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

Series One Refresher and Stuff

Hello everyone, a lot of you out there are probably thinking has he gone nuts? Me, that is. Why? Well I've just posted a new poll about your favourite Series One episode, with only one episode left to screen of Season Two. The answer to that is, no I haven't. I have done this now, because I can't do one for Season Two until its finished. I will be doing one for Season Two after the series has finished.

Anyway to refresh your memories of Season One, if it all now seems a bit vague here is a brief run down of each episode. After all how can you vote in the poll, if you can't remember what they were about. Before I get into them however, I would like to send a big thank you out to the girls over at PHILIP GLENISTER INDEX.

The lovely Fran and Paula, have kindly just linked to LifeOnMars.tv. The two of them together run an awesome site, totally dedicated to our Phil. Phil is now "officially" cool, thanks to a recent online poll. But we always knew that anyway.

Now, the brief rundowns of each Season One episode. I will at a later date, do some much more extensive ones. That will be after after Season Two has ended, however. For the time being though, here are the cut down ones.

SERIES ONE

Episode One: We meet DCI Sam Tyler in 2006, he has a car accident whilst in pursuit of a kidnapper. When Sam awakes, its 1973 and he's only a DI. We meet his new boss DCI Gene Hunt, Ray and the "agreeable" Chris, also the lovely WPC Annie Cartwright. Sam amazingly enough, finds a connection between a murder in 1973 and the kidnapping of his girlfriend in 2006.

Episode Two: Sam and Gene butt heads over a criminal. Gene wants to plant evidence to convict the criminal, Sam thinks otherwise. A woman gets caught in crossfire, as a result of Trent (the criminal) being released. Sam mops her blood off the street with his jacket, at Genes request.

Episode Three: Sam goes to a textile factory with the team, to investigate a murder. The factory eventually gets turned into apartments, which is where Sam lives in 2006. Genes method of catching the crook, is the first to speak did it. Sam has other ideas, eventually discovering that it is not a murder at all, but a cover-up instead for an industrial accident.

Episode Four: A local nightclub owner and police informant "Stephen Warren", is using stand over tactics and extortion across the city. Gene permits this because Warren keeps the streets clean. Sam won't stand for it and sets out to put Warren away. He is distracted when he runs into his mother as a young woman.

Episode Five: Sam, Gene and Annie go under cover as bartenders to solve a soccer related murder. The team are under very tight time restraints, to solve the crime. There is a big game on Saturday, which they believe will turn into a bloodbath if they don't.

Episode Six: In 2006 Sam's life support is about to be switched off, whilst in 1973 a local newspaper is under siege. Sam's flashbacks / daydreams, lead him to believe if he saves the hostages he will save himself. He has to save the hostages by 2.00pm or the hostages will be shot.

Episode Seven: Sam leads an investigation into a death in custody, with alarming results. He discovers after digging through a web of deceit, that Ray is the cause. When Sam gives his findings to Gene, Ray gets demoted and Sam finds corruption is deep within the station.

Episode Eight: Sam runs into his father during a murder investigation. It turns out Vic Tyler is involved with the porn industry, which he does behind Sam's mothers' back to pay the bills. Sam unravels what some of his flashbacks / daydreams mean. One of them involves Annie.

So now there's no reason why you can't enter the poll. So what you waiting for, the polls under the site counter. You can do it, you know you want to. The site counter incidentally, has just past 3100 visits. Not bad for fan site, in three short months. 'Til next time Lifers / Martians, or whatever you would like to be called, peace.


Cyberman

First LOM Poll Results

Well Lifers / Martians, results are in. Not a very promising turnout, with a total of only 58 votes. The people who did bother to vote, thank you for your input. The end result to this poll, could have been given on the fourth day the poll was up. As, it didn't really change from that point onwards.

the breakdown of the poll went as follows . . . . . . . . . . .


A resounding win for the "No" voters. Of the people that voted "other", which was only 3, the responses went as follows.

a) Poo!
b) Have you seen Boston Legal?!?
c) The US might need it because it might not all make sense over there.

Obviously (a) was offended by the question, completely. (b) thinks I don't like David E Kelley's work and (c) feels Americans wont understand it. Well as I have said earlier I am Australian, this means I speak English but have a different accent. The same also applies for Americans, the UK version is shown in the US anyway. As for David E Kelley, I adore his original material, it truly is great viewing. The "Poo", well that belongs in the toilet.

My whole view on the idea, is the old idiom "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it!". Doctor Who is not re-made in the US, nor is it re-made in Australia, New Zealand or Canada. At best it is sometimes subtitled or re-voiced in a foreign language. It is this way for a reason, people appreciate the original.

People appreciate the subtlety, humor, drama and everything else that Life On Mars exudes. The show is loved everywhere, it does't need to be re-made. It is going to be though, well, at least a pilot at this stage. All I can say is, I'll be curious to see it. More on the US Re-make soon.

The Poll has now been replaced by a new one, asking you your favorite Series One episode. I encourage you all to participate in this one also, once this has closed we'll ask the same of Season Two. That's planning for you. The closing date for the new poll is the 30th of April. 'Til next time Martians, peace . . . . . . .


Cyberman