Spoilers for not only Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes, but also US sitcom The Good Place.

So, to massively sum up, in The Good Place, there's a huge problem with heaven, in that everyone is just so happy all the time for eternity that they become numb to everything as it is neverending. The main characters solve this by making it possible for residents of heaven to willingly terminate their existence, meaning that they begin to enjoy heaven again as now there's an ending for them, it becomes finite.

Anyway, after this is resolved, the final episode is just all the characters living out their remaining time before deciding to call it a day and stepping through the magic gate that ends their time. I'd much rather have got this sort of ending in Ashes to Ashes.

It's always felt odd to me that all of CID bar Gene feel that they are ready to leave at the same time, especially Alex who has only just died. Sam and Annie stayed until 1980 before leaving together, and I'd rather have had that sort of ending for the rest of the characters.

I know it's not quite comparable as in LoM/AtA they become unaware that they aren't in the real world and that they can choose to leave, but the collective ending just felt a little rushed and underwhelming. I'd also like to have seen Gene finally accept his death and enter the pub.

I enjoyed it it wasn't as good as the uk version and I didn't like the ending that much and I think they should try again

Hi all. Very new here. Just finished the last episode of Life on Mars like 5 minutes ago😭 Can someone explain the ending? Cuz in all honeslty it’s a big mind boggling to me and it seems to be up for interpretation but I’m not too sure…

(Also some people have mentioned that Ashes to Ashes is like a follow up to Life on Mars. Do I watch that next?)

Hey y'all, just trying to find out if Life on Mars UK has a 1080p release? All I can find from research is that it's in 720p. I know this is a strange query but it would help to know :)

Ashes to Ashes was a unique series and fitted as the ending to what was the Gene Hunt universe, however Life on Mars began and ended on a high, the flashback to reality when Sam was given what should have been an impossible chance at returning to the real world 🌎 (~whatever that means) but chose to return to Gene's world.

I don't know if the script and plans for Lazarus was released and even if it was, I wouldn't read it but as far as I know it would've involved Sam Tyler, Gene Hunt, Ray, Chris and Annie. I could be wrong about that as I haven't tried to look for material after it was dropped by the BBC.

I have a funny feeling inside that it will either be recommissioned under the BBC or more strongly be a Netflix Original series.

In all truth I liked Series 1 of Ashes to Ashes and not the last two but loved Life on Mars throughout so much so that I intend to watch more of John Simm and Phillip Glenister, even though I did watch both since years ago 😄

There was an ITV series I believe where they were in the same show but a series apart from each other which involved policing in the current day. The only downside is that they were typecast, but the industry is a bitch and in Gene's own words "fruit picking sodomite".

Lazarus will come, it has to. Remember the real world and Gene's world advance apart from each other so the continuity that is aging can easily be explained!

By the way, Phillip Glenister does a fantastic Manchester accent, seems so natural, hearing him speak in real life on a true crime series by Sky TV is baffling as he's so well spoken as English Rose RP

That's it really. I can't imagine it is as good, but maybe only because I felt the ending to Life on Mars was pretty perfect. EDIT: Thanks everyone - I'm sold!
Edit again: I binged it. I loved it. It was hard to let it go, but such is life and death.

Mild spoilers for series 2 episode 3

I don't know how many times I've watched this show, now. I think I'm on my second watch of the year, but I've only just noticed why I've never liked S2E3 as much as the others.

I think it's because the beginning is so out of character for Sam. Yes, he knows the history and that there's no IRA activity in the UK in '73, and that the RA doesn't use dynamite, but that doesn't mean that there's definitely no bomb. I just can't see how mister by the book Sam Tyler would be so blasé about a bomb threat, even if he was certain it was a hoax he'd demand that they follow the procedure.

I know TV shows need tension and plot devices and stuff, but I just don't think the character of Sam would act like that.

So between LoM and AtA, I’m confused. I understand Hunt’s purpose and the realm itself but does it affect the future. Sam remembered what he had said to his younger self. He remembered Annie chasing his dad.

Then did Sam actually wake up because AtA seems to make it clear he did, only to commit suicide and I don’t know how I feel about that, is it something to celebrate. Like he killed himself to save people who were already dead.

I’m someone who thinks the idea of remaking shows and movies for different countries is an interesting as fuck idea.

Most people are against the idea of remakes and I do agree they are unnecessary but I think that if a unique story can be told by remaking something and changing its setting then it ok.

For example the Russian version of Life on Mars (known as Dark Side of the Moon) follows a cop from 2012 that ends up in Soviet Moscow in 1979. That’s an interesting AS FUCK concept.

You see a familiar story but with a different culture backdrop and how that culture affects it.

I know America already remade Life on Mars (and it was inferior) had we waited like 20 or 30 years a remake of Life on Mars where the main character ends up in a NYC directly after 9/11 could make for an interesting cultural backdrop.

My point here is that America wasted their chance remaking life on mars and had they waited a long ass time could’ve (and still can) make something significantly more interesting

I don't know about you all, but through the seasons (and through progressively worse hairstyles) my crush on Chris has just intensified. I'm about to start season 3 of A2A so please no spoilers, but unless he does something catastrophically dumb or evil next, I can't see myself ever getting over this 80s twink himbo...

P.S. The actor now works as a plasterer 150 km from where I live. I think I can justify an interior design refresh.

They're making the 35th season of Life On Mars, and they gone WOKE. Instead of Life On Mars it's now called Life On PRONOUNS. Sam Tyler is now Glam Styler. Ray Carling has transitioned into Ray Fosters. DCI Hunt is now DCI Cunt (bc he’s highkey serving). Chris Skelton is now Christina Skelton. Annie Cartwright is now Andrew Cartleft. Vic Tyler is now a drag queen named "Queen Vic”, and yeah she does read books to kids, which is worse than eating and killing them. The police station is now a PC station. Instead of fighting crime they now just serve cunt and tackle discrimination. The 1973 Ford Cortina is now a VW minivan that runs on sunflower oil. All the officers have pronoun pins, and if you miss gender them, they will attack and beat you. But before attacking you, they give you a trigger warning and then they ask you if you have any boundaries around being attacked and beaten. …But do you wanna know the scariest part? Im not talking about 2050. This season comes out TOMORROW 😳😳😱😱

Hey all. As this has been one of my favourite TV shows for years, I've been thinking about getting a tattoo related to it. But I'm struggling for ideas on what to get. My two ideas so far are just a simple "Hyde 2612" or possibly Sam but from Camberwick Green. Anyone got any ideas?

Poll

View Poll

Given what was revealed at the end of Ashes to Ashes about Hunt and the fact we’re fast coming up 20 years since the start of Life on Mars.

Would a 3rd show work? Early/Mid 90s setting with someone from the mid 2020s?

Philip Glenister could return, although leaning into the same premise would be a little repetitive on a third show, maybe it could lean a little more into the fantastical elements?

OK, big spoiler ahead... I read in the imdb trivia that the producers wanted to end the series with >!Sam committing suicide!<, but that BBC didn't want to. However, that's what I saw when watching it on Britbox. Is there an alternate ending?

I really wanna do a rock and roll au so what person would have what Instrument?

Just watching Ashes to Ashes and the scenes with Alex and her mum make me cringe so much I don’t know what it is 😂. I understand why she’s like that and I don’t think the scenes are bad just awkward (as intended). Same goes for life on mars

What's next if I see more these characters what happened with the third show?

Just making a post because I’m rewatching both series just finished life on mars and started Ashes to Ashes, and got the soundtrack is incredible. Don’t get me wrong the life on mars one is great too but Ashes to Ashes makes me feel like I’m in 1981 I’m only 2 episodes in and I can’t get over how good it is. I didn’t appreciate it properly on my first watch.

Just wondering why they all forgave him after he betrayed them?