I swore for quite some time that I would not watch the American re-make of British cop drama Life on Mars, not so much because of the reported problems facing the quality of the production (the first pilot was made, the entire cast was fired, a new cast re-hired, a new pilot made and aired), but because every time I saw a preview, I got the Bowie song Life on Mars stuck in my head. It's not a bad song or anything, I just got annoyed from the constant association. But I broke down in the face of a favourable review of the pilot, and caught episode 2 this week. I wasn't sorry!
Life on Mars follows NYPD Sam Tyler (Jason O'Mara) as he gets hit by a car and promptly wakes up, full virtual-reality style, in 1973. It certainly is a different world from the one Sam's used to, especially in terms of what is and isn't normal policing (for example, planting evidence isn't a major felony yet). Disoriented by what a wierd time the 70's in NYC are, and making a list of all possible theories as to what happened (a sad/funny touch written on his apartment window that includes coma, drug trip, alien abduction...), Sam woke up to a status quo police life - in other words, he's still a part of the force - and so continues his work as a homicide detective, while trying to navigate and correct the insanity and culture shock separating him from the rest of the precinct. Michael Imperiolo is great as Sam's smarmy comic relief / scary nemesis, who was the next in line for a promotion until Sam showed up being all, you know, a good, committed cop. Imperioli is in full retro New York guido mode, and clearly loving it, but not so clearly that his character is a joke; rather, clearly in the sense of, his character loves who he is. Did that make any sense? Harvey Keitel is fabulous and funny as the lieutenant, as old-school of a modern cop as one could imagine, full of brotherhood codes, loose views on appropriate police behaviour, and a penchant for punching Sam in the face whenever Sam gets in his.
Life on Mars reminds me of two other shows, the dearly departed time-travel series Journeyman, and the regrettable retro showcase Mad Men. Like Journeyman, our protagonist is always trying to figure out how to get back home; unlike Journeyman, he doesn't have a one- or two-day mission - he's in this for the long haul. Also in contrast to Journeyman, Life on Mars is bringing in the intriguing addition of metaphor - that of feeling like one is on a different planet - made literal. In the second episode, the (hallucinated?) Mars Rover rolls out of a bush and plays memories of 2008 in Sam's head; later on, at the end of a drug bust, Sam digs up a little toy Rover in a crate of heroin bricks and takes it home. This could be certain death for the show, but judging from the quality and standard of writing so far, I suspect they'll go somewhere good with this device. I'm very interested.
In sharp contrast to Mad Men, Mars is much less in your face about the differences between the era it's set in and today - and yet, it's not, but it's still more effective and more subtle. With Mad Men, I always got this feeling of "look! Look at these crazy times! Look how backward everyone is! Wow!", which is what turned me off it. With Mars, the ways of the times are more, well, normal, and Sam unhappily recognizes them for being normal to everyone around him. Mars is also just madcap enough to remove any traces of retro conceit, as exemplified by Imperioli's character, and in a brilliant hospital scene wherein Sam and his lieutenant get in a very funny yet slightly bitter fistfight while arguing over the injured person's possible complicity in a homicide. I don't know how to describe this aspect of the show, really. Suffice it to say that it's there, and it's why the show works.
Also, again like Journeyman, Mars understands how to use period music, and how to use it well - a very, very important contribution to the show's quality.
The only unfortunate thing yet about Life on Mars is the token policewoman, Gretchen Mol as the D.A.'s secretary, a vaguely familiar face who's had tiny roles in great films like Get Carter and 3:10 to Yuma. I would hazard to suggest that acting may not be her forte. It's not that she's bad, just that she's thoroughly unengaging - her lack of rapport with Jason O'Mara was stunning. Also, the character itself is a problem - when I say token, I mean token. Perhaps she'll actually be relevant to the plot in later episodes, but I'm not holding my breath.
Life on Mars airs Wednesdays 8pm (mountain time) on Global. Why not give it a shot?
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