To no great surprise, ABC has opted not to order a second season of their Wednesday night drama, Life on Mars. The show was one of the most anticipated of the season. So, what happened? Will viewers be left hanging or will the show’s mysteries be resolved?
A remake of a UK show of the same name, Life on Mars follows Sam Tyler (Jason O’Mara) , a modern-day NYPD detective who’s investigating the abduction of his girlfriend (Lisa Bonet) by a serial killer. After being hit by a speeding car, Tyler wakes up in 1973. While trying to figure out what’s happened to him, he ends up becoming part of his precinct in the past. Is he in a coma, insane, or a true time traveler? The stand-out cast includes Michael Imperioli, Gretchen Mol, Harvey Keitel, Jonathan Murphy, Dominick Mancino, John Cenatiempo, Chris Miskiewicz, Tom Stratford, Matthew Cowles, and Tanya Fischer.
The series debuted on October 9, 2008 to a solid 11.33 million viewers and a 3.8/10 rating/share in the 18-49 demographic. Unfortunately, the numbers fell significantly in the second week, to 8.22 million and a 2.5/7 — a loss of 25% of the total audience. The ratings for the next five episodes averaged just eight million, sinking to a low of 7.77 million and a 2.5/7 rating/share on November 20th.
Mars then went on a two month hiatus, which is essentially like a death sentence for any serial drama. As expected, when the series returned at the end of January, following Lost, the numbers got even worse. For the past four weeks, Mars has been averaging a terrible 5.5 million viewers, hitting a low of 4.63 million and a 1.6/4 rating/share.
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As expected, ABC has decided to cancel the series at the end of its 17 episode season. On the positive side, it’s being reported that the producers have time to make that last episode an actual series finale. Though there are many outstanding questions that need to be answered, it looks like most of them will be answered. ABC Entertainment Group President Steve McPherson told TVWeek, “We felt it was the right thing to do for the producers and the fans and creatively.”
Of course, whether ABC actually gets around to airing the episode remains to be seen. Considering that fans are still waiting to see the final episodes of Dirty Sexy Money, Eli Stone, and Pushing Daisies, the network’s track record isn’t so good.
For now, the plan is to continue airing the series though the March sweeps period, with Mars finishing on April 1st. Let’s hope that actually happens and it isn’t some twisted April Fool’s joke from the network execs.
Image courtesy ABC.
This ending was the ultimate April Fool’s Joke. I never saw it coming. Outstanding!!!
Let me just say that I am truly disappointed with the finale and the cancellation of this show. I guess I have been too busy at work to pay close attention. I thought this was the season finale but I guess I misunderstood. Needless to say when they all turned into astronauts they literally jumped the shark. I guess if you are going out you might as well go out with something that will leave people talking. I may be in the minority with this opinion but I felt this show deserved a better ending than what I just watched.… Read more »
Life On Mars is a great show. Please reconsider the thought of cancelation. My wife and I looked forward to each week epsodies.We just watched the final show and are sadden that it will not be on next week. ABC is making a serious mistake in taking this show off the air. LETS BRING THE SHOW BACK FOR AN SEASON!
What is everyone’s thoughts on the finale? This cannot be the ending!
WOW such a great show what garbage ABC is for letting it go the station used to be good because of this show it is pure garbage now i even stopped watching the channel 6 news because of how horrid it got i mean now ABC is like a skid mark on FOX’S underwear
BOOOOOOOO
ABC SUCKS
Well….another great show bites the dust. 🙁
ABC once upon a time had great Emmy award winning shows.. Think of The Wonder Years, Moonlighting, Thirtysomething, My So Called Life and a wonderfully weird show called Max Headroom.
Now, it’s just the network of bull***. Crap like the Bachelor and Dancing with the Stars keeps the stupid braindead masses on edge.
Not to make a pun but Sam Tyler in his supposed coma has more brainwaves than the average ABC reality tv fan.
A group of die-hard fans are trying to get more people (especially petition-signers here) to do more than just sign the petition but get actively involved in contacting ABC and asking for a second season instead of cancellation. Lots of contact info can be found here:
saveoursam.com
Life on mars is the best new show on TV next to Eleventh Hour. I sure hope a cable network picks up the series because it deserves a chance. It’s the next Sopranos!
This truly sucks. Life on Mars, Lost, and Breaking Bad are the only shows I actually make a point to watch or at least DVR every week. I thought the characters and writing was creative and interesting. I was shocked when they announced the SERIES finale for this week (just got a chance to watch the March 25th episode last night). Truly a bummer and a bunk move by ABC. Unfortunately once they wrap up everything in the finale there isn’t much else to do.
Please, whoever is in charge of programming at ABC, rethink the decision to cancel Life on Mars. Finally a creative, entertaining, thoughtful show comes to network television and you throw it away. There were characters here we could care about! Putting that show on hiatus all those weeks was a death sentence and you know it. You didn’t give it a chance. It’s the only show we waited for every week. Have the good sense to realize you made a mistake, and give life back to Life on Mars. You didn’t advertise it enough. People I raved about the show… Read more »
I’m so disappointed. This show was intriguing. I loved it. Another disappointing network decision based soley on ratings.
Why does ABC cancel all it’s really good shows and leave the crap on???
Boston Legal, Eli Stone, Life on Mars. All great shows and what do you do?? cancle them before they get a good following.
Booooo
Grow up ABC and show some good TV for people over 50.
I’m a retired NYC Police Officer. I usually don’t like police shows, but this show was different it brought the past & the present together. Harvey Kietel was the best Lt. on TV I’ve ever seen, even Kojack took a back seat to him. The music, acting, storyline, & writers were superb. Ask real cops if they liked it and you’ll get a BIG THUMBS UP.
This is a good show and it was different. I wish another station would pick it up. The show has great actors and a good storyline.
Life On Mars is THE BEST show on the air. With so much junk, why would you even consider canceling something as good as this? Maybe you need someone who actually watches TV to decide what should stay and what should go.
It’s the ONLY show that my husband and I watch weekly. It’s characters are superb, the writing is the best, it’s original. Think again, BRING THIS SHOW BACK!