LIfe on Mars ******************SPOILERS/THEORIES**************

[MrsWho]

Hopefully if I fill the first line or two with crap it won't show up any spoilers?
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NOt my theory read iton OG but very interesting one

As we've realised, Frank Morgan played the Wizard of Oz in the 1939 film. Gene has nicknamed Sam 'Dorothy' before now... And someone else has already mentioned that Ray needs a heart, Chris needs a brain, Annie needs courage and Sam needs to get home.

He did do some of his own cooking. Remember him thanking the barman for getting him a pepper or a mango or something?

Agree

The one episode that tackled racism (with the black cop who Sam knows from the future) and the use of Annie to tackle sexism just glossed over the issues.

Mind you it wasn't supposed to be a heavy hitting issues-based show I guess

that'd be so great uqd

Actually two episodes tackled racism - there was the one with the Pakistani brothers and their record shop too.

Ooh, interesting idea Pixel.

I'm not sure about Sam making the morally wrong choice the first time in the tunnel - if he really believed that he was in a coma and that all the 1973 characters were a figment of his imagination then he could justify leaving them couldn't he?

oh yes uqd, I forgot about the record shop one

I rather thought that the episode where someone's flat was firebombed with "P*ki loving slag" spraypainted on the wall was looking at racism as well...

And I don't think it was a "the 70s are better" cop-out. Part of it was that Sam in the 70s felt he was making a difference -- he's already dragged their practices way forward from the beginning of series 1 whereas in 2007 he was sitting in interminable meetings discussing details of policy.

Cross-posted, sorry

But the interminable policy meetings were surely portrayed as the outcome of his reforming efforts in the 70s, and Sam's realisation of this was one factor in his depression after returning to the present day.

Mind you I am with those who contend that he never woke up at all

There's an interview (posted on a blog today) with the writer of the show - it explains everything - well certainly what the writer intended anyway. I read it this morning, but the site seems to be down at the moment.

Will post the link anyway, in case anyone wants to keep trying it:

blogs.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ianwylie/2007/04/life_on_mars_ashes_to_ashes.html

Molesworth - it is suggested on the Life on Mars - the answers page on the Manchester Evening News blog that John Simm may think like you (although that's not what the writer intended).

Sorry wrong link - it's the same link as the one further down the page - apologies.

blogs.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ianwylie/2007/04/life_on_mars_the_answers.html

To clarify, the writer intended us to think that Sam woke up but Juhn Simm is not sure that's what happened to his character.

I think lemonaid is right in that he felt he was making a difference in 1973, but this seems to suggest that in 2007 there is nothing left to do, nowhere left to make a difference. Which is patently ridiculous!

Unquietdad: brilliant portrayal of how Gene would speak if he time-travelled, I could hear his voice perfectly as I read it.

That WOULD be a good second
series - seeing what Gene
makes of our ways!

I think we were all meant see different endings.Ie the Tv off meanings, did he die/go off for more adventures/it was just a tv programme

Thanks NoNickname - at last I can get on with my day having read that link !

Yes- agree Mrs Who

It's the freakiest show.
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy.
Oh man!
Wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show.
Is there life on Mars?

We don't know if there's life on mars, don't know if there's a God, don't know if we're all in a tv show being watched, don't know if we're all insane... so all we can do is take the path that feels right and good and and sexy and just and moral and fun and funny and alive. So we'll all have our different interpretations of the end of life on mars just as we do of life itself, I think. I think I may get my hair cut like Annie's.

There is stuff to be done, but Sam couldn't do it. I like the quote from the writer in that blog:

It?s not supposed to be a searing indictment on modern society, but more a comment on Sam. He was clearly a deeply repressed human being ? I don?t think 2006 or 2007 brought out the best in Sam Tyler. He was caught up in his emotional red tape. He couldn?t seem to do his job without feeling he needed to sign forms in triplicate. And clearly, when he went to sleep he wanted to be in a freer place, a place where his mother was a young, beautiful woman and his dad was his hero, and it was a world of fast cars ? that was his liberation. So I think it was more about him personally than us trying to say, ?It was all better then.?

and then the majority of the viewers were 70s kids too and could identify with that

scummymummy - i am getting hair cut today and spent a lot of last night wondering if i could get an 'annie'! but worried the hairdresser will think me odd, too old and not as fresh and lovely as annie.
oh well. 'nother 21sr century crop then...

this is quite interesting

I thought Annie looked awful! Don't do it!

oh sorry linked earlier!

aloha, you have put your finger on my other worry - i am no longer any judge of what is good and what is rubbish! must get out more...