US Life On Mars cancelled

[Ralph]

I've just completed ep 3 on the first series and will be watching the whole two series in the next few weeks. I can't contribute to the Series 2 thread for fear of spoliers.... so here I am. After work tonight I hope to chip in some thoughts so far

[Alex]

There are absolutely HUGE spoilers in that thread too Ralph, so it's best avoided till you finish both series. I hope you enjoy the show anyway, and look forward to reading your comments.

[Rob McCow]

I haven't seen any of the episodes since original broadcast and I'll be very interested to hear your opinions on them. All I can really remember about the first series is the first episode, a vague sense of it being fantastic and a nasty bit where his wee bag goes wrong.

[Ralph]

I was curious about the series with this title being a fan of the genre – of course it wasn’t quite what I expected!

But then when I realised this was a cop show with a difference I was quite curious but I'd missed the episodes and decided to get it on DVD. I saw of course that there was a thread for it here but as Alex has confirmed it is spoilerific so I was right to give it a wide berth. It's about three weeks ago when I watched the first couple of episodes and now with the second series of DVDs I'm ready to roll right through.

I think the whole concept of this show is a stroke of genius really. It taps into a curious look back at how life was and is the closest we can get to a jumping in a time machine to take another look. And because it's within living memory certainly of a few of us on this board you can tell how authentic some aspects are. I was 10 in ’73 so my perspective on society was of course very different from an adult one.

My dad would be a police sergeant of around 40 years old in that particular year. I must check with him how realistic some of the aspects of this are, he wasn’t CID but I’m sure he would have a fair idea how the other half were operating – certainly Glasgow police life would be a pretty fair comparison to the one portrayed in Manchester. From my perspective of what I saw back then if I ever visited his office it was definitely an old wreck of a place just like in this show – while I was always lucky enough to go to nice new schools I was always amazed what another world it was where my dad worked. To give it a bit of perspective as well the pay was relatively poor with the real benefit the pension. I remember him saying some years later that recruitment was so difficult back in that era even people with police records were able to join up.

I remember my Dad having an unmarked police car, a Vauxhall Viva for a few weeks - I think that would fit this show perfectly! Also they did have a bottle of whisky rattling round the bottom drawer of one of those 4 drawer filing cabinets so that idea’s pretty authentic – they poured it into glasses though than straight from the bottle. I remember my dad telling me he would speak in the language of the people he was dealing with so in a realistic view of policing I think it would be nave and of course ridiculous to assume the police would be like gentleman Dixon of Dock Green, I think that was never realistic and neither was Z Cars – another servicable watch for the times but well sanitised. (I discovered some of my Dad's more colourful language when he was teaching me how to drive back in '81 )The Sweeney of course went totally in the other direction and was well over the top but fabulous entertainment so SHUT IT!

This show of course is naturally going to pick the colourful aspects of policing back then after all it’s going to make the most entertaining watch. The casting is excellent and Philip Glenister is a great choice for the maverick DCI.

There’s so many layers to this show. You can watch it for fashions and music, technology changes , political correctness or more lack of it, less rules and regulations. What I find is very interesting though as while somethings are definite improvements I don’t think it’s across the board and I think the show is good in showing in many ways it’s just different.

Anyway I’ve had a bit of a ramble there…more on the episodes themselves to come from viewing over the next few weeks.

[Wayne]

I've never seen this show ever, but apparently Hawkwind are included in the soundtrack occasionaly, so that might sway me to watch it one of these years.

[Ralph]

On you'd watch these 2 series over a weekend Wayne.... and when you want to borrow my copies let me know

[Wayne]

Whenever's convenient, in your own time, thanks Ralph.

[Ralph]

Sure

[Rob McCow]

Anyway I’ve had a bit of a ramble there…more on the episodes themselves to come from viewing over the next few weeks.

Actually, that was all rather interesting! It's difficult to know how far Life On Mars took liberties with the way the 70's police were portrayed, but it doesn't seem that they were too far from the truth, by the sounds of it.

[Pip Madeley]

I'm starting to watch these (I've got series one on DVD, hoping to get series two soon), so I'll join you here Ralph and post my first thoughts at the weekend

[Ralph]

Actually, that was all rather interesting! It's difficult to know how far Life On Mars took liberties with the way the 70's police were portrayed, but it doesn't seem that they were too far from the truth, by the sounds of it.

Well good tv goes for the most colourful characters - a diluted version I think

[Ralph]

I'm starting to watch these (I've got series one on DVD, hoping to get series two soon), so I'll join you here Ralph and post my first thoughts at the weekend

Great stuff

More thoughts so far after the first 4 episodes:

I think if you could travel back in time it would be pretty frustrating having to go back to old technology....It seems strange now to have a world without a pc - particularly when you think this forum wouldn't even exist.

In terms of forensic science I think its realistic to expect more decisions on gut instinct back then. Research and information is so much easier to gather and assimulate now - it would be incredibly man hour intensive and laborious 30 odd years ago. I loved the bit where DCI Hunt says in ep 3 the first one that speaks did it

[Pip Madeley]

Well, I've just finished the final episode of the first series, and I must say that was damn fine entertainment. I couldn't stop watching it, I cleared the whole series in three nights! Before I go any further, I'll say this in the style of the Gene Genie...

ANY FORUM NONCE WHO GIVES ANYTHING AWAY FROM SERIES TWO ON THIS THREAD BEFORE I'VE SEEN IT WILL GET A RIGHT KICKING!

Righty dokey, on we go.

The best bits were with Glenister, for sure. DCI Hunt is a fantastic character. Yes, he's bigoted, homophobic, sexist, brash... a man of his times, I guess, but he's always after getting the bad guys and you can see his heart is in the right place. The clashes between him and Sam are always a highlight of the show, a really difficult relationship as they at the same time do each others heads in, and yet rely on each other in times of serious trouble... and they occasionally learn from each other. There's some wonderfully subtle comic moments amongst all the heavyweight drama, some classic one-liners too: Gene getting plastered in the pub after telling Sam he could handle it, the famous "it's nearly dinnertime... I'm 'avin 'oops" line, him telling Ray to arrest the landlord of the pub ("Er, on what charge, guv?"... "Think of something on the way..."), "you're paler than a ginger bird's arse" etc etc

Nice to see Manchester as the location, gives an extra sense of authenticity to me. The plots were pretty good too, well written with lots of twists and turns, most of which I didn't see coming. Some obvious ideas, such as the unions episode, but it all felt really fresh and the resolutions were nearly always surprising. The bizarre moments where the so-called present filters in to the past make sense of it all, but then he is in a coma... isn't he? The last episode was gripping stuff, for Sam to find out his dad was a killer... I don't know how things will continue with series two but I can't wait to find out when the DVDs arrive. Funny, witty, engaging, I liked it.

Oh, and did I mention WPC Annie Cartwright (Liz White) and Sam's mum (Joanne Froggat) are gorgeous?

[Ralph]

Well, I've just finished the final episode of the first series, and I must say that was damn fine entertainment. I couldn't stop watching it, I cleared the whole series in three nights!

Bl**dy hell I thought I was ahead of you with 4 eps. You and Wayne must be the speed viewing kings of Skaro

[Pip Madeley]

Bl**dy hell I thought I was ahead of you with 4 eps. You and Wayne must be the speed viewing kings of Skaro

Once you get into something, it's hard to stop watching!

[Ralph]

Once you get into something, it's hard to stop watching!

I guess it's true, when I was watching X files I became incredibly addicted!

[Ralph]

Watched eps 5 and 6 yesterday.

Ep 5 was an interesting view on mindless football hooliganism which led on to the perimeter fencing which we see today at football grounds. I like the way it touched on how the action of mindless morons would later affect football fans. (On my last visit just recently the entrance to the football ground was designed more for cattle than people.) DCI Hunt steals the show again for me. When he goes undercover as the pub landlord he forgets when he making casual enquiries not take punters by the scruff of the neck. The bit also where the clobbers the guy he had previously booked was amusing. Overall the mixing with the punters getting drunk scenes were well done and also very realistic where it almost turned quite nasty. I'm sure we've all known many a situation where if you speak or look at someone in a pub the "wrong way" you can have quite a dramatic turn of events where things can escilate rapidly. Also the banter, rivalry and bickering between Hunt and Tyler works well in this series.


SPOILERS

Ep 6: Really good the way this one ties in with Tyler getting the plug pulled on life support in present day versus almost being executed back in 73.
It was a good story again with some interesting characters. More depth was given to Hunt in the relationship with the local Press and how they hounded him over a fatal error. The script was well done as I really felt it was a realistic hostage at risk situation.

[Ralph]

SPOILERS

Ep 7: Wow! That one was highly controversial but a riveting episode. Its certain cover ups like this would have happened with deaths in police custody. I think though the controversy for me is the idea that today's policing may be more morally sound than that of thirty odd years ago. Looking at my own job it was regulation free 30 years ago and so corrupt people could get away with much more but they still exist today and can get round the rules. I'm sure if we all look at what we do for a living we can see attitudes we disagree with and see people twisting the rules and not for the good.
Sam Tyler's morally sound kind of guy would have existed 30 years ago as did the corrupt types back then and now. Each job has a cross section of the human race with all the different values we hold. A similar programme could be made of Doctors, Dentists, Solicitors among all the other occupations where responsibility for the welfare of the public is at risk.

I think probably what has changed is how it's dealt with. The police investigation back then would have been internal where now it’s external and naturally there is always an instinct to protect the reputation of the majority. I think also issues like institutional sexism, racism or anti homophobic would have existed after all the people in the police force or any job reflect the society from which they’re drawn. Of the three professions I mention in my last paragraph I think it’s shocking that none still to this day have external bodies investigating complaints – I think this is a serious flaw in our current systems as these groups are very much in need of this.

On a personal note I recall my father getting an invite from a relative to one of those Queen's garden party dos in the early 80s at Buckingham Palace in which he would have the company of a police officer from Hong Kong. I remember him telling me there was no way he wanted anything to do with this guy because the police there was known to be rife with corruption and he wished no association with him. I'm sure if he just couldn't be arsed going along to one of those kind of functions he would just have said so. I also recall him telling me that offers of money were made to him by members of the public looking for him to look away in his early years but he never stepped over that line. If you have any decency naturally you wouldn't. It makes complete sense that any professional person with a career to protect would do so.

In looking at the senior officers he explained to me how while there were clearly many effective ones many were also promoted to their level of incompetence. In order to get rid of someone from a police division quite often the easiest way would be to promote them out of the way. I know from a friend this is also par for the course in the medical profession.

I'd like to discuss the issues raised in this series of 70s policing with my dad when I catch up with him, I don't know if he's even seen it. There’s certainly a lot of issues covered which do suggest that policing back then was quite gung ho. As I said earlier I think he would be able to give me a full perspective on it because he was 14 years on the beat where the greatest experience is gained before being promoted to Sergeant and then in the following 16 years to a Chief Superintendent and Divisional Commander. I know that when he retired they asked him to stay on because he was the "the kind of person they wanted". But staying meant he could no longer choose when to retire and he would have to have become involved more in "politics" within the force which I know he hated. Prior to retiring just after 50 he told me how he and his colleagues had real concerns for example about graduate officers being rapidly promoted without enough experience on "the beat" being a real concern as he felt it was critical in understanding the difficulties and issues of policing the public and knowing how best to handle situations.

Anyway back to the programme I didn’t see much tv cop shows back in the 70s particularly British ones like “Z cars” and “The Sweeney” . It’s understandable to me that you might find annoying a colourful rather than realistic version of the job that you do particularly when it's portaying your role to the public in a detrimental light. I think “Life of Mars” is a very realistic series for bringing issues that would have happened to light but naturally the most controversial make for the most entertaining. No one really wants to watch how decent police officers did their job 30 odd years ago, we want to see the maverick elements of it. The same could be done of today in fairness. I think what this show does is to highlight how more easily shady goings on could be swept under the carpet which I’m sure is totally true. I think the scripts are excellent and of course the past/future connection makes for a great vehicle to look at comparisons.

[Milky Tears]

This thread is clearly a warning about the perils of hardcore DVD addiction. Pip, Ralph and Wayne spend far too much time watching shiny discs and end up missing all the good stuff on TV.

Get out while you still can! I managed it.

[Ralph]

When is the next party political broadcast anyway?

What good stuff prey tell?

Possibly some populist series early on Saturday evenings?

[Milky Tears]

What good stuff prey tell?

The stuff Wayne will be watching on DVD in about five years time.

[Ralph]

The stuff Wayne will be watching on DVD in about five years time.

Wayne would probably be able to cram anything thats ever been broadcast into the next year never mind 5 years but I suspect you'll have your pile still stacked up in 5

[Ralph]

Had a chat with my Dad on the phone, I went on to ask if he'd seen the series but he hadn't though was interested in checking it out. He said that there was a lot more corruption in the Metropolitan police certainly back then than the likes of the Glasgow Police. I think this was parly due to a more organised criminal element in the South. The police from London would turn up in Glasgow in their leather jackets and act like they were out in the sticks in Glasgow, so their presence wasn't well regarded.

When he was a Sergeant back in the early 70s working with another Sergeant he discovered his colleague was taking "bungs" from a bookies so he told him that it must stop as he would be dragging both of them down. His colleague didn't deny it but did stop. As he said he would never have taken the money as he wanted to be his own man not under the thumb of a dodgy bookie or the like.

.

[Pip Madeley]

Have you checked out the four-part documentary on the DVDs yet, Ralph? Philip Glenister's normal voice (soft, nearly lispy) sounds totally different from the Northern accent he puts on for Gene Hunt, and he does a great job of it too!

[Alex]

I'm loving the insights in to 70's policing that you're giving Ralph, it's been fascinating reading - I think you need to get your Dad to watch the show, and then sign up here so we can ask him lots of questions!