Life on Mars
Is he mad, in a coma… or has Detective Sam Tyler really travelled back in time?
Created by Tony Jordan, Matthew Graham, Ashley Pharoah
On BBC One
A disorienting psychological mystery that uses 1970s procedural trappings to interrogate reality, identity, and whether the protagonist is experiencing time travel, madness, or something stranger still.
A detective chief inspector from 2006 is investigating a serial killer when he is knocked over by a speeding car. Waking up, he finds himself mysteriously transported back in time to 1973. Initially struggling to come to terms with his situation, he has to come to terms with the old-fashioned technology and attitude of the day, while figuring out how he came to be trapped in the past.
Clusters
Where to watch
- StreamPrime Video, BritBox
- FreeFawesome
- AdsPrime Video, Amazon MX Player
- BuyAmazon Video
Questions people ask
Is Life on Mars scary? Yes, very. More frightening than 93% of series.
Is Life on Mars one of a kind? Yes. More singular than 89% of series.
Is Life on Mars sad? Yes. More sad than 84% of series.
Does Life on Mars leave you hopeful? Not especially. Less hopeful than 73% of series.
Is Life on Mars easy watching? Not especially. Less comforting than 70% of series.
Is Life on Mars violent? Somewhat. More violent than 64% of series.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Written about
- Whose Show Is It?Finding
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Familiar shape, done well.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Everything like Life on Mars, and what each one shares →
Like Life on Mars
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as Life on Mars
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like Life on Mars, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like Life on Mars, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like Life on Mars, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
