Nothing funny about feldspar

So we watched an episode of Life on Mars yesterday, and I was wondering… the main character is Sam, who as a cop believes “every copper has to be whiter than white or the whole thing falls apart,” who seems to travel back in time to solve a mystery…

I wonder if this is just Discworld set in Manchester without Ridcully? (And without the humour, except for the little touches of “chicken with mango” modern sensibilities…)