ABC’s Life on Mars didn’t catch on with enough viewers and was unfortunately cancelled after one brief season. Sadly, tonight we had to say goodnight to the outstanding cast of Jason O’Mara, Michael Imperioli, Gretchen Mol, Harvey Keitel, and Jonathan Murphy.
Thankfully, the show’s creators were given enough time to craft a true series finale. Executive producer Scott Rosenberg told Scifiwire, “Basically, this episode was always going to be the season finale, so we just switched things up towards the end. But we always wanted it to culminate with him and his parents… Amongst our favorite things that we did was always with his father and his mother. Every time we went to that well, it really worked for us. You’ll realize when you see it Wednesday night at 11:00, you’ll see that the whole theme of the entire 17 hours was all leading up to this. It was all about what we deal with in episode 17.”
Fellow executive producer Josh Appelbaum told Variety, “When you see you see the ending. as much as I think it’ll be wildly unexpected, it’s also sort of the inevitable. Even in the pilot there’s a lot of things that are leaning toward what the ending tells you. There were a million ideas thrown out early in the writers room, but when this one landed we all knew that was the one it should be.”
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Rosenberg concluded, “We’re not only answering the why of 1973 but more importantly, it’s what this whole journey was about for Sam — why it was these particular characters and this emotional landscape. It’s his emotional heroes journey that is answered by the end.”
So, what do you think of the series ending? It was a shocker to say the least. Are you happy to leave Sam and friends on the Martian surface?
Or, would you prefer to think that the Mars landing is actually a hallucination or another piece of Sam’s time travel mystery?
Image courtesy ABC.
Great show, bad network
I am soo sorry that the show ended. I loved every minute and I am glad that they finally allowed for Sam and Annie to connect before pulling the plug. This was a great cast and a great idea. Though the ending did make sense, I would have loved to see Sam stay in 1973 for awhile. Ratings? I wonder where they get those ratings? Obviously they are not asking for my comments.
Life on Mars was a great show! Fantastic Cast! Fantastic Writing and a Fantastic Soundtrack! ABC did not want this show to succeed. the 3 month hiatus the time slot switch and the lack of good promotion was a recipe for cancellation. The finale was great! I’m really grateful they didn’t leave us viewers blowin in the wind
My family and I really loved this show. It had amazing stories. It took you to a place in the past when life was black or white and very little shades of gray. I loved Sam Tyler!! I really hope some other statiion realizes the potential to picking up this series. Let’s make the last show the nightmare that shouldn’t happen!!!!!!Please! there is very little on TV we like to watch. It really was a great weekly escape.
I DVR’d Life on Mars, each week, and just watched the final 3 episodes, last night! OMG!!!! 1. I have loved this show from the start, for it’s fantastic cast and its fresh storylines, that offered one twist after another; 2. I was sorely disappointed in what I thought was an entirely unimaginative ending. The only value it had to me was to give the clue that, “Oh, no! Is this over?” 3. Because LoM is normally such a quality show, I am truly unhappy it has been cancelled. I agree with “Steve” and hope the network will reconsider or… Read more »
I was disappointed in the ending, but I am hopeful that another network will pick the show up. Thw writing was absolutely brilliant, finally a show that kept me on the edge of my chair! The show was put in a poor time slot and I have absolutely no doubt that marketed properly and in a different time spot, this show would have been a hit. There are over 15,000 signatures on the petition here at this site in protest to the cancellation. I am hoping that ABC reconsiders or another network picks it up.
It was a great show, no doubt. The ending wasn’t the greatest….let me be honest, it was crap. I was pissed for about 2 hours after watching it, but at least they left it open if they decided to revive it.
What a great show, and yes…the ending blew me away! I liked the ending very much, but then I found out that the show is now cancelled. I’m glad I didn’t know about it getting cancelled until AFTER I saw the ending. If it’s possible to bring it back, that would be great. I hope the “higher ups” are reading these comments from everyone…we all loved Life on Mars!
Great show! Great ending! Hate to see it end but the last episode rivaled the finales of St. Elsewhere & Bob Newhart.
The great shows never last – anymore!!!! We have to be subjected to “reality” shows which actually aren’t!!!
I loved this show and will really miss it. I can’t believe that they did not give it another year to catch on! I know people who were just discovering it, and now it is over. Why are the Networks so quick to cancel good shows! They will put on 40 different versions of the same so called reality junk but they can’t give a good series a couple seasons to catch on! I am glad that they did give Life on Mars a chance to actually have a finally and did not just pull the plug. I did not… Read more »
The ending was a surprise. I wasn’t thrilled by it, but at least it explained the title of the show. I was also relieved to learn that Vic was not really Sam’s father.
Ending was great, just wish the show would have been on a few more seasons. One of the few shows I looked forward to watching each week. Having the two month break was a big mistake.
A GREAT ENDING. Never saw it coming but enjoyed it alot
I am so tired of the networks cancelling good shows at least they had the courtesy of ending Life on Mars with an Oh my God ! ending.