Series 2: Episode 3 (Life on Mars)

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Episode 3
Life on Mars episode

Sam and Gene find a bomb strapped to a car.
Episode no. Season 2
Episode 3
Written by Chris Chibnall
Directed by S. J. Clarkson
Original airdate March 3, 2007
Episode chronology
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"Episode 2" "Episode 4"
List of Life on Mars episodes

The third episode of the second series of the British time travel police procedural television series, Life on Mars, was first broadcast on 3 March 2007. It was produced by Kudos Film & Television for BBC One.

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

An anonymous caller reports that the IRA is to start a new bombing campaign in Manchester. Sam doesn't think the warning rings true, but the team loses faith in him and starts to target the Irish community.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Cultural References

  • Sam refers to Chunky KitKats. KitKats had been around for years, but the Chunky KitKat would not appear until 1999.[1]
  • Gene: "How do you think I spend my time here, Tyler?" Sam: "Building a Death Star?" In Star Wars, the Galactic Empire's ultimate weapon, the Death Star, was a mobile battle station that mounted a directed superlaser weapon capable of completely destroying a planet with a single shot.
  • Gene: "You see, the pub, it's the one safe place the IRA would never touch." This is a reference to the Birmingham Pub Bombings of 21 November 1974, when the Provisional IRA blew up two pubs in Birmingham, killing 21 people and injuring 182 others. A third explosion had been planned but the device failed to detonate. Public outrage after these attacks led directly to the passing of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1974.[2]
  • Annie: "Maybe we'd be better off if a woman did run the country. She couldn't make a worse job of it than the fellas have done." Sam: "I've got a feeling you might regret saying that one day." Sam is referring to Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990.

[edit] Production

[edit] Music

[edit] Viewing Figures

This episode only had an audience of 4.8 million viewers by episode three, a large slump from Helpless, despite being heavily trailed and publicised.[3]

[edit] References

[edit] External Links