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Season 1 – Life on Mars

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – Life on Mars Jul 2006 Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 15 Reviews 95% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Months after a near-fatal car crash sends him hurtling back to the year 1973, police Detective Sam Tyler begins to give up hope that he'll return to his former life. Nonetheless, he rises through the ranks of the department, despite clashes with his morally lax boss, Detective Chief Inspector Gene Hunt. Sam gets a further surprise when a new member joins their team: Glenn Fletcher, a new recruit who, Sam knows, will grow into the chief inspector who mentors Sam back in his future life.
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Life on Mars — Season 1

Life on Mars — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

With its 1970s setting, intriguing police premise, and requisite British wit, the first season of Life on Mars manages to feel realistically retro without seeming outdated.

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Critics Reviews

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Geordie Gray The Australian 04/29/2024
The charm lies in its dynamite leads... Go to Full Review Nancy Banks-Smith Guardian 02/26/2020
Life On Mars is a continual pleasure. Go to Full Review Sam Wollaston Guardian 11/02/2018
Life On Mars is more than just a jolly, tongue-in-cheek romp into the past. Once there, in 1973, we find ourselves immersed in a reasonably gripping police drama. Go to Full Review Howard Waldstein CBR 09/04/2024
9/10
Life on Mars certainly has a fantastic hook. Go to Full Review Christel Loar PopMatters 11/02/2018
8/10
Life On Mars: Series 1...is both highly innovative and imminently re-watchable television. Go to Full Review Emily Alldritt Den of Geek 11/02/2018
The humour is well balanced with the darkness and desperation that frequents the episode, but Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharaoh always knows when to lay on the emotional scenes. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Robin L @RT03792873 2d Not sure why I never saw it first time around but is up there with the best series ever made - loved the soundtrack See more tm11999 M @tm11999 Dec 12 i've read the 100% reviews from all the morlocks and can't believe this show is a thing. there is no sci fi in this show other than 12 seconds an episode where he hears voices. the cop show aspect every week simply is good cop/bad cop and how they solve crime. the only reason the peeps like this is for 1973 nostalgia reasons from whitey. the music and the fact everyone is white, no indian captains and no curry. the brits can't make TV so avoid this, go weed the garden instead. See more M B @Timbero 06/11/2025 Extremely original, entertaining and involving series. Great writing and attention to detail, fantastic acting and some fun comedy too. See more Bees T @RT05378048 10/16/2024 This series is a rollercoaster. Whilst the first episode is slow in comparison to the rest, the entire series is a masterpiece of writing. The suspense and confusion that Sam feels, you feel alongside him. All of the main cast become so loveable, but with realistic character flaws. I’ve never been so hooked on a show whilst wanting the ending to come sooner. You spend the whole show loving every moment, but craving the end of it just to finally get to know what’s going on. I highly, highly recommend See more Owain W @RT46130298 11/28/2023 Fantastic. If anybody reads my review before watching it go in blind See more Rain R @RT82913162 07/31/2023 One of my favourite series of all time. Incredible acting, for someone who lived and worked in those times the props and sets are absolutely perfect. TV at its absolute best. See more Read all reviews
Life on Mars — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Matthew Graham

Creator

Tony Jordan

Creator

Ashley Pharaoh

Creator

John Simm

Actor

S.J. Clarkson

Director

Cameron Roach

Producer

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jul 24, 2006 Out Here in the Fields Sam Tyler is a Manchester detective who suffers a near-fatal car crash and wakes up in what seems to be 1973. Details Episode 2 Aired Jul 31, 2006 The Real Adventures Of The Unreal Sam Tyler Sam decides to embrace his new surroundings and disagrees with a fellow detective's crime solving tactics. Details Episode 3 Aired Aug 7, 2006 My Maharishi Is Bigger Than Your Maharishi Doctors in the present worry Sam is losing the will to live; Sam responds to a stabbing of a union organizer and discovers that it is in the converted mill where he lives in 2006. Details Episode 4 Aired Aug 14, 2006 Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadows Sam's principles call into question the ethos of his whole department as he takes on a local gangster in an attempt to stamp out police corruption. Details Episode 5 Aired Aug 21, 2006 Things To Do In New York When You Think You're Dead Sam's modern-day crime solving ways are tested when a football fan is found murdered and the motive is in question. Details Episode 6 Aired Aug 28, 2006 Tuesday's Dead A hostage situation becomes personal for Sam when the hostage-taker's deadline coincides with the deadline for switching off his life-support machine in 2006. Details Episode 7 Aired Sep 4, 2006 The Man Who Sold the World The death of drug dealer Billy Kemble while in custody pits Sam against CID as he tries to uncover the truth, yet evidence forces Sam to make a huge decision. Details Episode 8 Aired Sep 11, 2006 Take A Look At The Lawman Sam is finally accepting of his new world, until he comes face-to-face with his 29-year-old father, Vic. Details

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Life on Mars — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
S.J. Clarkson
Creator
Matthew Graham, Tony Jordan, Ashley Pharaoh
Network
BBC
Rating
TV-14
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
British English
Release Date
Jul 24, 2006