Blog DVD Review: Life on Mars - The Complete Series (9/29)

Welcome to our weekly Blog DVD Review! This week we take a look at ABC Studios' Life on Mars: The Complete Series. Life on Mars is about a New York City police detective Sam Tyler (played by Jason O'Mara), who after being struck by a car in 2008, regains consciousness in 1973. See my Blog DVD Review of Life on Mars: The Complete Series:

Life on Mars: The Complete Series (ABC Studios, $39.99) brings all 17 episodes of this sci-fi crime drama starring an all-star cast on DVD for the first time! We head back in time to 1973, after Det. Sam Tyler is struck by a car in 2008. The series captivated fans and critics throughout the country, with an irresistible soundtrack and of the most celebrated casts on television including Jason O'Mara, Michael Imperioli, Gretchen Mol, and the legendary Harvey Keitel! Life on Mars is a smart, suspenseful drama with a finish that will just blow you away! So the series ends the way it wanted to!
The series was unfortunately canceled. The series started on Thursdays at 10pm in October and November of lats year before a hiatus took place and the series returned in late January on a new night of Wednesdays, and the ratings suffered big time. The series stars Jason O'Mara as Det. Sam Tyler, Michael Imperioli as Det. Ray Carling, Gretchen Mol as Policewoman Annie Norris, Jonathan Murphy as Det. Chris Skelton, and Harvey Keitel as Lt. Gene Hunt. Among the recurring stars are Lisa Bonet as Maya, Tanya Fischer as Windy, Jennifer Ferrin as Rose Tyler, Dean Winters as Vic Tyler, Caleb Wallace as Young Sam, and Maggie Siff as Maria Hunt Belanger. Among the guests this year are Peter Gerety, Edi Gathegi, Odette Yustman, Lenny Venito, Brad William Henke, Wallace Shawn, Kevin Kilner, Paige Turco, Gina Gershon, Mark Linn-Baker, and Whoopi Goldberg.

This series was an excellent show. I think the hiatus hurt the show and also when it returned in late January, it was aired out of order. The cliffhanger from episode 7 in November didn't have a resolution until the ninth one aired, as I think they were trying to start the series on its new night with an episode that was self-explanatory. However, on this DVD they do switch the episodes, so "Take a Look at the Lawmen" was the 8th one aired, is 9th on this DVD, while "The Dark Side Of The Mook" was the 9th one aired, is 8th on this DVD. That is much better! But since they did that, they should have reordered episodes 10-13 as well, as they aired out of order, too. The final four episodes were aired correctly and also are placed right on the DVD. Production order would have been the best thing for the DVD. Anyway, some memorable episodes include the series opener "Out Here in the Fields," when after an accident, NYPD detective Sam Tyler inexplicably finds himself back in 1973, where he must help solve a murder that is eerily similar to a case he was investigating in 2008. In "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadows?" Sam busts a guy for accosting his mother, only to find out he's a loan shark and she's into him for a thousand dollars, but when his mother doesn't want to prosecute, she, unknowingly, leads Sam down a road that puts him on the outs with Annie. In "Things to Do in New York When You Think You're Dead," Sam partners up with Fletcher, his future police mentor, in 1973 to find a Puerto Rican man accused of throwing a black girl off the roof of a building--a case that has the black community up in arms and demanding retribution. In the first half finale, "The Man Who Sold the World," while investigating a child's kidnapping, Sam discovers some disturbing information about his father, as well as the real reason he disappeared for good on the day of Sam's fourth birthday party. In the conclusion, "The Dark Side of the Mook," a mysterious phone call from a tipster leads Det. Sam Tyler to a headless body and a severed head is delivered to the precinct at the same time, thus leading to the discovery of a series of gruesome decapitations that might involve Det. Carling's brother, Eddie. In "Coffee, Tea, or Annie," when a Pan Atlantic air hostess turns up dead, Annie volunteers for a dangerous undercover mission posing as the murdered woman to help solve the second in a possible series of brutal homicides. In "All the Young Dudes," when Sam poses as a streetwise tough to infiltrate a vicious New York City gang suspected of truck hijackings, he's pushed to the limit not to blow his cover, and he reveals a much darker side. In the excellent series finale, "Life is a Rock," Sam wakes up after dreaming about his 2008 apartment with 1973 characters and is told he is most likely closer to going back and later on a mysterious caller offers Sam a chance to return to 2008...all he needs to do is complete three tasks, but a confusing set of circumstances inside and out of the 1-2-5 makes him think twice about whether he even wants to go back. When love, death, promise, hope, fear and mystery converge, will Sam decide to stay in 1973 or return to the future?

Packaging has a thin outer box that you can remove from the top or bottom to get to the case inside. Both the thin outer box and case have the same artwork for both the front and back. The cover has a nice orange background with the New York skyline along with shots of Keitel, Imperioli, Mol, and O'Mara. The show logo is on top in black lettering with the four main star names on top of that. A Modern Day Cop In A 1973 World is printed on the bottom. The back has that orange background with information on the set and one episodic photo and we also have a photo of an 8 Track that lists the bonus features. Technical specifications are listed below the episodic photo.
Opening the case, on the left side we see discs one & two. On the right side we see discs three and four. The discs are overlapping each other. There is also an insert for Blu-ray inside. Disc artwork is very nice, with each disc fitting that orange background. Disc one has episodes 1-4 with artwork of a 1970's style car and in the background we can see Radio City Hall. Disc two has episodes 5-9 and has artwork of that black phone that Sam gets the mysterious phone calls from. Disc three has episodes 10-13 and has artwork of two guns and the Brooklyn Bridge (it seems) in the background. And finally disc four has episodes 14-17 and has artwork of the NYPD police badge with the New York City skyline in the background. When you remove the discs, the panels have nice artwork, along with a disc-by-disc breakdown of episode titles and bonus features. It is nicely done!

The menu screen starts with a police car then we get to the main menu with '70s style graphics and music playing in the background. It is groovy! The options on the main menu are Play All, Episode Selection, Set Up, and Bonus Features. But before the main menu screen comes on disc one, we get some auto sneak peeks of other DVDs: ABC on DVD, Lost, The Proposal, Cheri and Blu-ray DVD. Set Up section has the option of subtitles in English, French or Spanish and how you can register your DVD. The Episodes option gives us the episode number, title and a screenshot. Bonus Features option has all the extras listed. All of the sub-menus have different background music from the show...very '70s style! This show had great music, didn't it?

The episodes run usually 41-43 minutes...unedited of course with all the great music intact. The lowest one is 40:10 and the highest is 43:12. There are about 8 chapter stops per episode. The video is digitally mastered and is in widescreen and looks very good! The audio is great and sounds very good, as it is in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. This is 2008-2009, so it had better be good. There is nothing to complain at all here...it is perfect! The '70s never looked better on DVD!

Moving on the bonus features. We have a lot of audio commentaries! Disc one has audio commentary for the first episode "Out Here in the Fields" with creator/executive producers Josh Applebaum and Andre Nemec. They give lots of details and cool facts...I'm sure many of the October Road fans noticed some references to that show, since they created that show also. On disc two we have audio commentary for the great episode ""Things To Do In New York When You Think You're Dead," with Jason O'Mara (Sam Tyler), co-executive producer Michael Katleman and executive producer Scott Rosenberg. Once again this is very fun and O'Mara is interesting to listen to. This was a great episode, too. We also have audio commentary for the fall finale "The Man Who Sold the World" with the same team from the pilot...creator/executive producers Josh Applebaum and Andre Nemec. A lot of insight once again is given. And find out details on the cliffhanger at the end! The final audio commentary is on disc four and it is for the series finale, "Life is a Rock," with Jason O'Mara (Sam Tyler), co-executive producer Michael Katleman and executive producers Josh Applebaum & Scott Rosenberg. We learn a lot! Find out details on the last scene that was brilliant! Series finale endings usually go either way, you either love it or hate it.
All of the other extras are on disc four! We have an interview featurette titled "To Mars and Back" (15:34). This is a very good detailed extra that gives us the inside scoop on the cast, characters and the series....journey back to the '70s! Interviewed are Andre Nemec, Scott Rosenberg, Josh Applebaum, Jason O'Mara, Jane Raab (producer), Jonathan Murphy (Chris), Gretchen Mol (Annie), Michael Imperioli (Ray), Michael Katleman, Matthew Lamb (Location Manager), Joseph Zolfo (Unit Production Manager), Stephen Hendrickson (Production Designer), James Nuciforo (Police Consultant), Jim Lillis (Property Master), Wallace Lane (Costume Designer), and Harvey Keitel (Gene Hunt). Then we have another featurette titled "Sunrise to Sunset with Jason O'Mara" (9:33). We spend an entire day with Jason O'Mara on the set bright and early to the end of the day, which is around 9pm. That is a long day, and O'Mara says sometimes it goes even longer! Then we have a nice '70s style featurette titled "Flashback: Lee Majors Goes to Mars" (7:53). Jason O'Mara shows '70s icon Lee Majors around the set. This is a very good special feature. Lee Majors is a fan of the show it seems. Six Million Dollar Man, indeed! Then we have some "Spaced Out: Bloopers from the Set" (2:43)...yes, bloopers! See all the goofs and play on the set, but this is way too short. Finally, we have 10 Deleted Scenes that run 1:30, 0:50, 2:30, 3:35, 0:41, 0:23, 1:00, 1:36, 2:07, and 1:29. O'Mara said in one of the commentaries they deleted a lot scenes with Windy for time, and we see them on here! Gotta love Windy!

I highly recommend this series and set...it is an ABC Studios DVD (the show was co-produced by 20th Century Fox as well), so it is good and filled with special features. We have great episodes, great packaging, great menus, and groovy bonus features! If you forgot to watch the show when it moved to Wednesdays, now is your chance to see what you missed. If you have never watched the show, get this DVD! It has an actual ending, so you won't be disappointed. The cast is great! And the '70s clothing, sets, and setting is perfectly done. Get out your 8 Track and listen to David Bowie's Life on Mars song and you'll be ready for the Life on Mars DVD! Don't space out, Spaceman! Is there life on Maaaars?
View the Trailer.

-- Reviewed by Pavan
(4.5/5 stars)

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Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
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Good Ratings for Wednesday's High School Reunion for TV Land; Network Notes Includes Seinfeld Reunion on Curb?

TV Land's original series High School Reunion averaged nearly 1 million total viewers for this past Wednesday's 10 p.m. telecast, making it the most-watched episode of the season to date, according to Nielsen Media Research. The telecast also gave TV Land double-digit gains over previous week's airing across the network's target demo, Adults 25-54, and among the network's core audience of Adults 40-54.
Wednesday's installment -- the third episode of the new season of High School Reunion -- posted a 0.6 rating and 592,000 viewers among A25-54, up 30% in rating and 32% in viewers over previous week in the 25-54 demo. Among the network's core A40-54 audience, the episode posted a 0.8 rating and 452,000 viewers, up a whopping 82% in rating and 81% in viewers over previous week in the core 40-54 demo. It also scored double digit gains among total viewers with nearly 1 million (954,000 total viewers), up 38% over previous week, with a median age of 48.
The telecast posted huge gains with Men 25-54 and Women 25-54 over previous week. Among M25-54, it scored a 0.5 rating and 271,000 viewers, up 49% in rating and 48% in viewers over previous week's episode in M25-54. Among W25-54, it posted a 0.6 rating and 321,000 viewers, up 20% in rating and viewers versus last week in W25-54. Adding those two up, you get the 592,000 viewers among Adults 25-54.

It's time for a round of network notes! Multi-platinum singer/songwriter Jewel and Access Hollywood host Nancy O'Dell have withdrawn from Season Eight of ABC's Dancing with the Stars citing injuries. Jewel was diagnosed with a fractured tibia in both legs, O'Dell a torn meniscus. The injuries were sustained while training for the competition.
Jewel and O'Dell will appear on the season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, this Monday (March 9) at 8:00 p.m., ET/PT to address their injuries. The women were paired with professional dancers Tony Dovolani and Dmitry Chaplin, respectively. Additional changes to the cast will also be announced during Monday's premiere...so watch it LIIIIVE (as Tom Bergeron would say)!
ABC is ending Life on Mars after it finishes its 17 episode run on April 1. No fooling. The show hasn't done too well in the ratings since the move to Wednesdays following Lost. The show did a bit better in the fall on Thursdays after Grey's Anatomy, but maybe the hiatus between the two was the downfall for the show, as it was off the air for two months. It is too bad, because the show is wonderful and has top-notch actors.
The show is based on a British series of the same name. What's more, the U.S. version will end up more closely resembling its British predecessor, which lasted for 16 episodes and also was a close-ended series. While the British series spawned a sequel of sorts, called Ashes to Ashes, no such plans are in the works Stateside.
Ensuring a definitive ending for Life on Mars might also make it easier to promote the show's 17-episode run as a DVD release or, possibly on a cable network should the series land an off-net run in reruns. ABC also had an actual ending on the series Day Break a few years ago and since then it has been released on DVD and also airs weekly in reruns on TV One. So Life on Mars will go out properly, as producers will be able to write and shoot a definitive ending to the saga. Groovy!
Finally, the four main stars of the hit '90s NBC comedy Seinfeld will appear together, playing themselves, in a multi-episode arc on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm alongside creator Larry David, who created both series. Yes, Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander and Michael Richards all reunite! The episodes are part of Curb's upcoming seventh season. 10 episodes have been ordered for the seventh season but there is no premiere date yet or how many episodes they will appear in.

ABC January 2009 Midseason Plans; The CW Cancels MRC Sundays, Tyra Banks Show Heads to CW Daytime Next Fall

ABC has announced its January 2009 plans. ABC made it official yesterday with the swapping of Private Practice and Life on Mars. Private Practice will move to Thursdays at 10PM following Grey's Anatomy, where Life on Mars was airing, while Life on Mars will move to Wednesdays at 10PM, where currently Dirty Sexy Money was airing. As mentioned already, Lost will take over Wednesdays at 9PM starting January 21, replacing Private Practice. Yes, Life on Mars will indeed follow Lost. Lost's season premiere is two-hours, so Life on Mars will debut on the night on January 28. 7 episodes have aired thus far, with six still remaining in the original order...but now ABC has ordered four more episodes, so a total of 17 will air this season at least. As for Private Practice, it will launch with new episodes on Thursdays on January 8, with repeats of the series in the slot on Dec. 11, 18 and 25 so fans are used to the change by the time is launches with new episodes on Jan. 8. The show will continue to air Wednesdays at 9 through and including Dec. 17. It is still not known what will air on Wednesdays in January prior to Lost coming (Jan. 21). It seems Private Practice will NOT air Wednesday at 9 on Jan. 7 and 14...could they double pump Pushing Daisies or Dirty Sexy Money? We'll let you know, when we know.
The news is not good for Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money and Eli Stone, as ABC has announced they will not order more episodes than the 13 episodes from the original order. The word cancelation is not used, but all of them will likely not return next season, but...as of now, all 13 episodes of each will air.
Elsewhere, ABC has announced Scrubs will have its eighth season premiere on Tuesday, January 6 with two back-to-back episodes from at 9:00pm & 9:30pm ET/PT, replacing According to Jim. Jim will slide down into the 8:00pm & 8:30pm ET/PT slots, after airing in the 9pm hour starting in December. Scrubs will also air for the full-hour on Tuesday, January 13, opposite the same night of American Idol's two-hour season premiere. Then starting January 20, Scrubs will be followed by the new midseason animated comedy The Goode Family more than likely. ABC has not yet announced plans for Tuesdays at 10 following the comedies and Wednesdays at 8 leading into Lost. One option for either slot is Border Security USA, the new docudrama 11 episode series. My guess is Wednesdays at 8.
Keep checking back right here because the day is not over and we could have more announcements! Busy busy day!

The CW has canceled the MRC (Media Rights Capital group) programming block completely and will take over programming of the night effective Sunday, Nov. 30 due to very low ratings. So this coming Sunday (Nov. 23) is the last of MRC on The CW. MRC was programming The CW's Sunday night programming from 5-10pm, with an hour of 4Real at 5pm, Valentine encores at 6pm, In Harm's Way at 7pm, Valentine at 8pm, and Easy Money at 9pm.
Effective Sunday, Nov. 30, The CW will air encores of Everybody Hates Chris and The Game in the 5pm hour. Then in the 6pm hour they will go into the vaults of Warner Bros. and air back-to-back episodes of '90s sitcom The Drew Carey Show. At 7pm The CW will use its CBS Paramount library and air the short-lived drama Jericho, which aired on CBS for two seasons. And finally at 8pm, they will air Movies from MGM. So it looks like The CW is putting good use of their CBS-Warner libraries, hence the name The CW. Will this do any better than the MRC block? It remains to be seen, but if it does...expect more library programming on the night, as The CW plans to air this for the rest of the season before coming up with a new strategy next season.
So what will happen to the shows that were slated to come to the MRC block in midseason? One of them was the Bob Saget multicamera sitcom Surviving Suburbia. That sitcom has taped many episodes and still is scheduled to tape episodes in December and January. They last taped an episode last night before taking next week off for the Thanksgiving holiday. I am not sure what will happen to this sitcom. MRC could shop the sitcom for another network or perhaps The CW would pick it up for another night, possibly Fridays with the other comedies?

Meanwhile, first-run syndicated talk show The Tyra Banks Show from Warner Bros. Television is moving to The CW next fall (Sept. 2009) for its fifth season. How? Well, it will air daily on The CW Daytime back-to-back at 3PM (classic episode) and 4PM (all-new episode)! Which means the talk show will leave syndication and air exclusively on The CW! So this means both Tyra Banks' shows The Tyra Banks Show and America's Next Top Model will air on the same network starting in the fall...one in the daytime and one in primetime.
Currently airing on The CW Daytime is rookie Warner Bros. court show Judge Jeanine Pirro from 3-4pm, now that show will leave CW Daytime next fall and will be moving to first-run syndication! Let the bidding begin. From 4-5pm currently are sitcoms The Wayans Bros. and The Jamie Foxx Show, and they will be off the line-up, obviously. Who knows if the new CW Sunday is successful, maybe these will move to Sundays next fall somewhere between 5-7pm.

I know I promised the network holiday specials dates today, but because of this unusually busy Friday, I will give them to you on Monday...no matter what happens. So stay tuned for that!

More Slots for Boston Legal on ION This Week; ABC.com Goes Retro on Thursday; Upcoming Seven Questions Preview

ION Television will add more timeslots for Boston Legal this week. As of now, it is just for this week. Originally it was only stated for Mon-Thurs at 8:00PM and Wednesdays at 9:00PM. Now ION has also added for this week Tuesday at 10:00PM and Wednesday at 10:00PM, both replacing ER, which seems to be underperforming for the network. Last week Legal replaced ER on Wednesday at 10:00PM, so I wonder if ION will make the announcement soon that this will be until further notice, but as of now these changes are for this week only. ER is only on once this week, and that was last night at 10:00PM. Legal is airing 8 times this week, but three of them are encores. Legal and NCIS, which can only air twice a week, have done well for the network since being added last month. Criminal Minds and Ghost Whisperer are coming to ION in 2009, and I think they will do as well.
In other changes, it seems Flash Gordon on Fridays isn't doing well, as yet again a Warner Bros. movie will air Friday from 7-9pm this week. Above the Law (1988) will air leading into an RHI movie (Tornado) at 9pm. Flash Gordon has been preempted for the last few weeks (last week ION aired a Warner movie marathon from 4-10:30pm), but as of now, it is scheduled for next Friday.

I thought this was worth mentioning as we have a big following for retro stuff here at SitcomsOnline.com. Beginning Thursday, October 9, the home page of ABC.com will give a nod to 1973 with a retro main page for the premiere of the new drama, Life on Mars (launching that night at 10PM ET/PT). The home page will offer the same categories (schedule, shows, community, full episode player, etc.) but in the signature monochromatic green font, popular to DOS in the 70s. After clicking on their desired section, users will be transported back to the ABC.com of 2008.
Additionally on the Life on Mars section you will see the songs of 1973. Get down with streaming songs on the 1973 Radio Player. The selections will include album cover art, song title and album title.
Where were you in 1973? NYPD Detective Sam Tyler (Jason O'Mara) finds himself in the cultural hotbed of New York City in the tumultuous times of the Vietnam War, Watergate, women's lib and the civil and gay rights movements without a cell phone, computer, PDA or MP3 player -- suddenly hurtled back in time when he's ripped from 2008 after being hit by a car while chasing down a criminal. He's trying mightily to understand what has just happened to him and how he can get back "home." In her return to series television, Lisa Bonet (Cosby Show) has a supporting role. The all-star cast also includes Harvey Keitel as Lieutenant Gene Hunt, Michael Imperioli as Detective Ray Carling, Gretchen Mol as Annie Norris and Jonathan Murphy as Detective Chris Skelton.
I have watched the premiere and I must say they do a great job of recreating 1973. It looks so retro but has the 2008 look to it. Fans of the great cop shows of the past will want to tune in and fans of cop shows of today, especially funny ones, will want to tune in. It has gotten good reviews and is worth checking out this Thursday at 10/9 central on ABC.

We are working on quite a bit of upcoming Seven Questions interviews. Seven Questions is of course our on-going interview series where we talk to a network or a star and ask them, well...seven questions. We try to ask the most interesting questions that cater to you all...sitcoms, classic TV, and programming. We have interviewed networks like RTN, AmericanLife, ION Television and stars like Alf Clausen in the past, with more coming very soon. First up will be WGN America later this week! You'll want to read this if you are a fan of classic TV and WGN America has brought classic TV back, as we all know! Also in the works (if everything works out): TV Land, Nick at Nite, Too Close for Comfort star Lydia Cornell, and author Chris Mann (Retroality.TV)!