A novel and rather brilliant take on the old cop show formula, BBC’s Life on Mars audaciously combines time travel and police procedural into one highly entertaining package that plays even better than it reads on paper. John Simm (Human Traffic) stars as Sam Tyler, a DCI who goes into a coma after being hit by a car and wakes up in.... 1973! There he’s been transferred to work with the loutish and hard-nosed Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister), and soon discovers that time has done a lot to change the primitive attitudes and work methods in the police force over the years. Part of the show’s charm is watching Hunt and Tyler constantly square off in disagreement. They rarely see eye-to-eye - Hunt relies on his gut, Tyler wants proof and evidence - but like all great odd buddy couples, they do gradually warm to each other. Each episode contains a standalone plot - a murder to solve, a crim to catch - while Tyler’s on-going puzzlement at his situation provides the backbone for the series. Is he really back in time? Or is he still in the coma dreaming everything up? Usually opening with a hilariously over-the-top chase scene, Life on Mars proves to be an impressive tonal balancing act: it's funny, suspenseful, dreamy, and poignant, with consistently engaging performances and witty writing that’ll keep you hooked from the get-go.