I am – Hercules!!
It’s a British hourlong about a 2006 cop named Sam who gets hit by a car and finds himself quantum leaping to 1973 – where he has to solve crimes without the benefit of cellphones, personal computers or microwave ovens.
The Brits started airing it back in January, but it hits BBC America tonight. Everybody seems to like it!
Variety says:
… The TV equivalent of a page-turner, the BBC's latest impressive twist on a tired genre hinges on a compelling mystery woven into an old- (and new-) fashioned cop drama. The audacity of the concept keeps "Life on Mars" lively, elevating standard cop-and-bad guy fare to a mind-blowing, almost surreal level. … has the makings of an intoxicating treat, proving how far a little atmosphere can go in breathing life into a format that occasionally appears close to flatlining.
USA Today gives it three and a half (out of four) stars and says:
… refreshingly clever … Life isn't just fun and games. Sam's disquieting dilemma fuels the drama while the contrast between Sam's approach and his new colleagues' '70s style enriches the mysteries. …
TV Guide says:
… Surreal and harrowing, a version of this wildly original show is being developed by David E. Kelley for American TV. It’s easy to see why. …
Entertainment Weekly gives it an “A-minus” and says:
Leave it to those wily Brits to solve one of TV's most pressing mysteries: How do you keep the crime procedural fresh? Turns out, you just add a little time travel to the shopworn genre.… crackling chemistry with gruff boss Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister) only adds to the series' charm. …
10 p.m. Monday. BBC America.
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