Life On Mars

Genre;

Crime Conventions (Modern/1970's);
- Characters
- Settings
-Narrative and Iconography

Sci-Fi Conventions;
- Characters
-Settings
-Narrative and Iconography

Narrative;
- Very well structured
- Linear narrative
- Restricted narrative as we see it from the point of view of the main character and no other sub narrative is revealed before the protagonist.

Todorov; Narrative Theory

Equilibrium; The show starts off with an unhappy equilibrium as the protagonist is having personal life problems and his work life is lacking enthusiasm.

Disruption; The disruption is when the protagonist gets hit by a car and he time travels to the 1970's to solve another murder and figure out how to get back to his "Normal life".

Resolution; The murder is solved and his relationship with his boss progresses however, the main narrative on how to get back to his normal life isn't resolved.

Barthes Narrative codes; Enigmas.
- Will he get back to the present day?
- is his girlfriend back home alive and safe?
- Will he get with the police women in the 1970's
- Does he change the future by destroying evidence and stop the murder influencing the child.

The episode finishes with a cliff-hanger as , as the audience we don't have all the answers to the enigmas in the show.

Representations;
- Gender.
Women are portrayed differently throughout the show. In the present day, his girlfriend is on the same level as him in the work place and is listened to by the men in the station. However, in the 1970's era, his potential love interest ( shown through the mid-shots used and the actions between them) isn't on the same level on him career wise and isn't listened to by the men in the police station as they make a lot of sexual comments towards her.

- 1970's/ Present day
1970's police are unprofessional and sexist.
present day police are more professional and inclusive.

- Ethnicity
During the 1970's period in the episode, the character are predominately white apart from the bartender who is Jamaican. Where as , in the present day, the cast is very ethnically diversed.

Post Modernism;
- Hyper reality
-Simulara
-Parody and pastiche
- Reflectivity
- Irony
- Intextuality

The protagonist is emotionally and mentally unstable. We are shown this through the fact he used to follow instinct and now follows protocol.

His girlfriend is also his sidekick ( Crime Conventions).

We establish how modern policing is done in the 2000's

Iconography is used to show the time change. Minimal dialogue is used.
- Cassette is shown in the car instead of the Ipod.
- The audio changes to the song "Life on Mars" by David Bowie
- The police uniform swapped in the different eras.
- Clothing of the protagonist changes through the eras as well.

The song "Life on Mars" by David Bowie is used as intertextuality. (Post Modernism)

Police station is an anchor of the time travelling. Contrasts through lack of technology as well as ethnic diversity and gender inclusivity.

As the episode progresses, women are viewed in a less objectified manner and ideologies progress.
 ( Same applies with ethnicity, Could talk about Post Colonial theory)