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Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09

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Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09

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Old 04-01-09, 03:26 AM
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Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
Life on Mars

Synopsis:

Spoiler:


In the series finale, a mysterious caller offers Sam a chance to return to 2008, but a confusing set of circumstances makes him wonder whether he even wants to do it.

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Old 04-01-09, 06:25 AM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
Any idea if this was supposed to be S1 cliffhanger? Are they closing out like the UK S2? Or is this their own take on an ending?
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Old 04-01-09, 06:35 AM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
The producers were notified of the show's demise in time to write an ending for the series...so this "should" wrap things up.

The ending is supposed to be different from the UK one.
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Old 04-01-09, 07:18 AM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
I was going to say that above description doesn't lead me to believe it's like the UK ending. Plus it sounds like it's going to be less complex than the UK version.
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Old 04-01-09, 07:37 AM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
I don't want this show to end.
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Old 04-01-09, 07:46 AM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
Originally Posted by Bandoman
I don't want this show to end.
I, on the other hand, am happy it is ending rather than beleaguering the premise and insisting on driving it into the ground... which would have happened within the next 22 episode season. I'm much happier that it ends properly than being canceled. Great show that will do well on home video. Hope it gets an HD release!
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Old 04-01-09, 08:22 AM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
So will ABC begin airing the Ashes to Ashes remake in 2011?
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Old 04-01-09, 08:43 AM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
I loved the ending to the UK series. I think that while the events leading to the end will be different, the result will be the same.
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Old 04-01-09, 08:46 AM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
Originally Posted by rfduncan
I, on the other hand, am happy it is ending rather than beleaguering the premise and insisting on driving it into the ground... which would have happened within the next 22 episode season. I'm much happier that it ends properly than being canceled. Great show that will do well on home video. Hope it gets an HD release!
I disagree. I like the police work aspect of NYC in 73. They could easily go another year or so by concentrating on that and slowly go down the 2008 path. I just like the characters and setting so much I really wanted this to stay a while.
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Old 04-01-09, 08:54 AM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
The policing part of the show was always my favorite part of this and the UK version although I agree that the ending to the UK series was very well done.
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Old 04-01-09, 09:33 AM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
Originally Posted by Bandoman
I don't want this show to end.
Me too!

Originally Posted by rfduncan
I, on the other hand, am happy it is ending rather than beleaguering the premise and insisting on driving it into the ground... which would have happened within the next 22 episode season. I'm much happier that it ends properly than being canceled. Great show that will do well on home video. Hope it gets an HD release!
I think the series could have gone a little longer. The 70's cop series episodes that didn't deal directly with the main plot are pretty good and they could have done several more of those.
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Old 04-01-09, 11:55 AM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
I wish there was at least one more season. I look forward to the ending but I hate that it's all over as of tonight.
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Old 04-01-09, 12:01 PM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
Read a story with some spoilers about the finale at your own risk...
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Old 04-01-09, 12:29 PM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
At least we get to see the finale and I'd rather the show end too soon than too late.
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Old 04-01-09, 10:00 PM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
Well I didn't expect that ending, but I liked it.
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Old 04-01-09, 10:01 PM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
Wtf?!? I don't know how to feel about the finale. It had more of a who shot JR feel to it. The episode was really good but the end left me scratching my head.
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Old 04-01-09, 10:01 PM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
It was good up until that "meh" ending.

Spoiler:
I was digging it when it seemed like they were going for a reverse Somewhere In Time ending but the actual bit on the space station was rather underwhelming.


Just one question. I had to head to the can when Tyler got the final phone call. What happened between then and the final sequence?
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Old 04-01-09, 10:04 PM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
That ending was god awful....
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Old 04-01-09, 10:07 PM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
While I'll give 'em credit for coming up with a new ending, I much prefer the UK ending. I just kept thinking of the space episode of "NewsRadio" during the last scene.

And no Bowie to close out the series?! I like Elton and all, but c'mon!

Originally Posted by rfduncan
I, on the other hand, am happy it is ending rather than beleaguering the premise and insisting on driving it into the ground... which would have happened within the next 22 episode season. I'm much happier that it ends properly than being canceled. Great show that will do well on home video. Hope it gets an HD release!
I really enjoyed this show, but I agree with you. I wish we had more limited run, full season shows, but American TV is different beast than UK TV. Glad this one was at least able to wrap up all nice and tidy.
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Old 04-01-09, 10:09 PM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
Wow, the ending blew me away. I sure wasn't expecting that at all.
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Old 04-01-09, 10:09 PM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
Great show. I'm going to miss this.

Ending somewhat reminds me of Red Dwarf's Back to Reality.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bBiiYnINaYs&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bBiiYnINaYs&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
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Old 04-01-09, 10:13 PM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
I get them not wanting to go for the UK ending (though I certainly would have been all for it) but I expected them to meet half way.
Spoiler:
After the long kiss between Norris and Sam, I expected Sam to simply refuse the third task and accept his life in 1973. He doesn't die like in the UK version but he doesn't go home either.

Also, having it all be a computer simulation makes no sense given all the story development that was going on while Sam wasn't around. (Like how Norris figured out where Sam was or when Gene interrogated his mom.) What would have been the point of all that if he wasn't around to see it?
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Old 04-01-09, 10:14 PM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
Originally Posted by DJLinus
And no Bowie to close out the series?! I like Elton and all, but c'mon!.
That made no sense especially when Sam made the comment of how it all goes back to Bowie.
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Old 04-01-09, 10:17 PM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
I am very sad that the show is gone.

I will miss these characters dearly.

I still prefer the UK ending, as this one was a bit too "neat and tidy", but I am satisfied with how they ended it.

Quick question:
Spoiler:
The voice on the phone said there was a THIRD thing Sam had to do to go home. What was this? Or was it a McGuffin, and that's Sam's rejection of a controlling authority figure ties into his resisting his Daddy issues and being more assertive?


Regardless... I'm bummed about the show being cancelled, but I will definitely be picking it up on Blu-Ray. I need my weekly dose of Gretchen Mol!!


The ending made me think of St. Elsewhere.
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Old 04-01-09, 10:31 PM
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Re: Life on Mars -- "Life is a Rock" -- Series Finale -- 4/1/09
Originally Posted by Matt Millheiser
Spoiler:
The voice on the phone said there was a THIRD thing Sam had to do to go home. What was this? Or was it a McGuffin, and that's Sam's rejection of a controlling authority figure ties into his resisting his Daddy issues and being more assertive?
Spoiler:
So then I didn't miss anything and there was no third task?
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