"Life on Mars" (2006) TV series 2006-2007

Creators:

Mathew Graham
Tony Jordan
Ashley Pharoah
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

9 January 2006 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Fantasy | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Two cops in the same town at the same time... 33 years apart

Plot:

After being involved in a car accident in 2006, DCI Sam Tyler (Simm) wakes up to find himself in 1973, the era of 'Sweeney' type policing, Mark III Cortinas, and flared trousers.

Plot Keywords:

Car Accident | Hospital | British TV | Hallucination | Gender Issues

Awards:

8 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

John Simm	...	Sam Tyler (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Philip Glenister	...	Gene Hunt (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Liz White	...	Annie Cartwright (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Dean Andrews	...	Ray Carling (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Marshall Lancaster	...	Chris Skelton (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Noreen Kershaw	...	Phyllis Dobbs (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Tony Marshall	...	Nelson (12 episodes, 2006-2007)

Series Directed by
S.J. Clarkson		(6 episodes, 2006-2007)
John Alexander		(2 episodes, 2006)
John McKay		(2 episodes, 2006)
Bharat Nalluri		(2 episodes, 2006)
Richard Clark		(2 episodes, 2007)
Andrew Gunn		(2 episodes, 2007)

Series Writing credits
Mathew Graham		(16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Tony Jordan		(16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Ashley Pharoah		(16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Chris Chibnall		(2 episodes, 2006-2007)

Series Produced by
Jane Featherstone	....	executive producer (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Mathew Graham	....	executive producer (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Claire Parker	....	executive producer / producer (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Marcus Wilson	....	co-producer / line producer (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Cameron Roach	....	producer (8 episodes, 2007)
John Yorke	....	commissioning editor (2 episodes, 2006)

Series Original Music by
Edmund Butt		(16 episodes, 2006-2007)

Series Cinematography by
Balazs Bolygo		(8 episodes, 2006-2007)
Tim Palmer		(4 episodes, 2006-2007)
Grant Cameron		(2 episodes, 2006)
Adam Suschitzky		(2 episodes, 2006)

Series Film Editing by
Sarah Brewerton		(4 episodes, 2006-2007)
Colin Fair		(2 episodes, 2006)
Barney Pilling		(2 episodes, 2006)
Roy Sharman		(2 episodes, 2006)
Liana Del Giudice		(2 episodes, 2007)
John Gow		(2 episodes, 2007)
Jeremy Strachan		(2 episodes, 2007)

Series Casting by
Andy Pryor		(8 episodes, 2006)
David Shaw		(8 episodes, 2007)

Series Production Design by
Brian Sykes		(8 episodes, 2006)
Matt Gant		(8 episodes, 2007)

Series Art Direction by
Matt Gant		(8 episodes, 2006)
Tom Still		(8 episodes, 2007)

Series Costume Design by
Emma Rosenthal		(16 episodes, 2006-2007)

Series Makeup Department
Emma White	....	hair designer / makeup designer / ... (10 episodes, 2006-2007)
Juliet Jackson	....	makeup supervisor / hair designer / ... (8 episodes, 2006)
Amanda Isaacs	....	makeup artist (8 episodes, 2007)
Jenny Ward	....	makeup assistant (8 episodes, 2007)
Jessica Taylor	....	hair designer / makeup designer (7 episodes, 2006)
Sarah Rahim	....	makeup artist (6 episodes, 2006)
Debbi Salmon	....	makeup supervisor (6 episodes, 2007)
Adele Firth	....	makeup artist / makeup assistant (4 episodes, 2006)
Suzanne Bennett	....	makeup supervisor (2 episodes, 2007)

Series Production Management
Jessica Rundle	....	post-production supervisor (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Joseph Cairns	....	unit manager (6 episodes, 2006)
Karen Milner	....	unit manager (2 episodes, 2007)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Guy Barker	....	second assistant director (8 episodes, 2006)
Andi Coldwell	....	second assistant director (8 episodes, 2007)
Chantelle Stoffel	....	third assistant director (8 episodes, 2007)
Ellena Harris	....	third assistant director (7 episodes, 2006)
Jonathan Leather	....	first assistant director (4 episodes, 2006-2007)
Joanna Crow	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 2006)
Steve Robinson	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 2006)
Simon Turner	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 2006)
Nicki Ballantyne	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 2007)
Martin Curry	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 2007)
Sam Morris	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 2007)

Series Art Department
Neil O'Rourke	....	stand-by props (14 episodes, 2006-2007)
Gary McCabe	....	stand-by carpenter (10 episodes, 2006-2007)
Peter O'Rourke	....	props master / dressing props (10 episodes, 2006-2007)
Nick Ainsworth	....	art department assistant (8 episodes, 2006)
John Fegan	....	dressing props (8 episodes, 2006)
Joe Malone	....	props master (8 episodes, 2006)
Peter Moran	....	stand-by props (8 episodes, 2006)
Hugo Slight	....	contruction manager / construction manager (8 episodes, 2006)
Ian Tully	....	production buyer (8 episodes, 2006)
Katie Tuxford	....	stand-by art director (8 episodes, 2006)
Andy Hare	....	art department assistant / stand-by art director (8 episodes, 2007)
Ron Pritchard	....	production buyer (8 episodes, 2007)
Chris Watson	....	construction manager (8 episodes, 2007)
Neil Glyn	....	dressing props / stand-by props (7 episodes, 2006-2007)
Marcus Holt	....	prop hand / dressing props (6 episodes, 2006-2007)
Tom Higgins	....	stand-by carpenter (6 episodes, 2006)
Gary Leech	....	stand-by props (6 episodes, 2007)
Jim Mate	....	prop hand (6 episodes, 2007)
Dan Taylor	....	stand-by art director (5 episodes, 2007)
Paula Barrington	....	prop hand / stand-by props (4 episodes, 2007)
Andy Watson	....	art department assistant (4 episodes, 2007)
David Flower	....	prop hand (2 episodes, 2007)

Series Sound Department
Anthony Hurst	....	assistant sound / sound assistant (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Alex Sawyer	....	dialogue editor (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Dave Sloss	....	foley recordist (14 episodes, 2006-2007)
Mark Verner	....	foley editor (14 episodes, 2006-2007)
James Feltham	....	sound re-recording mixer / re-recording mixer (13 episodes, 2006-2007)
Dave Sansom	....	sound recordist (12 episodes, 2006-2007)
Paul Watson	....	boom operator / sound maintenance (12 episodes, 2006-2007)
Darren Banks	....	sound effects editor (10 episodes, 2006-2007)
Julian Slater	....	sound effects editor (6 episodes, 2006)
Ben Brookes	....	boom operator (4 episodes, 2006)
Nick Steer	....	sound recordist (4 episodes, 2006)
Nigel Heath	....	sound re-recording mixer (3 episodes, 2006)
Robert Edwards	....	adr recordist (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Robin Earle	....	effects rigger (3 episodes, 2006)

Series Visual Effects by
Matt Wood	....	visual effects supervisor (3 episodes, 2006-2007)
Tanvir Hanif	....	digital effects artist (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Peter Brayham	....	stunt coordinator (11 episodes, 2006-2007)
Ray Nicholas	....	stunt coordinator / stunt performer (7 episodes, 2006-2007)
Gordon Seed	....	stunt performer (6 episodes, 2006-2007)
Dean Forster	....	stunt performer (4 episodes, 2006-2007)
Crispin Layfield	....	stunt coordinator / stunt performer (4 episodes, 2006-2007)
Derek Lea	....	stunt performer (4 episodes, 2006-2007)
Paul Howell	....	stunt performer (3 episodes, 2006-2007)
Stuart Clark	....	stunt coordinator / stunt performer (2 episodes, 2006-2007)
Tony Lucken	....	stunt coordinator / stunt performer (2 episodes, 2006-2007)
Vincent Keane	....	stunt coordinator (2 episodes, 2007)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Terry Eden	....	best boy (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Brian Jones	....	gaffer (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Danny Mendieta	....	camera trainee / assistant camera / ... (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Tony O'Brien	....	generator operator (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Kim Tunstall	....	clapper loader (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Danny Griffiths	....	electrician (14 episodes, 2006-2007)
Nick Beeks-Sanders	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 2006-2007)
Steve Smith	....	focus puller (10 episodes, 2006-2007)
Vinny Cowper	....	electrician (8 episodes, 2007)
Ron Fleet	....	grip (7 episodes, 2006)
Robin Stone	....	grip (6 episodes, 2007)
Joe Blackwell	....	focus puller (5 episodes, 2006-2007)
Darren Miller	....	camera operator: "b" camera (4 episodes, 2006)
Alex Coverley	....	grip (3 episodes, 2006-2007)
Donald Russell	....	additional camera operator (3 episodes, 2006)
Jim Bradshaw	....	electrician (2 episodes, 2006)
Carl Hudson	....	focus puller (2 episodes, 2006)
Mark Smeaton	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 2007)
Kerry Brown	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Andy Brierley	....	casting associate (4 episodes, 2006)
Kirsty Robertson	....	casting associate (4 episodes, 2006)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Becky Davies	....	costume assistant / costume supervisor (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Monica Aslanian	....	costume supervisor (8 episodes, 2006)
Joanne Evans	....	costume assistant (8 episodes, 2006)
Alison Cook	....	costume assistant (8 episodes, 2007)
Amanda Crossley	....	costume assistant (8 episodes, 2007)

Series Editorial Department
Jet Omoshebi	....	colorist (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
John Yorke	....	commissioning editor (15 episodes, 2006-2007)
Scott Hinchcliffe	....	on-line editor (14 episodes, 2006-2007)
Matthew Cannings	....	assistant editor (8 episodes, 2006)
James Osborne	....	on-line editor (8 episodes, 2007)
Penny Clark	....	assistant editor (6 episodes, 2007)
Anastasia Timeneys	....	post-production assistant (5 episodes, 2006)
Simon Graham	....	assistant on-line editor (3 episodes, 2006)
Justin Eely	....	on-line editor (2 episodes, 2006)
Al Morrow	....	assistant editor (2 episodes, 2007)

Series Music Department
Toby Wood	....	score recording engineer (2 episodes, 2006)

Series Other crew
Alison Barnett	....	head of production (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Steve Crimmins	....	police advisor (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Angie Pontefract	....	continuity (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Diane Pontefract	....	production accountant (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Matthew Pope	....	assistant accountant (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Julie Scott	....	production executive: BBC (16 episodes, 2006-2007)
Steve Walker	....	continuity / assistant continuity (12 episodes, 2006-2007)
Brett Wilson	....	location manager (12 episodes, 2006-2007)
Joseph Cairns	....	assistant location manager / location manager (10 episodes, 2006-2007)
Tricia Carr	....	assistant coordinator (8 episodes, 2006)
Michelle Franklin	....	assistant: Jane Featherstone (8 episodes, 2006)
Michael Noble	....	production coordinator (8 episodes, 2006)
Elwen Rowlands	....	script editor (8 episodes, 2006)
Lucy Patrick Ward	....	production office runner (8 episodes, 2006)
Jack Casey	....	floor runner (8 episodes, 2007)
Danielle Eglin	....	production office runner (8 episodes, 2007)
Samantha Milnes	....	assistant coordinator (8 episodes, 2007)
Tracy Lee Sapple	....	production coordinator (8 episodes, 2007)
Gabriel Silver	....	script editor (8 episodes, 2007)
Thomas Alibone	....	floor runner (7 episodes, 2006)
Georgie Turnbull	....	location assistant (5 episodes, 2007)
Luc Webster	....	location manager (4 episodes, 2007)
Shekeelia Gregory	....	production office trainee (2 episodes, 2007)
John Yorke	....	joint commissioning editor (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Kudos Film and Television
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (for)
• Red Planet Pictures

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2006-2007) (UK) (TV) (BBC 1) (original airing)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2006-2007) (UK) (TV) (BBC 4) (first look) (repeats)
• Bravo Television (2006-2007) (UK) (TV) (repeats)
• BBC America (2006-2007) (USA) (TV)
• BBC Canada (2006-2007) (Canada) (TV)
• Nederlandse Programma Stichting (NPS) (2007-2008) (Netherlands) (TV)
• SVT2 (2007-) (Sweden) (TV)
• Kabel 1 (2007-) (Germany) (TV)
• TV One (2007-) (New Zealand) (TV)
• 13e Rue (2007-) (France) (TV)
• Hot (2007-) (Israel) (TV)
• Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) (2007-) (Australia) (TV)
• SubTV (2008-) (Finland) (TV)
• AcornMedia (2009) (USA) (DVD) (seasons 1 and 2)
• E1 Entertainment (2008) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (seasons 1 and 2)
• ETV 2 (2009) (Estonia) (TV)
• Memphis Belle (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (season 1)
• Mystery Channel (2008) (Japan) (TV)

Other Companies

• 3sixtymedia  visual effects
• Central Casting  extras casting
• EuroKids & Adults International Casting and Model Agency  extras casting
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Mayflower Studios  adr recording studio
• NovaStar Digital  sound post-production
• Pepper Post Production  post-production
• Why Not Associates  title sequence design

Also Known As:

Ford Granada (UK) (working title)
Elu nagu Marsil (Estonia) [et]
Hronopagida (Greece) (DVD title) [el]
Life on Mars (France) [fr]
Life on Mars - Gefangen in den 70ern (Germany) [de]

Runtime:

USA:42 min (16 episodes) (cut) | 60 min (16 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:MA (some episodes) | USA:TV-14 (most episodes) | Netherlands:12 | UK:12 (most episodes) | UK:15 (some episode) | Australia:M (some episodes)

Filming Locations:

Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, UK

Company:

Kudos Film and Television

Trivia:

Sam is given messages by the girl off Test Card F, who comes out of the television with her clown doll. At the end of the series, she can also be seen running down the street and switching off the television from the inside. ("Ashes to Ashes" also refers to her with the clown motif.) The real life Test Card girl, Carole Hersee is estimated to have been on British television for 70,000 hours, equivalent to nearly eight years, and so is in the "Guinness Book of World Records" for the longest television appearance in history.

Quotes:

Gene Hunt: You great... soft... sissy... girlie... nancy... french... bender... Man-United supporting POOF!

Movie Connections:

Remade as Life on Mars (2008) (TV)

A novel approach to scifi crime

I'm giving a vote of 9 out of 10 to Life on Mars, even though I know BBC America must be butchering the episodes they are screening in the US. IMDb says the runtime is 58 minutes. After you take out the commercials and endless promos BBC America runs each hour (at least 8 or 9 minutes must be for that worthless trash, Footballers Wives), I'm guessing we in the US are viewing about 44 minutes out of the 58. So good is Life on Mars, however, I'm willing to put up with it--and hope for the full version DVDs later.

What makes this show tick? Perhaps it's the ever present dreamscape quality--made possible by the slight sepia tint seemingly applied on most setups, which combine with the bright incandescent interior lighting of the institutional quality police stations, bar rooms, and housing projects to give a greenish, otherworldly haze to many scenes.

Combine this with the fun look back into a time without computers, fax machines and those damnable cell phones and you have poor Sam Tyler facing off with an English version of Dirty Harry. Combustible. Not to mention that Sam's holier than thou attitude is beginning to lose out to the realists on the beat. All of it makes for a very interesting hour--or 44 minutes.