Life on Mars - Series 2 - Episode 5

Drama series about Sam Tyler, a Manchester detective who suffers a near-fatal car crash and wakes up in what seems to be 1973. Sam learns a man's wife and daughter have been kidnapped, and are being held hostage. Knowing that time is ticking away on the women's lives, Sam is determined to shake the demons from his head, focus on the investigation and help the desperate family. He starts by interviewing all of A-Division, gaining a privileged insight into their perspectives. Sam learns of the murder of a young girl in 1972, and the speedy, aggressive apprehension of her boyfriend for the crime. In unpicking the details he begins work out who might be motivated to hold these two vulnerable women hostage. However, for once a clearly worse-for-wear Sam isn't at hand to show the way, and Annie is left exposed as she deduces for herself the true identity of the kidnapper. Meanwhile Sam's overview of the investigation has brought unwelcome pieces of information to light about the initial murder and hurried conviction.