Life on Mars

Life on Mars (2006)

6 factual errors in season 1 - chronological order

(5 votes)

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 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)

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 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)).

Show generally

Other mistake: The registration number of the Ford Zephyr police car is RVP154G but the security etching on the window reads EKM414C.

More mistakes in Life on Mars

Trivia: Continual references are made to The Wizard of Oz. In Episode 1 of season 1, Tyler leaves the station with the intention of walking back to reality. He says to Cartwright that he is going to 'follow the yellow brick road'. In episode two, after the principal drama has resolved Tyler suggests to Hunt that his 'guv' transfer him back to the division he came from. Hunt obliges by picking up his phone and saying that the Wizard of Oz will sort it out 'because of the wonderful things he does'. Throughout the series Hunt insultingly refers to Tyler as 'Dorothy'. And in the final episode, the song 'Over The Rainbow' can be heard in the soundtrack. Furthermore, the character Frank Morgan has the same name as the actor who portrayed the Wizard of Oz, an acknowledged "humbug", in the 1939 film.

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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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