Stars: John Simm, Philip Glenister, Liz White, Dean Andrews, Marshall Lancaster

Summary: Sam Tyler, a detective from the 21st Century finds himself catapulted back to 1973, after a car accident knocks him unconscious. In his new state of altered reality, Sam must prove himself to 'new boss', the hot-headed DCI Gene Hunt, all the while unsure whether he is awake or dreaming.

LIFE ON MARS is a throwback to the crime-fighting style of the 1970s, drawing its inspiration from such TV series as THE SWEENEY and THE PROFESSIONALS. As was characteristic of classic 60s fantasy, the creators have taken some risks with the show’s politically incorrect references, daring to be slightly subversive. While its creators are quick to brush off comparisons to fellow time-travelling TV series QUANTUM LEAP, there are obvious thematic similarities, however unconscious. John Simm (HUMAN TRAFFIC) ably stars as Sam Tyler, the fish-out-of-water detective who must piece together the mysteries of his own predicament, while solving the crime du jour. The show takes its title from David Bowie’s haunting theme song.

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How would the modern face of policing cope in the land of The Sweeney? That’s the question posed by Life on Mars, as DI Sam Tyler (John Simm) a modern cop transported back to 1973 after a nasty car accident. There, he finds himself dealing with the significantly rougher attitudes and behaviours of "old-school" British policing, as exemplified by his new boss, DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister). It’s a fish-out-of-water story, as Tyler attempts to teach his new colleagues some very modern methods, while attempting to get used to sheepskin jackets, wide lapels and man-made fibres.

This first series of the hugely successful BBC programme sets the scene and introduces the characters that make up Tyler’s new world, but stumbles a bit by trying too hard to explain exactly how he got there (the "coma" subplot just gets in the way). Life on Mars is at its best when Glenister is on screen--he’s bigoted, chauvinistic and aggressive, and goes through each episode alternately bellowing or scowling. But he’s a product of his times, and in his heart, all he wants is to catch the bad guys. For Tyler, it’s all about the means, while for Hunt it’s all about the ends. They may not like each other much, but their on-screen chemistry is undeniable, and just one of the things that make this excellent series so watchable. --Ted Kord

Aspect Ratio:	16:9
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Audio Commentary, Take A Look At The Lawman A Two Part Feature With Main Cast, The Music Of Life On Mars Featurette, Outtakes, Get Sykes Featurette
Year:	2006
Release Date:	May 15, 2006
Runtime:	472 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	C T D 10365
Keywords:	English, Life, General, Series, Crime, Mars, Drama, Complete
Genre:	Drama