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11-21-2008, 02:46 PM
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#1
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Documentarianologist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 50,904
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American Life on Mars questions
Well, apparently my first few recordings of this new show have been overwritten. The first one I saw was about the gay bashers. How did the show start? I mean, I know he's a 2008 cop somehow transported back to 1973. But how did he just pick up as a cop with no history in the era? No police academy from back then, etc. And it seems like everyone believes his story about coming from the future. How did he do that?
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11-21-2008, 02:50 PM
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#2
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I was provoked
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Rolling hills of eastern Kentucky
Posts: 12,039
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First episode he was hit by a car and woke up standing by the road in 1973. He arrived at the police station in 1973 as a transfer from another precinct.
They don't believe him- they all think he is crazy.
Here's a recap of the first episode-
http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com...e_fields_1.php
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-Toni
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11-21-2008, 02:51 PM
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#3
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Not Entirely Current
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 38,521
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I've only watched the first episode, and all I can do to answer that would be to say it's complicated. 
They do offer full episodes at ABC.com, if you're interested.
ETA: Also, it would appear they have nice recaps startig here:
http://abc.go.com/primetime/lifeonma...20560&d=126808
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11-21-2008, 02:53 PM
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#4
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Documentarianologist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 50,904
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Thanks!
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11-21-2008, 02:56 PM
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#5
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Curmudgeon
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Music City USA
Posts: 6,904
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IndyJones1023
Well, apparently my first few recordings of this new show have been overwritten. The first one I saw was about the gay bashers. How did the show start? I mean, I know he's a 2008 cop somehow transported back to 1973. But how did he just pick up as a cop with no history in the era? No police academy from back then, etc. And it seems like everyone believes his story about coming from the future. How did he do that?
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Actually, no one but the policewoman even pretends to believe his story and he has quit discussing it with anyone but her. All the other cops believe he has transferred to the 125 (?) from another precinct.
In real life he is in a coma following being run down by a car, so the program represents the workings of his mind while in the coma...I think.
This is a copy of a British program and I think it is better. I'm really enjoying it.
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11-21-2008, 03:00 PM
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#6
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Documentarianologist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 50,904
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon J
In real life he is in a coma following being run down by a car, so the program represents the workings of his mind while in the coma...I think.
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Whoa, whoa, whoa. Did you just spoil the entire series?
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11-21-2008, 03:05 PM
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#7
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I was provoked
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Rolling hills of eastern Kentucky
Posts: 12,039
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In the show Sam has mentioned wondering if he was in a coma, so I wouldn't exactly call it a spoiler.
It's a theory 
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-Toni
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11-21-2008, 03:08 PM
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#8
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Phish Food
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: 0.7 miles from the Abita brewery!
Posts: 8,260
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IndyJones1023
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Did you just spoil the entire series?
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I don't think so.
What Jon J. posted was sort of the equivalent of explaining "Lost" thusly:
Quote:
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Plane Crash survivors are on a mysterious island who's laws don't follow those of the world or universe with which we are familiar. What the "survivors" don't know is that they are really dead and the "island" is actually purgatory.
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In other words, he stated popular fan theory as if it were fact.
...I hope... 
It's supposed to be a mystery. We're not supposed to have a pat explanation like that.
Now, to answer your original question:
To the people whom he is working with in 1973, he has a background that they have documentation of (transfer papers from another precinct, record of employment as a cop, etc.) However, this "background" does not match with his life as he remembers it, wherein he was born in 1969 and was mysteriously transported to 1973 from 2008.
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11-21-2008, 03:10 PM
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#9
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Documentarianologist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 50,904
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fish Man
To the people whom he is working with in 1973, he has a background that they have documentation of (transfer papers from another precinct, record of employment as a cop, etc.) However, this "background" does not match with his life as he remembers it, wherein he was born in 1969 and was mysteriously transported to 1973 from 2008.
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Did he wake up with the transfer papers?
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11-21-2008, 03:14 PM
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#10
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Phish Food
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: 0.7 miles from the Abita brewery!
Posts: 8,260
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IndyJones1023
Did he wake up with the transfer papers?
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He woke up in a vacant lot in New York in 1973, wearing 70s clothes, but otherwise, being pretty much the same as he was in 2008.
When he woke up, he had a a wallet containing a badge and ID consistent with being a cop in 1973 on him. (Probably contained money and stuff too.)
He apparently also woke up with keys that fit the appartment that his ID shows him as living in.
Other characters on the series have mentioned that they have documentation of his history of employment with the NOPD on file (which jibes with him being late 30's in 1973).
He never had transfer papers, as such, "on him". In the story, he had just been transfered to the "one-two-five" from some other precinct, so he was unfamiliar with the people at that precinct, and they were unfamiliar with him.
So, they simply accept him as "one of them" with some "out there" ways of thinking (as a result of his actually being from the future, that they don't realize).
He's confided his "real" past only to the blond lady cop (don't remember her name) and a cute, female, stoner-hippy neighbor (who is enough of a stoner that she pretty much accepts any story of an alternate reality).
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Last edited by Fish Man : 11-21-2008 at 03:22 PM.
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11-21-2008, 03:17 PM
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#11
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Get the ketchup.
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Sherman Oaks, CA
Posts: 16,568
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Indy, don't read this if you don't want to know what is really going on:
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You've been warned!!!!
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He's living on Mars.
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11-21-2008, 03:39 PM
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#12
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Documentarianologist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 50,904
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Ah ha. I'm on the hospital hostage episode and he's stated he's in a coma.
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11-21-2008, 03:50 PM
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#13
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Uncertain
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 4,348
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IndyJones1023
Ah ha. I'm on the hospital hostage episode and he's stated he's in a coma.
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Yeah but it's ambiguous. You see the prior episode and it makes you think there's something more divine associated with that. And there are elements that make it seem like it can't possibly be all in his mind.
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11-21-2008, 03:52 PM
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#14
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Go Pats
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Ashland, MA
Posts: 35,426
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random things like he'll pick up the phone and he can hear his mom talking to him like he's in a coma in the hosptial
like "I know you can hear me, I lover you" and so on
and his girlfriend at the time (who he thought was dead at the time, i think) says like "It's been 3-4 months now, I have to let you go"
stuff like that
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11-21-2008, 04:12 PM
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#15
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Documentarianologist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 50,904
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeMar
and his girlfriend at the time (who he thought was dead at the time, i think) says like "It's been 3-4 months now, I have to let you go"
stuff like that
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And I just saw that part. I gotta stop posting in this thread so it won't be spoiled for me anymore!
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11-21-2008, 04:55 PM
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#16
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Curmudgeon
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Music City USA
Posts: 6,904
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IndyJones1023
Ah ha. I'm on the hospital hostage episode and he's stated he's in a coma.
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Wow! Did you just spoil the whole series??
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11-21-2008, 04:59 PM
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#17
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Documentarianologist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 50,904
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon J
Wow! Did you just spoil the whole series??
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Apparently not. As you know. However, at the time you stated the coma theory, I hadn't seen enough of the show to know that. So you only spoiled things a little for me.
Lighten up, Francis.
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11-21-2008, 05:09 PM
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#18
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Phish Food
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: 0.7 miles from the Abita brewery!
Posts: 8,260
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IndyJones1023
Apparently not. As you know. However, at the time you stated the coma theory, I hadn't seen enough of the show to know that. So you only spoiled things a little for me.
Lighten up, Francis.
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So, you've finished that episode now?
It's plenty ambiguous again, right?
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11-21-2008, 05:09 PM
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#19
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_
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: _
Posts: 1,168
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I've watched the original British series and really enjoyed it. I have all of the Life on Mars US saved and I'm wondering if it's worth watching? Am I just going to see the same story told in NY?
And yes he really is in a coma. (kidding) Or am I?
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11-21-2008, 05:11 PM
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#20
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Documentarianologist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 50,904
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fish Man
So, you've finished that episode now?
It's plenty ambiguous again, right?
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Now I'm all caught up. It's interesting. I'll stick with it for a while longer.
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11-21-2008, 05:56 PM
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#21
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Get the ketchup.
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Sherman Oaks, CA
Posts: 16,568
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dignan
I've watched the original British series and really enjoyed it. I have all of the Life on Mars US saved and I'm wondering if it's worth watching? Am I just going to see the same story told in NY?
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There are enough differences to make you question your sanity.
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11-22-2008, 08:01 AM
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#22
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Curmudgeon
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Music City USA
Posts: 6,904
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IndyJones1023
Apparently not. As you know. However, at the time you stated the coma theory, I hadn't seen enough of the show to know that. So you only spoiled things a little for me.
Lighten up, Francis.
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The clues were abundant from the beginning, so I assumed it was dreams all along.
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