Series 1: Episode 2 (Life on Mars)
Encyclopedia
The second episode of the first series of the British
time travel
police procedural
television
series, Life on Mars
, was first broadcast on 16 January 2006. It was produced by Kudos Film & Television
for BBC One
.
allows him to be released without charge, and the man then goes on to commit a further robbery from a jewellers, resulting in an innocent woman working in CID being seriously injured. After Forensics is messed up by Chris
, Sam finds new hope in solving the case with Leonard. Sam tries to persuade him to testify by offering him police protection but Gene
, Ray
and Chris don't take the protection seriously resulting in the lives of Annie
and Leonard being at risk.
The episode's plot formed the basis of the second episode of the U.S. version
of Life on Mars, notable scenes which were re-created include Sam and Gene's fight in the hospital room.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
time travel
Time travel in fiction
Time travel is a common theme in science fiction and is depicted in a variety of media. It simply means either going forward in time or backward, to experience the future, or the past.-Literature:...
police procedural
Police procedural
The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series, Life on Mars
Life on Mars (TV series)
Life on Mars is a British television series broadcast on BBC One between January 2006 and April 2007. The series combines elements of science fiction and police procedural....
, was first broadcast on 16 January 2006. It was produced by Kudos Film & Television
Kudos (production company)
Kudos Film and Television is a British independent film and television production company. It has produced television series for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, and its productions include Spooks , Hustle, Life on Mars and its spin-off Ashes to Ashes, The Amazing Mrs Pritchard and M.I. High...
for BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
.
Synopsis
An armed robber is brought in with no evidence, as a preventive measure. TylerSam Tyler
DCI/DI Sam Tyler is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama, Life on Mars.In the original British version of Life on Mars, Tyler is played by John Simm and in the American version he is played by Jason O'Mara....
allows him to be released without charge, and the man then goes on to commit a further robbery from a jewellers, resulting in an innocent woman working in CID being seriously injured. After Forensics is messed up by Chris
Chris Skelton
PC/DC Christopher "Chris" Skelton is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama, Life on Mars and its spin-off Ashes to Ashes.- Life on Mars :...
, Sam finds new hope in solving the case with Leonard. Sam tries to persuade him to testify by offering him police protection but Gene
Gene Hunt
DCI Gene Hunt is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama Life on Mars and its sequel, Ashes to Ashes. The character is portrayed by Philip Glenister in both Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes, whereas in the American version he is portrayed by Harvey Keitel.The...
, Ray
Ray Carling
DC/DS/DI Raymond Milton "Ray" Carling is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama, Life on Mars and its spin-off Ashes to Ashes.-Life on Mars:...
and Chris don't take the protection seriously resulting in the lives of Annie
Annie Cartwright
WPC/DC Annie Cartwright is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama, Life on Mars. The character is portrayed by Liz White...
and Leonard being at risk.
The episode's plot formed the basis of the second episode of the U.S. version
Life on Mars (U.S. TV series)
Life on Mars was a science fiction crime drama television series which originally aired on ABC from October 9, 2008 to April 1, 2009. It is an adaptation of the BAFTA-winning original UK series of the same name produced by the BBC...
of Life on Mars, notable scenes which were re-created include Sam and Gene's fight in the hospital room.
Plot
Sam is still very uncertain as to whether he is really in 1973 or in a coma in 2006 and dreaming the whole thing up. He decides that all he can do for the time being is help the team with their investigations. Nothing else seems to be bringing him closer to an answer. The team arrest Kim Trent, a notorious armed robber who has recently returned to Manchester, suspected of robbing a bookmakers with his accomplises Gordon Ricks a.k.a. Brickster and Freddie Wilson two days ago. Sam realises that Gene has planted marked bank notes, bookmakers regularly mark the cash they handle, on Trent to ensure that he is successfully convicted and is disgusted with his boss and his underhanded methods. He calls in Trent's solicitor and the suspect is released causing a conflict between Sam and Gene. Sam over hears June (Rae Kelly) telling another CID cleaner that she has to take her engagement ring back to the Jewellers to be adjusted. Later Sam and Gene are called out to a robbery taking place at a Jewellers shop, they arrive in time to see the three masked armed robbers exiting the shop, Gene calls out to them and one of the armed robbers opens fire on them, they jump into a nearby parked car and bullets crash into it, after the robber has ran off they check they are not injured, looking up they see June slump side ways in the driving seat riddled with bullet wounds. Gene is mad at Sam blaming him for allowing Trent back on the streets and for what happened to June, even making him wipe her blood off the road with his coat. Sam realises that losing track of what he stands for may take him further away from solving his strange problem, but at the same time he has to make things right. When visiting June in hospital Gene and Sam have a knock down fight at her bedside which aleviates some anger and brings the two together in wanting her attacker caught. Trent is pulled in again, after a visit to his Auntie's flat and DC Skelton botching fingerprint evidence at the scene of the crime gets them nowhere they get a break when Sam and Gene notice a partially deaf roadsweeper named Leonard near the Jewellers, Sam notices his cart is damaged and paint fragments on it point to Trent. Back at the station Leonard tells them, after more abuse from Gene, that he saw the robbers without their masks and his cart was damaged as a warning to keep his mouth shut, shown Trents photo he identifys him. At the identity parade, which Sam has told Leonard he will not be seen by the suspect as it will take place behind special glass, in 1973 however there is no such thing and Leonard is brought face to face with Trent. Buckleing under the intimidatian of Trent he walks out claiming its none of them, after Sam offers him police protection he identifys Trent from inside an ice cream van and Gene flicks the V's at three little girls wanting ice cream. Gene is not keen on Leonard as a witness because of his handicap but seemingly agrees to give police protection to him, Annie will stay at his home while DS Carling and DC Skelton will observe from a parked car in the street. When Annie radios in that intruders have broken in it is discovered that Ray and Chris are in fact at the Railway Arms pub with Gene playing darts, Annie is in real danger and Gene heads back to the Station. Sam decides to go in alone when radio contact with Annie is lost, he finds Leonard and the WPC hiding near the old waterworks just as Trent, Brickster and Wilson arrive and they are soon cornered in the boiler room by the thugs. Trent says he will kill Sam last so he can watch the others die because of his actions, fortunately Gene arrives in the nick of time. Back at the station with spot lights shining in their eyes Trent is once more in an identity line up, but this time Leonard has no hesitation in stepping straight up to Trent and pointing him out because as he tells Sam afterward "You said you'd protect me and you did, you all did".Cast
- Sam TylerSam TylerDCI/DI Sam Tyler is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama, Life on Mars.In the original British version of Life on Mars, Tyler is played by John Simm and in the American version he is played by Jason O'Mara....
— John SimmJohn SimmJohn Simm is an English stage and screen actor. In recent years he is best known for his roles as Sam Tyler in the detective drama Life on Mars and as The Master in the revival of the science fiction series Doctor Who, but he has also starred in many highly acclaimed award-winning television... - Gene HuntGene HuntDCI Gene Hunt is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama Life on Mars and its sequel, Ashes to Ashes. The character is portrayed by Philip Glenister in both Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes, whereas in the American version he is portrayed by Harvey Keitel.The...
— Philip GlenisterPhilip GlenisterPhilip Haywood Glenister is an English actor, known for his role as DCI Gene Hunt in British television series Life On Mars and its sequel Ashes To Ashes.-Television and films:... - Chris SkeltonChris SkeltonPC/DC Christopher "Chris" Skelton is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama, Life on Mars and its spin-off Ashes to Ashes.- Life on Mars :...
— Marshall LancasterMarshall LancasterMarshall Lancaster is a British actor. He has appeared in many television dramas, including Coronation Street, Holby City, The Lakes and Family Affairs, but is probably best known for playing DC Chris Skelton in the BBC time-travel police dramas, Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes.Lancaster is a... - Ray CarlingRay CarlingDC/DS/DI Raymond Milton "Ray" Carling is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama, Life on Mars and its spin-off Ashes to Ashes.-Life on Mars:...
— Dean AndrewsDean AndrewsDean Andrews is a British actor.He is most famous for his role as DS Ray Carling in the BBC Television drama Life on Mars... - Annie CartwrightAnnie CartwrightWPC/DC Annie Cartwright is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama, Life on Mars. The character is portrayed by Liz White...
— Liz WhiteLiz White (actress)Liz White is an English actress, best known for her regular role as WPC/WDC Annie Cartwright in the BBC time travel drama Life on Mars, which began in January 2006... - Nelson — Tony Marshall
- Phyllis DobbsPhyllis DobbsWPC Phyllis Dobbs is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama, Life on Mars. The character is portrayed by Noreen Kershaw, whereas in the American version the character does not exist except for a very minor capacity....
— Noreen KershawNoreen KershawNoreen Kershaw is an English television actress and director.She trained at the Manchester Polytechnic School of Theatre and, at Liverpool's Everyman Theatre, originated the title role of the play Shirley Valentine, later made famous by Pauline Collins... - Test Card Girl — Rafaella Hutchinson
- June, a cleaner in CID — Rae Kelly
- Kim Trent — Andrew TiernanAndrew TiernanAndrew James Tiernan is an English actor.-Theatre:Tiernan began acting with the Birmingham Youth Theatre and moved to London in 1984 to study a three-year Diploma in Acting at the Drama Centre London run by Christopher Fettes and Yat Malmgren...
- Mrs Trent, his Aunt — Sherry Ormerod
- Ambulance Driver - Frank Walmsley
- Witness - Jane Relph
- Leonard Pitt, partially deaf roadsweeper - Timothy Platt
- Gordon Ricks (a.k.a. Brickster) (uncredited)
- Freddie Wilson (uncredited)
Cultural references
- When Sam and Gene fight in the hospital, Sam does a couple of "martial artsMartial artsMartial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
-style" moves ending with the famous Bruce LeeBruce LeeBruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
"Come and Get It" hand gesture later used by NeoNeo (The Matrix)Thomas A. Anderson is a fictional character and the main protagonist in The Matrix franchise, as well as having a cameo in The Animatrix short film, Kid's Story. He was portrayed by Keanu Reeves in The Matrix Trilogy and The Animatrix. Andrew Bowen provided Neo's voice in The Matrix: Path of Neo...
and MorpheusMorpheus (The Matrix)Morpheus is the name of a fictional character and the secondary protagonist of The Matrix Franchise. The Wachowski brothers were fans of Neil Gaiman and based the character of Morpheus on the title character from the comic book The Sandman, also adopting one of his most common pseudonyms,...
in The Matrix trilogyThe Matrix (franchise)The Matrix is a science fiction action franchise created by Andy and Larry Wachowski and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The series began with the 1999 film The Matrix and later spawned two sequels; The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, both released in 2003, thus forming a trilogy...
. - Trent said "Cookery class, I’m having it off with Fanny CradockFanny CradockPhyllis Nan Sortain Pechey , better known as Fanny Cradock, was an English restaurant critic, television cook and writer who mostly worked with her then common-law husband Johnnie Cradock, adopting his surname long before they married. She was the daughter of the novelist and lyricist Archibald...
." Fanny Cradock was a television cook who appeared from the mid-50's until 1976 on a variety of BBC cookery shows and she is credited with the invention of the modern prawn cocktailPrawn cocktailPrawn cocktail is a seafood dish consisting of "shelled prawns in mayonnaise and tomato dressing, served in a glass". It was the most popular hors d'œuvre in Great Britain in the 1970s.-External links:*...
.
Music
- Live and Let DieLive and Let Die (song)"Live and Let Die" is the main theme song of the 1973 James Bond film Live and Let Die and was performed by Paul McCartney & Wings for the movie soundtrack and appears on the soundtrack album. The song was one of Wings' most successful singles, and the most successful Bond theme to that point...
- WingsWings (band)Wings were a British-American rock group formed in 1971 by Paul McCartney, Denny Laine and Linda McCartney that remained active until 1981.... - No One Came - Deep PurpleDeep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
- Drum Song - Willie Lindo & The Charmers Band
- Saga of the Ageing Orphan - Thin LizzyThin LizzyThin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
- LazyLazy (Deep Purple song)"Lazy" is a song by British hard rock band Deep Purple from their 1972 album Machine Head. A live performance of the song can be found on the album Made in Japan, released later the same year....
- Deep Purple - One of These Days - Pink FloydPink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
- Jungle Lion - The UpsettersThe UpsettersThe Upsetters was the name given to the house band for Jamaican reggae producer Lee "Scratch" Perry. The name of the band comes from Perry's nickname of Upsetter, after his song "I Am The Upsetter", a musical dismissal of his former boss Coxsone Dodd....
External links
- Episode 2 at bbc.co.ukBbc.co.ukBBC Online is the brand name and home for the BBC's UK online service. It is a large network of websites including such high profile sites as BBC News and Sport, the on-demand video and radio services co-branded BBC iPlayer, the pre-school site Cbeebies, and learning services such as Bitesize...
- Episode 2 at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Episode 2 at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...