Spoilers. The news that ABC have cancelled Life On Mars means it's even more of a struggle to watch than usual, although confirmation that the writers are crafting a proper finale to explain Sam's (Jason O'Mara) timeslip should see me through. I'm interested to see their resolution, actually. In fact, given the fact the original LOM only lasted a mere 14 episodes, it can be argued that cancellation is the best thing to happen to the American remake. The "modern cop in 1973" idea would clearly struggle to reach the 60+ episodes required for syndication, without just becoming a period cop show."The Simple Secret Of The Note In Us All" is a perfectly competent, boring episode -- and one that belongs much earlier in the season. Pilfered from elements of a BBC script, it involves the fatal multiple-stabbing of controversial newspaper columnist Joey Conway in a subway train, with Sam suspecting Tony Crane (Chris Bowers), a modish artist with a female fetish, whom he knows will murder his wife years in the years to come. It's essentially the same Cassandra dilemma Sam faced in the pilot -- having to stop a killer in the past, knowing they'll kill again in the future, but without looking like a total nutjob to all around him.
Sadly, Sam goes about the investigation with irritating naivety about how crazy his beliefs will look to outsiders (highlighting this story as one that should have aired ten episodes ago, in my mind.) Sam's been in 1973 for a few months by now, so it's ridiculous to believe he hasn't found a way to control his reactions, and get clever about achieving his aims (with the blessing/curse of future knowledge) without drawing the wrong kind of attention to himself. Still, I quite like the development of the idea that Annie (Gretchen Mol) is beginning to believe Sam, or at least have confidence in his crackpot theories and "hunches". Right now, it would be refreshing if Sam had someone who believed his story outright. Hurry up and predict a few historical events, you dummy!
Like most people in New York, Gene (Harvey Keitel) hated hack Conway and wouldn't ordinarily go to any great length to solve his murder, but he's under orders from Chief Harry Woolf (Dalton Thompson) to apprehend the killer quickly, without showing any prejudices, as the press are scrutinizing the 125 Precinct's every move. This at least gives us a nice role reversal; Gene forced to investigates by-the-book because of the media attention, with stickler Sam the one bulldozing around trying to arrest Crane without much evidence.
Ultimately though, bland competence isn't particularly entertaining. "The Simple Secret Of The Note In Us All" failed to provide enough of a punch with its storyline, characterization and the show's trope of hissing TV's delivering dispatches to Sam has become a lazy bore. Where's the US equivalent of the Test Card Girl, incidentally? Oh well. With news that LOM:US is nearing its demise, episodes like this are just delaying the one thing viewers are craving: conclusion.
25 February 2009
ABC, 10/9c
Writers: Adele Kim & Becky Hartman Edwards
Director: Jean de Segonzac
Cast: Jason O'Mara (Sam), Harvey Keitel (Gene), Michael Imperioli (Ray), Gretchen Mol (Annie), Jonathan Murphy (Chris), John Cenatiempo (Sizable Ted), Michael J. Burg (Truman Capote), Geoffrey Cantor (Ed Redlich), Patricia Frost (Penny), Danai Jekesai Gurira (Angela), Tom Hammond (Reporter #2), Anne Marie Nest (Reporter #1), Peter Appel (Demetri Pantos), Chris Bowers (Tony Crane), Kerry Bishe (Eve Flannery) & Fred Dalton Thompson (Chief Harry Woolf)
