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The seemingly most rational explanation is that he's in some kind of coma, as messages from 2006 keep entering his head... but Sam's 1973 is so perfectly detailed, down to details that he shouldn't be able to imagine, that he has no idea what's going on. More to the point, the killer who kidnapped Sam's girlfriend on the day that he was run over appears to be active in 1973. Is that why he's in 1973? If he solves the mystery in the past, can he save his girlfriend in the future... and go home?
Remade into a American show, also called ''[[Life
Followed by ''[[Ashes to Ashes]]'', which shared some of the cast. Although the first two series of that show were largely a standalone story, the third featured numerous connections to ''Life on Mars'', and finally explained the truth about what was happening all along. '''This means that even if you've watched the ''Life on Mars'' finale, this page still contains spoilers.'''
{{Tropenamer}}
{{tropelist}}
* [[Adventures in Coma Land]]: Whenever 2007 Sam's health declines, reality goes haywire.
* [[Almost Kiss]]: That would be Sam and Annie.
* [[Alone
* [[Always Murder]]: Subverted in "The Stabbing", in which {{spoiler|the "victim" turns out to have been killed by a faulty textile loom}}.
* [[And I'm the Queen of Sheba]]: While Sam, Gene and Annie are reminiscing about their lives during a hostage situation, Sam forgets himself and recounts his promotion to DCI in the modern day. Quoth Gene: "Was that the same day I became King of Egypt?"
** And when Sam tries to suggest that Patrick O'Brien isn't {{spoiler|a terrorist}}:
{{quote|
* [[Armed Blag]]
* [[As the Good Book Says...]]:
{{quote|
* [[As You Know]]: In the series finale, Sam is secretly taping an 'interrogation' in the lost and found. When Gene handcuffs the suspect to a chair, Sam describes for the benefit of the tape, to which Gene says '[[Leaning
* [[Badass]]: Gene Hunt.
* [[Bad Guy Bar]]: Of a sort. The ''Trafford Arms'', the Manchester United pub that Sam and Gene go undercover in might count.
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* [[Batman Gambit]]: After episode seven's death-in-police-custody, Gene cracks down on Sam's attempts to find out who's responsible. Gene actually wants to find out the truth as much as Sam, but believes investigating his own squad would be "suicide for morale". Instead, he provokes Sam into working that much harder.
* [[Book Dumb]]: Ray and Chris.
* [[Born in
* [[Brawn Hilda]]: Big Bird.
* [[Breaking the Fourth Wall]]: {{spoiler|The very last thing that happens in the series is that the Test Card Girl walks up to the camera, looks straight into it and reaches up as if pressing a button just to the side of the camera — making the screen go black like she "switches off" the viewer's TV set.}}
* [[Broken Pedestal]]: {{spoiler|Vic Tyler}} for Sam, and {{spoiler|Harry Woolf}} for Gene.
* [[But You Screw One Goat!]]: Richard "Sticky Dicky" Fingers.
* [[Call Back]]: In 1973, Annie prevents Sam from leaping off the police station roof. {{spoiler|In 2007, he takes the plunge}}.
* [[Cartwright Curse]]: Both reversed and subverted, interestingly enough.
* [[Celebrity Paradox]]: Sam makes a ''[[
* [[Chained to
* [[Clear My Name]]: Gene, in an ironic reversal.
* [[Color Wash]]: The colors are drenched in yellow to make the series appear 'vintage'.
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* [[Confessional]]
* [[Counterfeit Cash]]
* [[Creepy Child]]: ([
* [[Cut His Heart Out
* [[The Dulcinea Effect]]: Sam's habit of inviting every girl he wants to help back to his apartment, although sweet, isn't necessarily the wisest course of action.
* [[Dream Apocalypse]]
* [[Establishing Character Moment]]: There's this example for Gene in the first episode, which might also be an Establishing Moment for ther series:
{{quote|
'''Sam Tyler:''' Who the hell are you?
'''Gene Hunt:''' Gene Hunt. Your DCI. And it's 1973. Almost dinner time. ''I'm 'aving 'oops.'' }}
* [[Everybody Smokes]]: except Sam.
* [[Evil All Along]]: {{spoiler|Vic Tyler, Harry Woolf, and Toolbox & Big Bird}}.
** Also, depending how you look at it, {{spoiler|Frank Morgan}}.
* [[Facial Composite Failure]]: Which inspires Sam to pull in a caricaturist as a sketch artist.
* [[Fair Cop]]: A lot of the cast are really good looking, especially Annie Cartwright and Chris Skelton. Of course, fandom is gaga for Gene Hunt, <s>even when</s> ''especially'' when he's running around in bad seventies swims and pasty white skin. And if you're not too keen on Gene's looks (*ducks fruit*), there's always Sam in those open-necked shirts and those tight flares that show off his legs ''marvelously''.
* [[False
* [[Fauxreigner]]: Nelson the barman, who pretends to have a natural Jamaican accent.
* [[Fingertip Drug Analysis]]: Sam identifies heroin by taste.
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* [[Flashed Badge Hijack]]: Subverted in the first episode of Series Two. Sam is unable to move out of the way of an oncoming car. In a desperate attempt to do something, he holds up his badge, closing his eyes as he anticipates the crash. The car comes to a stop inches away. {{spoiler|Because its tires were punctured, courtesy of Annie Cartwright's <s>stringer</s> stinger.}}
* [[Framing the Guilty Party]]: When Sam tries it, it causes [[Stable Time Loop|Stable Time Loops]] of a sort Sam doesn't really want. When Gene Hunt tries it, Sam objects.
* [[Fun
{{quote|
* [[Giving Radio to
* [[A Glitch in
* [[Go Seduce My Arch
* [[Good Girls Avoid Abortion]]: Layla backs out of aborting her child, who turns out to be {{spoiler|Maya in the past}}.
* [[Good Guy Bar]]: The [[My Local|Railway Arms]].
* [[The Great British Copper Capture]]
* [[Have We Met Yet?]]
* [[He Knows Too Much]]: {{spoiler|Harry Woolf bumps off Dickie Fingers for this reason}}.
* [[He Who Fights Monsters]]: {{spoiler|Superintendent Harry Woolf}}.
* [[Historical
* [[Holy Backlight]]: As Sam walks towards the police building during the first episode.
* [[Hot Scoop]]: Jackie Queen, the journalist Gene Hunt has a history (and a ''boatload'' of UST) with. She turns up in [[Ashes to Ashes]] as well.
* [[Hurricane of Euphemisms]]: Gene uses one to explain to Sam that Warren is a {{spoiler|[[Gayngster]]}}
{{quote|
'''Sam:''' He's gay?
'''Gene:''' As a bloody Christmas Tree! }}
* [[I Can't Believe I'm Saying This]]: Sam asks Gene why they can't just fabricate evidence and "put the squeeze" on Tony Crane. Y'know, the Gene Hunt Special. In an ironic reversal, though, Gene has had a sudden attack of morals.
{{quote|
* [[I Read It for
{{quote|
* [[I'm Mr. Future Pop Culture Reference|I'm Mr Future Pop Culture Reference]]:
** Sam and Annie pose as "[[Tony Blair]]" and "Cherie Blair". When Gene pops up unexpectedly, Sam promptly dubs him "[[Gordon Brown]]".
*** "And his wife..." "[[Crowning Moment of Funny|Sookie.]]"
** "You know, ''[[Starsky and Hutch (TV series)|Starsky and Hutch]]'' have [[Drives Like Crazy|got a lot to answer for...]]"
** "How do you think I spend my time here, Tyler?" "[[Star Wars|Building a Death Star?]]"
** During a fistfight with Gene at some point in the first season, Sam does the "[[Bring It]]" gesture from [[The Matrix]].
** Series 1 Episode 3:
{{quote|
'''Sam Tyler''': You should see my Playstation scores. }}
** "Red rum! Red rum!"
* [[IC Number]]: Subverted: IC codes haven't been introduced yet, and nobody else understands them.
* [[Ironic Echo]]: Gene's assertion that he "never fitted up anyone who [[Asshole Victim|didn't deserve it]]!", for which he gets thoroughly worked over by Sam. In the Series 2 episode "Helpless", Sam catches himself saying [[He Who Fights Monsters|the exact same thing]] in his pursuit of Tony Crane.
* [[It Will Never Catch On]]:
** When Sam suggests that they install a TV in the pub, everyone is extremely skeptical. Seriously, they look at him like he grew a third eye.
** Chicken? In a basket?
* [[It Works Better
* [[Jerk
* [[Lady in Red]]: actually a plot point in Season 1, although instead of the usual seductive undertones it's to play off a Red Riding Hood theme.
* [[Let Us Never Speak of This Again]]: Gene says this almost word for word about the events of series 1 episode 7, {{spoiler|where a suspect died of a heart attack in one of the cells, due to the actions of CID.}}
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* [[Mushroom Samba]]: 2007!Sam accidentally gets a drug overdose, leading 1973!Sam to hallucinate a memorable version of the childrens' show ''[[Camberwick Green]]''.
* [[Must Make Amends]]
* [[Noble Bigot
* [[Noodle Incident]]: Whatever it is Mrs Luckhurst ''does'' that's "illegal in some parts of Wales" and makes Gene Hunt scream bloody murder.
* [[Odd Couple]]: Sam and Gene (one's [[By
* [[Off
* [[Old
* [[Ontological Mystery]]
* [[Only Known
** Richard Hands' real name is used once; after that, he's only named as Dickie Fingers, {{spoiler|even after he's murdered}}.
* [[Oop North]]: Manchester.
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* [[The Plan]]: {{spoiler|Frank Miller}} pulls one in Series 2, Episode 3.
* [[Pocket Protector]]: Gene is saved from a bullet by a flask of whiskey. Lampshaded and parodied immediately.
{{quote|
'''Gene:''' (pulls out two more flasks) Pretty good, actually. Well, you never know how far you're gonna be from a boozer! }}
* [[Police Lineup]]
* [[Police Procedural]]
* [[Politically
* [[Rape Is Ok When It Is Female On Male]]: Subverted--the act is shown as nightmarish and disconcerting, and everyone at the station assumes Sam planned to get laid, essentially blaming Sam for his own assault.
{{quote|
* [[Rashomon Style]]: in 2.05, we see Bathurst's arrest retold from two different perspectives, Gene Hunt's vindictive view and Annie's more sympathetic one. {{spoiler|Annie turned out to be much more objective--Gene had gotten too emotionally involved in the case.}}
* [[Running Gag]]: "That's not how it goes!" (Sam constantly getting the [[You Do Not Have to Say Anything]] speech wrong); "You are surrounded by armed bastards!" (even carried over to ''[[Ashes to Ashes]]''); Gene's flasks and fondness for American [[The Western|westerns]].
* [[Sarcastic Confession]]: Two of the mill workers in Series 1, Episode 3 find out the wrong way that you do ''not'' joke about a confession to Sam Tyler.
* [[The Scapegoat]]: {{spoiler|Patrick O'Brien}}.
* {{spoiler|[[Send Me Back]]}}
* [[Serious Business]]:
** Football rivalries and riots are central to one episode, just as football hooliganism was on the rise. Football rivalries and riots were ''very'' serious business in the 70s and 80s.
** Also, this wonderful quote from Gene in series 1, episode 6, when Reg Cole pours Gene's flask onto the floor:
{{quote|
* [[The Seventies]]: Manifested as seventies clothing, hair, and unfortunate blue eyeshadow.
* [[Shameful Strip]]: Happens to Sam after he's slipped a mickey by a prostitute in a frame-up. He wakes up tied to a bed with Gene kicking down the door accompanied by WPC Anne Cartwright. Considering Annie's embarrassment and Gene's quip of "it's not all golf and badminton in Hyde, eh?", it's fairly safe to say Sam was naked.
* [[Shell
* [[Shoot the Shaggy Dog]]: {{spoiler|Episode 7. Sam finds out the exact circumstances that lead to Kemble's accidental death due to the department's actions, but when he turns in the tape proving it to the superintendent, the superintendent immediately destroys the tape, saying that it could easily be a hoax.}}
* [[Sickbed Slaying]]: Tony Crane torturing the comatose 2007!Sam.
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* [[Smoking Hot Sex|Smoking Hot Fight]]: Although Sam and Gene have had a few of these, the one that really stands out has to be the fight between them in the hospital, after which Gene is shown smoking. [[Ho Yay|Draw your own conclusions]].
* {{spoiler|[[Suicide Is Painless]]}}: {{spoiler|Sam goes back to his own time, realises the [[Creepy Child|Test Card F girl]] was right all along, and takes a running jump off the roof of the police station while ''Life On Mars'' blares triumphantly in the background.}}
* [[Taking the Heat]]: A union leader tried to cover up a fatal industrial accident at his mill to keep it from being shut down (and his members losing their jobs) by confessing to having murdered the accident victim.
* [[The Television Talks Back]]: Sam's hotline to the 'real' world.
* [["The Reason You Suck" Speech]]: Sam delivers an ''epic'' one to {{spoiler|Peter Bond}}, accusing him and people like him of ruining the joy of football by injecting it with hate and violence among the fans.
* [[They Fight Crime]]: For the most part, the plots are standard police investigations, though occasionally made significant by Sam's techniques or history.
* [[Time Travel for Fun
* [[
* [[Train Job]]: The climax.
* [[Trapped in
* [[The Troubles]]
* [[Turn in Your Badge]]
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** Not to be done in, Gene brings a [[Streetwalker]] along as his "wife".
* [[Unfortunate Names]]:
{{quote|
* [[Up the Real Rabbit Hole]]: Sam confides openly to Annie about his 'condition'.
* [[Vigilante Man]]: Toolbox & Big Bird.
* [[Vitriolic Best Buds]]: Sam and Gene.
* [[Well
* [[Wham! Episode]]: The finale of the first series turns a lot of things on its head -- {{spoiler|Sam discovers that his father's a crime lord, and he lets him run away, thereby killing what he thought was his only chance at getting back to the present. Sam also ''changes the past'' for the first time in the series.}}
* [[Wham! Line]]:
** The finale of the first series:
{{quote|
** In episode 2-07:
{{quote|
* [[What Year Is This?]]: "It's 1973, almost dinner time - I'm 'aving 'oops!"
* [[Whoopi Epiphany Speech]]: "If you can feel, you're alive."
** {{spoiler|Which leads to a very dark [[Inversion]] in the ending: when he gets back in 2007, he accidentally cuts himself during a meeting and realizes that he didn't feel it, leading to his decision to leave his 2007 life and go back to 1973.}}
* [[Witness Protection]]: A central plot point of one episode.
* [[Wire Dilemma]]: In series 2 episode 3.
* [[Year Inside, Hour Outside]]: {{spoiler|Sam returns to 1973 in the nick of time to save his friends, mere moments after his departure. This despite having spent ''days'' in 2007}}.
* [[You Can't Fight Fate]]
* [[You Can't Go Home Again]]
* [[You Do Not Have to Say Anything]]: Subverted. British police used a different caution in 1973 than the one Sam is used to from 2007. Sam repeatedly tries and fails to recite the 70's version, at one point coming up with the [[Miranda Rights|Miranda Warning]].
* [[You Have Failed Me...]]: {{spoiler|Warren does this to Joni Newton after she reneges on framing Sam}}.
* [[You Need to Get Laid]]: This is Gene's conclusion about Reg Cole, an armed hostage taker.
----
{{quote|
''"Pub."''
}}
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:British Series]]
[[Category:
[[Category:The Seventies]]
[[Category:Buddy Cop Show]]
[[Category:Cop Show]]
[[Category:Crime and Punishment Series]]
[[Category:
[[Category:
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