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.
Well, the ending came way too soon for what has to be the greatest show that I have seen on tv for a long time. I loved everything about this show. The plot, the characters and the way they played off each other. The cast was absolutely perfect. I agree with others that if it had been on another network or cable channel, it would be a hit today. I can’t understand why the network didn’t try harder to keep it on. In many ways I feel like they made it destined to fail and thats the saddest part of… Read more »
I loved the show and the ending. It was so refreshing to have a show that answered almost everything. I am so frustrated with LOST and so lost. I am sorry to see the show end as I love the characters and would love to see them in this future. Sam coud always have flashbacks and we still don’t understand him reading to Annie. Birng it back. We will watch and recruit others.
Wow! Great ending…’Gene Hunt’ …HA! Sorry to see the show go away, but 17 hours (the Brit series was only 16 hrs.) is a good run…I’ll definitely be getting the DVD, and sharing.
This was an awesome show and I am sad to see it end. I didn’t really care for the finale.
One more thing, if Gene was his dad, then he made whoopie with his sister-yucch!
I was very very very upset the show ended and I feel they should have had a different ending. I felt like that wasn’t a complete ending for me. I will miss “Life On Mars”. I am also angry that they are going to replace it next week with a NEW police show..
I wonder what would have been different about the last episode if it would have been a season ender instead of a series ender?
Has anyone seen what was supposed to have changed?
Eddie
I will miss ALL the characters on Life on Mars. HATE to see it end!!!!! I liked the ending.
I am in mourning that this show ended. I just can’t believe ABC.
I loved this show and am very upset it was cancelled. The active was great, the story was great, and even as it was ending I was hoping they would continue with each character and what they go through during time travel….maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll put it back on…
Maybe the time slot was not good?
I loved it. I got a bit lost though? I hope it plays in reruns. I believe I missed what was truly going on in 2008. Also, when he saw kissed Anne as a older woman in 2008. I remember him say his memories of 2008 were with him in 1973. I never missed an episode. I really don’t think they should have cancelled this show! My husband just got into viewing it. I can’t believe Gene was his dad. It should have been named Lost on Mars? Can somebody help me to understand this whole thing? They are in… Read more »
To me, this was a rather kurt way to bring the show to a premature close. I really had high expectations for this show especially with the cast. I can see, however that ABC must follow its tradition of paultry mind numbing shows with no class and no character development. I think if Mars had been produced by HBO it could have been a classic. Oh well, just another reason not to ever watch ABC, there is nothing on it except for Lost and well this season I find the plot rather Lost, its really “lost” its edge and is… Read more »
i loved this show!! looked forward every week to it comeing on and i could see detective sam tylor do his thang:) … man im really sad to see this show come to a end:( you know what?? they can bring the show back, say it was all just a dream and continue solving the crimes to try to get back home.. is their life on mars,,,,, please reconsider and bring the show back..
I am sorry that the show had to end. It was interesting to see how things are different from 1973 and modern day police work. I must say that I was shocked on how the show ended. What a surprise but I did enjoy it.
I was sad to see the series end, but what a way to go out. I would have liked to see the Lisa Bonet character as one of the flight crew; perhaps to leave a love triangle at the end.