From the very beginning of Life On Mars I didn't see how they could end it satisfactorily. It relied too strongly on keeping all its balls up in the air. At the final hurdle I thought they would fudge it by trying to have the best of both worlds. As it turns they ended it perfectly by being true to both the internal logic and emotional core of the programme. It is a horribly bleak but totally believeable conclusion. Life is hard and our fantasies are more vivid and ultimately more attractive than the real world.
