LifeOnMars.TV is a fan-blog dedicated to all things, Life On Mars. It covers the original BBC series LifeOnMars, its spin-off AshesToAshes and David E Kelley's up-coming US Remake. The blog also covers general news about casting, merchandise, fanclubs, websites and other related news.

Friday, July 27, 2007

Two Thirds of 100 Posts Bonanza . . . .

Yes Martians I have taken up the challenge. The challenge to bring you the most ridiculous post title of all time. Have I won any medals? No? Well you can invent one for me, if you like. Alright stupidity aside, I have some long over due news today on the US Remake / Re-Imagining (wank-word of the century). After a virtual drought on information about this David E Kelly re-interpretation finally some casting news on the show.

TV.com reports that casting has now occurred for the male and female leads for the show. Previously I had reported to you the casting of Rachelle LeFevre as Annie Cartwright, and then the show was stalled because of the "pilot season" in the US. The producers stalled the casting with the hope of picking up "prime" actors, after all the new shows had been sorted out. That must have now occurred as the site (TV.com) reports on Jason O'Mara on being cast as the US version of our time-travelling hero, Sam Tyler.

Jason is no stranger to playing UK policeman having had a stint on The Bill as DCI Pallister. As the show is a re-write though, the character of Sam will be a US policeman, or will he? That was strange of me to write wasn't it? Well I have good reason, Jason is actually from the UK Himself. Ireland to be precise, and has played with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Could it be that the US Sam is still from Hyde, but just wakes up in the US? We can only speculate at this stage, but more as it comes to hand. The question now remains on who will take the role of Gene Hunt, played by Philip Glenister in the original BBC version.

Now back to the stupid title of the post. I called it this because its the 67th posting here on the site, and as regular visitors to this site would know I am a bit different. After all I celebrated the 42nd post as well, didn't I? This post has another landmark to celebrate, the 10,000th visitor. Was it you? If it was I'm sorry, I don't have any prizes. As per usual, please feel free to comment on the post via the link bellow. 'Til next time Martians peace, and who will be the US Gene-Genie?




Cyberman

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

The Post That Got Stalled, But Couldn't Wait Any Longer . . . .

Well that has to be the longest title for a post so far, but there is method to the madness. From the title of this post, its blatantly obvious I have had some news to report but have been holding back on it. The reason I have been doing this, is because I was hoping to tell you something additional to what I am about to write. That was site surpassing 10,000 visitors, but as you can see by the counter in links tab it still has a few more visits to go. Any way the news.

First up I would like to report that everyones favourite DCI (Philip Glenister) finally now has his own official site Philip Glenister.com. Phil's new site offers fans pretty much everything they would want to know, and somethings they wouldn't (just joking) want to know about our man Phil. This includes a bio, news section, contact details for if you'd like him in your next movie, tv series or even for voice-over work. On top of all this, it also contains some quite exceptional stills of Phil at work on his various different roles and in the future also promises video as well. The site also finally gives out the start date on filming for Ashes To Ashes, More about that over at AshesToAshes.TV, LifeOnMars.tv's sister site.

Three cheers for Phil, and make his a brandy to go. I am certain no one will be happier about this than the lovely girls over at Philip Glenister Index, which is currently going through a site re-design. If you haven't visited Philip Glenister Index before, it is well worth your while. Although it now has competition with the official site, PGI is possibly one of the most brilliant and well researched sites on all things Phil. The administrators there Fran and Paula, also have a great forum there where you chat about Phil as well.

I have also received news about the Life On Mars (RP) Site from its administrator "Sam", yes Sam Tyler! Well that's what he calls himself, is back up and ready for your participation. I unfortunately don't get to spend a lot of time there personally, but when I do I'm Nelson. Most of the main characters have already been taken, but hey its all just fun any way. I wonder if anyone has signed up as Alex Drake yet?

On the merchandise front, still no details on the complete series box set but I am sure this will change soon. Contenders' marketing department have advised me that when they know something, they will pass it on to me. Thanks guys, always nice to be able to offer exclusive news. I have also news to report that Hot Animation's brand new website has finally launched as well, after a few set backs. I say this because they initially announced a date last month, which for some reason or other didn't happen. Oh well all of us hit snags in business for some reason at some stage. If you don't remember Hot Animation were the team responsible for the Camberwick Green sequence, featured in the Season Two promos as well as Episode 5 of Season Two. They are also known for their world wide hit series "Bob The Builder", ok so you aren't 5 years old but you should still have heard of it.

With the broadcast of LOM Season One finally completed in Australia, the next thing you would expect the Australian media to jump on would be Season Two. Wouldn't it? Well instead of that "The Green Guide" (TV Lift out from The Age newspaper), jumps straight to Ashes To Ashes. Bridget McManus (no relation to Channel 10 TV show host Rove McManus) reports the following in her weekly column "Networking".

"Life On Mars Continues

Fans of UK crime series Life On Mars can look forward to its sequel, which has a title continuing the David Bowie theme, Ashes To Ashes. Starring Spooks' Keeley Hawes as a DCI nick-named "Posh Knickers", the sequel is set in 1981. It is unlikely that the new series will air here this year. Neither will the next series of Spooks, which is quietly gathering dust in the ABC's programming cupboard."

Well Bridget you would be correct Ashes To Ashes will not air in Australia, until at least Season Two of Life On Mars is shown here. Also Bridget it needs to have been filmed first as well, or perhaps you've discovered how to travel through time yourself. Please don't tell Keeley the secrets if you have, otherwise A2A will be a one episode series. Don't you just love sarcasm?

Finally you may have noticed several minor changes to this site, itself. If you haven't, one of them was staring you in the face when you opened the page. That one is the amount of time this site has been online for, and as of yesterday has just passed 200 days. Quite good for a fan blog really, another change is the cbox is now a pop-up. The cbox change has its advantages too, the main one being that you can still have it open and go to other sites.

Well that was a truly mammoth posting, I hope you all enjoyed it. 'Til next time Martians peace, and if you are an Australian media critic don't state the obvious its not news.




Cyberman

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Bits and Pieces

Greetings Martians, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is John Simm (Sam Tyler) has not been told his Doctor Who appearances have finished, by Russell T Davies or the BBC. The bad news is John, dispelled all rumours last week on the Richard and Judy show that he would be appearing in Life On Mars's spin-off, Ashes To Ashes.

Probably the only person happy to hear this, would be Ashes To Ashes recently cast female lead Keeley Hawes. She'd only be happy for the reason that she doesn't have to share the spotlight now, with anyone other than Philip Glenister (Gene Hunt). Oh well, John had his show, now Keeley is getting hers. John also discussed his latest stage play with co-star Adrian Bower, to the two hosts.

Well Martians, at least we have some clarity now. Next up I wish to report, I am now writing for yet another blog. John Simm PR has asked me to contribute to the site, which I have already commenced doing. If you are interested in watching the John (Richard & Judy) interview, the site has video for you there. So that brings my total web presence up to seven. Four blogger sites of my own, two I contribute for and a website. Sounds like I'm reciting the 12 days of Christmas, oh well.

In addition to my new site I'm contributing for, you may well have noticed quite a few changes to my sites lately. The most obvious I suppose being the clocks, and yes people the time is correct to where I am situated so need to keep asking. Besides the clocks above the chatboxes on LOM.tv and A2A.tv, I have included a retro arcade game on each site. LOM.tv has PONG, yes not very exciting but then again neither was 1973 no major game release came out that year. PONG was actually written in 1972, but I am sure Sam played it out the back of the Railway Arms in 1973. maybe this will come up as a deleted scene in the definitive box set arriving later in the year. A2A.tv has Donkey Kong the Nintendo favourite from 1981, so there is method to the madness.

Any way that's basically it for the moment. The picture below of John was the artwork for a movie he did in 1999 called Human Traffic (about the rave scene in Cardiff). I as well as the sites creator Bad Wolf, will be doing a critique on the 2 versions of the film available, Human Traffic & Human Traffic Remixed over at John Simm PR. 'Til next time Martians peace, until Mrs Hunt and Alex Drake go to war.

John Simm in Human Traffic




Cyberman

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Alex Drake sorted!

Back again Martians, earlier than expected. For the last couple of months the BBC has left the public puzzled, since the final episode of Life On Mars. When the show finished, fans were left with the questions "Will Sam Tyler be in Ashes To Ashes?", and "Who is Alex Drake?". The later has finally been answered, with casting confirmation coming in this week, via a BBC press release.

LifeOnmars.TV was originally tipped off about this by "Paul: Earth Defence", a fellow blogger and regular visitor to the site. Thanks Paul. You can find the full story over at LifeOnMars.TV's sister site AshesToAshes.TV, the role was originally expected to be taken by 'ER' and 'Mission Impossible II' beauty Thandie Newton. Well Thandie, you missed out. The winner of the much sought after role of Alex Drake has ended up going to Keeley Hawes of 'Spooks' and 'Tipping The Velvet' fame.

Congratulations Keeley! Now all you have to do, is make it back to 2008 from 1981, don't get lost along the way. Sam Tyler (John Simm) ended up winning his dream of returning to modern day, will Alex Drake? Only time will tell. 'Til next Martians, peace and where does Gene Hunt's wife figure into all of this?




Cyberman

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

I've been lazy with this site, and I am sorry :(

Yes I have Martians, the last couple of weeks I have been concentrating most of my efforts into Torchwood PR another site I work on. I have had content to post here, but each time I started to write this post more Torchwood content appeared. Yep you guessed it, I got carried away with all of the things happening in the 'Whoniverse'. Don't get me wrong, I adore both series and at present news relating to Mr John Simm (a.k.a. Sam Tyler) has been to do with WHO and his appearance as 'The Master / Mr Saxon'.


A Statue of John as 'The Master' from DOCTOR WHO


Below you will find an Australian promo for Life On Mars & Robin Hood which aired last weekend on Channel 2 (ABC Australia). Australian networks have a funny habit of doing things like this, promoting more than one program in one ad that is. Hopefully the next one I put up for you will be LOM related only. 'Til next Martians, peace and keep it clean when online.


Dual Promo LOM & Robin Hood




Cyberman

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