I was not going to watch Life on Mars as the adverts were so bad, especially the ones on the radio. The ads made it look like it was a time travelling post modern comedy, not too far removed from Austin Powers in humour. What it didn't really tell you, or even hint at, was the brilliant premise is not a time travelling escapade, but a psychological examination/comedy homage set in a 1973 that is full of cop show clichés.
Here lies the genius. As it is (possibly) set inside the mind of the unconscious present day John Simm it is not a time travel show. It is set in a 1973 that he believes existed. In the second episode Tyler says he was 4 in 1973, his memory has a nostalgic vision of the 70s, informed by the Sweeney and similar cop shows of that era. It is a tongue in cheek affectionate look back at shows past, from a modern perspective with modern insights.
Time travel makes light of the situation that John Simms character is facing. Stuck in a dream that he can't get out of, hearing doctors voices in the background and talking to psychiatrists that may or may not be real. There are moments that are high drama, the scene at the end of the second episode in the hospital is suitably dark and disturbing. This programme isn't just a jolly jaunt through the TVs archives, it also has characters that you care about.
Here lies the genius. As it is (possibly) set inside the mind of the unconscious present day John Simm it is not a time travel show. It is set in a 1973 that he believes existed. In the second episode Tyler says he was 4 in 1973, his memory has a nostalgic vision of the 70s, informed by the Sweeney and similar cop shows of that era. It is a tongue in cheek affectionate look back at shows past, from a modern perspective with modern insights.
Time travel makes light of the situation that John Simms character is facing. Stuck in a dream that he can't get out of, hearing doctors voices in the background and talking to psychiatrists that may or may not be real. There are moments that are high drama, the scene at the end of the second episode in the hospital is suitably dark and disturbing. This programme isn't just a jolly jaunt through the TVs archives, it also has characters that you care about.