Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes

[Spitfire]

Just managed to get my hands on "Life on Mars" seasons 1&2 plus "Ashes to Ashes" seasons 1 To 3.

Brilliant!

I know for the UK guys/gals it must be a couple of years old now and seems like old news, maybe 06-08 etc but it's very funny.

Completely recommend it to all, as un-PC as it comes but does it in a very funny way so gets away with it.

It's about a DCI policeman/woman that has an accident in the now (2007 etc) but wakes up in the 1970s/80s and tries to get back to the future. He/she has to be a slightly lower ranked policeman in those 70s/80s times and get on with the way things were done then, funniest thing I've watched for a long time.

You guys in the UK.....I heard it was pretty popular, what do you think?

Anyone else, if you get on Rapidshare and are bored then give it a whirl, won't be disappointed.

Couple of YouTube clips for you...............



and................

[caller]

What the hell is that 1st clip SF???

[Spitfire]

Hmmm......No idea actually Caller, you're right. Was a bit spliced last night when I posted that and had about 4 or 5 tabs with YouTube clips downloading and I seem to have posted the wrong one. Having watched that one this morning then I'm confused too, wrong guy, not John Sims. Maybe it's a very old clip from the pilot examples or some other candidate for the role before they finally decided on Sims and has made it into the light of the day, didn't think the Beeb would allow that. Unless it's just someone dicking around on Youtube.

Either of these two would have been better...........and is the first 10 minutes of the first episode, second one is the second 10 minutes of the first episode, sets the scene well and at end of the first section he has his accident, start of the second one he's awake in 1973.






You can actually watch/download the whole series on/from YouTube by the looks of it. The BBC does still make some decent stuff and this is great. The 70s and 80s police are hilarious and the music just makes it, funny how it used to be back then.

[PeteC]

The first clip is what is being shown from time to time here in Thailand on UBC/True, AXN or AXNB channel. Pete

EDIT: The other clips clearly state "(UK)" series so seems the may have licensed it to ABC in the States. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_on_Ma ... _series%29

[Spitfire]

This is a good quotes example from the second series (Ashes to Ashes) regarding the policemen of the time (1981) that she has to deal with. You'd never get away with any of this these days, unless, like this, it's a piss-take.

Love the one about "Auto-erotic asphyxiation" at 0:54, very funny. Bet the PC brigade had fit at some of this.

[Spitfire]

Hey SM67, where are you when we need you?

Give us a review, this one should be right up your street.

[sandman67]

Nothing really to add made....it truly is a classic. Plays with old cliches from THE SWEENY....Gene is a direct lift of Jack Regan, the archetypal 20 guv a day copper who likes his beer n birds and rubies (thats a curry from our non copper-cockney speakers). Reminds me of some of my favorite work colleagues from days gone by. The culture clashes between him and the lad from the 2010 force are hilarious and very close to the knuckle.

This is how it was when coppers where still loved by most, despite being bent and brutal, and the young lad learns that sitting in cars wearing body armour and coming on all PC robo cop maybe isnt the best way to deal with joe public and keep the peace. A smile, a backhander and an occasional kicking get the job done better.

They remade it with a US spin for the US audiences as I think it wont work for most US viewers, especially ones who havent grown up with THE SWEENY, DICKSON OF DOCK GREEN, Z CARS, THE PROFESSIONALS etc. I dont know what the US version is like, but I bet its as much fun....probably plays with HILL STREET BLUES tropes.

I love it....clever, funny, and very very smart. Well acted, excellent scripts and keeps you glued to the screen. A definite BBC classic.

Available for download on www.stagevu.com

Get at it you slags...you know you want it!

[Vital Spark]

Agree with you totally Spitfire and SM - an absolute classic, and a 'must see'.

When we went back to the UK 6 years ago a friend was talking about it. He said he had the same curtains in his bedroom as Sam (the main character). Well we just had to find out what the heck he was talking about - it's flippin' fantastic, and the soundtrack is superb.

I didn't feel that Ashes to Ashes (like most sequels) had quite the same pzazz as Life on Mars, but still well worth watching.

VS

[moja]

Worth watching for the music alone. I do agree with VS Ashes to Ashes was not quite as good but still worth watching.

[hhfarang]

I watched the first season of Life on Mars a while back on TrueVisions AXNB channel. Loved it and still waiting for the second season to start.

[reallex]

Great show. There's an american remake aswell, but I haven't bothered with that. Might be worth watching, but seeing the difference in the show the Office, I doubt it.

Not to say I don't like american shows, one that I've recently seen the first season of was Modern Family, with our good friend from Married with children.

[BaaBaa.]

Great show. There's an american remake aswell, but I haven't bothered with that. Might be worth watching, but seeing the difference in the show the Office, I doubt it.

I'm not sure, Ricky Gervais "The Office" is an all time classic IMO but the American version kind of developed into a half decent comedy.

It doesn't come near "our" The Office but it's not bad it's own right.


By the way..........................The Wire. It's the best TV show of all time. Please watch it.

[reallex]

By the way..........................The Wire. It's the best TV show of all time. Please watch it.

[/quote]

Ow yes, The Wire, very very good.