Last night, the ONLY television program my husband and I watch ended......in an absurd, silly, shoddy and completely unsatifying way.
Those of us who have been watching 'Life on Mars' since it's beginning, have had an enjoyable time imagining and discussing just where Sam really was and how he was going to "get home". Was he in a coma? Was he dead and this was his after-life? Would he and Annie become a couple, or would she be an old woman when he got back to 2008? Would he choose to stay in 1973? Was there a reason for the year 1973? Now we know, and the answer was anything but thought out or pertinent.
ABC has a lot to answer for. Not only did they cancel - in our opinion - the only program worth watching in their otherwise lame-excuse-for-entertainment line up; they allowed sophomoric hacks to write the ending. I COULD HAVE WRITTEN A BETTER FINALE. The so-called writers, responsible for the final episode, didn't even follow the basic story writing principles taught in elementary school! Viewers were left with the impression that those hired to write the last episode never even saw the program. They simply threw together a random group of scenes with which to end the series in such a way as to make it impossible to resurrect. In a nod to the actual story line, the writers threw in one or two gratuitous references to it's original plot but no real resolutions. Many of the interesting twists and threads in Sam's story were left dangling in mid air - or should I say space? (Bad pun intended.)
I suppose it's a sad statement of just how small our lives have become when we even care about the outcome of a television program. But, to my mind the sloppy, half-thought-through finale is simply another case in point, illustrating the degree to which craftsmanship and pride in one's craft no longer exist or even matter; hey, it's only about the money anyway, right?
Not every film or program has a happy ending. Such is life. But my Pal and I were truly appalled that writers who are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars a year were allowed to violate all the accepted rules of story telling, and in doing so subject talented professional actors to their excremental dribblings. Personally, I feel sorry for the actors. The new faces introduced to us through 'Life on Mars' proved to be good solid thespians led by one of my old time favorites, and in the end, the script writers made them all look foolish. It is a testament to their professionalism that they carried off the last few scenes of the last episode with straight faces.
what did ABC have to do with cancelling a British TV programme? The end was supposed to leave you hanging. Anyhow you need to watch the sequel. Doesn't have Sam but does still have Phillip Glenister
Posted by: LesleyEngland | 04/02/2009 at 05:10 PM
Apparently, ABC bought 'Life on Mars' from the Beeb and recast it with American actors (Harvey Kietel - who I love - played Gene) The pilot episode featured Lisa Bonet as Sam's girlfriend. I've seen a couple of episodes of the original British version, but not all the way through.- so I don't know the British ending. Trust me, the American one stunk!!!!
Posted by: deputysgirl | 04/02/2009 at 05:45 PM
the British ending was enigmatic but I never really got into the series. You will have to get a copy of the British version to compare lol. There was only one series.
Posted by: LesleyEngland | 04/02/2009 at 05:49 PM
I'll take enigmatic over literal space travel - in suspended animation no less - any day!
Posted by: deputysgirl | 04/02/2009 at 05:59 PM
[this is good]
Posted by: blackmanos | 04/07/2009 at 02:16 AM