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Life on Mars korean drama review
Dropped 6/16
Life on Mars
4 people found this review helpful
by Sirenas
Sep 14, 2020
6 of 16 episodes seen
Dropped 2
Overall 5.5
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 6.5
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 4.0
I really wanted to like this. It was listed as a recommendation from The Fiery Priest and there is a soft spot for the main lead from Prison Playbook. Didn't realize it was a remake of a UK version until I started the series already (usually prefer to start with the originals).

The concept of the story is great but having gone six episodes in, already found myself fast-forwarding through so many of the scenes. The only parts enjoyed was the brief period prior to the main lead entering the alternate world and his interactions with Kang Dong Cheol and Jo Nam Shik after. Unfortunately, our only female lead here is irritating to watch because she looks and sounds creepy most of the time. Although I understand that they are trying to emphasize how women were (are) treated in a male-dominated career and that she has much value to add to her team, her character just isn't done well at all. This really hurt the series for me as she has a lot of screen time. As for the pacing, it isn't necessarily slow but it isn't intriguing either and the repeated flashbacks that occur too often doesn't help.

A few reviews stated there was comedy to look forward to but unless it occurs after the sixth episode, I found none. Ended up reading a more detailed synopsis of the story and it does seems interesting but perhaps I've watched too many crime series in my time or had too many laughs just coming off of the last series, still can't find it in me to continue.

I will end this by saying there are some positives that this may be worth watching for. The portrayal of the world with the decade(s) difference is done pretty well which includes the emphasis on how different crime-solving is without the technology we have today. There is also a good development between the two detectives where one is old-school and used to getting around constraints by bending the rules a little while the other who is too focused on rules and evidence but not so much on the impacts of letting criminals get away because of them.
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