One of ‘the greatest British TV shows ever made’ is now streaming on Amazon Prime

Television programme : LIFE ON MARS. Picture shows: D.C.I. Gene Hunt (PHILIP GLENISTER) and D.I. Sam Tyler (JOHN SIMM). TX: BBC One Tuesday 13th March 2007. WARNING: Use of this copyright image is subject to Terms of Use of the Digital Picture Service. In particular, this image may only be used during the publicity period for the purpose of publicising LIFE ON MARS and provided that KUDOS are credited. Any use of this image on the internet or for any other purpose whatsoever, including advertising and other commercial uses, requires the prior written approval of the KUDOS.
Is their life on Maaaaaaaars!? (Picture: KUDOS/BBC)

Crack out your bell-bottoms and fire up the Ford Cortina because one of the best British shows ever made is now streaming on Amazon Prime.

What’s the TV series in question? Well, it’s Life on Mars, of course!

This sensational series follows Sam Turner (John Simm), a cop in Manchester who, after a car accident, finds himself thrown back in time to 1973.

As Sam struggles to make sense of his new surroundings, he must work out if he’s dead, in a coma, or really time-travelled.

Still, the real drama comes from Sam’s complicated relationship with his new commanding officer, the irascible DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister).

Can Sam get back home? Well, you’ll have to watch to find out.

TELEVISION PROGRAMMES: 'LIFE ON MARS'. Picture shows:- LIZ WHITE as Annie, PHILIP GLENISTER as Gene and JOHN SIMM as Sam BBC ONE: Monday February 6th, 2006 The murder of a football fan results in a clash of methods as Sam(John Simm) and Gene (Philip Glenister) go undercover in a local pub to solve the crime. As Gene looks like he's set to drink the pub dry, Sam worries about their chances of finding the killer before Saturday's big match. And his relationship with the young son of the murdered man brings Sam's memories of his own father flooding back. But with the press using the murder to fuel the flames of hate between rival fans, Sam is under pressure to solve the murder before the tensions destroy the community. WARNING: Use of this copyright image is subject to Terms of Use of Digital icture Service. In particular, this image may only be used during the publicity period for the purpose of publicising 'Life on Mars' and provided the BBC is credited. Any use of this image on the internet or for ay other purpose whatsoever, including advertising and other commercial uses, requires the prior written approval of the BBC.
Sam and Gene made an unlikely double act (Picture: BBC/Kerry Brown)

Created by Matthew Graham, Tony Jordan, and Ashley Pharoah, Life on Mars first aired on BBC One back in 2006 and ran for two seasons.

The show was a smash hit with critics at the time of release, with SFX’s Steve O’Brien declaring that BBC One has a ‘monster hit on its hands’ while The Daily Telegraph’s review called it a ‘thumpingly enjoyable piece of television’.

Both seasons of Life on Mars have 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it’s not just professional critics who enjoyed it.

TELEVISION PROGRAMME: LIFE ON MARS Picture shows: (L to R) D.C. Chris Skelton (MARSHALL LANCASTER), D.I. Sam Tyler (JOHN SIMM), D.C.I. Gene Hunt (PHILIP GLENISTER) and W.P.C Annie Cartwright (LIZ WHITE). TX: BBC One Tuesday 6th March 2007. WARNING: Use of this copyright image is subject to Terms of Use of the Digital Picture Service. In particular, this image may only be used during the publicity period for the purpose of publicising LIFE ON MARS and provided that KUDOS are credited. Any use of this image on the internet or for any other purpose whatsoever, including advertising and other commercial uses, requires the prior written approval of the KUDOS.
Sam had to try and find his way home (Picture: KUDOS/BBC)

On Google, more than a hundred people have given the series a positive write-up.

‘This Drama is simply magnificent! It’s so well written, the casting is superb,’ wrote Steve Bowness.

‘Simply put, “Life On Mars” is one of the greatest and cleverest TV shows EVER produced for British Television,’ added Damian Boyce.

TELEVISION PROGRAMMES:LIFE ON MARS PICTURED: (Clockwise from left) D.C. Glen (RAY EMMETT BROWN), D.C. Ray Carling (DEAN ANDREWS), D.I. Sam Tyler (JOHN SIMM), W.P.C Annie Cartwright (LIZ WHITE) and D.C. Chris Skelton (MARSHALL LANCASTER). TX: BBC One Monday 19th February 2007. WARNING: Use of this copyright image is subject to Terms of Use of the Digital Picture Service. In particular, this image may only be used during the publicity period for the purpose of publicising LIFE ON MARS and provided that KUDOS are credited. Any use of this image on the internet or for any other purpose whatsoever, including advertising and other commercial uses, requires the prior written approval of the KUDOS.
Fans loved the show, which only ran for two seasons (Picture: KUDOS/BBC)

While Scotland Scotland claimed: ‘Oh wow! This is the best British drama I’ve seen in years. Keeps you guessing all the way through.’

Life on Mars didn’t just impress nostalgic UK audiences, either; it managed to scoop the International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series in 2006 and 2008.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, then, the show did get a US remake, which was well reviewed but hampered by an unexpected hiatus and was cancelled after one season.

TELEVISION PROGRAMME. 'LIFE ON MARS'. Picture shows: (L-R) DI Alex Drake (KEELEY HAWES) and DCI Gene Hunt (PHILIP GLENISTER) in a behind-the-scenes moment taken during rehearsals on the set of Ashes to Ashes. TX: BBC1 TBC WARNING: Use of this copyright image is subject to the Terms of Use of the digital Picture Sevice. In particular, this image may only be used during the publicity period for the purpose of publicising ASHES TO ASHES and provided that the programme maker KUDOS is credited. Any use of this image on the internet or for any other purpose whatsoever, including advertising and other commercial uses, requires the prior written approval of KUDOS.
But Ashes to Ashes brought Gene Hunt’s story to a close(Picture: KUDOS/BBC)

Here in the UK, however, the show got a sequel series titled Ashes to Ashes, which followed another cop sent back in time.

Ashes to Ashes told the story of Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes), who was sent back to 1981 after being shot.

Like Sam, Alex found herself working with Gene Hunt but this new show explored a different side of the grumpy DCI.

Despite Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes bringing Gene’s story to an end, there have been whispers of a reboot in recent years.

Supposedly, it was set to be called Lazarus, but funding for the project fell through.

Still, could we see Sam and Gene again one day? It’s more likely than scientists finding life on Mars…

Life on Mars is available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer now.

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