First the bad news–ABC has canceled “Life on Mars.”
Now for the less negative news. ABC informed producers of the decision yesterday with the intention of allowing the series to have a true series finale episode. The early cancellation notice should give producers a chance to wrap-up the storyline and not leave viewers hanging.
Whether or not the producers will follow the ending for the original British version or come up with their own ending remains to be seen.
I love that show. Oh well. I’m glad they’ll have a finale. I didn’t expect it to last, honestly.
Lame. But not surprising.
It’s not even close to the British version. There is only one Gene Genie.
Sad, but not surprising. But then again, it’s good that they’re going to actually end the show. I pray that they’ll end it like the UK version did. (Can American audiences handle something like that? I guess it remains to be seen. I’m thinkin’ NO.)
I thought the US version was quite good. Too good to last, apparently.
Noooo! Darn, I really like that show. Knew it was too good to last.
This is a very sad thing. I’ve seen every episode and I live in NYC and I can tell you it’s accurately portrays the 70’s! How do shows like “That 70’s Show” which is a pretty dumb show stay on for so long and a show with meaning like “Life on Mars” gets removed.
I think that they shouldn’t do a season finale and the final show.
They should try other networks like NBC or FX or TNT or others.
This makes no sense at all, Harvey Keitell, Gretchen Mol, and Ex Soprano Michael Imperioli, I mean with his contacts with HBo couldn’t they make into an HBO show!
The problem could have been a few things:
I) Americans only watch dumb TV like ABC (which currently has The Bachelor & Dancing with the Stars) Maybe ABC isn’t the right audience for the show
2) They moved Mars to after the show Lost. at 10pm. Keep in mind that the show is on on Weds from 10-11pm and they think this is a better time slot? Most people have to be to work at 9am and wake up at 7am or earlier and don’t stay up till 11pm to watch a show.
3) ABC could have done a better job marketing the show.
I”m so sad about this!
While I still love the BBC version better, this version really did have it’s merits. I am interested to see how the producers end what has turned out to be much more of an enjoyable hour of TV than I originally expected.
No, Keitel is no Gene Hunt. Glenister will always be THE Gene Genie.
Great program, which almost guaranteed it couldn’t last on American network TV. Plus, it lacks the charm of the BBC original, so I’m not much surprised.
This should come as no surprise. Mostly hard core crime drama with some vague references to time travel, multiple universes, and some little tick-like robots.
ABC probably did not really want the show, 10:00 on Wednesday after Lost is not really pushing the show.
But I am all about going to find the BBC version, which surely must be better.
Now if Fox cancels Fringe, I will be all up in that business!
Its a damn shame, but I’m not surprised that ABC canceled it.
ABC used to make great crime drama shows like this (think of NYPD Blue). Now it just seems to specialize in cheap, dumb “reality shows” like The Bachelor or Dancing with Stars. Scripted shows seem to be a dying breed on network TV.
I liked Life on Mars because not only was it a good show, but it was an old school scripted crime drama with a powerhouse all star cast.
Maybe the producers could shop the show to HBO or Showtime? It seems better suited there.
Life on Mars another great concept, just not the write producers, you need to have more involvement of the main actor into the concept for the reason why he is back in time, maybe have him apply some of the twenty-first century technology and ideology to the 1970’s. Here you have a man from the future who pretty much is a professional police officer, and seems just as clueless and dumfounded as the people from the 70’s. If he is a man from the twenty-first century he should already have insight into crimes that would happen in that time. It’s stupid to have him stumbling around on the show like he’s one of the key stone cops. If I was a cop from the future I would have set down with a gun smith, and directed him on how to make a model 19 glock pistol instead of carrying around one of those grandpa snub noise .38’s of that time. Some of Hollywood really comes up with some great movies; they must have different kind of lower paid executives working on TV shows. ABC will probably replace it with another boring comedy, or another lawyer slash cop drama, of a another big loser, some reality show that really doesn’t require any true thought in entertainment to put together.
Ok ABC here is a freebee do a TV western a remake of Wild-Wild West, stick to the same flavor as the original show get Robert Conrad as the shows producer. The main actor should be someone that could be his twin with the same physical skills as the Jim west from the original TV series and stick to the same concepts as the original script and I think if you air it as a movie you’ll see some really high ratings to be able to bright it on as a full length YV show.
I wish they didn’t cancel the show. Bring it back. I really enjoyed it.