To no great surprise, fans of ABC’s Life on Mars are quite upset that the network has decided to kill the series after only 17 episodes. Granted, the early ratings weren’t that great but the network didn’t help matters either. Will viewers be given closure or will they and Sam Tyler be left stranded forever in the 1970s?
Life on Mars, a remake of the popular UK series, revolves around a modern-day detective (Jason O’Mara) who is somehow transported back to 1973. He manages to acclimate himself but is stymied as to the how and why of his situation. The series also features Michael Imperioli, Gretchen Mol, Harvey Keitel, Jonathan Murphy, Dominick Mancino, John Cenatiempo, Chris Miskiewicz, Tom Stratford, Matthew Cowles, and Tanya Fischer.
The drama 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, those numbers didn’t last and Mars fell significantly in its 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.
Though the series was struggling, there was still a chance that things could turn things around. But then, the network put Mars on a two month hiatus. For a serial drama, particularly one with an ongoing mystery, a hiatus like that is essentially a kiss of death. As expected, when the series finally returned in January, lots of viewers didn’t come back. For the first four showings in 2009, Mars averaged a disastrous 5.5 million viewers and hit a low of 4.63 million and a 1.6/4 rating/share.
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This decline caused ABC to pull the plug but, as executive producer Andre Nemec told the LA Times, it didn’t come as a big surprise. He said, “We were struggling a bit with our numbers… It didn’t seem like we were getting that slow, steady climb every week.” Thankfully, the network execs made their decision early enough for the producers to be able to craft an ending for the series.
Nemec noted, “We’ve felt from the beginning that if the show wasn’t going to get its legs for a second season, nothing would have been more of a gift from the network and the studio than to give us the opportunity to find the creative closure a lot of shows don’t get.”
When ABC Entertainment President Stephen McPherson called with the bad news, the crew was prepping to shoot episode 17, the final installment of the season. Josh Appelbaum, Scott Rosenberg, and Nemec immediately got busy reworking the script. Nemec reflected, “It was heartbreaking to have to write it and simultaneously cathartic to be able to do it.” Production on the episode wrapped last week and it’s scheduled to air on April 1st.
Though the details are a closely guarded secret, we do know that the last episode of Mars begins with Sam searching for his younger self who’s been kidnapped. The story ends in another time.
For those who have looked to the UK version for clues about the show’s final resolution, they should know that it will be significantly different. In the British version, Sam awoke from a coma at the end of the program’s two season, 16 episode run. Applebaum assures, “This could not be further from that.”
He tells TV Guide that the show’s secrets will indeed be revealed — including those about Hyde Park, the precinct he supposedly came from. Appelbaum said, “We will go to Hyde. We will learn what it is and what it looks like.” He continued, “Everything we did is completely justified. It’s one of those endings I believe will make you want to watch the series again, because you’ll see that we’ve given you very distinct clues that will come together.”
Nemec isn’t sure if viewers will be surprised by the resolution but hopes that they will be pleased. He said, “If you’ve been watching the show and paying attention, I think in the last frame you’ll find yourself saying that we didn’t cheat you.”
Image courtesy ABC.
Was this an April Fool’s Day joke? Please, someone tell me it was…
I’ve been disappointed by network television for a while now, and I’ve found shows I can appreciate on cable (Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Nip/Tuck). Then I found a couple of promising shows like Pushing Daisies and Life on Mars — I was actually getting back into network television there for a while. Too bad those shows were canceled in favor of the craptastic reality shows. I guess it’s back to AMC, USA and FX for shows that really move me.
Pleeeeease!….Sci-Fi channel, A&E, TNT…..SOMEBODY!!! Pickup of this show! We finally get an intelligent, unique, non “Medical-Lawyer-CSI” series….and these idiots are going to cancel it. We need another network to rescue this show..
Once again another great show that I was getting very interested in was cancelled. Where do you get these ratings from? Most of the people I know liked alot of these cancelled shows. ABC you are looking at the wrong people to get your ratings from?
ABC is definitely batting a thousand…They cancelled Boston Legal, Dirty Sexy, Money, Eli Stone and NOW LIFE ON MARS!!! Networks worry about Cable Television & the Internet stealing their audience…WELL CONGRATULATIONS!!! TOM was the last program on your network which had any twist & spark from the usual love/hate or the latetest trend of REALITY-MANIA. I guess it’s Cable, The Internet & DVD memories to relax by. GOODBYE ABC!!
Yet another great show canceled. I don’t understand why you didn’t promote the heck out of this show. It did VERY well in the UK! Do you really think all we want it reality show stupidity? I think I’ll order my copy of LoM–UK version. You should really give this programme another chance and you might just find you had a winner on your hands. Don’t let this slip through your fingers like New Amsterdam did. If you don’t want it, give it to SciFi and let them run with it. It deserves another chance. Please reconsider.
A group of die-hard fans are trying to get more people (especially petition-signers here) to do more than just sign a 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
Great acting, great writers. Of course it will get canceled. Reality shows are almost free to produce compared to quality show like LOM. Last year another quality show like New Amsterdam was also canceled. It’s a shame. I looked forward to LOM every week. I don’t know how ABC will replace. Please, please get another network to pick it up. This is quality TV.
The ONLY tv show I actually watch on ABC and you have to pull it…. well, I guess I’ll go back to CBS and NBC now. It’s too bad you listen to ratings numbers only and that’s what makes you decide to cancel it. Good quality acting, writing, and 1970’s music and you have to cancel it…….you should be ashamed
the final episode should end with stay tuned for next weeks episode weve decided to drop all the garbage reality shows so we can devote more time to quality shows like LOM
Please!!! besides CSI this is one of the best shows on tv, ABC why did you do it, I hope another station picks it up but keep the same writers.
intelligent well written and acted show which challenges viewers to actually think about what they are watching.Apparently there are too many tv viewers who have the instant gratification mindset and do not want to have to think too much.This fine show on a weekly basis amuses,entertains,and gives my wife and I several points of speculation.While more episodes of LOM would be greatly appreciated, we would like to take this moment to thank all involved for letting us share in their story.We have surely enjoyed running with you just wish it could have been longer.
FAMILY OF FOUR DEVASTED BY CANCELLATION OF MARS reconcider!!!!!!!!
Please reconsider this Abc. Alot of good people really liked this show and Ihappened to be one of those people. Tell me what would have to happen for you to put it back on the air? You can’t always judge something by numbers. Get rid of some of those reality shows instead. This is an outrage. Please don’t do this. I may not be but 12 but it was a wonderful show even though Imay not have lived in the 70s it has been a very enjoyable show so far, and you know come to think of it you guys… Read more »
Another great decision by the all knowing bean-counters on high! Yea right. When are they going to come back down to earth and find out what us people down here really like to watch! Another great show bites the dust while those STUPID reality shows keep growing. Thst’s right guys keep counting the beans, just like the banks and auto industy did, and we all know how that turned out!
I’m so upset about this!! It was one of the FEW times during the week my son (17) and I would spend together…we LOVED this show…sure wish another network would pick it up…I mean seriously, when has a series had so many fantastic actors in it all at once!!??