Anyone a fan of Life on Mars and/or Ashes to Ashes?

[doom saber]

Ashes to Ashes....

Now, that's a show that is all over the place. Sure, they want to bring the audience along to wherever the lead character has gone but by making it more dreamlike, they lose some of the mystery of the first show.

And by sticking their lead actress in god-awful absolutely inappropriate clothing for her profession in the 1980s, I'm losing all suspension of disbelief. A red bustier? For a cop? In the early 1980s? Hell, currently? I'm not buying it. They're giving her those outfits to jog the memories of the viewers and they don't fit and throw me out of the show every time.

Plus, they've made their lead character shrill and I don't know why, since she's got a bigger problem than Sam. he wanted to get back to his girlfriend. She wants to get back to her daughter. And yet, they're writing her so she's impossible to sympathize with.

I like the white jacket, though.

I agree that Alex Drake is a odd character. What is strange with her is that she comes off as a person who is about equality yet she sleeps with the first guy she sees. They made her into a strong, independent women yet they sexed her up by making her loose and wearing revealing clothing. It is strange since she would lecture Gene and his police officers as being demeaning towards women yet doesn't have any problems dressing up like a prostitute (she did it 3 times in the first season) and having revenge sex with strangers.It is obvious that the guys who wrote Ashes to Ashes are male.

After thinkin about it, I notice that each characters are not written the same way.

US ver Sam Tyler is like Alex whereas he would have sex with

What is interesting with U,K Sam is that he someone wigh high morals. I mean, he doesn't have a problem with gay people(which is a good thing), but he is someone who does things
in the name of justice. He is also unique in which that he is the only character who doesn't have sex in the past. Sure, he was raped, but that he was drugged out and it was against his will. Just that the Uk version has a geniune love towards his GF whereas he wouldn't cheat with her. The US version is a ladies man where he banged Gene's daughter spoiler [spoiler]who happens to be his sister[/spoiler] as well as another women while he was in 73.

l also concur that Ashes to Ashes loses some of its mystery by makin it clear it is a dream

However, l think it is done on purpose and probably that the coma world is more than just fabrication.

[doom saber]

I know.

I joke that they think we can't hear Gene Hunt over the sound of how awesome he is. :)

I really enjoyed the British Life on Mars. I'd been hoping for a slightly different ending but that's my sentimental side and Sam ended up where he needed to be. In any case, it a really interesting and though-provoking show.
Also fun.

The American version..I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't seen the British version. The idea would have been fresh and I wouldn't have had preconceptions about how it should work. Plus, I agree about Philip Glenister. He really was the key to the British show and Harvey Keitel...it just didn't work. Especially since a big part of the Gov/Sam dynamic was that the Gov was bigger and stronger than Sam. That was completely lost with the American casting.

Also, I give props for going there at all, considering how insane it was, but the ending of the American version was a big old WTF? and "I cannot believe they did that." It also sorta ruined the character arc, since none of what happened really mattered.

That is the main reason why alot of ppl (including the original creators) do not Iike the US ending of Life on Mars. It is creative and rushed(not the series fault) but is unoriginal and very out there which in my opinion undos the episodes before it. I don't think endings like the american version works well since a lot of ppl invest themselvez in the series and then later find out that none of things happened matters.

I think that the scifi ending works better for a scifi show but havin it in a show that originally wasn't developed as one ruins it, but that is just my opinion.

The british ending works better imo since it was Sam tryin to find himself and realizing that what mattered to him the most. It is allso implied that the coma 73 in the UK is actually the highlight for spoilers afterlife

True, the coma world in the uk version is probably fake, but we do get to see character developement between Sam and the ppl he knew in 2006.

Because os Ashes to Ashes and one of the episodes in the UK version of LOM, l am not sure if the dream worlds are fabricated by Sam or Alex. For instance, in one episode there is a villain in 73 that Sam sent to the nut house at the end of the show. However, the villain breaks out in 2006 and tries to kill Sam for putting him in the mental institution years ago. lf the world is fake, how did the bad guy went to the mental institution and why does he wants to get revenge on Sam? We know he is a mental patient because of the voices Sam hears Hmmmmmm.....

[Corrina]

I agree that Alex Drake is a odd character. What is strange with her is that she comes off as a person who is about equality yet she sleeps with the first guy she sees. They made her into a strong, independent women yet they sexed her up by making her loose and wearing revealing clothing. It is strange since she would lecture Gene and his police officers as being demeaning towards women yet doesn't have any problems dressing up like a prostitute (she did it 3 times in the first season) and having revenge sex with strangers.It is obvious that the guys who wrote Ashes to Ashes are male..

While I have some problems with her motivations for having sex with strangers--primarily because she is basically very sexual in the workplace and I don't think that would fly now, nevermind then---I think they're trying to show that Alex believes this is all a dream and, hell, if there's an attractive stranger around for sex and which takes her mind off of this insane nonsense for a while, it's all good.

Remember, the modern Alex was repressed and essential asexual, because she's trying to be perfect for her daughter.

If she's acting out her 'fantasies,' then having some casual sex would be one of them. Except I don't buy that she'd be so out of character as to behave as she does in the workplace. She was a good cop, she'd stay how her essential self would behave, even in a dream/coma etc, which means no over-the-top sexual stuff at work.

I buy the guys she picks up alone, though. It seems in line that an independent woman with no religious backing (which is her) would certainly view sex as something she's in charge of and should do when and where she wants.

[doom saber]

While I have some problems with her motivations for having sex with strangers--primarily because she is basically very sexual in the workplace and I don't think that would fly now, nevermind then---I think they're trying to show that Alex believes this is all a dream and, hell, if there's an attractive stranger around for sex and which takes her mind off of this insane nonsense for a while, it's all good.

Remember, the modern Alex was repressed and essential asexual, because she's trying to be perfect for her daughter.

If she's acting out her 'fantasies,' then having some casual sex would be one of them. Except I don't buy that she'd be so out of character as to behave as she does in the workplace. She was a good cop, she'd stay how her essential self would behave, even in a dream/coma etc, which means no over-the-top sexual stuff at work.

I buy the guys she picks up alone, though. It seems in line that an independent woman with no religious backing (which is her) would certainly view sex as something she's in charge of and should do when and where she wants.

True that she is actin sexual because she thinks it is a dream, but I find the part where she had sex with some stranger out in the open with her fellow police coworkers are listening in quite strange. Sorry, just that I am not sure if buys is a typo of bet.

Anyway, I have seen the first episode of season 2 and spoilers





it implies that another person has entered to her coma

Maybe the idea that the coma world being the afterlife is accurate and that people who have enter into comas can enter or something.

[king mob]

Plus, they've made their lead character shrill and I don't know why, since she's got a bigger problem than Sam. he wanted to get back to his girlfriend. She wants to get back to her daughter. And yet, they're writing her so she's impossible to sympathize with.

They've clearly tried to make her more sympathetic (there's even a fairly badly done torture scene) if the first episode of series two is anything to go to, with her character being softer somewhat, but it's all a bit pointless as all we really want to see is Philip Glenister call someone a slag and smack them in the face.

[thehod]

They've clearly tried to make her more sympathetic (there's even a fairly badly done torture scene) if the first episode of series two is anything to go to, with her character being softer somewhat, but it's all a bit pointless as all we really want to see is Philip Glenister call someone a slag and smack them in the face.

I thought the first episode of the second series of Ashes to Ashes was better than the entire first series put together, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the episodes.

[JTPencils]

I think perhaps the reason for what's been called a "cheap" or "easy fix" ending for the US version was due to the series being canceled. They wanted to try to tie up the loose ends as best they could, and (from what I heard) there were grumblings about the UK's "coma" ending not going over well with viewers (there I'm guessing)... so they went in another direction.

As I said, for me... it was well done... but it seems that both endings have not been widely received by fans on either side of "the big pond". It's always tough to satisfy viewers I guess.

[EdContradictory]

I really didn't like how Keitel played Gene Hunt in the American version.

The UK version is my favorite tv show ever.

[Dazzler]

I LOVE Life on Mars...both versions for their own reasons.

The UK because of its realism and the the US because of its fun and spirit (and better soundtrack). US Annie is the best character in any of the series.

I have to say though, that I'm just going to forget all about the US series finale reveal. I did not like that in the slightest.

Ashes to Ashes....well...it's not exactly my cup of tea.

--Dazz

[Deathstroke]

Liked the British LOM until the piss poor ending.

Didn't watch the US version, though I read about the ending and it sounded just as stupid.

Watching Ashes to Ashes and I'm sticking with it but it isn't all THAT great.

[EdContradictory]

I thought the first season finale of Ashes to Ashes had a better reveal than the first season finale of Life on Mars. The clown reveal was great.

And it had the best use of "Vienna" ever.

[king mob]

I thought the first episode of the second series of Ashes to Ashes was better than the entire first series put together, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the episodes.

It was certainly better than the first series and all of Bonekickers.

[Charles RB]

They bloody what? Dear me.

So when Garth Marenghi's Darkplace had the Scots subtitled in 'English', it wasn't a joke but him being a pioneer?

[thehod]

It was certainly better than the first series and all of Bonekickers.

Repeatedly slamming my gonads in a fridge door would be better than Bonekickers.

[Charles RB]

It was certainly better than the first series and all of Bonekickers.

Yeah, but from what I hear Torchwood is better than Bonekickers.