Gah, you just beat me to posting this!

Mixed feelings, for me. On the one hand, I'm sorry to see something of this quality come to an end so soon. On the other hand... it means we're getting a definite ending, and hopefully some kind of explanation and/or closure. Plus it's good when creators know not to drag something out for too long, of course. I'm glad that the Life on Mars lot didn't go with the (to me, somewhat arrogant) "five year plan" approach that a lot of US drama is guilty of these days...

> I'm glad that the Life on Mars lot didn't go with the (to me, somewhat arrogant) "five year plan" approach that a lot of US drama is guilty of these days...

What on Earth's arrogant about having a 5 year plan, though? Having a a long term plan for a show doesn't automatically mean that the makers are arrogant enough to think it will be made for that long, it's more of a extra 'something' that can be used should they get the chance. It makes no difference if they end up only getting half a season. When executed well, a big plan like that can only serve to give an all together more satisfying and interesting programme for the viewer. 24's fun, but by God I couldn't cope with all shows being made in it's off-the-hoof manner and I hope that more writers and producers put some long-term thought into their new creations to avoid Alias and X-Files style sagging towards the end of its life through lack of planning and long term arcs.

I think leaving Life on Mars with 2 series is pretty unambitious. There's plenty of spanners they could've thrown in the works, including changing the whole central premise of the show (an unexplained jump back tot he 2000s with Gene Hunt in tow, anyone?) but now I fear that series 2 will just re-hash 1 with a series of fun but ultimately unsatisfying 70s cop show pastiches, until the last two episodes tie up the plot with some explanation which will frustrate as many people as it pleases.

Yay. As a fan of countless television shows that slowly turned to shite, I think this is good news.

"...but now I fear that series 2 will just re-hash 1 with a series of fun but ultimately unsatisfying 70s cop show pastiches"

Don't really get your point here, Cappsy. Surely if the series was to continue for a third series we'd have even more re-hashes of the episodes of series 1?

Fandom is weird. I'm sure a lot of people would gladly continue watching shows that have degenerated to a shadow of their former selves, but I'd prefer they die gracefully. ("Say NO to Red Dwarf IX" etc)

> Don't really get your point here, Cappsy. Surely if the series was to continue for a third series we'd have even more re-hashes of the episodes of series 1?

Fair point, it is admittedly a half baked idea, but what I'm getting at is the fact that we only have 6 or 8 episodes left, then they have no room to expand on the idea, as most of it will be concerning either Sam doing something hilariously 'un-70s' and confusing people or the inevitable resolution to the mystery of why he's there. If they had one more series, then there'd be more room to develop the idea and possibly even drastically change the situation, before having to think about a resolution.

It doesn't bother me, though, and my concerns are just that, concerns, not hard-fast predictions of rubbishness. I just hope there's enough room in series 2 for them to surprise me, instead of treading water until the final, that's all.

I'm very very very glad. I was a little worried when they announced a second series, because I thought they might drag it out, maybe to third and fourth -- by which time there's no way they could have kept up the quality of S1.

I'm sure the writers have plans on how to make a second series that's good in its own right -- a repeat of S1 would surely be unappealing to them too?

Oh, and there's a little snippet there of them having filmed two endings -- let's hope they're both available on the DVD release?

>What on Earth's arrogant about having a 5 year plan, though?

Oh, Seb just likes linking up "arrogant" with "American." My only hope is that I had something to do with that...

Surely a show should just run the natural length it takes to tell 'the story'. Be it 90 minutes or seven years. Sure some shows could be expanded upon and diversify but equally some ideas are better left simple and complete.

I actually do trust this to be the right decision. Series 1 was so spectacular, and they're clearly enjoying themselves so much that if they thought it would stretch to a third series, they would have done so.

It's just not what I was expecting, that's all.

I think this has been one of the best programs that the Beep has given us in a long time (A-Pet was good though). I'm upset that series 2 is the last but at least the BBC has learnt not to make the same mistake as that Bloody LOST. Crashed, Island of strangers, get of my land plot, kidnap and demand. How many episodes of this do we need? I have a feeling they're all in a dream liek Rosanne and half the rubbish drama's USA create. At least Libby was insane, it gave the show some meaning.

However Life On Mars the second series, episode 5 has been the best one so far. Is he tripping or actually in a coma in time? I hope if he does go back to now (2007) he finds the older versions of Annie and Gene and says "Told You So".

Cheers.

> I think this has been one of the best programs that the Beep has given us in a long time (A-Pet was good though). I'm upset that series 2 is the last but at least the BBC has learnt not to make the same mistake as that Bloody LOST. Crashed, Island of strangers, get of my land plot, kidnap and demand. How many episodes of this do we need? I have a feeling they're all in a dream liek Rosanne and half the rubbish drama's USA create. At least Libby was insane, it gave the show some meaning.

WRONG. WRONG. WRONG.

Life on Mars is dreadful. Utter bollocks.

No it's not, it's ace. Big nose!

I concur with Mr Lacey.

People who hate this program probably watch Corrie too much, no brain power!!!!

However it has made me hope that Liz White appears in more shows, come on she's fit!

Jonathan Capps has learnt how to use the COPY and PASTE function everyone. Told you, no brain power among any of these less interlectuals!

Toby O'Brien can't even spell 'intellectual'.

People make mistakes, are you that perfect. Or are you a student?

I am both perfect *and* a student. Ha!

I don't think Toby O'Brien is very good.

To the Whore, John. I really couldn't give a flying monkeys if I'm Good? or not. My point is students are lazy, waste of space and live on tax payers money. I work for you to sit on your arse!

Time to grow up, By for good (the whores fav word).

Hello Toby, you completely stupid fucking bastard. I hope you need complex surgery some time soon. See what your opinion of further education is then, eh? Dickhead. Prick. Moron. Do you know what I spent my student loan on? Cocktails, mostly. Good old tax payers money! Except I have to PAY IT ALL BACK, so presumably the humble tax-payer won't be too concerned after all.

hi testing

sorry for the testing above.
my girlfriend and i are a bit in a disagreement as to the second series of this wanderful show ended. she says that the main character lived in the year 2006-7 and because on a brain problem due to the accident, in his coma his mind migrated to 1973. she says he knew too much about the future for it not to be true that his real life was in the 21st century.
i believe that he was actually a 1973 man with a brain problem that gave him the illusion of living in the future. when he realised that he wasn't feeling pain for his cut in his hand, he realised that it wasn't his real himself at that conference based in the year 2007. so he could only be a 1973 man.
does any of you have any idea as to how the series ended?

SFX manages to annoy me, again:

http://www.sfx.co.uk/page/sfx?entry=life_on_mars_season_two

Most of their criticisms are bollocks.

Ruju: your girlfriend is right. It can't be someone from 1973 - because the "future" is too accurate. How could he imagine an iPod, down to the last detail, for instance?

The "not feeling" bit is simply a reflection of the fact that he felt he was more alive back in the false reality of 1973.

> Most of their criticisms are bollocks.

Actually, I'd concur with almost all of that review. Oh dear.

Well, we've already discussed the ending on the Webboard. But:

Another is its desire to tick off a list of ‘70s issues. Wife-swapping? IRA bombings? Ugandan refugees?

But surely the *point* of the show is to tackle 70s issues? It's a bit like complaining about Red Dwarf because it includes space stuff!

Sometimes this means that scenes serve little dramatic purpose – why exactly does Gene Hunt need to dress up as Tufty the Squirrel?

BECAUSE IT'S FUNNY

And Gene Hunt could so easily have become a caricature – instead, Philip Glenister holds on to that twinkle which renders him constantly watchable. It’s just a shame about this season’s ill-advised attempt to give him a sympathetic back-story.

That was pretty much just one scene in the last episode, wasn't it? It probably wasn't needed - we already understand why Gene is the way he is - but it's so short that it hardly even registered, to be honest.

Other characters, while mostly brilliant, also come unstuck in the final episode - surely Chris was never that cowardly before the train shoot-out?

That never struck me as problematic. Enough building-up had been done to establish that this was a *very* dangerous situation they were going into - more dangerous than they have *deliberately* gone into before. It's perfectly within Chris' character to get upset. It's almost as though SFX are desperately searching for criticisms here...

They *are* right that Annie was under-used this series, though.