Life on Mars

The American series is an adaptation of the original British BBC series of the same name, co-produced by Kudos Film and Television, 20th Century Fox Television, and ABC Studios.

David E. Kelley was the original writer and executive producer of the pilot episode before handing production responsibilities to Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, and Scott Rosenberg, who were the producers of ABC's October Road.

After ABC reviewed the pilot and ordered an overhaul, several cast and crew members were replaced and production was moved from Los Angeles to New York to take advantage of local and state tax credits for shows filmed there.

Because of the production overhaul, the show's setting was also changed from Los Angeles to New York, relocating the story to the fictional 125th precinct of the NYPD.

The script was rewritten with permission from the original British creators to remove the 'unsatisfying' ambiguity of Sam's story in favor of a clearer mythological element and deeper mystery.

After its premiere, the show went on a two-month hiatus and was later moved to a Wednesday timeslot following Lost, which contributed to a decline in viewership and ABC's decision not to renew it for a second season.

Sam frequently uses future cultural references as undercover pseudonyms, giving his name as 'Luke Skywalker,' 'Tom Cruise,' or 'Sam Bono,' and naming colleagues 'George and Laura Bush.'

Matthew Graham, co-creator of the original British Life on Mars, criticized the American ending in an SFX interview, saying it 'beggars belief' and that the American team felt the British ending 'wasn't extreme enough,' which he considered a mistake.