Network: ABC
Episodes: 17 (hour)
Seasons: One
TV show dates: October 9, 2008 — April 1, 2009
Series status: Cancelled/ended.
Performers include: Jason O’Mara, Michael Imperioli, Gretchen Mol, Harvey Keitel, Jonathan Murphy, Dominick Mancino, John Cenatiempo, Chris Miskiewicz, Tom Stratford, Lisa Bonet, Matthew Cowles, and Tanya Fischer.
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TV show description: Sam Tyler (Jason O’Mara) is a modern-day detective for the NYPD’s 125th precinct. He lives with his girlfriend, Detective Maya Daniels (Lisa Bonet), who is kidnapped by a serial killer they’ve been investigating. Soonafter, while chasing a criminal, Tyler is hit and knocked unconscious by a speeding car. When he wakes up, Tyler finds that he’s been transported back to 1973.
Confused, Tyler makes his way back to his precinct building where he finds that the surrounding and attitudes are very different. Strangely, everyone at the precinct has been expecting him, thinking that he’s a transfer from Hyde Park.
Sam immediately clashes with his new boss, the irascible Lieutenant Gene Hunt (Harvey Keitel), a man who would rather use his fists than his brains to solve a crime. Eventually, the two begrudgingly become a powerful team — whether they like it or not.
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The other squad members are a unique group. Detective Ray Carling (Michael Imperioli) is a sexist tough-guy, Hunt’s former right-hand man, and a handy guy to have in your corner. Police Women’s Bureau member Annie Norris (Gretchen Mol) is often the smartest person in the room but she’s relegated to menial tasks because of her sex. Tyler often defends her and the two develop a relationship. Rookie Detective Chris Skelton (Jonathan Murphy) is a sweet guy trying to make it in this uncompromising world. He likes Tyler’s modern thinking and begins to emulate it.
When he first arrives at the precinct, confused Tyler demands to know why his computer, desk and chair are missing. The detectives wonder if Tyler has a unique way of establishing authority, is a science fiction fanatic, or both. Once things quiet down, the police delve into a case that strongly resembles the one that Tyler was investigating before his apparent time travel.
Tyler continually tries to figure out what’s happened to him and receives various subliminal messages through televisions, phones, and various hallucinations. Can he find a way to return home, in time to help his girlfriend in peril? Is he in a coma, insane, or a true time traveler?
The series is based on a UK show of the same name that ran for two seasons.
The show has been cancelled.
There are currently no plans to revive or remake the series.
Image courtesy ABC.
I will miss this show greatly
I can’t believe another one of my favorite shows has been cancelled by ABC. First Commander and Chief, then October Rose, then Dirty Sexy Money, and now Life on Mars.
These kind of shows need to be given more of a chance. I can’t believe the number of people that watch the mind-numbing shows like Lost, Scrubs, ad nausium.
I wish ABC would reconsider canceling this great show! I am so sick of reality shows and just when a great one comes along…they give it the axe! SHAME on ABC!Again with the bad decisions!
I commented on this travisty of justice a liitle after 5 today on EW.com. Is there any way to scoop up all of these mostly unsolicited POSITIVE comments and SEND them to ABC to reconsider their decision. I understand it was not a block buster in ratings but it had great potential to DEVELOP a following and thus the numbers the bean counters love. Please ABC reconsider and give it at least another half season to prove I am right. Write ABC now fans!! It can and has been done before. Absolutely a shame that this was not given a… Read more »
Too Bad ABC decided to cancel this. It is a great show, keeps you guessing and wondering and interesting to see with how far society has come in 30years. I agree, we don’t need any more stupid reality shows like The Batchelor where no one really “Lives happily ever after”.. also sooo very tired of seeing supposed News shows that are not news at all, just hyped up one-sided tabloid news. 20/20..
Please do not cancel! I love this show. It is the only TV show I look forward to all week. Finally, something with heart, humor and intelligence. There are so many awful shows on TV, please save this wonderful one.
leave the show alone its different. newer dramas like this should be given a chance i get tired of cold case yawn/csi boring/law and older give this show a chance for a change you live abc executives think back to seventies the good old year in that decade and what do u get life on mars go no nuts
ABC, you are out of your collective minds-this and one other program were the only ABC I watched-well guess what? No more ABC-which is what will happen to the network if you keep making these kind of programming decisions!
why must we endure the continuous foul crap called reality T.V.,and an obvious A+ show like “Life on Mars” is canceled?mindless dribble stays and actual scripted class is flushed? who’s running the networks?,grade school dropouts?
This terrible, this the only network show (non-cable) that my wife and I watch. Cancel American Idol, it has been on a stedy decline since Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice.
My wife and I love this show! Sad to see it has been cancelled. This was one of the few shows that could hold my interest.
How could you cancel this show? You finally have a show worth watching and you’re cancelling it?! Maybe it would have had a better chance if it was called CSI: Life on Mars or perhaps – Law & Order:.Life on Mars… I’m so sad about this. good luck to all the brilliant actors on the show and the excellent writers. your talents are wasted at ABC.
It is a shame that a good show like Life on Mars is being cancelled. I watch it all the time. Whats next, the nightly news?? I can’t believe that grown up beople pick out what we watch on tv, or don’t watch, ABC is not on my hit parade.
I’m so upset and disappointed it’s being cancelled. I looooooove this show. It makes me angry how we can have so many dumb reality shows but a good show will now be cancelled i’m so sick of TV! It’s different and entertaining so angry and sick of good shows being cancelled grrrrrrrrrrrr
I’m very dissappointed that the show was canceled. This is the best show on TV.