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Axed: Life on Mars

Bad news for Channel TEN as US network ABC decides there isn't enough life on Mars to warrant a second series.

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life-mars-abc40US network ABC has announced it will not be ordering any additional episodes of Life on Mars beyond its 17 episodes.

That’s bad news for Channel TEN, which had been enjoying good word of mouth for the US adaptation, screening on Thursday nights.

The only good news is the network has given producers enough notice to allow a definitive ending to the series. Production is expected to continue for at least a few more weeks, with the finale starring Jason O’Mara expected to air in the US around early April.

“We felt it was the right thing to do for the producers and the fans and creatively,” ABC Entertainment Group President Steve McPherson told TelevisionWeek.

This effectively means the US series will wind up comparative with the British original which lasted for 16 episodes. Some US adaptations have lived beyond their UK prototypes including The Office and Queer As Folk.

McPherson admitted the ratings for Mars were the main reason behind the decision to convert the show from a regular series into, in essence, a close-ended “event.”

He has no regrets with how Mars is going out, however.

“I look at it creatively, and I couldn’t be prouder,” he said.

The spin-off series Ashes to Ashes is expected to air in Australia at some point, on the ABC.

Source: Television Week

33 Responses

  1. LoMUK was far better and I’ve been watching this US version and though it’s ok….prefer the UK one….The US changed it too much…Gene Hunt doesn’t play as big a role and the US Ray gets more of his lines….I wonder if they have the US Sam jump off the roof?

  2. This is precisely the reason I didn’t watch this show beyond the first ep, while I enjoyed it I knew it would be axed as it was too creative for American audiences, even if it was ripped off the Brits. Now without this series, ABC has become nothing but the middle aged women network with Grey’s, PP, DH, B&S and DWTS as its flagship shows. Apart from Lost, they have nothing that appeals to male audiences

  3. I was quite disapointed at the US remake of this brilliant TV magic, I still cant understand why they wanted to remake it, but then in ways i can as they wanted to show the US side of the story plots for examble the black seperation and women in the force, I dare say if austrailia made a remake it would be good but not as good as the origenal, reason is it’s a story that would have been repeated, still i dare say they could make it work though, get the right actors etc etc

  5. Thats a shame. Although I prefered the UK version I do like this series and it did a good job at modifying the story to suit a different culture. I’m curious now if it will end the same as the UK version.

    I liked Harvey Keitels Gene but nobody can compare to Philip Glenister. As Craig above suggested, get a copy of the UK version if you haven’t seen it and prepare for political inorrectness at its best..

  6. I, like alot of other people, have not seen the original UK series, so I can’t make a comparison. But I can comment on this program as a stand alone series. I think this is brilliant show and the main reason I gave it a go was that it was unlike every other cop series on TV at the moment. A real disappointing move by ABC but at least it gets to wrap up the story lines.

  11. Question is will 10 showed the rest of the series in its current slot of Thursday 9:30pm or will it be removed from it.

    Torchwood for example lasted on its original slot of 9:30 Mondays for the first seven episodes before it got shifted and Torchwood unlike the US Life On Mars is not cancelled.

  12. The show’s fairly limited premise would’ve only been interesting for 1 season anyway, so I’m unsurprised it’s been cancelled. Plus it was genuinely filmed in New York city, so was an expensive show to make. At least it’s being given the chance to have a proper conclusion that’ll be aired, as most cancelled US shows aren’t that fortunate.

  13. DItto to Harry’s comment.
    I quite liked the USA version of life on Mars and that is strange as most American versions of UK or French shows generally suck big time.
    Probably a show too high brow for the US audience – they prefer ‘reality” or crass.
    Life on Mars one of the new shows this year I actually watched more than1 ep

  15. I am actually devastated!

    I’ve enjoyed this show and cannot wait each week… and decided to support TEN and watch it on TV rather then d/l-ing it!

    But……. I cannot wait.

    Brilliant show!

  16. Is there any news that ABC1 (Australia’s) will pick up Ashes to Ashes the sequel to the British Life On Mars. It has started to film the second series already.

  17. I like this show, and I doubt Ten will yank it – it is one of their best rating hours. Puts me in mind of other 9.30 starters which pulled a good aud on Ten before seeing the chop in the US like Women’s Murder Club and Medical Investigation

  18. I quite enjoyed the series. I’m glad that I hadn’t seen or heard of the UK one before so I wasn’t comparing them.

    Bit disappointed that it’s going, however it was good while it lasted.

  21. That’s a shame… while I never saw the UK series, I quite enjoyed this one. At least for once a network has given producers notice so that the show can be wrapped up for the fans…

  22. I just hope it gets a good ending, wonder if it will mirror the original? Hope 10 sticks with it… It’s a same, something a little different and again it’s gone before it’s time!

    Wonder if ABC still has the rights to the UK original or if ch10 could air it?

    Ashes to Ashes while not as good as the original UK LoM is still well worth the time, hope ABC airs it soon.

  23. Sheesh. Not surprised ABC axed this one – it was just a better-shot ’70s cop show with little else to distinguish it – but why does Life On Mars get to wrap up its story, when far superior axed shows Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone and Dirty Sexy Money not only get cut off mid-story, but left with unaired episodes?

  24. It was growing into it’s own thing, which I liked, but it didn’t properly tap into what made the UK version work; the angst of being trapped in the past; the harsh comparison between 1973 and 2008 of what constitutes Police work; the mystery of if it was a hallucination or time travel. Unfortunately those were only paid lip service, so they could have a cop show with wide ties and 70s rock music.

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