(S03E13) It almost seems inevitable that a series finale doesn't quite live up to everyone's expectations, with a few minor exceptions (such as the recent series finale of Lost).

I eagerly anticipated the series finale of Heroes, and while I was significantly entertained enough to have enjoyed myself, I felt kind of cheated when it was revealed that Syler was probably not dead after all.

I felt the same way with this last part of the current Doctor Who series; it was great to watch, but the inevitable cop-out at the end left me feeling a little bit like I'd been pick-pocketed.

Warning: Spoilers after the jump.

(S02E08) "My name is Sam Tyler. I had an accident, and I woke up in 1973.

"Am I mad, in a coma, or back in time? Whatever's happened, it's like I've landed on a different planet.

"Now, maybe if I can work out the reason, I can get home."

Well, did Sam Tyler get back home?

Warning: spoilers after the jump.

(S02E07) In this week's Life on Mars, the hunter became the hunted.

Or, rather Gene Hunt became the hunted.

In a classic did-he-or-didn't-he cop-on-the-run scenario, the big figure in this top-notch cop show became a fugitive after being found at the scene of a murder with the finger of blame pointing only at him -- and no memory as to how he got there.

As it it needed validation, the brilliant BBC sci-fi/cop time-travelling drama Life on Mars has picked up two awards at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards here in the UK.

It was named Best Drama Series and also won the Writer's Award.

The first series of the show already picked up the International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series in November 2006, and back in January it won the Best New Programme category at the Broadcast Magazine awards.

However, just like The Office, and now Extras, this is one BBC show we're not going to be force-fed until we choke, since it ends when the current series finishes up in three week's time.

(S02E05) In much the same way as series one of Life on Mars dragged out the is-he-or-isn't-he-in-the-past component of the over-arching storyline, series two continues to keep the mystery of Sam Tyler's presence in 1973 a bit of a mystery, teasing us with glimpses of the future -- and the past.

When this week's episode started, it was as surreal as you could get, with Sam on sick leave in his bedsit, hallucinating images of his fellow-police officers on his television, and generally seeing things on his way in to the police station where a kidnapping crisis had developed.

It turned out Sam had been overdosed in the future (or was it the present?), and the doctors were desperately trying to restore his brain activity to normal.

(S02E03) The most recent episode of Life on Mars was delayed here in the UK (unless you cheated and watched it on the digital channel BBC FOUR), mostly because of the FA Cup soccer, but it was worth waiting on, even if it did bump right up against the next episode which airs this week.

One thing is certain with this series, there's a theme developing, and I don't mean the mystery surrounding Sam's presence in the past or his so-called 'mission'.

Warning: spoilers after the jump.

(S02E02) Honour, loyalty, integrity, honesty; all things you would associate with officers of the law.

Not in the 1970s. Not in Life on Mars.

This week's episode delivered another cracker, with all the complexity of a feature-length movie, and slightly less of the mystery surrounding Sam Tyler's 'mission' in the past.

A recap really doesn't do the plot justice, but if you're easily put off by spoilers, you might want to watch this week's episode before making the jump...

(S02E01) Detective Inspector Sam Tyler, Detective Chief Inspector Gene Hunt, and the rest of the Life on Mars gang returned for the first episode of eight in the new (and final) series -- and with a bit of a bang too.

Paying some due deference to viewers who may not have caught the first series, this season premiere was peppered with recap elements designed to bring everyone up to speed (along with the standard cold open).

Sam Tyler is a police detective from Manchester in the UK in the year 2006. He suffers a nasty car accident, and wakes up in 1973.

Is he in a coma? Has he travelled back in time? Or is he just plain mad?

Either way, it's like he's landed on a different planet, and he has to make the most of things until he finds his way back to the future.

Warning: spoilers after the jump.

The second (and final) series of Life on Mars starts on Monday, with John Simm returning as time-travelling detective Sam Tyler, who finds himself stuck in the 1970s, solving crime with modern police methods and trying to find a way back to 2006.

The BBC ONE trailers have been running for the past week, making use of a 1970s-style voice over, blue-hued segments from the forthcoming series, and the 'BBC Colour' logo -- from when BBC shows were differentiated in quality by being either plain old 'BBC' (ie. black and white) or 'BBC Colour' (ie. in glorious eye-popping reds and blues).