Life on Mars (British TV series)

Did You Know?

• Sam Tyler's surname was suggested by Matthew Graham's daughter, who named him after Doctor Who character Rose Tyler.
• The second series was broadcast on Tuesdays rather than Mondays.

Production

The programme was conceived in 1998 when screenwriters Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah were sent to Blackpool by Kudos to develop show ideas. Originally titled Ford Granada after the 1970s car, the series was rejected by the BBC; Graham noted that broadcasters were uncomfortable with a fantasy element not set in the real world. The initial concept was a humorous, pre-watershed programme mocking 1970s attitudes, with Neil Morrissey envisaged as the lead. Later, Channel 4 drama executive John Yorke redeveloped the script, focusing on a double act between Sam Tyler and Gene Hunt, but senior management declined the idea, with Graham recalling the reaction that it would be silly. The series eventually attracted BBC Wales's Julie Gardner, who persuaded BBC Head of Drama Jane Tranter to commission it from BBC Wales for BBC One. John Yorke left Channel 4 to rejoin the BBC and, with Gardner, acted as joint commissioning editor for the entire run. The central character was originally named Sam Williams, but Kudos felt it insufficiently striking; Graham asked his young daughter, who suggested Tyler after the Doctor Who character Rose Tyler. Gene Hunt's surname came from actor Gareth Hunt. The initial setting was London, changed to Leeds and finally to Manchester as part of a BBC initiative to produce more programmes there. The name Sam Williams was later used as a plot point in the second season. The second season featured a distinctive introduction on BBC One: a collage of momentary images, a mock-up of BBC1's 1970s blue-on-black rotating globe ident modified for widescreen, and a bass-voiced continuity announcer. Viewers in Wales saw an original BBC Cymru Wales mechanical globe with introductions by former BBC Wales announcers. Trailers used the 1970s rhombus-style BBC logo.

Themes and storyline

Every episode after the first opens with a brief scene, then a title sequence where Sam Tyler states his name, mentions his accident, and wonders if he is mad, in a coma, or genuinely back in 1973. He describes feeling like he has landed on a different planet and hopes that figuring out the truth will let him return home. This ongoing question drives much of the show, keeping both Sam and the audience unsure. Strange events keep his doubt alive: he hears voices from 2006 discussing his medical condition through old radios and televisions, which makes him suspect a coma. He also sees the Test Card Girl, who talks to him, hinting at madness. Annie Cartwright argues that the world feels too real and detailed to be a hallucination, suggesting he really is in 1973. Still, Sam’s personal mystery mostly stays in the background. Each episode’s main story usually follows a police case—drug deals, hostage crises, murders, or robberies—making the series feel like a standard crime drama. Over time, Sam’s attempts to get home become a focus in nearly every episode. A repeated theme is the past and present bleeding together. In one episode, Sam hears his mother in 2006 say his life support will be turned off at 2:00 pm, while at the same moment he is dealing with a hostage taker who plans to kill at that exact time. He also meets people from his future as their younger selves: suspects, friends, his own parents, and even himself as a child. Sam comes from a time when police work respects suspects’ rights and forensic evidence, which puts him at odds with colleagues who are openly sexist, homophobic, and racist in their jobs.

Reception

Critical reception for the first season of Life on Mars was overwhelmingly favorable. Steve O'Brien at SFX called it a likely monster hit, praising its humor, drama, and excitement. Alison Graham of the Radio Times saw it as a fresh and imaginative spin on a familiar genre. James Walton from The Daily Telegraph noted that, despite seeming like it should be a chaotic mess, the show was thoroughly enjoyable, largely because the cast and crew appeared to be having so much fun. Sam Wollaston in The Guardian argued that the series offered more than a lighthearted trip to the past, pulling viewers into a compelling police drama with high production values. This positive response continued across the show's entire run. For the second season, Graham observed that the partnership between Sam Tyler and Gene Hunt was becoming one of television's great detective duos, crediting strong writing and excellent lead performances for keeping the show both entertaining and plausible. Nancy Banks-Smith, also in The Guardian, found the time-paradox elements a bit muddled but summed up the show's appeal as a clever twist on the classic pairing of a rough, old-school cop and a more sensitive, educated partner. Two days after the finale aired, the NASUWT criticized the program in the British press, arguing that Gene Hunt's homophobic language might encourage bullying in schools. The BBC responded that the show was made for adults and that Hunt's character was intentionally extreme and satirical. In 2019, The Guardian placed the series at number 99 on its list of the best TV shows of the 21st century.

Books

Two official tie-in books accompanied the series, featuring episode summaries, cast and character profiles, music listings, script extracts, behind-the-scenes content, and never-before-seen photos. The Rules of Modern Policing (1973 Edition) by 'DCI Gene Hunt' (Bantam Press, 8 October 2007) is a parody of a police manual mocking 1970s British police procedurals like The Sweeney, with a glossary of 1970s slang; the actual author is Guy Adams. The Wit and Wisdom of Gene Hunt by 'DC Chris Skelton and DS Ray Carling' (again Guy Adams) details the philosophy of Gene Hunt as told by his disciples. On 12 March 2012, HarperCollins commissioning editor Kate Bradley secured a deal with Kudos to publish four new Life on Mars novels as eBooks at roughly three-month intervals, later released as hard copy trade paperbacks in August 2013. The author is Tom Graham, Matthew Graham's brother; the by-line and familial relationship are authentic.