The ABC series Life on Mars premiered on Thursday, October 9, 2008. The series is an American version of a BBC series that was canceled in April 2007. Jason O'Mara, Harvey Keitel and Michael Imperioli star in the series.

On March 2, 2009, ABC announced Life on Mars was canceled. The early announcement was supposed to help give the writers enough time to finish out the debut season and tie up any loose ends for the finale. It also allowed the cast to audition for other pilots.EW: [http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/03/breaking-abc-ca.html?xid=rss-feed-todayslatest-%27Life+on+Mars%27%3A+Canceled! Updated: ABC cancels 'Life on Mars,' Mol relocating to 'Eastwick'? (March 2, 2009)

Detective Sam Tyler is hit by a car and wakes up in the year 1973 after his detective girlfriend Maya disappears. He is still a member of the police department and wonders if he can somehow make it back to the year 2008. Detective Tyler realizes that being a cop in 1972 is much different and more complicated without the modern technology he is used to. He also finds out that there may be a connection between his case in 1972 and events in 2008.

• The series was canceled after one season and the writers decided to end the 17-episode run by having Sam Tyler wake up in 2035. Apparently it was really 2035 and Tyler had been traveling on a two-year journey to Mars, the first manned mission of its kind. During the journey Tyler was supposed to be experiencing a simulation of 2008 but a computer glitch placed him in 1973 but with his 2008 memories.BuddyTV: An Out-of-this-World Life on Mars Series Finale (April 2, 2009)

• First aired: January 2006
• Final show April 2007
• Starring John Simm, Philip Glenister and Liz White