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((short description|British television fantasy drama series (2006–2007)))
((Use dmy dates|date=August 2020))
((Infobox television
| image         = Life on Mars logo.png
| genre         = ((plainlist|
* [[Science fiction]]
* [[Supernatural fiction|Supernatural drama]]
* [[Historical drama|Period drama]]
* [[Police procedural]]
))
| runtime       = 60 minutes
| creator       = ((plainlist|
* [[Matthew Graham]]
* [[Tony Jordan]]
* [[Ashley Pharoah]]))
| starring      = ((plainlist|
* [[John Simm]]
* [[Philip Glenister]]
* [[Liz White (actress)|Liz White]]
* [[Dean Andrews]]
* [[Marshall Lancaster]]
))
| country       = United Kingdom
| language      = English
| network       = ((plainlist|
* [[BBC One]]
* [[BBC Four]] (2 episodes)
))
| company       = [[Kudos (production company)|Kudos]] and [[BBC Wales]]
| first_aired   = ((Start date|2006|01|09|df=yes))
| last_aired    = ((End date|2007|04|10|df=yes))
| num_series    = 2
| num_episodes  = 16
| list_episodes = List of Life on Mars (British TV series) episodes
))

'''''Life on Mars''''' is<!-- Creative works "are", Wikipedia MoS dictates usage of present tense, [[WP:TENSE]] --> a British television series broadcast on [[BBC One]] between 9 January 2006 and 10 April 2007. It follows [[Sam Tyler]] ([[John Simm]]), a [[Manchester]] policeman in 2006 who wakes up after a car accident to discover that he has time-travelled to 1973, where he works the same job in the same location under the command of Detective Chief Inspector [[Gene Hunt]] ([[Philip Glenister]]) while attempting to solve the mystery of what has happened to him.

''Life on Mars'' (named after [[David Bowie]]'s [[Life on Mars (song)|song of the same name]]) and its sequel, ''[[Ashes to Ashes (British TV series)|Ashes to Ashes]]'' (also named after [[Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie song)|a David Bowie song]]), received acclaim for blending elements of [[mystery fiction|mystery]], [[police procedural]]s, [[supernatural fiction|supernatural drama]], [[science fiction]], and [[historical drama]]. It won two [[International Emmy Award]]s for Best Drama Series.<ref name="emmy">((Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6168076.stm|title=British shows sweep world Emmys|publisher=BBC Online|date=21 November 2006|access-date=15 February 2007))</ref> An [[Life on Mars (American TV series)|American adaptation]] was produced by [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] and ran for one season from October 2008 to April 2009, a [[La chica de ayer (TV series)|Spanish adaptation]] was broadcast from April to June 2009, a [[The Dark Side of the Moon (TV series)|Russian adaptation]] was broadcast in November 2012, a [[Svět pod hlavou|Czech adaptation]] was broadcast from January to March 2017, a [[Life on Mars (South Korean TV series)|South Korean adaptation]] began broadcasting in June 2018,<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.soompi.com/2018/05/23/life-mars-cast-show-off-chemistry-teamwork/|title=Life on Mars South Korean Cast|date=23 May 2018|work=Soompi))</ref> and a Chinese adaptation began airing in 2019.<ref>((Cite web| url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bbc-drama-life-mars-get-chinese-remake-1187546/| title=BBC Drama 'Life on Mars' to Get Chinese Remake| website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]| date=18 February 2019))</ref>

''Ashes to Ashes'' aired on BBC One from February 2008 to May 2010. A third series entitled ''Lazarus'' (again [[Lazarus (David Bowie song)|a David Bowie song]]) was announced in 2020, but its development was cancelled in 2023.

== Plot ==
''Life on Mars'' follows [[Sam Tyler]] ([[John Simm]]), a policeman in service with the [[Greater Manchester Police]] (GMP). After being hit by a car in 2006, Sam mysteriously awakens in 1973; he finds himself working for the predecessor of the GMP, the [[Manchester and Salford Police]], at the same location as in 2006. Early on in the series, it becomes apparent to Sam that he awakes as a [[Inspector#United Kingdom|Detective Inspector]], one rank lower than his 2006 rank of [[Chief Inspector#United Kingdom|Detective Chief Inspector]]. As part of the [[Criminal Investigation Department]], Sam finds himself working under the command of DCI [[Gene Hunt]] ([[Philip Glenister]]). The plot is based on the ambiguity of Sam's predicament as neither the audience nor the character can be sure whether he has died, fallen into a coma, or legitimately [[time travel|travelled in time]].<ref>Each episode begins with a monologue from Tyler reflecting this uncertainty. This is reproduced on the ((Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/lifeonmars|title=Life on Mars Official Website|publisher=BBC|access-date=2 August 2008))</ref>

== Production ==
The programme was conceived in 1998, when screenwriters [[Matthew Graham]] and [[Ashley Pharoah]] were sent on a break to [[Blackpool]] by [[Kudos (production company)|Kudos]] to think of show ideas.<ref name="sfx01">((Cite journal|first=Steve|last=O'Brien|title=The Nick of Time|journal=[[SFX Magazine|SFX]]|issue=139|date=January 2006|page=54))</ref> Originally titled ''Ford Granada'' after the [[Ford Granada (Europe)|1970s car]], the series was rejected by the [[BBC]].<ref name="granada">((Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/12_december/08/mars_life.shtml|title=BBC – Press Office – Life on Mars press pack Seventies brought back to life|publisher=BBC|access-date=9 April 2007))</ref> In response, Graham stated, "Back then, broadcasters just weren't comfortable with something like that, something that wasn't set in the real world and that had a fantasy element to it."<ref name="sfx01"/> According to Graham, the initial idea was for a humorous, [[Watershed (television)|pre-watershed]] programme that overtly mocked the styles and attitudes of the 1970s, with the comic actor [[Neil Morrissey]] envisaged as the central character.<ref name="carrierbags">((Cite news|title=£1,500 in a carrier bag? What planet are you on?|url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2052460,00.html|first=David|last=Smith|work=The Observer|location=UK|date=8 April 2007|access-date=8 April 2007))</ref>

Later, [[Channel 4 programming|Channel 4]] drama executive [[John Yorke (television producer)|John Yorke]] substantially redeveloped the original script, focusing on a double act between Sam Tyler and Gene Hunt. Senior management eventually decided not to pursue the idea, with Graham telling the ''[[Radio Times]]'' that the reaction to the idea was "it's going to be silly". The series eventually attracted the attention of [[BBC Wales]]' [[Julie Gardner]], who persuaded BBC Head of Drama [[Jane Tranter]] to commission the programme from [[BBC Wales]] for BBC One.<ref name="sfx01"/> John Yorke left Channel 4 to rejoin the BBC and, together with Julie Gardner, acted as joint [[commissioning editor]] on the show for its entire run.

The programme's central character Sam Tyler was originally to have been named Sam Williams, but Kudos felt this not to be striking enough and requested Graham devise an alternative surname. Graham asked his young daughter for her opinion and she suggested Tyler for the character's surname. He later discovered that his daughter had named the character after the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' character [[Rose Tyler]]; coincidentally, shortly after Rose leaves ''Doctor Who'', the villainous [[The Master (Doctor Who)|Master]] makes his return in an incarnation portrayed by Sam Tyler's actor [[John Simm]].<ref>((Cite news|title=Script Doctors: Matthew Graham|publisher=[[Doctor Who Magazine]]|first=David|last=Darlington|date=21 June 2006))</ref> The initial geographical setting was to be London, which was changed to [[Leeds]] and finally to [[Manchester]], as part of a BBC initiative to make more programmes in the city.<ref name="carrierbags"/> The name Sam Williams was subsequently used as a plot point in the second series.

The second series had a distinctive style of introduction on BBC One: after a brief collage of momentary images, such as several [[List of BBC test cards|test cards]] and comedy writer and broadcaster [[Barry Took]], a mock-up version of BBC1's 1970s blue-on-black rotating globe ident was used, although the design had to be modified to fit [[widescreen]] sets. This was accompanied by a bass-voiced [[continuity announcer]] in the style of that era. Viewers in Wales saw an original 'BBC Cymru Wales' mechanical globe with introductions provided by former BBC Wales announcers. Trailers for the show also used the 1970s style, including the rhombus-style [[History of BBC television idents|BBC logo]].

On 9 October 2006, it was confirmed that the second series of ''Life on Mars'' would be the last. Matthew Graham stated: "We decided that Sam's journey should have a finite life span and a clear-cut ending and we feel that we have now reached that point after two series".<ref name="last">((Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6033735.stm|title=Hit BBC drama Life on Mars to end|publisher=[[BBC News Online]]|date=9 October 2006|access-date=9 October 2006))</ref> Graham's claim that two endings had been filmed was later revealed to be a ruse.<ref name="jump"/>

== Transmission ==
Eight one-hour episodes of ''Life on Mars'' were broadcast weekly on Monday nights at 9:00 pm by the BBC. The series episodes were mostly written by its creators Jordan, Graham and ((Proper name|Pharoah)), later joined by [[Chris Chibnall]] as the fourth writer for the first series. For the second series, Graham, ((Proper name|Pharoah)) and Chibnall returned to write episodes, joined by [[Julie Rutterford]], [[Guy Jenkin]] and Mark Greig.<ref name="s2writers">((Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/02_february/01/mars_creative.shtml|title=Life on Mars – Creative team|publisher=BBC|date=1 February 2007|access-date=4 April 2007))</ref>

The second series was broadcast weekly at the same time as the first but on Tuesdays.<ref>((Cite news|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article353814.ece |title=Television Drama: Great show – now direct it |last=Burrell |first=Ian |work=The Independent |location=UK |date=27 March 2006 |access-date=6 January 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001050701/http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article353814.ece |archive-date=1 October 2007))</ref> According to Jane Featherstone, the show's [[executive producer]], speaking in February 2006, a film version of the show was also a possibility: "''Life on Mars'' was a very [[high concept]] idea and there was no doubt it would work on the big screen".<ref name="men">((Cite news|last=Wylie |first=Ian |url=http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/entertainment/filmandtv/s/203/203546_life_on_mars_is_creating_stars_on_earth.html |title=Life on Mars was creating stars on Earth |publisher=[[Manchester Evening News]] |date=7 February 2006 |access-date=6 January 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060421030835/http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/entertainment/filmandtv/s/203/203546_life_on_mars_is_creating_stars_on_earth.html |archive-date=21 April 2006 |url-status=dead))</ref>

The first series of the original ''Life on Mars'' was broadcast in the [[United States]] on [[BBC America]] from July 2006 to August 2007 and was broadcast in 2010 on some public television stations,<ref name="pbs">((Cite web|url=http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=2,2|title=WTTW Schedules (Sundays, 10pm CST)|publisher=[[WTTW]]|location=Chicago|access-date=4 January 2010))</ref> with the second series being broadcast from December 2007 to January 2008.<ref name="usa">((Cite web|url=http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/122/about.jsp|title=Life on Mars – About the Show|publisher=[[BBC America]]|access-date=6 January 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070227172220/http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/122/about.jsp|archive-date=27 February 2007))</ref><ref name="metacritic">((Cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/lifeonmars#critics|title=Life on Mars (BBC America)|publisher=Metacritic.com|access-date=6 January 2007))</ref> Acorn Media released both series on DVD in 2008.

=== International ===
The original version also was broadcast in [[Canada]] from September 2006 to April 2007 on [[BBC Canada]], and from 8 January 2008 to 23 April 2008 on [[Télé-Québec]] in French and [[Showcase (Canadian TV channel)|Showcase]] in English.

In [[New Zealand]] the original series was broadcast on [[TV One (New Zealand)|TV One]] from February 2007, being described as "sensationally well-made" by a NZ website.<ref name="stuffnz">((Cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/3969607a20879.html|title=Reasons to be cheerful: Part one|first=Jane|last=Clifton|publisher=Stuff.co.nz|date=21 February 2007|access-date=24 February 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015164519/http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/3969607a20879.html|archive-date=15 October 2007|url-status=dead))</ref> Series two was broadcast from June 2008, with the final screening on 4 August 2008.

In [[Australia]] the original British version was broadcast on [[ABC1]] from 20 May 2007, with the second following during February 2008. The US version broadcast on 5 February 2009 on [[Network Ten]].

In the [[Republic of Ireland]] [[RTÉ Two]] broadcast the series from June 2007 in a late evening slot, following [[RTÉ News on Two]].

The show has also been transmitted in [[Croatia]] ([[Croatian Radiotelevision]]), [[Sweden]] (a cut version((specify|date=September 2023)) on [[Sveriges Television|SVT 2]]), [[Netherlands]] ([[Nederland 3]]), in [[Germany]] ([[Kabel 1]]), [[Greece]] ([[Skai TV]]), [[Spain]] ([[Antena.neox]]), [[Israel]] ([[Hot (Israel)|Hot]]), [[Italy]] ([[Rai Due]]), [[Japan]], [[Serbia]] ([[B92]]), [[Norway]] ([[NRK]]) and [[Estonia]] ([[Eesti Rahvusringhääling|ERR]]). [[Sub (TV channel)|Sub]] began broadcasting ''Life on Mars'' in [[Finland]] in April 2008, and [[ATV World]] started broadcasting the show in [[Hong Kong]] on 13 July 2008,<ref name="weirdscience">((Cite web|url=http://weirdscience.se/index.php?sida=blogg&id=582|title=SVT visar fel version av Life on Mars|language=sv|publisher=weirdscience.se|date=9 February 2007|access-date=16 March 2007))</ref><ref>Kjell Häglund. "[http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2204&a=820661 Brittiska saxar lurar svensk tv-publik]((dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes ))", ''[[Dagens Nyheter]]'' 26 August 2008, received 28 August 2008.</ref><ref>((Cite web|url=http://www.kabeleins.de/serien_shows/life_on_mars/|title=Life on Mars (Kabel eins)|language=de|publisher=kabeleins.de|access-date=31 January 2007))</ref> France ([[13ème Rue]]).<ref name="france">((Cite web|url=http://www.13emerue.fr/ncache_dev/default.htm |title=13ème rue homepage |publisher=13ème rue |language=fr |access-date=28 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070320093847/http://www.13emerue.fr/ncache_dev/default.htm |archive-date=20 March 2007 |url-status=dead))</ref> In Hungary ([[Duna TV]]) ''Life on Mars'' started in March 2011.
<ref name="HWR">((Cite news|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|title=Cannavale in the 'M.O.N.Y.'|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=2 February 2007
|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3icc47e3003d27448b537ff64fd9a16b79))</ref>
French-German broadcaster [[Arte]] also aired the series in 2023.<ref>((cite web | url=https://www.humanite.fr/medias/arte/life-on-mars-la-serie-policiere-culte-revient-sur-arte | title=" Life on Mars " : La série policière culte revient sur Arte - l'Humanité | date=30 November 2023 ))</ref>

== Remakes and derived shows ==
[[David E. Kelley]] produced the pilot for an [[Life on Mars (American TV series)|American version]] of the series for the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] network, though he handed duties over to others for the series production. It premiered in October 2008, and was broadcast to minor critical and public acclaim where declining numbers led to cancellation in April 2009 after 17 episodes, though with sufficient lead to allow the storyline to be concluded.

Spanish Television network [[Antena 3 (Spain)|Antena 3]] bought the rights from the BBC and has remade the show as ''[[La Chica de Ayer (TV series)|La Chica de Ayer]]'' (English: ''The Girl from Yesterday'', the title taken from a 1980 pop song), set in 1977 post-[[Francisco Franco|Franco]] Spain.<ref>((Cite news|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article3449008.ece|title=Senor Gene Hunt deals out pain in Spain in remake of BBC drama Life on Mars – Times Online|publisher=Entertainment.timesonline.co.uk|date=28 February 2008|access-date=21 March 2009|location=London|first1=Adam|last1=Sherwin|first2=Thomas|last2=Catan))</ref>

The Russian broadcaster [[Channel One (Russia)|Channel One]] has remade the show as ((lang|ru|[[The Dark Side of the Moon (TV series)|Обратная сторона Луны]]|italics=yes)) (''The Dark Side of the Moon'', after the [[The Dark Side of the Moon|Pink Floyd album of the same name]]).<ref>((Cite news|title=Russian film-makers adapted the BBC Sci-Fi detective series "Life on Mars"|author=Dmitry Cheremnov|url=http://rbth.ru/articles/2012/11/06/russian_film-makers_adapted_the_bbc_sci-fi_detective_series_life_on_19789.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130417144103/http://rbth.ru/articles/2012/11/06/russian_film-makers_adapted_the_bbc_sci-fi_detective_series_life_on_19789.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2013|date=6 November 2012|access-date=6 November 2012))</ref> The series began on 5 November 2012, running for 16 episodes. It tells the story of Moscow police captain Mikhail Mikhailovich Solovyov (Михаил Михайлович Соловьёв), who is hit by a car in 2012 during pursuit of a suspect, and wakes up in hospital in [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[Moscow]] in 1979. Soon Mikhail is released, and takes the place of his father, Mikhail Ivanovich Solovyov.

Czech national TV channel [[ČT1]] has made a TV series heavily inspired by ''Life on Mars'', called ((lang-cs|[[Svět pod hlavou]])) (''World under the head''). It tells the story of an elite policeman Filip Marvan, who is hit by a car and wakes up in a hospital in 1982, in Communist [[Czechoslovakia]]. The name of the series refers to a line from a song ''V stínu kapradiny'' by [[:cs:Jana Kratochvílová|Jana Kratochvílová]]. The first episode of the series aired on 2 January 2017, scheduled to run for 10 episodes in total.

A [[South Korea]]n [[Life on Mars (South Korean TV series)|adaptation]] developed by [[Studio Dragon]] and produced by Production H for pay TV network [[Orion Cinema Network|OCN]] aired from 9 June to 5 August 2018.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.hancinema.net/new-drama-police-procedural-drama-life-on-mars-slated-to-air-on-ocn-113626.html|title=[New Drama] Police Procedural Drama "Life on Mars" Slated to Air on OCN|date=23 December 2017|website=Hancinema))</ref>

== Music ==
((Infobox album
| name       = Life on Mars
| type       = Soundtrack
| artist     = Various artists
| cover      = 
| caption    = 
| alt        =
| released   = 19 February 2007
| recorded   =
| studio     =
| genre      =
| length     =
| label      = [[Sony BMG|Sony BMG Music Entertainment]]
| producer   = [[Kudos (production company)|Kudos Film and Television]] in association with [[Monastic Productions]]
| chronology = ''Life on Mars''
| prev_title =
| prev_year  =
| next_title = [[Ashes to Ashes (Original Soundtrack Album)|Ashes to Ashes (Original Soundtrack)]]
| next_year  = 2008
))
The programme's soundtrack features mainly early 1970s songs which were played as part of ''Life on Mars'', as well as an original score of the theme music as part of the title sequence composed by Edmund Butt. The show's title is in reference to the David Bowie song, "[[Life on Mars?]]", which plays on an [[iPod]] in Sam's car while he is run over, and on an [[8-track cartridge|8-track tape]] in a [[Rover P6]] when he awakes in 1973; it is used again at the climax of the final episode, and fleeting moments of the song are periodically used throughout the third series of the programme's sequel, [[Ashes to Ashes (British TV series)|''Ashes to Ashes'']], to allude to Sam Tyler's fate.

Matthew Graham stated that initially there were some concerns over whether the production team would be able to license the song, which, had they been denied, would have necessitated retitling the series.<ref name="dvd">''Life on Mars: The Complete Series One'' — DVD commentary</ref> Another Bowie song, "[[Space Oddity]]", is used in BBC trailers advertising the series. In several episodes, Gene Hunt adopts the name "Gene Genie", in reference to yet another Bowie song, "[[The Jean Genie]]", used in [[Series 1: Episode 4 (Life on Mars)|the fourth episode]]. Another Bowie track, "[[Changes (David Bowie song)|Changes]]", is played over the [[Closing credits|end credits]] of [[Series 2: Episode 8 (Life on Mars)|the second series finale]].

The show's creators were initially refused permission to use "[[Live and Let Die (song)|Live and Let Die]]" by [[Paul McCartney]] and [[Wings (band)|Wings]] but, according to Graham in the ''Radio Times'', "We sent the episode directly to Paul McCartney. Almost immediately, his assistant phoned back and said, 'Paul loves it. You can go ahead and use it'".<ref name="rt02">((Cite journal|last=Naughton|first=James|title=The Most Original Cop Show&nbsp;... Since the 70s|journal=[[Radio Times]]|volume=328|issue=4266|date=7–13 January 2006|page=12))</ref>

=== Music used ===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Series
! Episode
! Band
! Song
|-
| rowspan="51" style="text-align: center;" | 1 || rowspan="11" style="text-align: center;" | 1 || [[Blue Öyster Cult]] || "[[Blue Öyster Cult (album)|Stairway to the Stars]]"
|-
|[[David Bowie]] || "[[Life on Mars (song)|Life on Mars]]"
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Deep Purple]]|| "[[Fireball (Deep Purple song)|Fireball]]"
|-
| "[[Rat Bat Blue]]"
|-
|[[Lou Reed]] || "[[I'm So Free]]"
|-
|[[The Move]] || "Feel Too Good"
|-
|[[Sweet (band)|Sweet]] || "[[Little Willy (song)|Little Willy]]"
|-
|[[The Who]] || "[[Baba O'Riley]]"
|-
|[[Cream (band)|Cream]] || "[[White Room]]"
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Uriah Heep (band)|Uriah Heep]]|| "[[Easy Livin' (song)|Easy Livin']]"
|-
|"[[Look at Yourself (song)|Look at Yourself]]"
|-
| rowspan="8" style="text-align: center;" | 2 || [[Hawkwind]] || "[[You Shouldn't Do That]]"
|-
|[[Lee "Scratch" Perry]] and [[The Upsetters]] || "Jungle Lion"
|-
|[[Paul McCartney and Wings]] || "[[Live and Let Die (song)|Live and Let Die]]"
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Deep Purple]]|| "[[No One Came]]"
|-
| "[[Lazy (Deep Purple song)|Lazy]]"
|-
|[[Pink Floyd]] || "[[One of These Days (instrumental)|One of These Days]]"
|-
|[[Status Quo (band)|Status Quo]] || "Junior's Wailing"
|-
|[[Thin Lizzy]] || "Saga of the Ageing Orphan"
|-
| rowspan="3" style="text-align: center;" | 3 || [[Free (band)|Free]] || "[[Wishing Well (Free song)|Wishing Well]]"
|-
|[[The Sweet|Sweet]] || "[[The Ballroom Blitz]]"
|-
|[[Uriah Heep (band)|Uriah Heep]] || "[[Gypsy (Uriah Heep song)|Gypsy]]"
|-
| rowspan="10" style="text-align: center;" | 4 || [[Atomic Rooster]] || "Head in the Sky"
|-
|[[David Bowie]] || "[[The Jean Genie]]"
|-
|[[Frankie Miller]] || "[[I Can't Change It (Frankie Miller song)|I Can't Change It]]"
|-
|[[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]] || "[[Cross-Eyed Mary]]"
|-
|[[Roger Whittaker]] || "[[I Don't Believe in If Anymore]]"
|-
|[[Hawkwind]] || "[[Silver Machine]]"
|-
|[[Slade]] || "[[Gudbuy T' Jane]]"
|-
|[[The Sweet|Sweet]] || "[[Block Buster!]]"
|-
|[[Hawkwind]] || "Brainstorm"
|-
|[[The Rolling Stones]] || "[[Wild Horses (The Rolling Stones song)|Wild Horses]]"
|-
| rowspan="7" style="text-align: center;" | 5 || [[Cream (band)|Cream]] || "[[White Room]]"
|-
|[[Nina Simone]] || "[[I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free]]"
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Roxy Music]]|| "[[Mother of Pearl (Roxy Music song)|Mother of Pearl]]"
|-
| "Would You Believe?"
|-
|[[T. Rex (band)|T. Rex]] || "[[Jeepster (song)|Jeepster]]"
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Thin Lizzy]]|| "Call the Police"
|-
| "[[The Rocker (song)|The Rocker]]"
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | 6 || [[Louis Armstrong]] || "[[What a Wonderful World]]"
|-
| rowspan="4" style="text-align: center;" | 7 || [[Britney Spears]] || "[[Toxic (song)|Toxic]]"
|-
|[[Nina Simone]] || "[[Sinner Man]]"
|-
|[[Peters and Lee]] || "[[Welcome Home (Peters and Lee song)|Welcome Home]]"
|-
|[[Pulp (band)|Pulp]] || "[[Disco 2000 (song)|Disco 2000]]"
|-
| rowspan="7" style="text-align: center;" | 8 || [[Atomic Rooster]] || "Save Me"
|-
|[[Atomic Rooster]] || "Devil's Answer"
|-
|[[Free (band)|Free]] || "[[Little Bit of Love (Free song)|Little Bit of Love]]"
|-
|[[John Kongos]] || "[[Tokoloshe Man]]"
|-
|[[David Bowie]] || "[[Life on Mars?]]"
|-
|[[Lindisfarne (band)|Lindisfarne]] || "Meet Me on the Corner"
|-
|[[Wizzard]] || "[[See My Baby Jive]]"
|-
| rowspan="37" style="text-align: center;" | 2 || rowspan="4" style="text-align: center;" | 1 || [[David Bowie]] || "[[Starman (song)|Starman]]"
|-
|[[Roxy Music]] || "[[Street Life (Roxy Music song)|Street Life]]"
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[The Three Degrees]]|| "Everybody Gets to Go to the Moon" (live version)
|-
| "Year of Decision" (live version)
|-
| rowspan="3" style="text-align: center;" | 2 || [[Elton John]] || "[[Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (song)|Goodbye Yellow Brick Road]]"
|-
|[[Mungo Jerry]] || "[[In the Summertime (Mungo Jerry song)|In the Summertime]]"
|-
|[[The Hollies]] || "[[Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress]]"
|-
| rowspan="3" style="text-align: center;" | 3 || [[Barclay James Harvest]] || "When the City Sleeps"
|-
|[[David Cassidy]] || "[[How Can I Be Sure]]"
|-
|[[The Sweet|Sweet]] || "Hell Raiser"
|-
| rowspan="8" style="text-align: center;" | 4 || [[David Bowie]] || "[[Aladdin Sane (song)|Aladdin Sane]]"
|-
|[[Strawbs|The Strawbs]] || "[[Lay Down]]"<ref>Used on the BBC broadcast, but not on the DVD release.</ref>
|-
|[[Gilbert O'Sullivan]] || "[[Alone Again (Naturally)]]"
|-
|[[Roxy Music]] || "Just Like You"
|-
|[[Santana (band)|Santana]] || "[[Samba Pa Ti (instrumental)|Samba Pa Ti]]"
|-
|[[Slade]] || "[[Coz I Luv You]]"
|-
|[[T. Rex (band)|T. Rex]] || "Rock On"
|-
|[[The Moody Blues]] || "[[The Story in Your Eyes]]"
|-
| rowspan="3" style="text-align: center;" | 5 || [[Roxy Music]] || "Just Like You"
|-
|[[Electric Light Orchestra]] || "[[10538 Overture]]"
|-
|[[Hawkwind]] || "[[You Shouldn't Do That]]"
|-
| rowspan="7" style="text-align: center;" | 6 || [[Ananda Shankar]] || "Snow Flower"
|-
|[[Audience (band)|Audience]] || "I Had a Dream"
|-
|[[Cozy Powell]] || "[[Dance with the Devil (instrumental)|Dance with the Devil]]"
|-
|[[Elton John]] || "[[Rocket Man (song)|Rocket Man]]"
|-
|[[Shocking Blue]] || "Hot sand"
|-
|[[Thin Lizzy]] || "[[Whiskey in the Jar]]"
|-
|[[Uriah Heep (band)|Uriah Heep]] || "Traveller in Time"
|-
| rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | 7 || [[Faces (band)|Faces]] || "[[Cindy Incidentally]]"
|-
|[[Mott the Hoople]] || "[[All the Young Dudes|One of the Boys]]"
|-
| rowspan="7" style="text-align: center;" | 8 || [[Atomic Rooster]] || "Decision/Indecision"
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[David Bowie]]|| "[[Changes (David Bowie song)|Changes]]"
|-
| "[[Life on Mars?]]"
|-
|[[Elton John]] || "[[Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding]]"
|-
|[[Israel Kamakawiwoʻole]] || "[[Somewhere over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World]]"
|-
|[[Mott the Hoople]] || "[[All the Young Dudes|One of the Boys]]"
|-
|[[Tom Waits]] || "[[I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You]]"
|}

=== Soundtrack CD track listing ===
((Track listing
|headline        = ''Life on Mars: Original Soundtrack''
|extra_column    = Contributing artist
|total_length    = 73:28
|title1          = Introduction: Dialogue — King of the Jungle
|extra1          =
|length1         = 0:20
|title2          = [[Life on Mars?]]
|extra2          = [[David Bowie]]
|length2         = 3:44
|title3          = [[Street Life (Roxy Music song)|Street Life]]
|extra3          = [[Roxy Music]]
|length3         = 3:13
|title4          = [[Live and Let Die (song)|Live and Let Die]]
|extra4          = [[Paul McCartney]] and [[Wings (band)|Wings]]
|length4         = 3:10
|title5          = [[10538 Overture]]
|extra5          = [[Electric Light Orchestra]]
|length5         = 5:25
|title6          = [[Tokoloshe Man]]
|extra6          = [[John Kongos]]
|length6         = 3:48
|title7          = Devil's Answer
|extra7          = [[Atomic Rooster]]
|length7         = 3:26
|title8          = Rock On
|extra8          = [[T. Rex (band)|T. Rex]]
|length8         = 3:26
|title9          = [[Little Bit of Love (Free song)|Little Bit of Love]]
|extra9          = [[Free (band)|Free]]
|length9         = 2:30
|title10         = Jungle Lion
|extra10         = [[Lee "Scratch" Perry]] and [[The Upsetters]]
|length10        = 4:19
|title11         = Brief Interlude: Dialogue — Armed Bastards!
|extra11         =
|length11        = 0:04
|title12         = [[Blockbuster!]]
|extra12         = [[The Sweet|Sweet]]
|length12        = 3:11
|title13         = [[Cindy Incidentally]]
|extra13         = [[Faces (band)|Faces]]
|length13        = 2:35
|title14         = Snow Flower
|extra14         = [[Ananda Shankar]]
|length14        = 2:45
|title15         = [[Coz I Luv You]]
|extra15         = [[Slade]]
|length15        = 3:30
|title16         = [[All the Young Dudes|One of the Boys]]
|extra16         = [[Mott the Hoople]]
|length16        = 4:33
|title17         = Meet Me on the Corner
|extra17         = [[Lindisfarne (band)|Lindisfarne]]
|length17        = 2:38
|title18         = [[I Can't Change It (Frankie Miller song)|I Can't Change It]]
|extra18         = [[Frankie Miller]]
|length18        = 3:06
|title19         = [[Whiskey in the Jar]]
|extra19         = [[Thin Lizzy]]
|length19        = 5:42
|title20         = I Had a Dream
|extra20         = [[Audience (band)|Audience]]
|length20        = 4:17
|title21         = Traveller in Time
|extra21         = [[Uriah Heep (band)|Uriah Heep]]
|length21        = 3:21
|title22         = [[I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free (song)|I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free]]
|extra22         = [[Nina Simone]]
|length22        = 3:06
|title23         = Epilogue Dialogue: I Want to Go Home / "Title Music from Life on Mars" (Hidden track)
|extra23         = Edmund Butt
|length23        = 2:26
))

== Characters ==
((Main|List of Life on Mars characters))
[[File:LOM characters.jpg|thumb|The main characters of ''Life on Mars'', from left: [[Chris Skelton|DC Chris Skelton]], [[Gene Hunt|DCI Gene Hunt]], [[Sam Tyler|DI Sam Tyler]], [[Ray Carling|DS Ray Carling]] and [[Annie Cartwright|WPC/DC Annie Cartwright]]]]
The methodology and techniques of modern policing that Sam Tyler employs during ''Life on Mars'' lead him into clashes with other characters. Gene Hunt and the rest of the CID appear to favour [[police brutality|brutality]] and [[Police corruption|corruption]] to secure convictions, as shown by their willingness to physically coerce confessions and fabricate evidence.<ref name="gene">((Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/lifeonmars/characters/gene.shtml|title=BBC Drama — Life on Mars — Philip Glennister as DCI Gene Hunt|publisher=BBC|access-date=9 February 2008))</ref> In both series, Tyler clashes with Hunt the most frequently, usually because Tyler values forensic evidence whereas Hunt often resorts to traditional methods and gut instincts. In one episode during Series 1, in which doubt is cast on several suspects, Hunt insists that "the first to speak is guilty" and frequently refers to the 'Gene Genie'.

Sam describes Hunt as an "overweight, over-the-hill, nicotine-stained, borderline alcoholic homophobe with a superiority complex and an unhealthy obsession with male bonding", to which Hunt responds, "You make that sound like a bad thing". Hunt is supported by his fiercely loyal subordinates, [[Chris Skelton]] and [[Ray Carling]], with the latter portrayed as a character similar to Hunt. Ray and Sam often disagree with each other and Sam and Gene have a love-hate relationship.<ref name="ray">((Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/lifeonmars/characters/ray.shtml|title=BBC Drama — Life on Mars — Dean Andrews as DC Ray Carling|publisher=BBC|access-date=9 February 2008))</ref> Chris, in contrast, becomes friendly with Sam and respects his modern methods, finding his loyalty torn between Gene and Sam.<ref name="chris">((Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/lifeonmars/characters/chris.shtml|title=BBC Drama — Life on Mars — Marshall Lancaster as DC Chris Skelton|publisher=BBC|access-date=9 February 2008))</ref>

Given Sam's predicament, he avoids revealing his suspicion that he may have travelled back in time, for fear that others will think he is insane. The only person in 1973 to whom Sam fully reveals his story is [[Annie Cartwright]]. According to [[Liz White (actress)|Liz White]], the actress who played Cartwright, "She gets very tired of his constant talk about how this situation is not real, that they are all figments of his imagination — she can only explain it as psychological trauma from his car crash".<ref name="annie">((Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/lifeonmars/characters/annie.shtml|title=BBC Drama — Life on Mars — Liz White as WPC Annie Cartwright|publisher=BBC|access-date=9 February 2008))</ref>

== Themes and storyline ==
((See also|List of Life on Mars (British TV series) episodes))
[[File:Test Card Girl.jpg|thumb|The [[List of Life on Mars characters#Test Card Girl|Test Card Girl]], a surreal hallucination repeatedly encountered by [[Sam Tyler]]]]
After the premiere, each of the remaining fifteen episodes begins with a short teaser before a [[monologue]] in which Sam repeats, as part of the moving imagery of the title sequence:

<blockquote>
My name is Sam Tyler. I had an accident and I woke up in 1973. Am I [[Insanity|mad]], in a coma, or [[Time travel|back in time]]? Whatever's happened, it's like I've landed on a different planet. Now, maybe if I can work out the reason, I can get home.
</blockquote>

This questioning is a central plot device throughout the series, displaying both the character's and the audience's uncertainty about what has happened.

Throughout the course of ''Life on Mars'', Sam's uncertainty is reinforced by frequent [[paranormal]] phenomena, such as hearing voices and seeing images from 2006 on radios, telephones, and televisions. The voices discuss his medical condition, leading him to partially believe that he is in a coma. Other elements suggest to him that he is insane, such as his frequent and unexpected encounters with the [[List of Life on Mars characters#Test Card Girl|Test Card Girl]] from [[Test Card F]], who speaks directly to him. Annie Cartwright partially persuades Sam that he is truly in 1973, arguing that his mind would be unable to fabricate the amount of detail and tangibility in the world where he finds himself, evidence that he is in fact in 1973.

Sam's uncertain situation is not the focal point of most episodes, remaining a sub-plot. In most episodes, the main plot centres on a particular crime or case relating to the police, such as [[Series 2: Episode 6 (Life on Mars)|drug trafficking]], [[Series 1: Episode 6 (Life on Mars)|a hostage situation]], [[Series 1: Episode 3 (Life on Mars)|murders]] and [[Series 2: Episode 2 (Life on Mars)|robberies]]. For this reason, most episodes follow a conventional police drama format. As the series progresses, Sam focuses on how he will get home in almost every episode.

A recurring motif throughout the series is the overlapping of the past and present. For example, during Series 1: Episode 6 Sam hears the voice of his mother in 2006, telling him his life-support will be switched off at 2:00 pm. At the same time he is called into a [[hostage]]-taking situation, where the perpetrator states that he will kill his victims at precisely the same hour. Sam also encounters as their younger selves people whom he knows in the future, including suspects, friends, his own parents, and himself as a child.

Sam comes from an era in which suspects' rights and the preservation of [[Forensic science|forensic]] evidence are stringently observed. His background leads Sam into conflict, as other characters exhibit openly [[Sexism|sexist]], [[Homophobia|homophobic]], and [[Racism|racist]] behaviour, and often indulge all these prejudices while carrying out their police duties.

The series frequently makes use of [[Gene Hunt]]'s comical rudeness in the form of jokes and dramatic irony about a future which the audience already knows, but which the characters in 1973 do not. For example, in Series 1: Episode 5, Hunt declares, "There will never be a [[Margaret Thatcher|woman prime minister]] as long as I have a hole in my arse." However, in line with the ambivalence of the Hunt character, the irony is qualified by the fact that, in the real 1973, [[Margaret Thatcher]] herself told the BBC's [[Valerie Singleton]] in an interview, "I don't think there will be a woman Prime Minister in my lifetime." The clip of this remark had often been replayed on British TV and the audience would be familiar with it.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/101992|title = TV Interview for BBC1 Val meets the VIPs (Too inexperienced to be Prime Minister) &#124; Margaret Thatcher Foundation))</ref>

Another theme in the show is Sam's confusion about police work in 1973, as he often mistakenly mentions techniques and technologies that were not used in 1973, such as two-way mirrors. One such theme is that Sam continually gives criminals the updated version of the [[Right to silence in England and Wales|right to silence]] warning, which was changed in 1994. When he does so, someone around him usually points out that he is giving the warning incorrectly.

=== Finale ===
((See also|Series 2: Episode 8 (Life on Mars)))
It is revealed in the final episode that Sam's coma had lasted so long because he had a [[tumour]] of the brain. Tyler comes to believe the tumour is embodied by Hunt, and begins to think that by bringing Hunt down, his own body can recover. To this end, Tyler begins to collaborate with [[Frank Morgan (Life on Mars)|Frank Morgan]] ([[Ralph Brown]]) to bring Hunt down. While Tyler and the team are engaged in a firefight with armed robbers, Sam returns to 2006. He eventually comes to realise that he has become used to, and enjoys, the 1970s, seeing it as his "real world". In an attempt to get back to 1973 to save Annie and the rest of the team from death, Sam leaps off the roof of the [[police station]], arriving back in 1973 and saving the team, promising never to leave them again. Writer Matthew Graham wrote the scene to indicate that Sam is now in the afterlife, but acknowledged that the ending is ambiguous and open to other interpretations, such as lead actor John Simm's belief that Sam may not have returned to the present.<ref name="jump"/> One way this could work is that Sam is actually the Hyde detective that Frank Morgan says he is, who had an accident on the way to Manchester.  The doctor treating Sam in the future is the same as Frank Morgan, but Sam couldn't have seen him in the future since he's in a coma.  The only way they could be the same is if the Frank Morgan in 1973 is the real one, and Sam is hallucinating the future doctor.

In the final scene, the team drive off, with Sam and Gene bickering as usual. Children run past, including the girl from [[Test Card F]] who symbolizes the death that has been stalking Sam since the beginning. She looks directly into the camera before reaching out and "switching off" the television the viewer is watching, signifying that Sam's life has come to an end.<ref name="jump">((Cite web|url=http://blogs.menmedia.co.uk/ianwylie/2007/04/life-on-mars-the-answers/|title=Life on Mars: The Answers|publisher=[[Manchester Evening News]]|first=Ian|last=Wylie|date=11 April 2007|access-date=6 November 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131106214509/http://blogs.menmedia.co.uk/ianwylie/2007/04/life-on-mars-the-answers/|archive-date=6 November 2013))</ref>

The first episode of [[Spin-off (media)|sequel series]] ''[[Ashes to Ashes (British TV series)|Ashes to Ashes]]'' shows that the protagonist, DI [[Alex Drake (Ashes to Ashes)|Alex Drake]] of the Metropolitan Police, has been studying Tyler's notes and 2006-era personnel file, in which his photograph is overstamped with the word "[[suicide|SUICIDE]]" - consistent with what happened in the series finale. ''Ashes to Ashes'' implies that Gene Hunt's world is in some sense real, and states that Sam lived on in that world, during which time he married Annie but had no children.

In the final episode of "Ashes to Ashes" a fuller explanation for Sam Tyler's experience is provided, when the role of Gene Hunt in both ''Life on Mars'' and ''Ashes to Ashes'' is revealed.

=== Depiction of 1973 ===
During an interview [[John Stalker]], [[Deputy Chief Constable]] of Greater Manchester in the early 1980s and himself a Detective Inspector in 1973, has stated that the depiction of the police "has got nothing to do with real policing in the 1970s. It could not be more inaccurate in terms of procedure, the way they talk or the way they dress. In all the time I was in the CID in the 1970s I never saw a copper in a leather bomber jacket and I never heard an officer call anyone 'guv'.&nbsp;... Actually, there were a few police officers in London who started to behave like Regan and Carter in ''[[The Sweeney]]'', but that was a case of life following art, not the other way round".<ref name="john_stalker">((Cite web|last=King|first=Ray|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/205/205246_life_on_mars_writers_on_another_planet__top_cop.html|title=Life on Mars writers on another planet — top cop|publisher=[[Manchester Evening News]]|date=21 February 2006|access-date=15 April 2007))</ref> The [[Journalism|journalist]] who interviewed Stalker, Ray King, remarks that the depiction of the police can be defended if we assume that Sam is indeed in a coma and that we are seeing his imaginary idea of 1973, filtered through 1970s police shows.<ref name="john_stalker"/>

Upon Sam Tyler awaking in 1973, he finds himself on a building site, beneath a large [[advertising board]], proclaiming the construction of a new motorway, the [[A57(M) motorway|Mancunian Way]]. In reality, construction of Mancunian Way was completed in 1967. According to Matthew Graham, writing in the ''Radio Times'', the error was deliberate. "We knew that this road was built in the 1960s, but we took a bit of [[artistic licence]]".<ref name="rtlastep">((Cite journal|title=Operation Mars|first=Matthew|last=Graham|author-link=Matthew Graham|journal=Radio Times|date=7 April 2007|issue=4330|volume=333|pages=10–12))</ref> Minor historical [[anachronisms]] such as this are present throughout ''Life on Mars''. Some, as above, were made out of artistic licence whilst others were deliberately inserted to confuse the issue of whether Sam Tyler was in a coma, [[Insanity|mad]] or really [[Time travel|back in time]]. Many inaccuracies were visible such as modern street furniture, cable television cabinets, satellite television dishes, [[Closed-circuit television|CCTV]] cameras, LCD [[digital watch]]es and double-glazed uPVC window frames, which were all unintentional.<ref name="bloopers">((Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/lifeonmars/backstage/questions_bloopers.shtml|title=BBC — Drama — Life On Mars — Clues Or Bloopers?|publisher=BBC|access-date=11 December 2006))</ref> During DVD commentaries for the series, the programme makers acknowledge these as errors but also point out they are perfectly feasible, given Sam's situation.<ref name="dvd"/> As the popularity of the series grew, the hunting of such anachronisms became a favourite pastime among ''Life on Mars'' fans.<ref name="istherelifeafterlifeonmars">((Cite news|last=Donaghy|first=James|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/apr/11/broadcasting.g2|title=Is there life after Life on Mars?|work=The Guardian|location=UK|date=11 April 2007|access-date=9 February 2008))</ref>

[[Greater Manchester]] was formed in 1974, consequently the show references the police officers working for [[Lancashire Constabulary]], rather than [[Greater Manchester Police]].  However, in 1973 [[Hyde, Greater Manchester|Hyde]] would have been covered by the [[Cheshire Police]] area.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/greater-manchester-40-40-facts-6892043|title = Greater Manchester at 40: 40 facts about the region|date = 5 April 2014))</ref>  Therefore, an undercover officer from Hyde working in Manchester would suggest Lancashire Constabulary was being investigated by a different police force.

The brown Ford Cortina used by Gene throughout both of the seasons was a 1974 model, which makes it anachronistic. In production, three different cars were used.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.hotcars.com/heres-why-the-ford-cortina-2000e-on-the-life-on-mars-was-fake/ |author= Emma Starr|date =May 26, 2020|accessdate= 22 March 2022|title= Here's Why The Ford Cortina 2000E On 'The Life On Mars' Was Fake))</ref>

=== Cultural references ===
[[Hyde, Greater Manchester|Hyde]], a town to the east of Manchester, is used as Sam's former [[police division]] as a clue that his 1973 self is an ''[[alter ego]]'', as in [[Robert Louis Stevenson]]'s ''[[The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde]]''.<ref name="dvd"/>

== Reception ==

=== Critical reception ===
Critical reaction to the first series of ''Life on Mars'' was extremely positive. Steve O'Brien, writing for ''SFX'', declared, "It looks like BBC One has&nbsp;... a monster hit on its hands&nbsp;... It's funny&nbsp;... and dramatic and exciting, and we're really not getting paid for saying this".<ref name="sfx02">((Cite journal|last=O'Brien|first=Steve|title=The Nick of Time|journal=[[SFX Magazine|SFX]]|issue=139|date=January 2006|page=58))</ref> Alison Graham, television editor for the ''Radio Times'', described the series as "a genuinely innovative and imaginative take on an old genre".<ref name="rt03">((Cite journal|last=Graham|first=Alison|title=Today's Choices, Monday 9 January: Life on Mars|journal=Radio Times|volume=328|issue=4266|date=7–13 January 2006|page=70))</ref> James Walton of ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' commented, "Theoretically, this should add up to a right old mess. In practice, it makes for a thumpingly enjoyable piece of television — not least because everybody involved was obviously having such a great time".<ref name="review2">((Cite news|url=http://media.guardian.co.uk/firstnight/story/0,11131,1683209,00.html|title=First Night: ''Life on Mars''|format=Requires free registration|work=The Guardian|location=UK|date=10 January 2006|access-date=10 January 2006))</ref> Sam Wollaston of ''[[The Guardian]]'' wrote: "''Life on Mars'' was more than just a jolly, tongue-in-cheek romp into the past&nbsp;... Once there, in 1973, we find ourselves immersed in a reasonably gripping police drama — yes, ''[[The Sweeney]]'', perhaps, with better production values&nbsp;... Or put another — undeniably laboured — way, as poor Sam Tyler walks through his sunken dream, I'm hooked to the silver screen".<ref name="review1">((Cite news|last=Wollaston|first=Sam|url=http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/comment/0,7493,1683069,00.html|title=Last night's TV|format=Requires free registration|work=The Guardian|location=UK|date=10 January 2006|access-date=10 January 2006))</ref> Critical reaction remained generally positive throughout the programme's run. Of the second series, Alison Graham believed that "Sam Tyler and Gene Hunt are shaping up nicely as one of the great TV detective partnerships&nbsp;... It's vastly enjoyable and manages to stay just about believable thanks to some strong writing and, of course, the two marvellous central performances".<ref name="grahams2ep1">((Cite journal|title=Today's Choices, Monday 13 February: Life on Mars|first=Alison|last=Graham|journal=Radio Times|date=10–16 February 2007|volume=332|issue=4322|page=78))</ref>

[[Nancy Banks-Smith]], in ''The Guardian'', felt that the time-paradox aspect of the programme had become somewhat confusing.<ref name="nancys2ep1">((Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv_and_radio/story/0,,2012627,00.html|title=Last night's TV|first=Nancy|last=Banks-Smith|author-link=Nancy Banks-Smith|work=The Guardian|location=UK|date=14 February 2007|access-date=15 February 2007))</ref> Banks-Smith summed up the programme's success as "an inspired take on the usual formula of Gruff Copper of the old school, who solves cases by examining the entrails of a chicken, and Sensitive Sidekick, who has a degree in detection.".<ref name="review4">((Cite news|last=Banks-Smith|first=Nancy|author-link=Nancy Banks-Smith|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv_and_radio/story/0,,1698510,00.html|title=Last night's TV|work=The Guardian|location=UK|date=31 January 2006|access-date=31 January 2006))</ref>

Two days after the final episode's transmission, ''Life on Mars'' was attacked in the British press by the [[National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers]] (better known as [[NASUWT]]), who claimed that Gene Hunt's use of homophobic insults in the programme could encourage copycat bullying in schools.<ref name="bullies">((Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6549163.stm|title=Mars drama 'could spark bullying'|publisher=BBC Online|date=12 April 2007|access-date=12 April 2007))</ref> The BBC stated that ''Life on Mars'' was targeted at an adult audience, and argued that Hunt's characterisation was "extreme and [[tongue-in-cheek]]".<ref name="bullies"/>

In 2019, ''[[The Guardian]]'' ranked it 99th in the top 100 TV shows of the 21st century.<ref>((Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/16/100-best-tv-shows-of-the-21st-century|title=The 100 best TV shows of the 21st century|last1=Abbott|first1=Kate|date=2019-09-16|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-09-16|last2=Davies|first2=Hannah J.|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|last3=Mumford|first3=Gwilym|last4=Seale|first4=Jack|last5=Harrison|first5=Phil))</ref>

=== Ratings ===
''Life on Mars'' was a ratings success. The first series achieved an average audience figure of 6.8 million viewers<ref name="s2ratings1"/> and regularly won its timeslot, despite competition from ITV1's popular comedy-drama series ''[[Northern Lights (TV series)|Northern Lights]]''. The [[Series 1: Episode 8 (Life on Mars)|first series' finale]] gained 7.1 million viewers and a 28% audience share.<ref name="ratings5">((Cite news|last=Timms|first=Dominic|url=http://media.guardian.co.uk/overnights/story/0,,1720040,00.html|title=Cop drama motors to the finish|format=Requires free registration|work=The Guardian|location=UK|date=28 February 2006|access-date=28 February 2006))</ref><ref name="ratings1">((Cite news|last=Plunkett|first=John|url=http://media.guardian.co.uk/overnights/story/0,7965,1683163,00.html|title=7m gravitate to Life on Mars|format=Requires free registration|work=The Guardian|location=UK|date=10 January 2006|access-date=10 January 2006))</ref><ref name="ratings2">((Cite news|last=Deans|first=Jason|url=http://media.guardian.co.uk/overnights/story/0,,1688308,00.html|title=Northern Lights glows with success|format=Requires free registration|date=17 January 2006|access-date=20 February 2006|work=The Guardian|location=London))</ref><ref name="ratings3">((Cite news|last=Timms|first=Dominic|url=http://media.guardian.co.uk/overnights/story/0,,1693787,00.html|title=Prison Break captures audience|format=Requires free registration|work=The Guardian|location=UK|access-date=20 February 2006|date=24 January 2006))</ref><ref name="ratings4">((Cite news|last=Timms|first=Dominic|url=http://media.guardian.co.uk/overnights/story/0,,1704185,00.html|title=Half Ton Man bulks up Channel 4 ratings|format=Requires free registration|work=The Guardian|location=UK|date=7 February 2006|access-date=20 February 2006))</ref>

Viewing figures for the second series were initially low, with [[Series 2: Episode 1 (Life on Mars)|the first episode]] only attracting 5.7 million viewers, slumping to 4.8 million viewers by [[Series 2: Episode 3 (Life on Mars)|episode three]], despite being heavily trailed and publicised.<ref name="s2ratings1">((Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6361467.stm|title=Almost 6m experience Life on Mars|publisher=BBC Online|date=14 February 2007|access-date=15 February 2007))</ref> These figures were blamed by ''[[The Stage]]'' on "poor scheduling and unfortunate sporting fixtures, possibly combined with high expectation".<ref name="viewingslump">((Cite web|url=http://www.thestage.co.uk/tvtoday/2007/03/is_there_still_life_on_mars_1.php |title=''Is there still life on Mars?'' |publisher=[[The Stage]] |date=8 March 2007 |access-date=9 February 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070523214727/http://www.thestage.co.uk/tvtoday/2007/03/is_there_still_life_on_mars_1.php |archive-date=23 May 2007 ))</ref> Audience figures picked up during the second series' run, however, with the [[Series 2: Episode 2 (Life on Mars)|final episode]] gaining an average of seven million viewers (a 28% audience share),<ref name="finrat1">((Cite news|url=http://media.guardian.co.uk/overnights/story/0,,2054442,00.html|title=Plenty of Life on Mars|first=Leigh|last=Holmwood|work=The Guardian|location=UK|format=Requires free registration|date=11 April 2007|access-date=11 April 2007))</ref> despite competition from [[UEFA Champions League]] football on ITV1.<ref name="finrat2">((Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6540481.stm|title=Millions see Life on Mars climax|publisher=BBC Online|date=11 April 2007|access-date=11 April 2007))</ref>

{|Class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Episode Order
! Viewers<br />(millions)
|-
| style="text-align:center"| '''8'''
! 7.10
|-
| style="text-align:center"| '''9'''
! 5.70
|-
| style="text-align:center"| '''11'''
! 4.80
|-
| style="text-align:center"| '''16'''
! 7.15
|}

=== Accolades ===
The series twice won the [[International Emmy Award]] for Best Drama Series in 2006 and 2008.<ref name="emmy"/> In January 2007, it won the Best New Programme category as part of the ''[[Broadcast magazine|Broadcast Magazine]]'' awards.<ref name="broadcastwin">((Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/01_january/25/awards.shtml|title=BBC One named Channel of the Year at Broadcast Awards|publisher=BBC Press Office|date=25 January 2007|access-date=15 February 2007))</ref> In March 2007 it won two categories, Best Drama Series and the Writers' Award, at the [[Broadcasting Press Guild]] Awards.<ref name="bpg">((Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6483525.stm|title=Double award win for Life on Mars|publisher=BBC Online|date=23 March 2007|access-date=27 March 2007))</ref>

The first series was nominated for a [[British Academy Television Award]] (BAFTA) in the [[British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series|Best Drama Series]] category. John Simm was also nominated as Best Actor for his work on the show.<ref name="baftanom">((Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6543947.stm|title=Bafta TV Awards 2007: The nominees|publisher=BBC Onlinedate=2007-04-11|access-date=11 April 2007))</ref> The programme won the audience-voted "Pioneer Award".<ref name="baftawinners2007">((cite news |title=Victoria Wood scoops Bafta double |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6670797.stm |access-date=20 May 2007 |date=20 May 2007))</ref>

In October 2007, series two was nominated as the Most Popular Drama at the 2007 [[National Television Awards]].<ref name="ntanodsannounced">((cite news |title=Doctor Who tops awards shortlist |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7045208.stm |date=15 October 2007))</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="width:99%;"
|-
! scope="col"| Year
! scope="col"| Award
! scope="col"| Category
! scope="col" style="width:35%;"| Nominee(s)
! scope="col"| Result
! scope="col" class="unsortable"| ((Abbr|Ref.|Reference))
|-
|rowspan="4"| 2006
| [[Banff Television Festival]]
| Continuing Series
|rowspan="3"| ''Life on Mars''
| ((won))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>((cite web |title=Banff Television Festival (2006) |url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000079/2006/1/ |website=IMDb |access-date=6 January 2019))</ref>
|-
| [[International Emmy Awards]]
| Best Drama Series
| ((won))
| style="text-align:center;"| <ref name="emmy" />
|-
| [[TV Choice|TV Quick and Choice Awards]]
| Best New Drama
| ((nom))
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref>((cite web |title=TV Quick Awards, UK (2006) |url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000740/2006/1 |website=IMDb))</ref>
|-
| [[Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards]]
| Visual Effects - Picture Enhancement
| Jet Omoshebi, Pepper Post Production
| ((won))
| style="text-align:center;"| <ref>((cite web|url=https://rts.org.uk/award/rts-craft-and-design-winners-2006|title=CRAFT & DESIGN AWARDS 2006|website=[[Royal Television Society]]|date=24 January 2011 |accessdate=10 February 2023))</ref>
|-
| rowspan="29"| 2007
| [[Broadcast magazine|Broadcast Magazine Awards]]
| Best New Programme
| rowspan="2"| ''Life on Mars''
| ((won))
|style="text-align:center;"| <ref name="broadcastwin" />
|-
|rowspan="4"| [[Broadcasting Press Guild Awards]]
| Best Drama Series
| ((won))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="bpg" />
|-
|rowspan ="2"| Best Actor in a Drama Series
| [[John Simm]]
| ((nominated))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="bpgnoms2007">((cite news |title=Life on Mars leads TV nominations |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6405081.stm |access-date=6 January 2019 |date=1 March 2007))</ref>
|-
| [[Philip Glenister]]
| ((nominated))
|style="text-align:center;"| <ref name="bpgnoms2007" />
|-
| Writer's Award
| [[Matthew Graham]], [[Tony Jordan]], [[Ashley Pharoah]]
| ((won))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="bpg" />
|-
|rowspan="3"| [[British Academy Television Awards|BAFTA Television Awards]]
| [[British Academy Television Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| John Simm
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="baftanom" />
|-
| [[British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series|Best Drama Series]]
|rowspan="2"| ''Life on Mars''
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="baftanom" />
|-
| Pioneer Award
| ((won))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="baftawinners2007" />
|-
|rowspan="5"| [[British Academy Television Craft Awards|BAFTA Television Craft Awards]]
| Best Director
| [[Bharat Nalluri]] for ''[[Life on Mars, Series one, Episode one|Episode 1]]''
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="director2007bafta">((cite news |title=2007 Television Craft Director BAFTA Awards |url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2007/tvcraft/director |access-date=6 January 2019 |work=awards.bafta.org))</ref>
|-
| Best Editing : Fiction/Entertainment
| [[Barney Pilling]]
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="editing2007bafta">((cite news |title=2007 Television Craft Editing - Fiction/Entertainment BAFTA Awards |url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2007/tvcraft/editing-fiction-entertainment |access-date=6 January 2019 |work=awards.bafta.org))</ref>
|-
| Best Production Design
| Bryan Sykes
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="bestproductiondesign2007bafta">((cite news |title=2007 Television Craft Production Design BAFTA Awards |url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2007/tvcraft/production-design |work=awards.bafta.org))</ref>
|-
| Best Sound – Fiction/Entertainment
| ''Life on Mars'' Team
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="BaftaCraftsound2007">((cite web |title=2007 Television Craft Sound - Fiction/Entertainment BAFTA Awards |url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2007/tvcraft/sound-fiction-entertainment |website=awards.bafta.org |access-date=6 January 2019))</ref>
|-
| Best Writer
|rowspan ="2"| [[Matthew Graham]] for ''[[Life on Mars, Series one, Episode one|Episode 1]]''
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="BAFTAcraft2007bestwriter">((cite web |title=2007 Television Craft Writer BAFTA Awards |url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2007/tvcraft/writer |website=awards.bafta.org |access-date=6 January 2019))</ref>
|-
| [[Edgar Allan Poe Award]]
| Best Television Episode Screenplay
| ((won))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>((Cite web|url=http://www.theedgars.com/nominees.html|title=Edgar Award Nominees|website=www.theedgars.com|access-date=6 January 2019|archive-date=7 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307172053/http://www.theedgars.com/nominees.html|url-status=dead))</ref>
|-
|rowspan ="6"| [[Monte-Carlo Television Festival]]
| Best Drama Series
| ''Life on Mars''
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>((cite news   |title=Monte Carlo TV festival nominees |url=https://variety.com/2007/scene/markets-festivals/monte-carlo-tv-festival-nominees-1117966523/ |work=Variety |date=8 June 2007 |language=en))</ref>
|-
|rowspan ="4"| Best Outstanding Actor – Drama Series
| [[Dean Andrews]]
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="montecarlo2007winners">((cite web |title=Monte-Carlo TV Festival (2007) |url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000446/2007/1 |website=IMDb))</ref>
|-
| Philip Glenister
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="montecarlo2007winners" />
|-
| [[Marshall Lancaster]]
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="montecarlo2007winners" />
|-
| John Simm
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="montecarlo2007winners" />
|-
| Best Outstanding Actress – Drama Series
| [[Liz White (actress)|Liz White]]
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="montecarlo2007winners" />
|-
| [[National Television Awards]]
| Most Popular Drama Series
|rowspan="2"| ''Life on Mars''
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="ntanodsannounced" />
|-
|rowspan ="2"| [[Royal Television Society Programme Awards|Royal Television Society Awards]]
| Best Drama Series
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="rtsnoms2007">((cite news |title=Dame Helen leads TV nominations |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6401207.stm |access-date=6 January 2019 |date=27 February 2007))</ref>
|-
| Best Actor - Male
| Philip Glenister
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"| <ref name="rtsnoms2007" />
|-
| [[Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards]]
| Production Design - Drama
| Matt Gant, Brian Sykes
| ((nom))
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref>((cite web|url=https://rts.org.uk/award/rts-craft-and-design-winners-2007|title=CRAFT & DESIGN AWARDS 2007|website=[[Royal Television Society]]|date=24 January 2011 |accessdate=15 February 2023))</ref>
|-
| [[Saturn Awards]]
| [[Saturn Award for Best Television Presentation|Best Television Presentation]]
|rowspan="3"| ''Life on Mars''
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>((cite web |title=Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA (2007) |url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000004/2007/1 |website=IMDb))</ref>
|-
| [[SFX Awards]]
| Best TV Show
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>((cite web |title=SFX Awards, UK (2007) |url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000604/2007/1 |website=IMDb))</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"| [[TV Choice|TV Quick and Choice Awards]]
| Best Loved Drama
| ((nom))
|rowspan="2"|<ref>((cite web |title=TV Quick Awards, UK (2007) |url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000740/2007/1 |website=IMDb))</ref><ref>((cite news |last1=Deans |first1=Jason |title=Coronation Street leads ITV success at TV Quick and TV Choice awards |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/sep/04/television |work=The Guardian |date=4 September 2007))</ref>
|-
| Best Actor
| Philip Glenister
| ((nom))
|-
| [[Writers' Guild of Great Britain|Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards]]
| Best Soap/Series (TV)
| ''Life on Mars''
| ((nom))
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>((cite news |title=Writers' Guild Awards 2007 |url=https://writersguild.org.uk/writers-guild-awards-2007/ |work=Writers' Guild of Great Britain))</ref><ref>((cite web |title=Writers' Guild of Great Britain (2007) |url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000712/2007/1 |website=IMDb |access-date=6 January 2019))</ref>
|}

==Home media==
=== DVD ===
{|Class="wikitable"
|-
!DVD release name
!Episodes
!Years of Series
!UK Release Date
(Region 2)
!North American Release Date
(Region 1)
!Australian Release Date
(Region 4)
|-
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"| ''Life on Mars: Series 1''
| style="text-align:center;"|1—8
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|2006
| style="text-align:center;"|15 May 2006<ref>((Cite web|title=Life On Mars : Complete BBC Series 1 [2006] [DVD]|url=https://Amazon.Co.UK/dp/B000E9X0A4|publisher=[[Amazon.co.uk]]|access-date=10 September 2011))</ref><br /><small>Re-released 28 February 2011<ref>((Cite web|title=Life on Mars Series 1 [DVD]|url=https://Amazon.Co.UK/dp/B004K0DY4U|publisher=[[Amazon.co.uk]]|access-date=10 September 2011))</ref></small>
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|28 July 2009<ref>((Cite web|title=Life On Mars: The Complete First Series (U.K.) (2005)|website=Amazon |date=28 July 2009 |url=https://Amazon.Com/dp/B001V7YZHU|access-date=10 September 2011))</ref>
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|3 December 2009<ref>((Cite web|title=Life On Mars (2006) — Series 1 (4 Disc Set) (New Packaging)|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/life-on-mars-2006-series-1-4-disc-set-new-packaging/dp/812259|publisher=[[ezydvd.com.au]]|access-date=10 September 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111225125340/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/life-on-mars-2006-series-1-4-disc-set-new-packaging/dp/812259|archive-date=25 December 2011))</ref>
|-
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"| ''Life on Mars: Series 2''
| style="text-align:center;"|9—16
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|2007
| style="text-align:center;"|16 April 2007<ref>((Cite web|title=Life on Mars : Complete BBC Series 2 [2007] [DVD]|url=https://Amazon.Co.UK/dp/B000JIH6SM|publisher=[[Amazon.co.uk]]|access-date=10 September 2011))</ref><br /><small>Re-released 28 February 2011<ref>((Cite web|title=Life on Mars Series 2 [DVD]|url=https://Amazon.Co.UK/dp/B004K0DY36|publisher=[[Amazon.co.uk]]|access-date=10 September 2011))</ref></small>
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|24 November 2009<ref>((Cite web|title=Life on Mars: The Complete Second Series (2006)|website=Amazon |date=24 November 2009 |url=https://Amazon.Com/dp/B002AS45NI|access-date=10 September 2011))</ref>
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|5 November 2009<ref>((Cite web|title=Life On Mars (2006) — Series 2 (4 Disc Set) (New Packaging)|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/life-on-mars-2006-series-2-4-disc-set-new-packaging/dp/809872|publisher=[[ezydvd.com.au]]|access-date=10 September 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111225114804/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/life-on-mars-2006-series-2-4-disc-set-new-packaging/dp/809872|archive-date=25 December 2011))</ref>
|-
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"| ''Life on Mars: Series 1 & 2''
| style="text-align:center;"|1—16
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|2006—2007
| style="text-align:center;"|10 September 2007<ref>((Cite web|title=Life on Mars : Complete BBC Series 1 & 2 (8 Disc Box Set) [2006] [DVD]|url=https://Amazon.Co.UK/dp/B000LPQDBO|publisher=[[Amazon.co.uk]]|access-date=10 September 2011))</ref><br /><small>Re-released 28 February 2011<ref>((cite web|title=Life on Mars Complete Boxset Series 1 & 2 [DVD] [2006]|url=https://Amazon.Co.UK/dp/B004K6PINY|publisher=[[Amazon.co.uk]]|access-date=10 September 2011))</ref></small>
|((n/a))
|((n/a))
|}

=== Blu-ray ===
{|Class="wikitable"
|-
!Blu-ray release name
!Episodes
!Years of Series
!UK Release Date
(Region B)
!North American Release Date
(Region A)
!Australian Release Date
(Region B)
|-
|align=center |''Life on Mars: Series 1''
|align=center |1–8
|align=center |2006
|align=center |27 October 2008<ref>((Cite web|url=https://Amazon.Co.UK/dp/B001CK02OQ|title=Life On Mars — Series 1 — Complete [Blu-ray] [2006]|publisher=Amazon.co.uk.com|access-date=10 September 2011))</ref>
|((n/a))
|((n/a))
|-
|align=center |''Life on Mars: Series 2''
|align=center |9–16
|align=center |2007
|align=center |27 October 2008<ref>((Cite web|url=https://Amazon.Co.UK/dp/B001CK02PA|title=Life On Mars — Series 2 — Complete [Blu-ray] [2007]|publisher=wikipedia.co.uk/com12121212|access-date=10 September 2011))</ref>
|((n/a))
|((n/a))
|}
* Note: Due to the popularity of the show, Blu-ray editions of both series were released on 27 October 2008. However, since the show's various effects were originally edited and mastered in [[Standard-definition television|standard definition]], a true HD version would require a near-total overhaul. The Blu-ray editions therefore contained studio-upscaled footage of the original SD content, providing some improvement. This pseudo-HD version is not known to have been broadcast on television.

== Books ==

=== Companion books ===
There have been 2 official tie-in books to accompany the series featuring episode summaries, cast and character profiles, music listings to each show, script extracts, plus behind-the-scenes content and never before seen photos.
* ((cite book |last=Thompson |first=Lee |date=2006|title=Life on Mars: The Official Companion|publisher=Pocket Books Publishers |isbn=978-1-84739-005-9 ))
* ((cite book |last1=Adams |first1=Guy | last2=Thompson |first2=Lee|date=2007|title=Life on Mars: The Official Companion Volume Two|publisher=Pocket Books Publishers |isbn=978-1-84739-039-4 ))

=== Humour ===
* '''''The Rules of Modern Policing'' (1973 Edition) by "DCI Gene Hunt"''' ([[Bantam Press]]) [8 October 2007]
A parody of a police manual that made fun of the conventions of 1970s British police procedurals like ''[[The Sweeney]]''. It also contained a glossary of British 1970s slang terms. The actual author of the text is Guy Adams.
* '''''The Wit and Wisdom of Gene Hunt''''' by "DC Chris Skelton and DS Ray Carling" (again, Guy Adams) (Bantam Press)
A book detailing the philosophy of Gene Hunt as told by his disciples.

=== Novels ===
((Unreferenced section|date=June 2021))
On 12 March 2012, Kate Bradley, Commissioning Editor at [[HarperCollins]], secured a deal with Kudos Film and Television to publish four brand new ''Life on Mars'' novels. The ''Life on Mars'' books were published exclusively as [[eBooks]] at roughly three-month intervals, but were successful enough to generate the release of [[hard copy]], [[trade paperbacks]] in August 2013. The author of the series is Tom Graham, Matthew Graham's brother. (Despite earlier speculation that the brother identity was a pseudonym for another writer—based on a preponderance of misleading evidence that turned out to consist of improbably high coincidence—the by-line, and the familial relationship, are absolutely authentic.)

Content-wise, the novels begin to explore the continuity gap between ''Life on Mars'' and ''Ashes to Ashes'', picking up approximately where the first TV series leaves off; but it is not necessary to know both series to enjoy the books. Said Tom Graham in a pre-publication interview: "…I made a very conscious decision to move on from the show, not to tinker or play around with pre-existing story lines. There is more than enough new and unused material for my books without me going back and plundering previous episodes. Also (and this is one of the realities of publishing) my books had to in some way stand apart from the show and be accessible to readers who only vaguely remember ''Life on Mars'' but haven't seen it since it was first aired. There were times I felt like Peter Jackson making ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' Trilogy – like him, I have to appeal to the hard core fan, the semi-fan, the part-time fan, and the casual passing punter who's never even heard of the thing. Unlike Jackson, I didn't have a half a billion dollars budget riding on it, but the principle's the same. So, I have very deliberately written books that recall the TV show, jog memories of characters and events from the show, recreate the atmosphere and ethos of the show, but don't require an in-depth knowledge of minor characters and plot points. We don't (yet) plunge into the finer details of the LoM mythology that would mystify the general reader, but if further books are commissioned, there will be plenty of room to get stuck into the minutiae!"

Though each book can stand on its own, the four are best read as a tetralogy, in order of listing below, as there is a superstructure linking them together. They are:
* ((cite book |last=Graham |first=Tom |date=2012|title=Blood, Bullets and Blue Stratos|publisher=HarperCollins Publishers |isbn=978-0-00-747257-4 ))
* ((cite book |last=Graham |first=Tom |date=2012|title=A Fistful of Knuckles|publisher=HarperCollins Publishers |isbn=978-0-00-747258-1 ))
* ((cite book |last=Graham |first=Tom |date=2012|title=Borstal Slags|publisher=HarperCollins Publishers |isbn=978-0-00-747259-8 ))
* ((cite book |last=Graham |first=Tom |date=2013|title=Get Cartwright|publisher=HarperCollins Publishers |isbn=978-0-00-747260-4 ))
(Each of the book titles is a play on a pop culture phrase or film title that is of, or relevant to, the '70s, those being ''[[Blood, Bullets and Babes]]'', ''[[A Fistful of Dollars]]'', ''[[Borstal Boy]]'' and ''[[Get Carter]]'').

==In popular culture==
*''[[Not Going Out]]'' - "Life on Mars Bars", Lee has a similar experience to Sam Tyler. Lee is hit by a car whilst the song "Life on Mars" plays and finds out he is in a coma.<ref>((cite web |title=Not Going Out - Life On Mars Bars |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00yk37s |publisher=[[BBC Online]] |access-date=23 January 2021))</ref>
*''[[The Catherine Tate Show]]'' - [[List of The Catherine Tate Show characters and sketches#Ma Willow - Life at Ma's|Life at Ma's]] sketches with [[Tom Ellis (actor)|Tom Ellis]] as Sam Speed, a modern-day policeman who, after an accident, finds himself back in time and struggling to cope with outdated attitudes.

==Sequels==
A sequel television series, ''[[Ashes to Ashes (British TV series)|Ashes to Ashes]]'', was broadcast between 2008 and 2010. ''Ashes to Ashes'' is set in 1980s London, with DI [[Alex Drake (Ashes to Ashes)|Alex Drake]] being transported from the modern day and meeting Gene Hunt and his colleagues. Simm did not appear in the sequel series.<ref>((Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/5476451/Final-series-of-Ashes-to-Ashes-will-reveal-all-about-Gene-Hunt.html|title=Final series of Ashes to Ashes will 'reveal all' about Gene Hunt|date=8 June 2009|work=The Telegraph|access-date=8 June 2009|location=London|url-access=subscription))</ref>

An attempt at reviving the series was made with a [[Christmas special]] set in the 1970s, but it was passed on by the BBC in 2018 for financial reasons.<ref name="Guardian"/>

In April 2020, creator Matthew Graham tweeted that a third series was planned. Set in Manchester and London during the 1970s and 1980s, the series was planned to consist of four or five episodes<ref name="Guardian">((Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/apr/03/life-on-mars-creator-third-final-series-in-works-bbc|title=Life on Mars creator confirms third and final series is in the works|date=3 April 2020|work=The Guardian|access-date=4 April 2020|location=London))</ref> and was titled ''Lazarus'', once again after the name of [[Lazarus (David Bowie song)|a David Bowie song]].<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/life-on-mars-sequel-lazarus-newsupdate/|first=David|last=Craig|publisher=[[Radio Times]]|title=Life on Mars creators confirm Lazarus sequel pilot script is written|date=4 May 2022|access-date=4 June 2023))</ref> Simm confirmed in January 2022 that he was involved, reprising his role as Sam Tyler along with Philip Glenister as Gene Hunt.<ref>((cite web |last1=Klein |first1=Brennan |title=Life on Mars Sequel Lazarus Teased By Original BBC Stars |url=https://screenrant.com/life-mars-sequel-lazarus-bbc-development-updates/ |website=ScreenRant |date=23 January 2022 |access-date=7 February 2022))</ref> It was confirmed in June 2023 that the series had been cancelled for financial reasons.<ref>((cite web|title=Life on Mars creators confirm revival series Lazarus has been scrapped|first=David|last=Craig|publisher=[[Radio Times]]|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/life-on-mars-sequel-lazarus-cancelled-newsupdate/|date=4 June 2023|access-date=4 June 2023))</ref>

A live table reading of the pilot script took place on Sunday, November 19, 2023 at [[BFI Southbank]], brought to life by the BFI Players. It was accompanied by a Q and A with co-writer Ashley Pharoah.<ref>((Cite web |title=Buy cinema tickets for Lazarus Table Reading ((!)) BFI Southbank |url=https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/Online//default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=lazarustablereading2023&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id= |access-date=2023-10-10 |website=BFI site |language=en))</ref> It was met with a positive reception, one fan having travelled all the way from [[Massachusetts]], New England, to be there.

==References==
((Reflist|30em))

==External links==
((wikiquote|Life on Mars (British TV series)))
((commons category|Life on Mars (UK TV series)))
* ((BBC programme))
* ((IMDb title|id=0478942|title=Life on Mars))
* ((Epguides|LifeonMars))
* [http://www.anorakzone.com/lifeonmarsrank1.html Episode reviews of the series at The Anorak Zone]
((InternationalEmmyAward DramaSeries))
((Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes))

[[Category:2000s British crime drama television series]]
[[Category:2000s British mystery television series]]
[[Category:2000s British police procedural television series]]
[[Category:2000s British science fiction television series]]
[[Category:2006 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:2007 British television series endings]]
[[Category:BBC Cymru Wales television shows]]
[[Category:BBC television dramas]]
[[Category:British supernatural television shows]]
[[Category:British time travel television series]]
[[Category:British English-language television shows]]
[[Category:International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series winners]]
[[Category:Life on Mars (franchise)]]
[[Category:Television series set in 1973]]
[[Category:Television series set in 2006]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Manchester]]
[[Category:Television shows shot in Leeds]]
[[Category:Television shows shot in Manchester]]
[[Category:Television series by Banijay]]

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