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List Price: $39.99 | | Label: ABC Studios
Salesrank: 709
Released: September 29, 2009 |
| Our Price: $25.00 |
| Used Price: $25.99 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
From the studio that brought you Lost, comes the groundbreaking series that captured the imaginations of fans from coast to coast. With an irresistible soundtrack and one of the most celebrated casts on television, including Harvey Keitel, Michael Imperioli, Gretchen Mol and Jason O Mara, Life On Mars is a smart, suspenseful drama with a finish that will blow you away. Its one of those endings I believe will make you watch the series again, says Executive Producer Josh Appelbaum. There s a fine line between delusion and reality. NYPD detective Sam Tyler finds himself walking both sides of that line when he is suddenly hurtled back in time to 1973 after being struck by a car in 2008.
Journey back to the 70s and uncover the secrets of Life On Mars. It s a strange and exhilarating ride raves the New York Times. Plus, with unique and exciting bonus features including an insiders view of where the shows concept began, a six million dollar moment in which 1970s legend Lee Majors steps back into the past with the cast and crew, and much more
Bonus Features Include: Time Warp, The Joint, Getting Their Groove On, Lee Majors Six Million Dollar Man.
Description of Life on Mars: The Complete Series:
Life on Mars wallows in glorious 1970s fashion and music as it follows Sam Tyler (Jason O'Mara), a police detective who gets hit by a car in 2008 and wakes up in the same spot in 1973. The local police precinct, headed by Lieutenant Gene Hunt (Harvey Keitel, who fits seamlessly into the period surroundings), is expecting Tyler, but Tyler doesn't know why or how he's there--or why he's receiving messages from his previous life, as well as mysterious phone calls from the beyond. Life on Mars blends this science-fiction premise with story lines that would fit in some classic '70s cop show, but Tyler's future knowledge (and his past life) are essential to solving every case, even if it features a missing rock star groupie or a murdered newspaper columnist. Many episodes focus on the mystery surrounding Sam, including meeting his own mother, father, and childhood self, as well as tiny robots, strange men on TV screens, and a hippie chick who speaks in ambiguous koans. The supporting cast includes Michael Imperioli (rocking a serious '70s 'stache) and Gretchen Mol (fetching in Farrah Fawcett wings); guest stars range from Wallace Shawn to Gina Gershon to an uncredited Whoopi Goldberg.
It's regrettable that, in adapting the original British version of Life on Mars, the producers replaced its understated focus with swagger and overstatement; a fantastical premise is more persuasive if the moment-to-moment story makes sense--regrettably, the narrative logic here owes as much to 1970s cop shows as does the production design. Everyone twinkles to excess, wooing the audience and undercutting any sense of grit. The cast is a charismatic bunch who don't need to spend so much time with rueful smiles and approving looks. The producers knew they'd been canceled in time to resolve the mysteries in the final episode, which diverges significantly from the British version. Also included are a number of cheerful audio commentaries and featurettes, including a tour of the set with '70s icon Lee Majors. --Bret Fetzer
Life on Mars: The Complete Series Reviews:
Life on Mars - Out of this World! 
2009-11-09 - We thoroughly enjoyed watching this series. The story line, the music, and the '70 authenticity was outstanding!
Fantastic
2009-11-04 - I looked forward to seeing the series when it was on TV. Cancelled WAY TOOO SOON.
Shouldn't have been cancelled
2009-11-04 - This excellent series, with its outstanding cast, is a great loss to commercial television programming. Its quirky scripts were the rare kind of stories only cable TV usually tells. I'm happy to own the complete series, one of my personal contenders for top shows that should not have been cancelled. Shame on you, ABC. You didn't even give the show a fair chance.
Hmmmm. Should Have Waited Longer Before I Viewed It. 
2009-11-02 - Having read a number of very positive reviews of this short-lived series, I was looking forward to getting into it. Unfortunately, I started it immediately after finishing the second season of "Mad Men." Big mistake on my part. I found it hugely disappointing and even at times wholly uninteresting. But, given my extraordinarily high opinion of "Mad Men" -- I believe it to be by every measure the finest dramatic series ever produced -- I suspect that I would have found any other series disappointing as well. I should have waited a couple of weeks before I tried another dramatic series and watched comedies or horror movies until my expectations returned to the normal range.
So, to be fair, I'm giving this review three stars on the ground that I was still so under the influence of "Mad Men" that I could not evaluate "Life on Mars" on any sort of objective basis. But, as for the finale that many seem to find unacceptable, I'd have to say that it was about what I'd assumed it would be. I mean, where can you take a premise like that except to the twilight zone?
Ashes To Ashes
2009-10-31 - The USA version does stand on its own. That said, the UK version is completely enchanting in its own way (took guts for Harvey Keitel to follow Philip Glenister in the role of Gene Hunt!), and if you are hooked by THEIR Ray, Chris, and Annie, you'll gladly dive into the sequel ASHES to ASHES, with Sam Tyler replaced.... by a woman (and a different female role - replacing Annie). Brilliant agitation to the female-phobic men's club!
We spent 50 hours this summer, watching the USA, UK and ASHES TO ASHES complete. We felt at a "loss" when it was all over. No more Gene Hunt? Oh, no!
But then, someone slipped us the original USA pilot, which has Jason Omara (amazingly handsome for a cop) as Sam, but a whole new Annie and Ray. And in a good attempt at typecasting, Gene Hunt is portrayed by Colm Meany (Star Trek NG) and the whole thing is set in Los Angeles.
And if the addiction hasn't worn off, you can always get "Gene Hunt"'s two books!
PS: The ending to the second season of LOM-UK is as mind-boggling as the outrageous USA finale.
