"42" or Season Two Episode Eight - Part One (The Breakdown)

Why has he added the 42 in front of the post title, you might be asking yourself. The answer is, this is the 42nd post on the site. Now you're saying to yourself, "so what, why is he celebrating such an odd numbered post?". Well Lifers / Martians besides being the title of an upcoming Doctor Who episode, the number is famous for another reason. If you are familiar with the writings of the late Douglas Adams, you will know the relevance it has to this post.

Besides just simply being the 42nd post, in the book, the film and mini-series of "The Hitch-Hikers Guide To The Galaxy" 42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything. So Douglas Adams wrote any way. As this is the final episode of the show, all yours and Sam Tyler's questions are answered. So once again, if you are from Canada, and you don't want the episode spoiled for yourself. Don't read on, you'll get to see it on the 18th of April in your country any way.

Now that all of that is explained, the episode in question. If you have already watched it, take the opportunity to look back at what fans thought may have been the outcome before it actually aired. Some are close, some are way off track, but all in all an entertaining read. You can find the guess work located at the BroadcastNow.co.uk website, right here. Thanks Pop, for the tip off.

The episode starts with the team investigating a murder of a miner. Gene deduces that it is the work of a famed cop-killer, and is intent on getting him before DCI Morgan (introduced in the previous episode) does. Sam gets more visions from 2006, as well as the usual "Hyde" banter. It is decided by Gene that he should go under cover and infiltrate the gang, to get to the cop-killer.

We learn Sam's mission (which was only disclosed to him this season) is to bring Gene down and that Sam is an agent for Morgan. Sam is told by Morgan, that his real name is Sam Williams. This was a very sneaky and curious move by the writers, as that was what Sams name originally was in the drafts for the pilot. The name was changed to Sam Tyler, at the request of the BBC.

Sam ends up not believing anything. With out spoiling it, all I will say is awesome piece of work guys. The ending turned fans expectations, inside out and twisted them. If you have not seen the episode yet, and you've read this far don't think its ruined for you. There are many other revelations I haven't mentioned, so watch it. You won't be sorry you did, you'll be in awe. 'Til next time Martians / Lifers, peace to all,


Cybernan

Season Two Episode Seven - Part One (The Breakdown)

I usually don't do this, but this time around I'm going to start this "Breakdown" with a warning. To all our Canadian visitors, read the previous post not this one. Why because you'll otherwise partly spoil this weeks episode. That's right folks, Canada is only trailing the UK by one episode. This week you find out what ultimately happens to Sam Tyler, our Canadian friends will find out next week. Life On Mars screens Wednesdays at 10.00pm, on BBC Canada.

Now that's out of the way, the "Breakdown". We start in a courtroom for a change, instead of Sam's dreams where Gene is acting as a witness for the prosecution. The case in court, centres on an assault. The victim feels intimidated in court and ends up denying the beating, the case is then thrown out.

Gene is majorly pissed, and that's in both senses of the word. Angry and drunk. He decides to stumble over to the perpetrators house and starts screaming abuse at him. Sam arrives on the scene to pick up Gene, but in the confusion Genes gun goes missing. After leaving with Sam, Gene decides to go back to retrieve his gun. Falls asleep at the perpetrators house, only to wake up and find him murdered.

Of course Gene is then suspected, he had motive, may be. All of this sets the scene for the episode. It was interesting to see a Gene-centric episode, I quite liked it. Perhaps it was a taste that the BBC was giving us, of what to expect from Ashes to Ashes. The clothes will obviously be different, but you know what I mean. Hmmm, here's hoping.

Some interesting moments in the episode are when at different stages, we get to see both Annie, then Gene wearing a "Safety Squirrel" costume. Sam is also given an indication that he will be going home soon, this comes from DCI Morgan. Morgan is an overseer put on from Hyde because of Genes' predicament.

As the episode progresses, we find Gene becoming the prime suspect in another murder. Of course Gene is proven innocent in the end, but I'm not going to explain to you how it happens. You should know already. If you don't, remember the dvd box set of Season Two is released on April the 16th.

Right now, if you pre-order it from Sendit.com, you get it for only £25.89 when its released. A saving of £14.10, now that's worth it. I got my order in, I can just see it next to my copy of Season One right now. 'Til next time Lifers / Martians, may peace and memories of '73 be with you.




Cyberman

Season Two Episode Six - Part One (The Breakdown)

Episode Six opens with Sam having vivid dreams of Maya, his girlfriend back in 2006. We then jump back to 1973, to find the team at the scene of a 'supposed' homicide. I say supposed because the victim was actually still alive, this was only noticed by Annie. The victim though was in dire need of medical attention, as he had a large gunshot wound in the chest.

The victim was found to be in possession of heroin, so the team decide to investigate the possibility of it being drug related. Deepak was the name of the Ugandan-Asian victim, he was record shop owner who shared his business with his brother Ravi. Sam and Gene interview a local drug dealer "Rocky", after Rocky is persuaded to co-operate by a local vigilante by the name of "Toolbox".

Rocky tells Sam and Gene, Ravi had his brother sorted out because he was getting too greedy. The body count from overdoses reaches 7, and the team decides they must act quick before any more occur. They capture and interview Ravi, while this is going on Deepak gets stabbed in hospital and dies. Basically clearing Ravi of the attack on Deepak, as it turns out Rocky was simply providing a diversion and was actually in league with Toolbox.

All in all a very strange episode, with Sam having visions of Maya in even weirder places than his usual visions. This eventually leads Sam into finally letting go of Maya, and allowing her to get on with her life. We also have another odd connection between 1973 and 2006, Maya's mother is actually the girlfriend of Deepak. Whats totally strange is the fact that Sam is ultimately responsible for naming Maya.

Well, it was late again the next review being for Episode Seven will be up in a couple of hours, I won't break my promise this time. Then we'll finally be back up to date. 'Til the next post, see ya later Martians.


Cyberman

Season Two Episode Five - Part One (The Breakdown)

Yeah, late again sorry. You'll be surprised by the next post after this though. Any way episode five, here it is.

The episode starts off with Sam asleep again, nothing new there. This time though his hallucinations / dreams, step up to a new level. Sam imagines he is a puppet or a jack-in-the-box, fans of the show will remember getting glimpses of this in the trailers leading up to the season two launch. I am still praying that these stylized versions of Sam and Gene, end up as figurines (as they are damn cool).

The condition Sam is in, is apparently due to an accidental overdose of medication whilst in his comatose state in hospital in 2006. Sam sees himself as speeding, and because of this decides to take a back seat in their present investigation. Both Annie and Chris get some further character development in the episode. Annie stands up to Gene, while Chris develops a spine and actually stands up for himself for a change.

The plot of the story revolves around a kidnapping of two women, and a failed suicide attempt by another police officer who also happens to have the name Sam. When "Suicidal Sam" decides to try and hang himself from a light fitting, Sam Tyler barges into the room grabs Gene by the scruff of the neck, and starts paying out on Gene. The scene in itself is almost like a complete role reversal for the two, with Gene being threatened by Sam just to be different.

The kidnapper makes his demands to "Suicidal Sam", over the return of his wife and daughter. This for a change is not money as expected, but the release of a prisoner who is currently serving time for murder. The murderer was responsible for killing his own girlfriend, and the age of "Suicidal Sam's" daughter coincidentally happens to be the same as the dead girlfriend.

Annie goes over the old case involving the murderer. She realizes that mistakes had been made, and informs Gene. Gene doesn't want to hear he's wrong, and Annie imagines she'll get demoted over it. Without destroying the end for those who haven't seen it, Sam (the suicidal one) gets his wife and daughter back. The episode will surprise you, as its ending suggests something else is going on as well which Sam and Gene only pick up on then.


Cyberman

Season Two Episode Four - Part One (The Breakdown)

Yeah, yeah, I know excuses, excuses. What can I say, I know its late, you know its late. Its just late, but its here. Here goes.

A very strange episode indeed, with Chris learning some dating tips from Sam. Chris also learns what a "Vou la vent" is from Ray, go Ray! Any way the episode starts with Sam dreaming he is a child again. In the dream he sees himself being cared for by his Aunt Heather. Heather is a "Beauvoir Lady", no not a prostitute, something similar to a Avon Lady.

After this, we skip across to an old rubbish dump, where the body of a young woman has been found. There are a group of children playing in the dump, playing "Doctors & Nurses" that is. The kids stumble across the body and report it, one of the children appears to have Turrets Syndrome, and starts swearing very randomly.

The body is that of another "Beauvoir" Lady, by the name of Sandra. The team take the body back to the morgue for an autopsy. It is then revealed that Sandra was clasping a red geranium in her hand. This is instantly taken as being, a calling card from the killer. The geranium had been used before by a murderer, who used the name "Mank the Knife".

Mank the Knife, had been caught five years earlier. He had also died in prison. Gene interprets this as they jailed the wrong man, Sam looks at this in a different way. He thinks its a copycat killer, a concept Gene had not even considered.

Shortly after this, we find a girl being thrown out of a red sports car. Who we soon discover, is also a Beavoir lady by the name of Sandra Williams. Sam runs to her aide, but gets resistance from Sandra about who was responsible. Sandra seems scared to reveal who drove the car, she then disappears when Sam goes to buy her drink.

It turns out that Mank the Knifes' lawyer, had purchased a car form Roger Twilling (a high profile businessman). Sam and Gene think Manks' lawyer, disclosed the geranium "calling card" part to Twilling, and begin some reconnaissance. Sure enough the red car turns out to be Twillings.

Annie and Sam go under cover to meet Twilling, they use the names Tony and Sheree Blair. Twilling invites the "Blairs" to a cocktail party. After this Sam has further words with Sandra Williams, who then explains the Wife Swapping or Swingers parties to Sam.

Annie and Sam arrive at the party, and not long after Gene gatecrashes with an asian prostitute (Suki). Sam is speechless, Twilling nearly decides to end the whole thing but has a discussion about it away from the Blairs and Gene (Gordon Brown). Twilling decides to let them stay, much to their amazement.

After the party, they bust Twilling and bring him in to the station. Twillings lawyer makes various threats to Sam and Gene. Twilling gets released. While all of this is going on, Annie bugs Twillings' car. They later go back to Twillings house to try and get him again.

If I say any more the ending will be spoiled, so lets just say that the ending is not what you expect. To those of you that have seen it already, I'm sorry this is only relly for those who haven't. I have made a lot of promises of late, about this site, sadly I haven't stuck to many of them. I am not going to say when the episode five review will go up, just that it will be soon. 'Til then, Cyberman out . . . .

Cyberman

Season Two Episode Three - Part Three (The Breakdown)

G'day Martians / Lifers, its been a long time in between posts. The last week has been very hectic for me, but hey I'm not going to bore you with the details of "Life On Rob Cyberman". This sites' about everyones favourite time-travelling cop show, Life On Mars.

So, episode 3. The episode starts at a suspected bomb site, which for the time was quite normal in the UK. Gene suspects the IRA's involvement. Sam, annoyed by Genes presumptions, suggests investigating Val Doonican. He doesn't believe Gene, that its the IRA or a bomb. Gene starts pointing fingers at the local Irish community. No Irish man is safe from genes' quest.

Sam says he'll go over to the car, and Ray pipes up saying that he's only doing this to impress Annie. After a war of words between the two of them, Ray eventually decides to go over to the car instead. Just as Ray gets near it, it goes off. This injures Ray, but only mildly.

This event makes the team even more determined to solve the case and catch the crims involved, as soon as possible. Annie again pays out on Sam about the fact that they are a team, and are supposed to working with each other and not against each other.

Ray although injured, continues to help the team, but appears scattered. Sam suspects he (Ray) is suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. Without spoiling the ending, the case gets solved (obviously). Is it the IRA? You would have to have watched to know.

For all of the Doctor Who fans that also visit the site here, we now have another connection to the show. This time not involving shared actors, writers, producers or anything physical. Right at the very start of the episode, when the team are at the scene of the bomb threat. Sam says something, what he says is "trust me on this".

This is the same line as what Pete Tyler (Rose Tyler's Dad in Doctor Who from the parallel universe) says in the 2 part Cyberman story from last season. If you didn't know already, Sam Tyler was originally going to be called "Sam Williams". This change happened at the request of Kudos, and was made by Matthew Graham.

Graham came up with "Tyler", after consulting his daughter. His daughter just happens to be a Doctor Who fan. The breakdown of episode 4, will be posted tommorrow. Until then remember, your car keys have many purposes.

Cyberman

Season Two Episode Two - Part Three (The Breakdown)

Hello people, here we are back again with some more chatter about BBCs' "Life On Mars". Although this post is later than expected, I just make it. Didn't I? No I didn't, I apologise. This post has had several edits, more than expected. Next time, it'll be on time. Today we analyse episode two, which screened at 9.00PM (20.02.2007) on BBC One and last week at 10.00PM (13.02.2007) on BBC Four.

In this episode we find both Sam and Gene, running into their mentors respectively. Genes' boss SI Harry Wolf (Kevin R McNally) and Sams' yet to be superior, DC Glen Fletcher (Ray Emmet Brown). The team find themselves investigating Genes' old boss, after being tipped off initially by a prisoner, Dickie Fingers (Steve Evets). Gene, of course is in disbelief.

Annie, as expected is welcomed into her new position of WDC, by the boys with a series of taunts (more than likely headed by Ray, but not disclosed). This is done by topless calendars, being dumped on her desk. Sam and Chris get sent out one the streets, to find out what the word is on Dickie Fingers after he mysteriously escapes from jail.

Chris ends up having to get dragged away from a transvestite, by Sam during their inquiries. Sam has further contact with the people from Hyde, and at one stage decides to contact them instead of waiting for them to call. Once he has made contact, he is immediately told he is breaking the rules, and not to do it again.

Without spoiling the ending for those who are still yet to watch this episode, Sam creates a paradox for himself by becoming responsible for his own police training up until he becomes DCI (2006). We also end with an additional link to Doctor Who and Torchwood, writer Chris Chibnal pens this episode.

Until next time, when I will be on time.


Cyberman

Season Two Episode One - Part One (The Breakdown) [FKA "Season 2 - Episode 1"]

With a huge round of applause, DC Sam Tyler (John Simm) and DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister) returned to our screens once more, for 2007's season premiere of "Life On Mars". The first episode seems to have created more questions, than answers for fans. In the titles for the show, Sam asks himself the question "am I mad, in a coma or back in time". Well the back in time part now seems to be expanded on, to a degree.

During the episode, Sam recieves another of his "mystery calls". The caller informs him "his assignment is nearly over", this perplexs Sam and he calls the operator to find out who the last call was from. The response he gets is "HYDE 2612". My instant thought on this was, a place and a date ie: Hyde on the 26th of December. It could quite as easy just be a phone number though, only time will tell.

Sam also became an inventor, without actually intending to become one. The famous "Stinger", basiclly just a piece of chain with nails in it, used to stop vehicles by puncturing their tyres. This did not exist in this time period, until Sam with his knowledge of modern day came along.

We see more character development, with Ray getting promoted (out of convenience) after being recently demoted around the end of last season. Annie is also promoted to DC, at Sams' request. After her pivital involvement in catching Crane, a corrupt casino owner (is there any other kind?) Will be interesting to see the trouble, she will face in an all male team (not counting Phyllis) in the coming episodes.

The episode also gave the show an additional connection to Doctor Who and Torchwood, by having two cast members play characters. Crane (Marc Warren - the man who has a relationship with a concrete tile) (DW S2) and Eve (Yasmin Bannerman - Jabe (DW S1) & Detective Swanson (Torchwood S1). Its getting to the point now where the BBC seems to be teasing fans, about John Simm being the new incarnation of the Master. First stated by the Sun, then the Independant and the no comment in John's radio interview on BBC 6 Radio.

Oh well, we can still hope and dream, can't we? I actually started one of those online petitions about it, but haven't bothered posting the address yet. Should I, will you sign it? What do you think about John as the Master, sign the reply tell me what you think. Any way until next time, the man with the "Doctor Who" surname bids you farewell.