Life on Mars

Yeah, I'm even drawing my own Mars now. I'm very confused as to what is permitted after reading that article.

Anyway . . . 

I finally got around to watching the British version of the Life on Mars television series. I was expecting it to be much better than the American version--which I enjoyed quite a bit until that cheese out ending. And I have enjoyed the show. But thus far I don't think it's better. Maybe my memory of the American version has been seriously blurred, but I don't remember that show having so many stubbed toe moments. And after going through Series One of the BBC version rather quickly, I find myself less interested in Series Two. It feels repetitious to me, and I am just ready to have it done with. And hoping that the ending is not the same as the American one.

There are some good things, though. For one, all of the actors are quite good. For another, there are some great little dialogue moments, such as this one from 2.4: GENE: "You know that bloke in the Bible who wanted to stuff a camel through the eye of a needle?" SAM:"That would be Jesus." And for yet another, the music that they use is most excellent. Of course there is Bowie's "Life on Mars?" But there is also "The Jean Genie" and "Starman" and "Aladdin Sane" and "Changes." And there is Lou Reed's"I'm So Free," The Who's "Baba O'Riley," Sweet's "Ballroom Blitz," Jethro Tull's "Cross-Eyed Mary," The Hollies's "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress," and lots of other great stuff. Some pretty off the beaten track stuff, too.

While I was watching Episode 4 of Series 2, I heard a song which was very familiar to me, but I couldn't place the performers. Turns out (with a little help from my friend Google) it was The Moody Blues, and the song was "The Story in Your Eyes." You would probably recognize it if you heard it. And if you're not a big fan of The Moody Blues . . . which I am most certainly not . . . give it a listen anyway, as the sound on this one is much harder than some of the shit they're best known for. (I'm especially fond of that pretty crunchy-hard guitar.) The Mars folks made great use of the song, too, playing a bit of it at the beginning, then coming back to bits later on in the show. Made it seem more like a coherent whole just by tying it all together with the song.

So four more episodes. Here's hoping it ends well.