Life on Mars

Episode 6 - S1-E6

Factual error: Sam's watch (which we see when he checks it just after the escape attempt) is a quartz movement "analog" with a little window at the bottom where an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) display shows the date. LCD didn't appear on watches or calculators for another five or six years.(Although in 1973, there were Digital Watches with LED (Light Emitting Diode) displays. (You can see Roger Moore as James Bond wearing one in "Live and Let Die"(1973)).

Episode 5 - S1-E5

Factual error: At the end of the episode Sam walks down an alley looking for the son of the murder victim. In the background small split-system air-con units are visible on the outside of some buildings. These were not available at this time. (00:48:30)

Episode 6 - S1-E6

Factual error: There is a phone ringing in the police office, but it is using the American style ringing tone - with a single, repeated, long ring - instead of the British ring tone - two short rings repeated. (00:00:24 - 00:01:17)

Mhugh

Episode 3 - S1-E3

Factual error: The reflection of a blue DAF XF lorry can be seen in a window. These lorries were not made until many years later. (00:31:51)

Life on Mars mistake picture

Episode 3 - S1-E3

Factual error: Gay pride flags are visible in a window. The 6 color flags shown were introduced in 1979 (though an 8 color flag preceded it in 1978). (00:30:44)

Episode 5 - S1-E5

Revealing mistake: When the Capri crashes into the goal net & they go to arrest the suspect you can see sky satellite dishes on the houses in front of them. Satellite TV didn't start in the UK until the 80s.

peter mcgougan

More mistakes in Life on Mars

Trivia: The working title for "Life on Mars" was "Ford Granada" - a reference to the car that appeared in the 1970s Police Drama "The Sweeney". Related trivia: when "Life On Mars" was screened by a German TV Network, it was retitled "Gefangen in den 70ern" which translates into English as "Trapped In The 70s"

More trivia for Life on Mars

Show generally

Question: When Sam reads someone their rights why does someone else tell him he's saying it wrong? This happens few times in different episodes.

strikeand

Chosen answer: Sam is using the modern wording of the right-to-silence caution prescribed by legislation such as the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. In the 1970s, the wording would have been different, if it was used at all.

Sierra1

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