The Kinks, Sunny Afternoon
A change of pace: ‘Young Love’ by Mystery Jets featuring Laura Marling . From the album Twenty One.
Following a car accident, modern-day cop Sam Tyler (John Simm) wakes to find himself in 1973. Has Sam actually been transported into the past, or is it all in his mind? The first season of Life on Mars explored Sam’s sanity, but no real conclusion emerged. One thing is clear: whether it’s insanity or the laws of time keeping him in the ’70s, Sam wants to get back to the 21st century.
The sci-fi premise of Life on Mars may not make a lot of sense to new viewers who missed season one. But the plot becomes clearer as you watch the series yourself, so don’t fret too much about the time travel thing.
Themes of space and time aside, Life on Mars is essentially a police drama. Sam’s position as a modern man forced to navigate the past make for interesting conflicts, but ultimately we’re in it to see him catch the bad guys.
{The US version with Jason O’Mara in the lead strikes a slightly different tone than the Bafta-winning British original. Not finding the same success across the pond, the remake has been axed after one season.}
Minh Nguyen
David Morrissey and John Simm in State of Play (2003)
The mystery surrounding the death of a prominent politician’s research assistant fill the obsessions of the characters in this British thriller. None are more vested in the search for truth than reporter Cal McCaffrey (John Simm). Pushed on by both professional and personal compulsions, Cal zealously delves into the lives that Sonia (Shauna Macdonald) touched before she died.
Mysterious deaths of citizens do not usually inspire full-scale investigations by newspapers, but Sonia had the dubious fortune of being in employment under prominent politician Stephen Collins (David Morrissey). Smelling scandal and conspiracy, Cal and his colleagues dig for clues to the young assistant’s untimely demise.
In the superficial world of politics and media the landscape isn’t all glitz and gloss. Beneath the genial exteriors there lie double-dealings, unsavoury characters, shady situations and cut-throat ruthlessness. There’s no doubt the seasoned cast members are fully capable of bringing this sort of material to life. The camerawork is fast-paced and slick, generating a sense of urgency that heightens the moody atmosphere.
Bill Nighy, as experienced editor Cameron Foster, brings his usual sleazy charm, imbuing his character with a pervading callousness that is perpetually menacing. Simm is respectable as the brooding journalist, but it is Kelly MacDonald as fellow reporter Della who really captivates.
The movie version starring Ben Affleck and Russell Crowe opens later this month.
Minh Nguyen
