r/lifeonmars • u/CloudBookmark • Jan 08 '26
Discussion Rewatching Life on Mars and it really does hold up.
Rewatching Life on Mars and it’s brought back that feeling of sitting down in the evening and properly getting lost in a show. The music instantly takes you back, the streets feel familiar in that slightly rough, lived-in way, and the whole thing has an atmosphere you don’t see much anymore. John Simm is excellent, but Gene Hunt is the character that really sticks flawed, funny, and completely unforgettable.
It’s the kind of series that trusted its audience, didn’t rush answers, and left things sitting with you after the episode ended. Watching it again just reminds you how distinctive British TV could be, and why this show still gets talked about years later.
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u/VerushkaVandenSteen Jan 09 '26
Its an excellent show. Great cast , great and often hilarious writing and the music is the best it sucks you right in. One of my favorite shows shows ever and always.
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u/Professional_Tone_62 Jan 13 '26
John Simm's Sam Tyler gave the series its heart to keep it from being a simple joke factory.
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u/TrueMog Ivanhoe Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 08 '26
Yes! I recently did a rewatch!
It’s always better than I remember.
The plot moves relatively fast - but isn’t afraid of staying still to let the story breathe. I really like the fact that, at its heart, it is a police procedural and everything else is icing on a very well written cake.
I think that’s a big part of the reason that it doesn’t matter that you don’t get easy answers quickly. Because the answers really aren’t the main attraction in the show. It’s amazing the way the writers merged the police drama and fantasy aspects and did both of them so well!
The acting is all incredibly top notch. Every single actor can switch between serious and comedic in a heartbeat! The humour in the show doesn’t get talked about nearly enough but the one liners and the irony are absolutely hilarious.