I don’t usually like cop shows. While they are perfectly suitable shows, I’ve never really been intrigued by solving murders and capturing crooks in a world that mirrors my own. I like a little bit of fantasy thrown in to make a cop drama more than “Cops” with famous people. I also tend to steer clear of procedural crime dramas like “CSI” and “NYPD Blue” because they lean more toward the criminal-of-the-week aspect than any gathering serial narrative.
And so it was to my great surprise that I am now in love with a procedural drama featuring a police precinct. The culprit? ABC’s new series “Life on Mars.” Granted, not everything is at it seems, but there’s still cops, criminals and detectives. One problem: They are all in the 1970s. This isn’t just a cop show.
Allow me to backtrack. Named for the old David Bowie song and adapted from the BBC series of the same name, “Life On Mars”¬ concerns Sam Tyler, a modern-day New York City police officer, who is in the middle of the search for a murder suspect when he is hit by a car, knocked out, and wakes up not in a coma, but in the year 1973. Sam’s patrol car is turned into a vintage car, his iPod radio replaced with an 8-track tape, and the neighborhood he was in becomes a work-in-progress site. In a powerful shot, Sam glances up to see the World Trade Center in its recently constructed glory.
He makes it to his police precinct, now (or is it formerly?) the 125, to find it completely different and run by a no-nonsense lieutenant by the name of Gene Hunt, played by veteran actor Harvey Keitel. There is also not-quite-a-cop Annie, who is usually relegated by the old boys club to trivial tasks, yet just might be Sam’s best shot at having someone believe his predicament. A strong pool of talent in the main cast helps viewers grow to love these characters over the course of the show.
It’s quite an interesting premise, and one that instantly sucks you in given the time the production has spent into recreating every part of 1973-era New York. And what an experience this show is. There’s little political correctness on display (much to the shock of Sam), and a lot of the jargon and pop culture has resurfaced from the grave. The gritty, serious tone of the murder and mayhem of each week’s episode is perfectly complemented by an eclectic soundtrack of early ‘70s tunes. For those not born during the era, it’s a neat look into life back then, and augments the show to something more.
Speaking of something more, there are quite a few, shall we say, unusual elements to “Life on Mars” that helps my aforementioned aversion to cop dramas and intrigues. As Sam Tyler tries to adjust to his new surroundings and tries to figure out exactly why he’s stuck in 1973, he comes to realize that knowing the next three decades of world events can have its downsides.
The show frequently segues into Sam seeing visions of the surreal. Sam has flashes of interactions with “doctors” and his 2008 girlfriend, which leads both himself (and viewers) to think that he may just be in a coma. That question probably won’t be answered for a while. He has run-ins with his old mentor, and even meets (and investigates) both of his parents, except as his grown-up self, which adds for some complex moments (and a hilarious nickname to belie his identity). If nothing else, it gives a new weight to the term “time paradox.” These overarching surreal elements offer a level of mystery and to be honest, rival “Lost” in the “WTF” department.
The show is being put on hold until January 28th, when it will be paired on Wednesdays with “Lost.” It’s a perfect complement in my eyes, and the delay gives anyone interested in the show plenty of time to catch up on iTunes or ABC.com (which, sadly, only has the latest five episodes).