It Was Life, Jim Just Not As We Knew It
April 4, 2009 by brian
The Life on Mars finale was well, unexpected, to put it mildly. I’ll be discussing that, Smallville and some of the week’s other TV events so consider this a spoiler warning.
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Life on Mars Ending, But Will Get Closure
March 4, 2009 by brian
After coming under fire for letting Dirty Sexy Money, Eli Stone and Pushing Daisies drift off into oblivion, ABC will allow Life on Mars to finish its story.
Variety confirmed the American revamp of the British sci-fi series will end this season, but ABC has informed producers so they can resolve the story in 17 episodes. Ironically, the British original ran only 16 episodes as a closed-ended series. That show then spun into the 1980s with Ashes to Ashes, a show following Lt. Gene Hunt. No such luck for the American series.
The American version was troubled from the beginning, undergoing a total overhaul and recastings before the pilot aired. It was generally well received by critics, but after a strong showing for its heavily advertised premiere ratings kept dipping.
I’m just going to save the phrase “generally well-received by critics but still canceled” and keep copying/pasting for future reference. Still, if there’s a silver lining here it is that the show will get to wrap up its storyline. Hopefully that’s the beginning of a trend not just at ABC, but at all the networks.
Image: Bauer-Griffin
Life on Mars’ Bonet Has a New Baby
January 13, 2009 by brian
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And talk about a kid with sci-fi street cred. Lisa Bonet, currently starring as Maya Daniels on Life on Mars, gave birth to Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha Momoa in December. The proud papa is Bonet’s actor hubby Jason Momoa, who played Ronon Dex on Stargate Atlantis.
Us Magazine reports on the happy couple. This is their second child, as they also have 1-year-old Lola Iolani. They’re a great looking couple so I’m betting these little tykes will grow up to be heartbreakers. And possibly battle against Wraith for the future of our galaxy. All kidding aside, though, congratulations to the new parents.
Life on Mars, Dollhouse Must Cut Budgets
December 18, 2008 by brian
20 Century Fox Television is implementing budget cuts on all its series including Life on Mars and Dollhouse, according to TV Week. All 20th Century Fox shows must cut budgets by 2 percent. ABC Studios have taken the same step.
I can’t tell you what we’ll see from this as I’m not sure what a 2 percent cut looks like at a TV show. Will we even notice that amount? It’s better than developments at NBC Universal and CBS Corp. who are doing layoffs. The entertainment industry traditionally does well during economic downturns because people want escapism.
But right now, even the purveyors of fantasy and fun are having a tough time. Readers, what shows, movies and/or actors help you get through the doldrums?
©2008 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Isabella Vosmikova/FOX
ABC Orders More Life On Mars
November 22, 2008 by brian
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After the axe fell on not one, not two, but three ABC shows yesterday producers and actors alike were probably reluctant to answer any phone calls if “ABC” was on the caller ID. But Life on Mars and its fans got actually good news as ABC has ordered four more episodes of the British time-travel remake.
USA Today reports that while Mars hasn’t been a ratings smash, ABC’s programming chief Steven McPherson is a huge fan. The show is about a New York detective who is transported to 1973 after a car accident. It’s one of numerous Brit remakes that hit American airwaves this year.
Life on Mars Tonight: Tuesday’s Dead
November 13, 2008 by brian
Tonight, Detective Sam Tyler has to deal with a strange hostage situation that may be connected to his own - strange situation. Also, he gets a phone call from what sounds like his mother in 2008 begging him to wake up.
Life on Mars will soon be leaving its Thursday night digs to be paired with the returning Lost on Wednesday nights. ABC is hoping the two sci-fi shows will play well together, not unlike FOX’s decision to pair up Dollhouse and Terminator on Fridays.
What do you think, readers? Are you ready to follow Life on Mars to a pairing with Lost or is it too soon to be jerking a new show out of its time slot?
Life on Mars: Things to Do in New York When You Think You’re Dead
November 6, 2008 by brian
Tonight on Life on Mars, the 125th Precinct is caught in the middle of racial tensions between Black and Puerto Rican factions. A Black girl is thrown off a building and there’s a Puerto Rican murder suspect. The Black Liberation Army wants to handle the matter in its own way and I’m guessing it will not involve Miranda rights or writ of habeas corpus.
As a bonus, Whoopi Goldberg guest stars. After election season on The View, I’m imagining a full-scale riot may be a quieter gig for Whoopi.
Life on Mars: Have You Seen Your Mother?
Again, that is an abbreviated ep title. The full title is “Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadows?” Feel free to join me in my petition to get shorter episode titles for Life on Mars.
Anyway, tonight Sam encounters his younger mother after she gets attacked by mobster Nick Profaci. Sam finds Profaci could be involved in the murders of two other women. Also, Profaci and his mob boss might be entangled with some of the cops from the 1-2-5. Lucky Sam already has such a great working relationship with them. Oh wait, he doesn’t.
Life On Mars Tonight: My Maharishi
Actually, the full title of this ep is “My Maharishi Is Bigger Than Your Maharishi.” They’ve really got to quit that with the long episode titles. They don’t fit up there nicely after Life on Mars Tonight.
All kidding aside, tonight a returning Vietnam veteran gets murdered. This brings nothing but bad publicity to the 125th and Lt. Hunt wants this case solved yesterday. So far I really like this show, although I will admit that I have never seen the British version so I can’t really compare the two.
Life on Mars 1.02″Real Adventures of the Unreal Sam Tyler” Recap
Life on Mars 1.02 “The Real Adventures of the Unreal Sam Tyler” Recap
Air Date: Oct. 16,2008
Sam is still having dreams of Maya, his girlfriend in 2008. Can you blame him? Lisa Bonet is still quite hot. But he still wakes up in 1973, with a bathroom shared with the rest of the building denizens including a naked hippie named Windy.
Cops from the 125 catch an armed robbery suspect named Kim Trent. That master of innovative interview tactics Lt. Hunt throws Kim into a lake, but the suspect can’t swim. It of course falls to Sam to dive in and save Kim, who punches Sam in the face for his trouble. In spite of Hunt’s unique tactics, Kim isn’t giving up any info about a recent string of robberies at AAA Check Cashing places.