Life on Mars finished last night.
Every week it begins with Sam Tyler explaining that he was in a car crash, and woke up in 1973. “Am I mad, in a coma or have I travelled back in time?” And every week I say to the TV: “You’re in a coma.”
And I think the final episode still bears this out, although it was slightly vague. He decided he preferred the 1970s life in his head to the humdrum reality of the present day.
Personally I’d have ended it with him jumping off the building, leaving out the bit where he makes friends again with the 1970s colleagues he betrayed. He runs, he jumps, roll credits.
I was wondering why he so preferred life as he imagined it in the 70′s to real life and it became utterly obvious in this episode. In the 70′s he was smarter than everyone else, more sensitive, better informed. In modern life he wasn’t. The unfortunate thing is that he didn’t have to go back into a coma to have all those things, he just needed to get a job in the USA. It is just like the 70′s in so many ways – fashion, music, attitudes, and with the added bonus of a good smattering of super-smart modern people who you can turn to when you start to miss home.
Of course they’re making an American version of Life on Mars, so we’ll be able to see Sam Tyler in the USA of today AND 1973!
Slightly worried to read that apparently it wasn’t a joke and they really are making a 1980s sequel called Ashes to Ashes. Without Sam Tyler, but with a female police officer, who has an accident, wakes up in the 1980s, finds herself working with DCI Gene Hunt. Which begs the question – does everyone in a coma see DCI Gene Hunt?
I think it’d be funnier to do a series with Gene Hunt transported to the present day.
Hello Giles,
I tried sending an email to you but it bounced back – Grr!
Speak soon I ‘ope,
Bruce
Oh the cheek of it – now I’m to be ‘moderated’ – Hmm just phone 2235 I say…
Call me any time – on 2402…
Great to hear from you!
Oh back in the day!
Hmm – How do I do that? I’m wary of putting my number on here – ‘cos anyone can see it… so I emailed your othermachines site with my mobile & landline.
Just off to try and forage for fresh anchovies, capers and some old organic nonsense…
Oh Back in the day – I’m not even sure if my last posting got through – so I’ve emailed my numbers to your othermachines address…
Just off out to catch the sunset,
speak soon!
Just pick up a lobster… and I’ll see you in the Pretend Pub.