Series 2 Press Pack
Life On Mars – returns for the last time to BBC One – starts Tuesday 13 February 2007 at 9pm
John Simm is back for the final time as DI Sam Tyler, the time-travelling detective who, following a car accident, found himself back in 1973, as the International Emmy Award-winning series Life On Mars returns to BBC One. Returning alongside Simm for the final series are Philip Glenister, Liz White, Dean Andrews and Marshall Lancaster as Tyler's Seventies colleagues, who are only just getting to grips with the DI's new-fangled ways of investigating crime.
The first series of Life On Mars, which regularly attracted audiences of over 7.5 million and plaudits from a broad spectrum of critics, won Best Drama Series at the International Emmy Awards in November 2006. Creator, writer and executive producer, Matthew Graham, was thrilled, and explains: "We have had such a fantastic response to Life On Mars from viewers and critics alike and this award is the icing on the cake! When it was announced I'm sure that Sam Tyler, Gene Hunt and the gang were splashing on the Old Spice, donning their flares and opening the Party Seven – celebrating in proper, Seventies style!"
End of life as we know it?
The second series marks the thrilling finale of the smash hit show and viewers will finally learn the truth about time travelling DI Sam Tyler (John Simm) and how he came to be stuck in 1973. However, fans will have to keep watching until the end of the series on BBC One before their speculative theories are laid to rest.
Executive producer, and joint MD of Kudos, Jane Featherstone, says: "Obviously, we will not be revealing in advance what eventually happens to Sam, as we wouldn't want to spoil everyone's enjoyment of the second half of his story when they watch series two. But they can certainly expect some shocking revelations along the way. We have even filmed two endings because we want to keep everyone guessing until the very end."
Executive producer Claire Parker comments: "The boys are back with a kick and a punch! Series two of Life On Mars is even darker and more surprising than before, and still liberally sprinkled with humour and more of Gene Hunt's 'insightful' words of wisdom! Whatever the audience thinks they know will be challenged, and we will certainly still want to keep the audience guessing. There will be more revelations that will help Sam to work out why he is in 1973, but there will also be some shocking surprises that will rock Sam's world – both in 1973 and 2007."
The forthcoming series has attracted a wealth of talented guest stars such as Marc Warren (Hustle), Kevin McNally(Pirates Of The Caribbean) and Georgia Taylor (Blackpool), queuing up to don their flares and travel back to 1973. Sam is slowly adjusting to his new surroundings and seems to be trying to fit into the team but DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister) has had no such change of heart and is still as brash and hard on Sam as ever; lambasting his continual "by-the-book" approach to procedures and is insistent that they stick to following his gut instinct when it comes to catching criminals.
Gene's maverick methods are closely observed by his protégé, DS Ray Carling (Dean Andrews), and eager to please DC Chris Skelton (Marshall Lancaster). WPC Annie Cartwright (Liz White) remains the only sane voice in Sam's mixed-up world. However, she is intent on proving that she is not just a pretty face and is keen to show she can cut it just as well as the boys. Gene's desire to rid Manchester of criminal scum is as strong as ever; never more so than now, as his mentor, Superintendent Woolf (Kevin McNally) is back at the station.
However, Sam is astonished to find that his own mentor and inspiration, Chief Inspector Glenn Fletcher (Emmet Brown, Outlaws) has also joined the team – although he is just a fresh-faced, new recruit in 1973, dealing with the extra pressure of the racist attitudes of his new colleagues. Marc Warren guest stars as Tony Crane, another ghost from Sam's "future past". Crane is a sleazy casino owner who runs a line in counterfeit cash.
It's not until Sam recognises the danger that Crane's girlfriend, Eve (Yasmin Bannerman, 55 Degrees North), is in, that he realises the urgency of banging the slippery suspect to rights. But he faces the tough job of convincing DCI Hunt they've got the right man.
Co-creators and writers Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah and writer Chris Chibnall all return to this new series of Life On Mars alongside three new writers to the series: Julie Rutterford (Hustle, Teachers), Guy Jenkin (The Private Life Of Samuel Pepys, Drop The Dead Donkey) andMark Greig (Afterlife, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries).
Series two is directed by SJ Clarkson, Richard Clark andAndrew Gunn and the producer is Cameron Roach(Footballers' Wives). Claire Parker, producer of series one, is now a co-executive producer with Jane Featherstone and Matthew Graham. Series two of Life On Mars is commissioned by BBC Wales' Head of Drama, Julie Gardner, and joint Head of Independent drama commissioning, John Yorke, and is due to transmit on BBC One in February.
How do you follow that?
After a successful run both in the UK and on BBC America, the makers of Life On Mars faced a tough challenge: how do they follow that? How can they ensure the second series is as strong and captivating as the first?
The team relished the challenge as much as they had done when approaching the first series, and the enthusiasm and excitement were motivation to the writers to ensure the final part of Sam's journey was just as full of intrigue and surprise as the first. Matthew Graham, who co-created, wrote and executive produced the first series, felt the key to maintaining the high standards was to stay true to the winning formula. "We were keen not to 'reinvent the wheel' for series two," says Matthew. "In this series, the show will operate much as before. As Sam and Gene attempt to settle their differences in order to crack crime, Sam looks for answers and a way out of his Seventies prison."
However, to captivate audiences for another eight episodes new team producer Cameron Roach was all too aware they couldn't just rely on the success of series one. "It was clear that the audience wanted 'more of the same'," explains Cameron. "This presented our biggest challenge – the audience have an expectation of being constantly surprised and amazed by Sam's world. However, we had so many ideas and potential stories that the show could have run to about eight series. But, because we knew Sam's journey was finite, we have compacted them into just two to make sure that it packs a punch and, hopefully, people will remember Life On Mars for years to come."
Whilst any avid viewer will agree that the relationship between Sam and his DCI, Gene Hunt, has been a key factor to the show's popularity and, naturally, continues to thump and thrust its way through eight more episodes, series two unlocks some darker secrets held close by Sam's team who, if Tyler is to be believed, are merely "part of his subconscious".
And another blossoming partnership also develops...
"Annie has a very big journey in this series – fresh challenges in her job and deeper feelings for Sam," says Matthew. "Viewers should brace themselves for some pretty intense moments between these two!"
The cases continue to cause conflict between Sam and Gene, and the additional pressure of their mentors' involvement in them only serves to heighten tensions within the team. However, Sam's almost hallucinogenic "episodes" continue to haunt him, and the voices of the future make a very real impact on his mental and physical state.
The production team tried to avoid using a Seventies setting as leverage for nostalgic trips down memory lane to remember only the "good old days". However, it did give the makers an excuse to pay tribute to a Seventies' classic with Sam and Gene making their plastercine debut in a rather surreal version inspired by Camberwick Green which will, no doubt, delight a generation of Brian Cant lovers. "I think it's one of the most beautiful, hilarious and satisfying things we've done on the show, and that's due to a brilliant job by Hot Animation," comments Matthew. "However, 'Sam' and 'Gene' have now, sadly, been dismantled into their constituent parts and, who knows, they could have gone back into making up Fireman Sam and Bob the Builder!"
In this multi-channel age, so few series gain both critical acclaim and sustain massive viewing figures every week, so to end a concept that has achieved both of these seems an unusual choice. However, the creative team had always known how Sam's journey would end, but felt that the series also had a definite shelf life."
"Ending a series which has been such a hit with the audience is a huge responsibility which everyone took very seriously," adds executive producer, Jane Featherstone. They were able to concentrate all their efforts on making the series two finale the biggest and best they could muster. "As a producer, it is a luxury to know that the series you are working on has a definite end," explains Cameron. "Everyone put a huge amount of energy and care into developing and filming the final episode," elaborates executive producer, Claire Parker. "When we were actually filming the final scenes there was a really sad, but celebratory, atmosphere on set."
However, the creative team have been "living in the Seventies" for some time since the genesis of the project, having been on an eight-year journey with Sam Tyler and his colleagues, and inevitably felt like his final moments were the end of an era. As writer of the final episode, Matthew felt a great responsibility bringing the series to an end and realised that it was a double-edged sword: "I'm glad we're bringing Sam's journey to a conclusion now," he explains. "It feels very satisfying to tie the story up but it's sad, too. It's like saying goodbye to friends with whom you have shared a long and eventful journey."
Once Matthew had delivered the final script, Featherstone found it difficult to finish. "Reading the first draft of the final episode was actually a very emotional experience," she explains, "But it's got a remarkable ending!"
John Simm plays the troubled DI Sam Tyler
How was it returning to the world of Sam Tyler?
"It was exciting to go back to the role and it was very nice to see everyone again – we slipped back into it very easily. We literally hit the ground running and it was just like before – in fact, it was almost like we were actually filming a ninth episode for series one rather than episode one of series two! I hadn't had time to do another job in between so the time off just went very quickly, and suddenly we were back in to it. It was great."
There continues to be lots of altercations between Sam and the rest of his team. Does Sam's bloody-mindedness and moral behaviour still make life difficult for him?
"In episode three, the team are called out because of a threatened bomb blast. Obviously, Gene jumps to conclusions and assumes it's the IRA, but Sam knows that this can't be so. He is absolutely certain that he is right, but Sam thinks it must be a hoax. So, when he and Ray lock horns and Ray goes to investigate, Sam honestly doesn't think that there is any risk, but Ray takes the consequences. I don't think Sam would intentionally put anyone in danger – not even Ray!"
Is Sam getting increasingly frustrated with his situation – not knowing if he's in a coma or if he's going mad?
"I don't think Sam is frustrated, as such, I think he's resigned to the fact that he's there and he's waiting for something else to happen to give him a sign – which does happen, more or less, in every episode; he has a frightening dream or he's given the wrong drugs or he's hearing things from 2007 on the radio. I think he's just waiting for another chance to wake up and get out."
Is it true you and Philip wore Old Spice aftershave occasionally during filming to recreate that Seventies feeling?
"Right at the very beginning of the series, Phil and I decided we'd wear Old Spice and Brut to try and get the Seventies smell every morning – to get us in the mood. We did it once and we stank so much we never did it again! We both had these bottles of unused aftershave that we had been begging Emma (White), the make-up lady, to go out and buy, which she did, and we only used it once – it was a very bad idea!"
Will you miss Life On Mars?
"I'll miss the fact that I'm not working with these fantastic people. It was really hard work, almost like an endurance test in a lot of ways. I was in every scene so the days were really long. I was away from home for a year, and it was quite tough. I'll miss the leather jacket but, hopefully, I can keep it and put it in my wardrobe – it will live on even after Life On Mars!"
What are you up to next?
"I have just finished filming a one-off drama for Channel 4 called the Yellow House – due on air later this year. I play Vincent Van Gogh, and it's based around when he lived in Arles, South France, with Paul Gauguin, in 1888. It basically culminated in Van Gogh going mad and cutting his ear off. I enjoyed it immensely, and found it great to play someone else – especially alongside John Lynch who plays Gauguin. Sadly, I don't have any originals of Van Gogh's work. However, I do have a few prints at home. I had to paint when we were filming certain scenes, which was really weird, and I had to get in to the psyche of someone who was very mentally ill at the time. It was very different to playing Sam Tyler!"
Philip Glenister plays DCI Gene Hunt
What was it like returning to series two of Life On Mars?
Like ground hog day! It was like we had never been away!
Was it good to get back into it?
Yes. Sometimes, when you start a second series, it can feel different because you get a new set of crew members and, obviously, things change but we had a lot of the same crew, which was nice – it was like they hadn't even changed their clothes!
How did you feel when you found out that this series would reveal a little more about Gene's background?
I was quite reluctant about it initially, mainly because I'm very protective of Gene and I think one of the great things about him is that he's an enigma – and I think the audience like that a lot. I think the fact that Sam sees him like that is very important within their relationship, so I felt he needed to remain an enigma. But, of course, the writing is so good and when Gene talks about the details of what happened to his brother, he's quite dismissive and aloof. Gene doesn't do psychology.
Do you think he's proud of his team? He does occasionally dish out the odd compliment...
This is why I always based him on a football manager because it's a very similar thing. Brian Clough, for example, would never over-praise his players, but when they won the European Cup everyone knew he was the proudest man in the country and those were some of the proudest players on the pitch. It's still apparent in current football managers, Sir Alex Ferguson, for example, is training footballers who are paid £100,000 per week. Since they're been paid a hell of a lot of money, you know he thinks: 'you get out there and win the football match!' Gene's the same as Ferguson and Clough but, obviously, with him it's about catching criminals. Instead, Gene would say to his team: 'You bloody well get out there and catch criminals. And I don't care how you get them. There are some nasty bastards out there and I want them off the streets.' In that respect I agree with Gene, because if there are nasty bastards out there, I don't care how he gets them off the streets. As you get older you get less tolerant of these things.
Gene is very protective of his patch, isn't he?
He's Wyatt Earp; he's the Sheriff who wears the badge. When I've been asked what genre you would put Life On Mars in, I say it's a Western. It's got everything that a great Western has: the frontier, the town, the characters and the Sheriff – and that Sheriff is Gene. Yes, he does cut corners and he does see things in black and white, but I still maintain that he keeps it in-house. You never see Gene really picking on someone who is the wrong person. The only time I think he goes over the top is with the suspected IRA bomber, in episode three.
Gene's insensitive humour definitely makes people laugh, even when they shouldn't...
I love his subtlety! As an actor that stuff is great fun to play. However, we all do laugh at his lines.That's a metaphor for life, in some respects, the whole political correctness thing. I was talking to a friend the other day and we said I haven't heard a single person saying: 'isn't it marvellous that whole political correctness thing?' It's just red tape and bureaucracy that gets in the way.
How do you feel about Life On Mars coming to an end?
Mixed feelings, in a way. It was a great, great show to do, and Gene was a wonderful character to play – probably the most fun I've ever had. It was a great team, and part of the thing I love about a job is the camaraderie of the crew and cast. When you're away from home they become your family. We were very fortunate we had a phenomenal crew who worked their backsides off.
Liz White plays Sam's "rock" WPC Annie Cartwright
What was it like getting back into those flammable fabrics and Carmen rollers?
"It was a really easy flip back into the Seventies because we'd done all the ground work for the first series. When we started on the first day back it was just like putting on an old coat. It was a really nice feeling; I knew the storylines that were coming up were going to be really exciting – it was a really happy return."
How does Annie change this series?
"She gains more respect and certainly more confidence. Annie certainly realises that she is receiving more respect from her team, but she tries hard to keep hold of her principles that got her there in the first place. Annie is very good at taking the boys' sexist comments in her stride so she still manages to rise gracefully above it during the next series."
Since she has a degree, and is therefore more qualified than most of her team, do you think she gets irritated by their reaction?
"I think that a degree even then wouldn't have helped her in the police force. Obviously, it's fantastic that she went to University but, in terms of policing, it doesn't help much with her job. I guess she feels that after having graduated she has gone back to the bottom of the pile. I don't think that Annie feels intellectually superior because she's so aware of her lack of experience. Even though she is brave enough to take on these hard jobs, at the end of the day she lacks experience and therefore the full confidence to do her job very well. She's still a pupil, almost an apprentice, so Sam's support really helps her."
Annie is torn between her allegiances to Sam and to her team. How does she deal with these split loyalties?
"I think she's protective over the team, and she's trying not to let her personal preferences get in the way of her work. She has to do her best to stay neutral to the cause and not let affairs of the heart get in the way. She's trying to be objective, and Sam has a tendency to be rather petulant at times and that's what she doesn't agree with. She doesn't see any huge attempts by Sam to rectify his wrongs."
In episode four, Sam and Annie go undercover to investigate a murder and end up at a wife-swapping party. Sam seems very protective over Annie in such an extreme situation...
"Yes, Sam doesn't want Annie to show herself up in front of Gene. They are investigating a man who may have assaulted someone, and possibly killed a young woman, so she is potentially at risk. Sam is well aware of that, and really looks out for Annie because it's a very serious situation. It takes a more experienced guy to see how a young detective can get carried away, getting dressed up and the glamour of an alluring party. Sam is well aware that Annie might get carried away thinking they were safer than they actually were – she actually does very well but he just lets his protective nature take over."
How do you feel about the series coming to an end?
"Life On Mars was the first programme I'd done two series in a row of. It was really nice to come back for the second series as I felt like I had already done my homework and was really prepared! But now that it's finished rather than trying to make it last too long and string it out it's much better to have two really solid series. I think they're both really good and it was a fantastic project to work on."
Have you got any new projects coming up?
"I'm doing a play at the Almedia called Dying For It which starts on the Thursday 8 March. It's directed by Kathy Burke, and it's a Russian play that was first written in the Twenties – it was actually banned by Stalin. It's been completely re-written by Moira Buffini. I play a woman called Masha – the main bread-winner in her family and the very supportive and providing wife of the main character, who decides he is going to commit suicide."
Dean Andrews plays the moustached DS Ray Carling
After a mistake, and a demotion at the end of series one, Ray finally ends up back in Gene's good books. How does that affect him and his work?
"After his demotion last year, Ray realised he wasn't going to win the battle with Sam. It's more important that Gene, his mentor, likes him rather than Ray liking Sam. I think Ray is on his best behaviour a bit; he still doesn't like Sam and lets him know every so often and always tries to have a little dig here and there!"
This series reveals a more vulnerable side to Ray, which is unusual for him. Have you always known he had a softer side?
"The beauty with this series is it shows Ray's vulnerability, but also his dedication, and maybe even some of that 'Neanderthal instinct' comes out because he feels like he has to go back to work. He also has the moral high ground on Sam at that point, as well, because Sam isn't always right.
At one point, he puts Ray in danger and he comes out of it quite badly. Ray, however, becomes the hero and he becomes the boss's boy again. It was quite a good one to act because I could show a different side to Ray, rather than just the macho/testosterone side. Throughout the series, there are some great stories and situations that go some way to vindicating Ray's behaviour to a degree. When Gene gets arrested, Ray sticks up for the Guv when Sam doesn't. There have been some great moments for Ray as well as some near tearful moments which you would never have dreamt of in series one."
How was it growing a real moustache for the role?
"It was horrible – almost as horrible as having a fake moustache. It certainly wasn't a macho tash, either! I think it looks great, though, so it was well worth it. I shaved the tash and the sideboards off as soon as we finished filming. I've only just shaved my hair off now, but it feels a lot better!"
How do you feel about this being the last series?
"I've had a good time in the Seventies, and it's a show that I'll definitely miss. I know it's not a bad thing, the show will go out on a high, everyone will talk about it and hopefully it'll become a classic. Everyone was great and the cast and crew had great camaraderie – I'll definitely miss that."
Marshall Lancaster plays the naive DC Chris Skelton
Chris has a dating disaster and turns to Sam for advice. Does he sense that Sam has a way with the ladies?
"Chris thinks that Sam's doing alright with Annie and he pulled Joni in series one, so I think Chris has realised Sam is a bit of a ladies man. Don't forget, it looked like even Sam's own mother was after him at some point during series one! Sam did advise Chris that he didn't have to fill a girl with alcohol to get her to like him. However, I've always found the cider and black route is the better way!"
How has Chris changed this series?
"Not too much – I still get the hilarious one-liners and comedy moments. There was one great scene – that sadly got cut in the end – where Chris is describing to Sam how his morning had started. In the flashback, you saw him in his bedroom wearing Incredible Hulk underpants, playing with his action toys when his mum calls up to him. It was a great scene because it gave you an insight into the life behind the character, as well as it being very funny but, apparently, I was too buff for the scene to stay in! The pants were hilarious, though, Emma (Rosenthal, costume) had a few pairs that she came up with and, what with it being the Seventies, they chose the worst ones!"
His loyalties seem to be still split between Ray and Sam. Does Chris try and keep the peace?
"He just tries to please everyone. He understands the different angles that both Sam and Ray are coming from. He is quite perceptive in that way – he's not just a wally all the time! At one point, near the end of the series, Chris even loses his rag with Sam – which is a completely different side to him."
How do you feel about Life On Mars coming to an end?
"I think it is probably right to end the series now. All good things have to come to an end at some point. I'm missing it a bit now, but it's right that it finishes rather than people waiting for ages to see how it ends. I do miss filming the car chases and the typical cop gun scenes, though. It is nice to be in CID doing those scenes, too, but they tend to be a bit heavier in exploring Sam's psychological status, and car chases are great fun! In episode two, there is a raid in a post office that was great to film. As much as I miss filming it, I'm now able to look forward to watching them."
What else do you have in the pipeline?
"After the latest series of Life On Mars I went on to film a bit on Coronation Street, I played a dirty scrubber called Slug! I've just been on screen leading Becky (Katherine Kelly) into more trouble with Roy and Hayley."
What was it like filming on Coronation Street?
"It felt strange, because these are people I've seen on my TV for such a long time. On my first day, I walked in the cafe, Roy's Rolls, and Liz Dawn (Vera Duckworth) was there and she said to me: 'It's just like any other Monday morning to me, love, but then again I've been here 25 years!' I had also worked with Katherine Kelly before on Life On Mars (she plays Sam's Aunt in episode four) so she looked after me and introduced me to everyone."
John Simm is back for the final time as DI Sam Tyler, the time-travelling detective who, following a car accident, found himself back in 1973, as the International Emmy Award-winning series Life On Mars returns to BBC One. Returning alongside Simm for the final series are Philip Glenister, Liz White, Dean Andrews and Marshall Lancaster as Tyler's Seventies colleagues, who are only just getting to grips with the DI's new-fangled ways of investigating crime.
The first series of Life On Mars, which regularly attracted audiences of over 7.5 million and plaudits from a broad spectrum of critics, won Best Drama Series at the International Emmy Awards in November 2006. Creator, writer and executive producer, Matthew Graham, was thrilled, and explains: "We have had such a fantastic response to Life On Mars from viewers and critics alike and this award is the icing on the cake! When it was announced I'm sure that Sam Tyler, Gene Hunt and the gang were splashing on the Old Spice, donning their flares and opening the Party Seven – celebrating in proper, Seventies style!"
End of life as we know it?
The second series marks the thrilling finale of the smash hit show and viewers will finally learn the truth about time travelling DI Sam Tyler (John Simm) and how he came to be stuck in 1973. However, fans will have to keep watching until the end of the series on BBC One before their speculative theories are laid to rest.
Executive producer, and joint MD of Kudos, Jane Featherstone, says: "Obviously, we will not be revealing in advance what eventually happens to Sam, as we wouldn't want to spoil everyone's enjoyment of the second half of his story when they watch series two. But they can certainly expect some shocking revelations along the way. We have even filmed two endings because we want to keep everyone guessing until the very end."
Executive producer Claire Parker comments: "The boys are back with a kick and a punch! Series two of Life On Mars is even darker and more surprising than before, and still liberally sprinkled with humour and more of Gene Hunt's 'insightful' words of wisdom! Whatever the audience thinks they know will be challenged, and we will certainly still want to keep the audience guessing. There will be more revelations that will help Sam to work out why he is in 1973, but there will also be some shocking surprises that will rock Sam's world – both in 1973 and 2007."
The forthcoming series has attracted a wealth of talented guest stars such as Marc Warren (Hustle), Kevin McNally(Pirates Of The Caribbean) and Georgia Taylor (Blackpool), queuing up to don their flares and travel back to 1973. Sam is slowly adjusting to his new surroundings and seems to be trying to fit into the team but DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister) has had no such change of heart and is still as brash and hard on Sam as ever; lambasting his continual "by-the-book" approach to procedures and is insistent that they stick to following his gut instinct when it comes to catching criminals.
Gene's maverick methods are closely observed by his protégé, DS Ray Carling (Dean Andrews), and eager to please DC Chris Skelton (Marshall Lancaster). WPC Annie Cartwright (Liz White) remains the only sane voice in Sam's mixed-up world. However, she is intent on proving that she is not just a pretty face and is keen to show she can cut it just as well as the boys. Gene's desire to rid Manchester of criminal scum is as strong as ever; never more so than now, as his mentor, Superintendent Woolf (Kevin McNally) is back at the station.
However, Sam is astonished to find that his own mentor and inspiration, Chief Inspector Glenn Fletcher (Emmet Brown, Outlaws) has also joined the team – although he is just a fresh-faced, new recruit in 1973, dealing with the extra pressure of the racist attitudes of his new colleagues. Marc Warren guest stars as Tony Crane, another ghost from Sam's "future past". Crane is a sleazy casino owner who runs a line in counterfeit cash.
It's not until Sam recognises the danger that Crane's girlfriend, Eve (Yasmin Bannerman, 55 Degrees North), is in, that he realises the urgency of banging the slippery suspect to rights. But he faces the tough job of convincing DCI Hunt they've got the right man.
Co-creators and writers Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah and writer Chris Chibnall all return to this new series of Life On Mars alongside three new writers to the series: Julie Rutterford (Hustle, Teachers), Guy Jenkin (The Private Life Of Samuel Pepys, Drop The Dead Donkey) andMark Greig (Afterlife, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries).
Series two is directed by SJ Clarkson, Richard Clark andAndrew Gunn and the producer is Cameron Roach(Footballers' Wives). Claire Parker, producer of series one, is now a co-executive producer with Jane Featherstone and Matthew Graham. Series two of Life On Mars is commissioned by BBC Wales' Head of Drama, Julie Gardner, and joint Head of Independent drama commissioning, John Yorke, and is due to transmit on BBC One in February.
How do you follow that?
After a successful run both in the UK and on BBC America, the makers of Life On Mars faced a tough challenge: how do they follow that? How can they ensure the second series is as strong and captivating as the first?
The team relished the challenge as much as they had done when approaching the first series, and the enthusiasm and excitement were motivation to the writers to ensure the final part of Sam's journey was just as full of intrigue and surprise as the first. Matthew Graham, who co-created, wrote and executive produced the first series, felt the key to maintaining the high standards was to stay true to the winning formula. "We were keen not to 'reinvent the wheel' for series two," says Matthew. "In this series, the show will operate much as before. As Sam and Gene attempt to settle their differences in order to crack crime, Sam looks for answers and a way out of his Seventies prison."
However, to captivate audiences for another eight episodes new team producer Cameron Roach was all too aware they couldn't just rely on the success of series one. "It was clear that the audience wanted 'more of the same'," explains Cameron. "This presented our biggest challenge – the audience have an expectation of being constantly surprised and amazed by Sam's world. However, we had so many ideas and potential stories that the show could have run to about eight series. But, because we knew Sam's journey was finite, we have compacted them into just two to make sure that it packs a punch and, hopefully, people will remember Life On Mars for years to come."
Whilst any avid viewer will agree that the relationship between Sam and his DCI, Gene Hunt, has been a key factor to the show's popularity and, naturally, continues to thump and thrust its way through eight more episodes, series two unlocks some darker secrets held close by Sam's team who, if Tyler is to be believed, are merely "part of his subconscious".
And another blossoming partnership also develops...
"Annie has a very big journey in this series – fresh challenges in her job and deeper feelings for Sam," says Matthew. "Viewers should brace themselves for some pretty intense moments between these two!"
The cases continue to cause conflict between Sam and Gene, and the additional pressure of their mentors' involvement in them only serves to heighten tensions within the team. However, Sam's almost hallucinogenic "episodes" continue to haunt him, and the voices of the future make a very real impact on his mental and physical state.
The production team tried to avoid using a Seventies setting as leverage for nostalgic trips down memory lane to remember only the "good old days". However, it did give the makers an excuse to pay tribute to a Seventies' classic with Sam and Gene making their plastercine debut in a rather surreal version inspired by Camberwick Green which will, no doubt, delight a generation of Brian Cant lovers. "I think it's one of the most beautiful, hilarious and satisfying things we've done on the show, and that's due to a brilliant job by Hot Animation," comments Matthew. "However, 'Sam' and 'Gene' have now, sadly, been dismantled into their constituent parts and, who knows, they could have gone back into making up Fireman Sam and Bob the Builder!"
In this multi-channel age, so few series gain both critical acclaim and sustain massive viewing figures every week, so to end a concept that has achieved both of these seems an unusual choice. However, the creative team had always known how Sam's journey would end, but felt that the series also had a definite shelf life."
"Ending a series which has been such a hit with the audience is a huge responsibility which everyone took very seriously," adds executive producer, Jane Featherstone. They were able to concentrate all their efforts on making the series two finale the biggest and best they could muster. "As a producer, it is a luxury to know that the series you are working on has a definite end," explains Cameron. "Everyone put a huge amount of energy and care into developing and filming the final episode," elaborates executive producer, Claire Parker. "When we were actually filming the final scenes there was a really sad, but celebratory, atmosphere on set."
However, the creative team have been "living in the Seventies" for some time since the genesis of the project, having been on an eight-year journey with Sam Tyler and his colleagues, and inevitably felt like his final moments were the end of an era. As writer of the final episode, Matthew felt a great responsibility bringing the series to an end and realised that it was a double-edged sword: "I'm glad we're bringing Sam's journey to a conclusion now," he explains. "It feels very satisfying to tie the story up but it's sad, too. It's like saying goodbye to friends with whom you have shared a long and eventful journey."
Once Matthew had delivered the final script, Featherstone found it difficult to finish. "Reading the first draft of the final episode was actually a very emotional experience," she explains, "But it's got a remarkable ending!"
John Simm plays the troubled DI Sam Tyler
How was it returning to the world of Sam Tyler?
"It was exciting to go back to the role and it was very nice to see everyone again – we slipped back into it very easily. We literally hit the ground running and it was just like before – in fact, it was almost like we were actually filming a ninth episode for series one rather than episode one of series two! I hadn't had time to do another job in between so the time off just went very quickly, and suddenly we were back in to it. It was great."
There continues to be lots of altercations between Sam and the rest of his team. Does Sam's bloody-mindedness and moral behaviour still make life difficult for him?
"In episode three, the team are called out because of a threatened bomb blast. Obviously, Gene jumps to conclusions and assumes it's the IRA, but Sam knows that this can't be so. He is absolutely certain that he is right, but Sam thinks it must be a hoax. So, when he and Ray lock horns and Ray goes to investigate, Sam honestly doesn't think that there is any risk, but Ray takes the consequences. I don't think Sam would intentionally put anyone in danger – not even Ray!"
Is Sam getting increasingly frustrated with his situation – not knowing if he's in a coma or if he's going mad?
"I don't think Sam is frustrated, as such, I think he's resigned to the fact that he's there and he's waiting for something else to happen to give him a sign – which does happen, more or less, in every episode; he has a frightening dream or he's given the wrong drugs or he's hearing things from 2007 on the radio. I think he's just waiting for another chance to wake up and get out."
Is it true you and Philip wore Old Spice aftershave occasionally during filming to recreate that Seventies feeling?
"Right at the very beginning of the series, Phil and I decided we'd wear Old Spice and Brut to try and get the Seventies smell every morning – to get us in the mood. We did it once and we stank so much we never did it again! We both had these bottles of unused aftershave that we had been begging Emma (White), the make-up lady, to go out and buy, which she did, and we only used it once – it was a very bad idea!"
Will you miss Life On Mars?
"I'll miss the fact that I'm not working with these fantastic people. It was really hard work, almost like an endurance test in a lot of ways. I was in every scene so the days were really long. I was away from home for a year, and it was quite tough. I'll miss the leather jacket but, hopefully, I can keep it and put it in my wardrobe – it will live on even after Life On Mars!"
What are you up to next?
"I have just finished filming a one-off drama for Channel 4 called the Yellow House – due on air later this year. I play Vincent Van Gogh, and it's based around when he lived in Arles, South France, with Paul Gauguin, in 1888. It basically culminated in Van Gogh going mad and cutting his ear off. I enjoyed it immensely, and found it great to play someone else – especially alongside John Lynch who plays Gauguin. Sadly, I don't have any originals of Van Gogh's work. However, I do have a few prints at home. I had to paint when we were filming certain scenes, which was really weird, and I had to get in to the psyche of someone who was very mentally ill at the time. It was very different to playing Sam Tyler!"
Philip Glenister plays DCI Gene Hunt
What was it like returning to series two of Life On Mars?
Like ground hog day! It was like we had never been away!
Was it good to get back into it?
Yes. Sometimes, when you start a second series, it can feel different because you get a new set of crew members and, obviously, things change but we had a lot of the same crew, which was nice – it was like they hadn't even changed their clothes!
How did you feel when you found out that this series would reveal a little more about Gene's background?
I was quite reluctant about it initially, mainly because I'm very protective of Gene and I think one of the great things about him is that he's an enigma – and I think the audience like that a lot. I think the fact that Sam sees him like that is very important within their relationship, so I felt he needed to remain an enigma. But, of course, the writing is so good and when Gene talks about the details of what happened to his brother, he's quite dismissive and aloof. Gene doesn't do psychology.
Do you think he's proud of his team? He does occasionally dish out the odd compliment...
This is why I always based him on a football manager because it's a very similar thing. Brian Clough, for example, would never over-praise his players, but when they won the European Cup everyone knew he was the proudest man in the country and those were some of the proudest players on the pitch. It's still apparent in current football managers, Sir Alex Ferguson, for example, is training footballers who are paid £100,000 per week. Since they're been paid a hell of a lot of money, you know he thinks: 'you get out there and win the football match!' Gene's the same as Ferguson and Clough but, obviously, with him it's about catching criminals. Instead, Gene would say to his team: 'You bloody well get out there and catch criminals. And I don't care how you get them. There are some nasty bastards out there and I want them off the streets.' In that respect I agree with Gene, because if there are nasty bastards out there, I don't care how he gets them off the streets. As you get older you get less tolerant of these things.
Gene is very protective of his patch, isn't he?
He's Wyatt Earp; he's the Sheriff who wears the badge. When I've been asked what genre you would put Life On Mars in, I say it's a Western. It's got everything that a great Western has: the frontier, the town, the characters and the Sheriff – and that Sheriff is Gene. Yes, he does cut corners and he does see things in black and white, but I still maintain that he keeps it in-house. You never see Gene really picking on someone who is the wrong person. The only time I think he goes over the top is with the suspected IRA bomber, in episode three.
Gene's insensitive humour definitely makes people laugh, even when they shouldn't...
I love his subtlety! As an actor that stuff is great fun to play. However, we all do laugh at his lines.That's a metaphor for life, in some respects, the whole political correctness thing. I was talking to a friend the other day and we said I haven't heard a single person saying: 'isn't it marvellous that whole political correctness thing?' It's just red tape and bureaucracy that gets in the way.
How do you feel about Life On Mars coming to an end?
Mixed feelings, in a way. It was a great, great show to do, and Gene was a wonderful character to play – probably the most fun I've ever had. It was a great team, and part of the thing I love about a job is the camaraderie of the crew and cast. When you're away from home they become your family. We were very fortunate we had a phenomenal crew who worked their backsides off.
Liz White plays Sam's "rock" WPC Annie Cartwright
What was it like getting back into those flammable fabrics and Carmen rollers?
"It was a really easy flip back into the Seventies because we'd done all the ground work for the first series. When we started on the first day back it was just like putting on an old coat. It was a really nice feeling; I knew the storylines that were coming up were going to be really exciting – it was a really happy return."
How does Annie change this series?
"She gains more respect and certainly more confidence. Annie certainly realises that she is receiving more respect from her team, but she tries hard to keep hold of her principles that got her there in the first place. Annie is very good at taking the boys' sexist comments in her stride so she still manages to rise gracefully above it during the next series."
Since she has a degree, and is therefore more qualified than most of her team, do you think she gets irritated by their reaction?
"I think that a degree even then wouldn't have helped her in the police force. Obviously, it's fantastic that she went to University but, in terms of policing, it doesn't help much with her job. I guess she feels that after having graduated she has gone back to the bottom of the pile. I don't think that Annie feels intellectually superior because she's so aware of her lack of experience. Even though she is brave enough to take on these hard jobs, at the end of the day she lacks experience and therefore the full confidence to do her job very well. She's still a pupil, almost an apprentice, so Sam's support really helps her."
Annie is torn between her allegiances to Sam and to her team. How does she deal with these split loyalties?
"I think she's protective over the team, and she's trying not to let her personal preferences get in the way of her work. She has to do her best to stay neutral to the cause and not let affairs of the heart get in the way. She's trying to be objective, and Sam has a tendency to be rather petulant at times and that's what she doesn't agree with. She doesn't see any huge attempts by Sam to rectify his wrongs."
In episode four, Sam and Annie go undercover to investigate a murder and end up at a wife-swapping party. Sam seems very protective over Annie in such an extreme situation...
"Yes, Sam doesn't want Annie to show herself up in front of Gene. They are investigating a man who may have assaulted someone, and possibly killed a young woman, so she is potentially at risk. Sam is well aware of that, and really looks out for Annie because it's a very serious situation. It takes a more experienced guy to see how a young detective can get carried away, getting dressed up and the glamour of an alluring party. Sam is well aware that Annie might get carried away thinking they were safer than they actually were – she actually does very well but he just lets his protective nature take over."
How do you feel about the series coming to an end?
"Life On Mars was the first programme I'd done two series in a row of. It was really nice to come back for the second series as I felt like I had already done my homework and was really prepared! But now that it's finished rather than trying to make it last too long and string it out it's much better to have two really solid series. I think they're both really good and it was a fantastic project to work on."
Have you got any new projects coming up?
"I'm doing a play at the Almedia called Dying For It which starts on the Thursday 8 March. It's directed by Kathy Burke, and it's a Russian play that was first written in the Twenties – it was actually banned by Stalin. It's been completely re-written by Moira Buffini. I play a woman called Masha – the main bread-winner in her family and the very supportive and providing wife of the main character, who decides he is going to commit suicide."
Dean Andrews plays the moustached DS Ray Carling
After a mistake, and a demotion at the end of series one, Ray finally ends up back in Gene's good books. How does that affect him and his work?
"After his demotion last year, Ray realised he wasn't going to win the battle with Sam. It's more important that Gene, his mentor, likes him rather than Ray liking Sam. I think Ray is on his best behaviour a bit; he still doesn't like Sam and lets him know every so often and always tries to have a little dig here and there!"
This series reveals a more vulnerable side to Ray, which is unusual for him. Have you always known he had a softer side?
"The beauty with this series is it shows Ray's vulnerability, but also his dedication, and maybe even some of that 'Neanderthal instinct' comes out because he feels like he has to go back to work. He also has the moral high ground on Sam at that point, as well, because Sam isn't always right.
At one point, he puts Ray in danger and he comes out of it quite badly. Ray, however, becomes the hero and he becomes the boss's boy again. It was quite a good one to act because I could show a different side to Ray, rather than just the macho/testosterone side. Throughout the series, there are some great stories and situations that go some way to vindicating Ray's behaviour to a degree. When Gene gets arrested, Ray sticks up for the Guv when Sam doesn't. There have been some great moments for Ray as well as some near tearful moments which you would never have dreamt of in series one."
How was it growing a real moustache for the role?
"It was horrible – almost as horrible as having a fake moustache. It certainly wasn't a macho tash, either! I think it looks great, though, so it was well worth it. I shaved the tash and the sideboards off as soon as we finished filming. I've only just shaved my hair off now, but it feels a lot better!"
How do you feel about this being the last series?
"I've had a good time in the Seventies, and it's a show that I'll definitely miss. I know it's not a bad thing, the show will go out on a high, everyone will talk about it and hopefully it'll become a classic. Everyone was great and the cast and crew had great camaraderie – I'll definitely miss that."
Marshall Lancaster plays the naive DC Chris Skelton
Chris has a dating disaster and turns to Sam for advice. Does he sense that Sam has a way with the ladies?
"Chris thinks that Sam's doing alright with Annie and he pulled Joni in series one, so I think Chris has realised Sam is a bit of a ladies man. Don't forget, it looked like even Sam's own mother was after him at some point during series one! Sam did advise Chris that he didn't have to fill a girl with alcohol to get her to like him. However, I've always found the cider and black route is the better way!"
How has Chris changed this series?
"Not too much – I still get the hilarious one-liners and comedy moments. There was one great scene – that sadly got cut in the end – where Chris is describing to Sam how his morning had started. In the flashback, you saw him in his bedroom wearing Incredible Hulk underpants, playing with his action toys when his mum calls up to him. It was a great scene because it gave you an insight into the life behind the character, as well as it being very funny but, apparently, I was too buff for the scene to stay in! The pants were hilarious, though, Emma (Rosenthal, costume) had a few pairs that she came up with and, what with it being the Seventies, they chose the worst ones!"
His loyalties seem to be still split between Ray and Sam. Does Chris try and keep the peace?
"He just tries to please everyone. He understands the different angles that both Sam and Ray are coming from. He is quite perceptive in that way – he's not just a wally all the time! At one point, near the end of the series, Chris even loses his rag with Sam – which is a completely different side to him."
How do you feel about Life On Mars coming to an end?
"I think it is probably right to end the series now. All good things have to come to an end at some point. I'm missing it a bit now, but it's right that it finishes rather than people waiting for ages to see how it ends. I do miss filming the car chases and the typical cop gun scenes, though. It is nice to be in CID doing those scenes, too, but they tend to be a bit heavier in exploring Sam's psychological status, and car chases are great fun! In episode two, there is a raid in a post office that was great to film. As much as I miss filming it, I'm now able to look forward to watching them."
What else do you have in the pipeline?
"After the latest series of Life On Mars I went on to film a bit on Coronation Street, I played a dirty scrubber called Slug! I've just been on screen leading Becky (Katherine Kelly) into more trouble with Roy and Hayley."
What was it like filming on Coronation Street?
"It felt strange, because these are people I've seen on my TV for such a long time. On my first day, I walked in the cafe, Roy's Rolls, and Liz Dawn (Vera Duckworth) was there and she said to me: 'It's just like any other Monday morning to me, love, but then again I've been here 25 years!' I had also worked with Katherine Kelly before on Life On Mars (she plays Sam's Aunt in episode four) so she looked after me and introduced me to everyone."
Original article can be found here.
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