be surprised), so on the whole I'm relieved.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Did you enjoy it?

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

On the whole, yes, though I felt a few of the episodes were weak. After the first couple of episodes I thought that the fantastic component could have done with being more fantastic -- more surprising and less repetitive. Mr EA liked it, too, which is rare.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I followed your link - it looks like an interesting series, which means we'll never see it over here. Too bad. :(

But you're right. Better finish it as long as it's still good than see it decline, as it happens with too many shows in these days.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

It's a great series, stylish, well-scripted, beautifully made - I hope it turns up where you are at some point.