Life On Mars is back on BBC1

Photo Copyright of www.timetravelreview.com and the BBC

Just like the title says, and I for one was certainly not let down. I know I should be going into more detail but I'm really at a loss for words. For one thing Marc Warren's cameo as Tony Crane was just so creepily good. Though that fur coat he wore did make him look more than a little pimpish.

One big change you notice is the dynamic between Gene and Sam - In a twist of irony it is the 70's coppers doing everything by the book while Sam is trying to fit Crane up any which way he can to stop him from being able to commit crimes he knows Crane is going to do in the future.

I have to admit a lot of last series is a bit of a haze now, but that gives me an excuse to watch the series again so I'm not complaining. However, one thing that does stick out in my memory due to the pure creepyness factor is that girl from the BBC testscreen, and the whistling in tonight's episode has a similar effect.

One problem I do have with Life On Mars though, is that while it is a fantastic 70's cop drama, it can sometimes be hard as a viewer to believe in all the back in time, or back in a coma business considering just how real and gritty the rest of the show is - It's not like Life On Mars is any real sci-fi show, it's supposed to be real within our own physical laws and reality. But at the same time I guess that just adds to the charm and originality of the show.

On another note, I could see the ending coming - Not the ending where Sam got that phone call about his predicament being a 'job' of course - I'm talking about how he got rid of Tony Crane - Like all cutting edge and smoothly done shows nowerdays they don't include little extra scenes like the 'stringer/stinger' scene and to some extent the scene where that man was getting sent to a padded cell, without it meaning something to the plot later on. Then Sam goes and tells Tony 'the truth' and you kinda know that that is going to come back later and bite one of them in a very sensitive place - And as we're only on episode one, it's kinda obvious that it's not going to be Sam.

All in all a very enjoyable episode with good support acting and as usual more fantastic one liners than I can mention - A great start to the new series in my opinion and I'm looking forward to seeing how the rest pans out, as well as finding out how the writers have decided to end the series - Though all I can say on that front is that I'm glad I'm not responsible for the final episode, but I of course have no problem in watching and seeing what brains much more brilliant than mine have decided to do.

Episode Two is of course now airing on BBC4, but I think one ranty episode 'review' is enough for now, besides - I don't want to spoil my Tuesday evening for next week.