TV episode review
US airdate 4 February 2009 (ABC)

The detectives of the 125 are interrogated about the disappearance of Ray Carling's brother Eddie...

Pushed back in the running order to ensure that the show came back from its winter hiatus with the strong 'Take a Look at the Lawmen', this episode picks up on the pre-break cliffhanger and does this series' usual job of explaining some things while providing more questions.

The police element is straightforward: Ray's wayward brother gets in over his head when he's involved with the theft of items from someone who isn't above decapitation to make his point. Gene, Sam and Ray are all queried about this some time after the fact, following Eddie's disappearance.

While the detectives assume the questioning is connected to Internal Affairs, another level to Sam's mystery is added, with a mysterious Aries Project (codenamed in English and Cyrillic writing on a file cover) only really interested in what Sam has to say about the telephone calls he's been receiving from... wherever. Sam has been warned not to say anything and even tries to block Annie's interest in his plight, which only piques her interest more.

With new problems including the aftermath of Sam's brief affair with Gene Hunt's daughter still to be resolved, Life on Mars is moving in a markedly different direction to the BBC original. Paul Simpson

VERDICT: 7/10