History Series / LifeonMars2006

[[caption-width-right:350:You are surrounded by Armed Bastards. L-R: DC Chris Skelton, DCI Gene Hunt, DI Sam Tyler, DS Ray Carling, WPC Annie Cartwright]]

** Another, very subtle and possibly unintentional shout-out is the title itself. Five years before the show's premiere, Terry Pratchett published ''Night Watch'' a Discwolrd novel whose protagonist is likewise a criminalist who gets inexplicably transported back in time and forced to relive elements of his own past. Both the book and the series are called after a well-known work of popular art, a painting by Rembrandt in the former case and a song by David Bowie in the latter.

* ShoutOut: Sam cites Franchise/{{Robocop}}'s three prime directives as his view of the Police's duties. Gene seems to prefer ComicBook/JudgeDredd's catchphrase: "I AM The Law"

* LiteraryAllusionTitle: Named after the Bowie song.

It was remade into an American show, also called ''Series/{{Life On Mars|2008}}'', and a Spanish show called ''La Chica de Ayer''. A Russian remake called ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' came out in 2012, sending their protagonist back before the fall of communism in 1979, followed by a second season set in an alternate 2011 where the USSR still exists. Inspired Czech sort-of remake ''Svět pod hlavou'' [[note]]''World Under the Head''[[/note]] with a set up similar to the Russian one. A South Korean version aired in 2018. Reportedly, a Chinese version set in the 1990s is in the works as of 2019.

''Life on Mars'' was followed by ''Series/{{Ashes To Ashes|2008}}'' (2008-10), which shared some of the cast. Although the first two series of ''Ashes to Ashes'' were largely standalone stories, the third featured numerous connections to ''Life on Mars'', and finally explained the truth about what was happening all along, with the creators describing it as "the fifth series of ''Life on Mars''". '''This means that even if you've watched the ''Life on Mars'' finale, this page still contains spoilers.'''

In April 2020, it was announced that a third series going under the temporary subtitle "[[TheLastTitle The Final Chapter]]" would be forthcoming. According to [[https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2020-04-02/life-on-mars-final-chapter-april-fool/ comments given during a watch-along by series co-creator Matthew Graham]], the series will comprise of "four or five episodes" and will be set both in London and Manchester, "partially in the 70's, partially in the 80's, and mostly in an alternate NOW" with the goal to get a complete reunion of all cast members across both series'. As of now, the series still seems to be in the writing phase, with John Simm in talks to return to the franchise.

** Episode 2-5 has a unique twist: aimon Lamb, has had his wife and daughter kidnapped in order to get Grahame Bathurst, a teenager who was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend a few years previously, set free because the kidnapper believes him to be innocent. At one point, Simon desperately confesses to having committed the murder so that the police can set Grahame free, although the police don't believe him. It is eventually revealed that Simon was targeted because the kidnapper ([[spoiler:the murdered girl's father]]) also believes him to be guilty, but this is chalked up to the kidnapper having become deranged through bottling up his suspicions. At the very ends of the episode, Sam and Gene realize an important detail which points to [[spoiler: Simon Lamb ''being the actual killer'', meaning that Simon attempted to frame himself earlier in the episode and the murdered girl's father's plot to kidnap Simon's family was an attempt to get the police to re-open the case]].

* ArtisticLicenceLaw: During an interview John Stalker, Deputy Chief Constable of Greater Manchester in the early 1980s and himself a Detective Inspector in 1973, has stated that the depiction of the police "has got nothing to do with real policing in the 1970s. It could not be more inaccurate in terms of procedure, the way they talk or the way they dress. In all the time I was in the CID in the 1970s I never saw a copper in a leather bomber jacket and I never heard an officer call anyone 'guv' ... Actually, there were a few police officers in London who started to behave like Regan and Carter in ''Series/TheSweeney'', but that was a case of life following art, not the other way round". The journalist who interviewed Stalker, Ray King, remarks that the depiction of the police can be defended if we assume that Sam is indeed in a coma and that we are seeing his imaginary idea of 1973, filtered through 1970s police shows.

* GivingRadioToTheRomans: Sam tries to introduce mid-Noughties police techniques (recording interviews on tape, surveillance, modern forensics and so forth) to coppers in 1973, as well as other radical and futuristic ideas like having a television in the pub.

* YearInsideHourOutside: [[spoiler: Sam returns to 1973 in the nick of time to save his friends, mere moments after his departure. This despite having spent ''days'' in 2007]].

* OddCouple: Sam and Gene (one's [[ByTheBookCop by the book]], the other's bring your own bottle), but also Chris and Ray. Being coppers, TheyFightCrime

* TheyFightCrime: For the most part, the plots are standard police investigations, though occasionally made significant by Sam's techniques or history.

In April 2020, it was announced that a third series going under the temporary subtitle "[[TheLastTitle The Final Chapter]]" would be forthcoming. According to [[https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2020-04-02/life-on-mars-final-chapter-april-fool/ comments given during a watch-along by series co-creator Matthew Graham]], the series will comprise of "four or five episodes" and will be set both in London and Manchester, "partially in the 70's, partially in the 80's, and mostly in an alternate NOW" [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters with the goal to get a complete reunion of all cast members across both series']]. As of now, the series still seems to be in the writing phase, with John Simm in talks to return to the franchise.

In April 2020, it was announced that a third series going under the subtitle "[[TheLastTitle The Final Chapter]]" would be forthcoming. According to [[https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2020-04-02/life-on-mars-final-chapter-april-fool/ comments given during a watch-along by series co-creator Matthew Graham]], the series will comprise of "four or five episodes" and will be set both in London and Manchester, "partially in the 70's, partially in the 80's, and mostly in an alternate NOW" [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters with the goal to get a complete reunion of all cast members across both series']]. As of now, the series still seems to be in the writing phase.

* TimeTravelForFunAndProfit: Sam, when taking part in an office a sweepstakes for the 1973 [[UsefulNotes/HorseRacing Grand National]], offers to swap with Gene, who's drawn [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Rum Red Rum]]. Gene suspects he has inside information.

--> '''Gene:''' [[spoiler: Steven Warren]] is a bum-bandit. Do you understand? A poof! A fairy! A queer! A queen! A fudge packer! An uphill gardener! A fruit-picking sodomite!

%%* LadyInRed: Actually a plot point in Season 1, although instead of the usual seductive undertones it's to play off a Red Riding Hood theme.

* MediumBlending: The claymation of ''WesternAnimation/CamberwickGreen''.

* MushroomSamba: 2007!Sam accidentally gets a drug overdose, leading 1973!Sam to hallucinate a memorable version of the childrens' show ''WesternAnimation/CamberwickGreen''.

* OddCouple: Sam and Gene (one's [[ByTheBookCop by the book]], the other's bring your own bottle), but also Chris and Ray.

* OldFashionedCopper: Gene Hunt, Ray Carling

* OopNorth: Manchester.

* RashomonStyle: in 2.05, we see Bathurst's arrest retold from two different perspectives, Gene Hunt's vindictive view and Annie's more sympathetic one. [[spoiler:Annie turned out to be much more objective--Gene had gotten too emotionally involved in the case.]]

* RunningGag: "That's not how it goes!" (Sam constantly getting the YouDoNotHaveToSayAnything speech wrong); "You are surrounded by armed bastards!" (even carried over to ''Series/{{Ashes To Ashes|2008}}''); Gene's flasks and fondness for [[TheWestern Westerns]].

--->'''Gene:''' That was a ''single malt!'' What kind of monster are you!?

* ShellShockedVeteran: Reg Cole [[spoiler: is made out to be one, but it turns out he didn't get to fight]].
* ShirtlessScene: The opening of Series 1, Episode 2 sees Gene and Chris going after the VillainOfTheWeek; all three are wearing Speedos (and water-wings in Chris's case). Sam, who's also giving chase, is wearing a lifeguard's vest.

* ThematicThemeTune: ''Life on Mars'' by Music/DavidBowie. The lyrics are about a girl fleeing domestic violence escapes into the make-believe world of the cinema, as well as referencing the growth of consumer culture and the [[spoiler:overall premise being [[PurgatoryAndLimbo purgatorial]] rather than time travel]]. Plus it contains lyrics such as:

* TimeTravelForFunAndProfit: Sam, when playing a sweepstakes involving horse racing, offers to swap with someone who got Red Rum. Gene suspects he has inside information.

* AnachronismStew: Upon Sam Tyler awaking in 1973, he finds himself on a building site beneath a large advertising board proclaiming the construction of a new motorway, the Mancunian Way. In reality, the construction of Mancunian Way was completed in 1967. According to Matthew Graham, writing in ''Magazine/TheRadioTimes'', the error was deliberate. "We knew that this road was built in the 1960s, but we took a bit of artistic licence". Minor historical anachronisms such as this are present throughout the series. Some were made out of artistic licence whilst others were deliberately inserted to confuse the issue of whether Sam was in a coma, mad or really back in time. Many inaccuracies were visible such as modern street furniture, cable television cabinets, satellite television dishes, CCTV cameras, LCD digital watches and double-glazed uPVC window frames, which were all unintentional. During DVD commentaries for the series, the programme makers acknowledge these as errors but also point out they are perfectly feasible, given Sam's situation. As the popularity of the series grew, the hunting of such anachronisms became a favourite pastime among Life on Mars fans.

It was remade into an American show, also called ''Series/{{Life On Mars|2008}}'', and a Spanish show called ''La Chica de Ayer''. A Russian remake called ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' came out in 2012, sending their protagonist back before the [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp fall of communism]] in 1979, followed by a second season set in an alternate 2011 where the USSR still exists. Inspired Czech sort-of remake ''Svět pod hlavou'' [[note]]''World Under the Head''[[/note]] with a set up similar to the Russian one. A South Korean version aired in 2018. Reportedly, a Chinese version set in the 1990s is in the works as of 2019.

** In early episodes he is shown to be a competent copper, who, while violence is always an option, can actually work things out, and is occasionally a step ahead of Sam. Philip Glenister did admit he was somewhat saddened by the retreat into 'Bad Cop'.

* DisappearedDad: The final episode of series 1 has Sam meeting his just before he disappears.

* HellIsThatNoise: [[spoiler: Tony Crane's]] slightly off-key whistling of "Bring Me Sunshine" in series 2 episode 1. You'll never hear Creator/MorecambeAndWise's version the same way again.

* LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain: Gene says this almost word for word about the events of series 1 episode 7, [[spoiler:where a suspect died of a heart attack in one of the cells, due to the actions of CID.]]

* TwistEnding: The ending to [[spoiler:series 2 episode 5, where it turns out that the father of a girl who was kidnapped after pointing the finger at a murder suspect may have committed the murder that said suspect was accused of in the first place.]]

* WireDilemma: In series 2 episode 3.

* BadHumourTruck: Gene's in [[FlippingTheBird no mood]] to share his ice cream with little kids.

''Life on Mars'' was followed by ''Series/{{Ashes To Ashes|2008}}'', which shared some of the cast. Although the first two series of ''Ashes to Ashes'' were largely standalone stories, the third featured numerous connections to ''Life on Mars'', and finally explained the truth about what was happening all along, with the creators describing it as "the fifth series of ''Life on Mars''". '''This means that even if you've watched the ''Life on Mars'' finale, this page still contains spoilers.'''

* BadHumorTruck: Gene's in [[FlippingTheBird no mood]] to share his ice cream with little kids.

** Also, this wonderful quote from Gene in series 1, episode 6, when Reg Cole pours Gene's flask onto the floor:

It was remade into an American show, also called ''[[Series/LifeOnMars2008 Life on Mars]]'', and a Spanish show called ''La Chica de Ayer''. A Russian remake called ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' came out in 2012, sending their protagonist back before the [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp fall of communism]] in 1979, followed by a second season set in an alternate 2011 where the USSR still exists. Inspired Czech sort-of remake ''Svět pod hlavou'' [[note]]''World Under the Head''[[/note]] with a set up similar to the Russian one. A South Korean version aired in 2018. Reportedly, a Chinese version set in the 1990s is in the works as of 2019.

''Life on Mars'' was followed by ''[[Series/AshesToAshes2008 Ashes to Ashes]]'', which shared some of the cast. Although the first two series of ''Ashes to Ashes'' were largely standalone stories, the third featured numerous connections to ''Life on Mars'', and finally explained the truth about what was happening all along, with the creators describing it as "the fifth series of ''Life on Mars''". '''This means that even if you've watched the ''Life on Mars'' finale, this page still contains spoilers.'''

* AmbiguousEnding: Did Sam kill himself to go back to 1973? Is he still in a coma? Is he in the afterlife? ''Series/AshesToAshes'' would later clear up the ambiguity.
* AnachronismStew: Upon Sam Tyler awaking in 1973, he finds himself on a building site beneath a large advertising board proclaiming the construction of a new motorway, the Mancunian Way. In reality, the construction of Mancunian Way was completed in 1967. According to Matthew Graham, writing in ''Magazine/TheRadioTimes'', the error was deliberate. "We knew that this road was built in the 1960s, but we took a bit of artistic license". Minor historical anachronisms such as this are present throughout the series. Some were made out of artistic license whilst others were deliberately inserted to confuse the issue of whether Sam was in a coma, mad or really back in time. Many inaccuracies were visible such as modern street furniture, cable television cabinets, satellite television dishes, CCTV cameras, LCD digital watches and double-glazed uPVC window frames, which were all unintentional. During DVD commentaries for the series, the programme makers acknowledge these as errors but also point out they are perfectly feasible, given Sam's situation. As the popularity of the series grew, the hunting of such anachronisms became a favourite pastime among Life on Mars fans.

* ArtisticLicenseLaw: During an interview John Stalker, Deputy Chief Constable of Greater Manchester in the early 1980s and himself a Detective Inspector in 1973, has stated that the depiction of the police "has got nothing to do with real policing in the 1970s. It could not be more inaccurate in terms of procedure, the way they talk or the way they dress. In all the time I was in the CID in the 1970s I never saw a copper in a leather bomber jacket and I never heard an officer call anyone 'guv' ... Actually, there were a few police officers in London who started to behave like Regan and Carter in ''Series/TheSweeney'', but that was a case of life following art, not the other way round". The journalist who interviewed Stalker, Ray King, remarks that the depiction of the police can be defended if we assume that Sam is indeed in a coma and that we are seeing his imaginary idea of 1973, filtered through 1970s police shows.

* BritishBrevity: Only 16 episodes total for the original show, and 24 for ''Series/AshesToAshes2008''.

* ColorWash: The colors are drenched in yellow to make the series appear 'vintage'.

* DeconReconSwitch: This show and its sequel ''[[Series/AshesToAshes2008 Ashes to Ashes]]'' deconstruct Seventies and Eighties British cop shows by showing that the police in those shows were [[PoliceBrutality brutal]], [[PoliticallyIncorrectHero prejudiced]] and often mildly corrupt {{Cowboy Cop}}s who used lethal force with impunity, planted evidence, took bribes as "perks" and displayed a [[JackBauerInterrogationTechnique shocking disregard for suspects' rights]], but they also reconstruct them by showing that all of this was done to keep the bad guys off the streets and protect the innocent.

* FairCop: A lot of the cast are really good looking, especially Annie Cartwright and Chris Skelton. Of course, much of the fandom is gaga for Gene Hunt, ''especially'' when he's running around in bad Speedos and pasty white skin. And if you're not too keen on Gene, there's always Sam in those open-necked shirts and those tight flares that show off his legs ''marvelously''.

* ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne:

* MagicalNegro: Nelson fulfills this role, with hints he might be aware what's happening to Sam. In ''Series/AshesToAshes2008'', [[spoiler:it is revealed that he's the gatekeeper to the copper version of heaven, equivalent to Saint Peter.]]

* RunningGag: "That's not how it goes!" (Sam constantly getting the YouDoNotHaveToSayAnything speech wrong); "You are surrounded by armed bastards!" (even carried over to ''Series/AshesToAshes2008''); Gene's flasks and fondness for [[TheWestern Westerns]].

-->'''Gene Hunt:''' They reckon you've got concussion - I couldn't give a tart's furry cup if half your brains were falling out. Don't ''ever'' waltz into my kingdom acting king of the jungle.
-->'''Sam Tyler:''' Who the hell are you?
-->'''Gene Hunt:''' Gene Hunt. Your DCI. And it's 1973. Almost dinner time. ''I'm 'aving 'oops.''

-->'''Chris Skelton''': Look, Dickie, a lamb!
-->'''Dickie Fingers''': What do you think I am, a nonce? [[note]] 'nonce' being British criminal slang a paedophile[[/note]]

-->'''Sam''': I used to go to football with my dad. United and City fans used to walk to the match together. Our next door neighbour, he had a City flag up in his window. Kids used to play together in the street - red and blue. But then people like you came along and you took it away from us.
-->'''Peter Bond''': A good punch up's all part of the game! It's about pride. Pride in your team. Being the ''best!''
-->'''Sam''': No it isn't! This is how it starts and then it escalates. It gets on the telly and in the press, and then other fans from other clubs start trying to out do each other. And then it becomes about hate! And then it's nothing to do with football any more! It's about gangs and scumbags like you roaming the country seeing who can cause the most trouble. And then we overreact, and we have to put up perimeter fences and we treat the fans like animals! Forty, fifty thousand people herded into pens! And then how long before something happens, eh? How long before something terrible happens and we are dragging bodies out?

--> '''Sam:''' He's gay?
--> '''Gene:''' As a bloody Christmas Tree!

-->'''Sam''': There's an interview with Creator/KingsleyAmis I really wanted to read.
-->'''Gene:''' You know what the really sad thing is? I believe you.

-->'''Gene Hunt''': Do you know who you're talking to?
-->'''Sam Tyler''': An overweight, over-the-hill, nicotine-stained, borderline alcoholic homophobe with a superiority complex and an unhealthy obsession with male bonding.
-->:'''Gene Hunt''': You say that like it's a bad thing.

-->'''Sam Tyler''': [You slept like] a 20 stone baby who burps, snores and farts.
-->'''Gene Hunt''': I do not snore!

* OntologicalMystery

-->'''Sam:''' What're the chances?
-->'''Gene:''' (pulls out two more flasks) Pretty good, actually. Well, you never know how far you're gonna be from a boozer!

* TheSeventies: Despite the anachronisms, 1973 is recognisable as such. The clothing, the hair, the cars (both [[CoolCar cool]] and [[AllegedCar not-so-cool]]), the AwesomeMusic and -- as far as the ladies are concerned -- plenty of blue eyeshadow.

* TheTelevisionTalksBack: Sam's hotline to the 'real' world.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Sam delivers an ''epic'' one to [[spoiler: Peter Bond]], accusing him and people like him of ruining the joy of football by injecting it with hate and violence among the fans.

* WireDilemma: In series 2 episode 3.

-->''"Pub?"''
-->''"Pub."''

* BankRobbery

* BookDumb: Ray and Chris.
* BornInTheWrongCentury: Reg Cole.
* BrawnHilda: Big Bird.

* BrokenPedestal: [[spoiler: Vic Tyler]] for Sam, and [[spoiler: Harry Woolf]] for Gene.

* CommanderContrarian: Gene fills this role for Sam.
* {{Confessional}}
* CounterfeitCash
* CreepyChild: ([[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_Card_F the Test Card F girl]])

* DeconReconSwitch: * This show and its sequel ''[[Series/AshesToAshes2008 Ashes to Ashes]]'' deconstruct Seventies and Eighties British cop shows by showing that the police in those shows were [[PoliceBrutality brutal]], [[PoliticallyIncorrectHero prejudiced]] and often mildly corrupt {{Cowboy Cop}}s who used lethal force with impunity, planted evidence, took bribes as "perks" and displayed a [[JackBauerInterrogationTechnique shocking disregard for suspects' rights]], but they also reconstruct them by showing that all of this was done to keep the bad guys off the streets and protect the innocent.