(S01E04) "Just resign already, will ya?" - Sam, after seeing Nixon on TV
Well, it's probably not the main reason, but it looks like Sam finally figured out one the reasons he's in 1973 - keeping an eye on his mother. Last week, after Windy mentioned to Sam that maybe 2008 is the dream and 1973 is reality, it got me wondering if any of Sam's family would be around. Of course, that was quickly confirmed when Sam saw his father (Cobra!) and his young self heading off to a Knicks game at the end of the episode. Now, I'm no expert on the whole space-time continuum thingy... but isn't the world supposed to blow up or something when you see your past self?
I suppose if we're splitting hairs, Sam 2008 and Sam 1973 didn't really make eye contact, and I would imagine acknowledgment that "I'm you" and "you're me" is essential for any bad thing to happen. Then again, maybe not. I just can't wait for his first encounter with Sam 1973. Couldn't he tell him something accidentally that might get himself killed in the '80s? Would Sam 2008 immediately disappear ala Back to the Future the second he uttered the words? OK... moving on because I could keep going here. The procedural side to this show is fantastic but it's completely taken a back seat to the bogus sci-fi theorizing.
One of the great parts about this show is all the '70s slang and the characters Tyler and the 125th boys keep running into and this installment was no exception. Elliot (the club owner) and Nick (his muscle) were the epitome of sleazy, small-time 70s gangsters. Finding out that Elliot had Gene, Ray, and Chris in his pocket wasn't totally surprising, but I was glad to find out that even though Gene deemed it necessary, that it still ate him up inside. I couldn't believe he had saved all the bribes. I wonder how much money he burned at the end? Makes me wonder though - who else do you think Gene is on the take from? Seems like it's a pretty commonplace practice in the 125th and I just hope Gene doesn't follow in the footsteps of his own story and "eat his gun for Sunday brunch" in a fit of guilt. I doubt very much that'll happen though.
Moving on to No Nuts... I mean... Annie. She's become a bit of a mystery to me. Sometimes I don't get her actions. For instance, she was dead-set on Sam busting Elliot for those two dead "twirls" (she was convinced he was behind it), but she was willing to dance in the guy's club? I wouldn't go near that place if I knew about the murders. To me, she just doesn't seem like she's taking her job as seriously as she she said she was when she told Sam about her efforts to increase the female presence in the NYPD earlier in the season. I will admit that the sexual tension between her and Sam is funny, but what I don't get is why Sam cares so much what she thinks of him. If he's so convinced that he's in some alternate whatever-verse, then why care what the regulars think? I suppose a guy has needs though and you do need to account for that.
A few more thoughts...
- Jim Croce and Joe Namath. Hilarious.
- Stopping your mother from becoming a prostitute is a pretty good reason to time-travel I'd say.
- One thing I'm sick of? All the little Mars Rover robots. Once was enough. We get it.
- Harvey Keitel should dance in every episode.
- I've never seen the British series, so don't tell me if I'm right or wrong here, but if Sam does ever get back to 2008, will Annie, and Gene, and whoever (assuming they're still alive), remember Sam 35 years later?
- Did you catch what Sam 1973 said to his mother from the bedroom? "Mommy, I had a bad dream." Yikes.
All I can say is that Life on Mars had better stick around. It's by far one of the best new shows (if not the best) of the season. Maybe I'm crazy, but it could probably fare better in another time-slot other than following Grey's Anatomy. I watch them both, but I don't consider my viewing habits typical by any standard. ABC should definitely pair it with Lost when that returns. If Same Tyler can travel 35 years, his show can at least move to a different night.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-31-2008 @ 10:31AM
gottacook said...
This is the first episode I caught; I did so because I read that Robert Klein would guest-star. And he was damn good - you should have mentioned his role.
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10-31-2008 @ 10:31AM
laura said...
I like this show, i just dont LOVE it, it COULD be better, Less cliche, more real.
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10-31-2008 @ 10:36AM
colby said...
"isn't the world supposed to blow up or something when you see your past self?"
Well, if you want to borrow the highly scientific theory from Van Damme's Timecop ... "the same matter can't occupy the same space" -- Ron Silver.
So I guess if Sam touched his younger self, it would blow up : P
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10-31-2008 @ 11:09AM
LordPaul said...
"One thing I'm sick of? All the little Mars Rover robots. Once was enough. We get it. "
Evidentally not.
:-\
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10-31-2008 @ 11:10AM
Courtney said...
Three words: Detective Luke Skywalker. 'Nuf said.
As for meeting yourself in the past, did you ever watch Sliders? They did mention in this episode the prospect of this all being an alternate universe. Based on what I know of that (and all I really know is from Sliders), time should still be the same (aka, it'd be 2008), but in one episode, there was one where the dimension moved SLOWER than his world, making the year actually in the 1980s or late 1970s instead of 1995. Well, in that ep, Quinn DID meet his younger self with no implosion and even helped him out.
So ignoring that long nerd-out, I guess there is a chance that this is not HIS life, just a carbon copy. Because honestly, I'm wondering whether whatever he's doing is hurting or helping his future, and whether he'd notice differences when he gets home.
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10-31-2008 @ 11:34AM
rtms said...
I wonder if Sam is going to have his memories change over time as he stays in the past. Knowing his mother and how his life was may change now that he's helping her or keeps helping her. I mean does he remember someone helping them then?
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10-31-2008 @ 11:35AM
khamel said...
i've seen the british series and the answer to that question is basically unimportant as far as the american version goes. i dont want to ruin it and i have a feeling the american version won't end the way the british version did either.
i like the american version but i loved the british one. the actors who play sam tyler and gene hunt were perfect on the original, especially gene hunt, and as much as i like harvey keitel, hes not the same.
these first 4 shows have all been remakes of the originals. i wonder at what point they will start to diverge.
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11-03-2008 @ 10:05AM
tcc3 said...
Judging by the preview - next week.
10-31-2008 @ 1:28PM
dennis phillips said...
sure...lets pair this show with lost...then we'll have a "what the f*** just happen day"!
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10-31-2008 @ 2:37PM
Rosie said...
That was a mind blowing episode. LIFE ON MARS is not great, but it has great potential. Besides, I have become wary of TV series that start as instant hits before commencing upon a slow decline (LOST and DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES anyone?).
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11-01-2008 @ 9:30AM
R said...
Can't watch it anymore. It's just plain silly to me. The music portion is copied from Cold Case, but then again, isn't everything copied??? ABC will move it, they paid too much money for it and it's their "showcase" show. I think they got this one wrong. Some shows should not be re-made. Meds for Stephen McPherson, I telling you.
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11-01-2008 @ 9:30AM
Mike said...
Michael J Fox saw himself many times in BTTF 2...they never communicated and the Marty in the BTTF 1 clips never saw BTTF 2 Marty. Also..I always tought it odd that the parents name their kid after the teen that helped them meet but don't notice they look a lot alike.
I notice no nuts says she has thought of seeing him naked.
Someone here last week noticed Wendy never talks to anyone but 2B.. i think they may be on to something.
I also think an above poster is on to something in that he is just playing a part of someone that did exsist in 73 and looked out for them.
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11-01-2008 @ 9:30AM
Will said...
I,too, really hope this show lasts. I'm really enjoying it so far.
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11-02-2008 @ 8:36AM
Brent Schmidt said...
Really, REALLY LOVING this show so far. Everything about it, I love. This weeks episode did not let down (unlike another Thursday night show. Something about an office...). I got the first season of the UK version today, and have only watched the first episode. After seeing that, I like ours A LOT better. I LOVE Harvey Keitel (sucker for the National Treasure movies)... and I just never really seem to like the originals (once again, something about an office...).
Anyways, can't wait to see how this show plays out. I really hope they continue it. It'll be interesting to see if they do what they did with the UK version after the second season.
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11-06-2008 @ 3:38PM
mark hopkins said...
in the maharishi episode, what what the drumladen song
with an island feel that they danced to? I'm not finding any lists of the music. I was 9 in 73 and remember a lot of the period.
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11-16-2008 @ 5:05PM
shnaynay13 said...
Did anyone else catch the Verizon logo, complete with the red checkmark underneath and everything, on a building the background during the scene where Sam and Gene were talking abt Gene's "first job" by the bridge? they must have flashed back to it 6 times- it was unmistakably the verizon building and impossible to miss! I couldnt believe what a horrible oversight that was- verizon wasnt even close to existing yet in 1973- it was such a blatantly obvious oversight that I even thought that maybe it was intentional and Sam would turn around and see it and realize that he was back in 2008, but they ignored it! What a poor editing job, it would have been easy to edit it out.
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