# Ashes to Ashes



## Dave

The 'Life on Mars' sequel, 'Ashes to Ashes' begins in the UK on Thursday February 7th, BBC One @ 9pm.

A number of the central characters - including DCI Gene Hunt - are back. Gene will be joined by a female detective from the 21st century, DI Alex Drake, who is stranded in 1981 after an accident. She will be played by Keeley Hawes. Also reappearing are Chris Skelton (who is stated to be a "technical wizard") and Ray Carling. All have transferred to the Metropolitan Police in London and Chris and Ray remain loyal to Gene. There will be a new recruit in the form of WPC Sharon 'Shaz' Grainger to replace WDC Annie Cartwright.


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## gully_foyle

I take it then that Sam Tyler is not in it. As much as I love Gene Hunt, it was Simms' Tyler that drew me in.


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## Dave

You're correct he's not in it. I understand what you mean, but I thought the writing was good. Difficult though it is to strike Gold twice, they may pull it off. It's the same production company who make 'Spooks' and 'Hustle'. I have some concerns too - the time travelling character is now a woman, the setting has moved to London - but I'm looking forward to seeing it.


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## Dave

I've found a little extra infomation:

Philip Glenister: "I admit I initially didn't want to do Ashes to Ashes, but three things nailed it for me - the fact that it was filmed near my home in London; Keeley Hawes, of course; and the Audi Quattro. How could I say no to that?"

Spoiler for first episode:



Spoiler



DI Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes) is a psychological profiler and a single mum. The new series begins with her driving her daughter Molly to school. On the front seat of her car are case notes on Sam Tyler, whom she was treating. Sam has told her all about his trip to 1973 and working with Gene Hunt.

Responding to a call, Alex confronts a crazed gunman and is taken hostage. The man appears to know her and fires a bullet. Alex passes out and when she wakes up, she's in an Eighties brothel sporting a dodgy perm...


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## Dave

So, no one watched it, or no one wanted to comment. I recorded it and have just seen it. They decided to go a bit more weird than the first time, and Alex immediately knowing what was going on was odd. 

It didn't quite capture the eighties to me, the way that 'Life on Mars' captured the seventies, but there is time yet.

Alex seems to have serious clown-phobia.


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## Anthony G Williams

I agree, not such a good start as LOM, though the music brought back memories. Keeley Hawes might be nicer to look at than Simms (depending on your preferences) but she didn't engage my sympathy in the same way.


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## iansales

The clown is from Bowie's video for 'Ashes to Ashes'.


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## Ursa major

I found the first episode Ashes to Ashes strangely uninvolving. Perhaps it was the direction, which seemed melodrammatic, to say the least. I half wondered whether it was meant to be a full-on comedy, or even a spoof of itself.

Life on Mars had a strong comedy aspect, as we compared Simms's (and our current) take on life with that of Gene Hunt and his team. Ashes to Ashes was not prepared to let us see this happening, but wanted to flourish the directorial equivalent of a highlighter pen, in case we were too dumb to notice for ourselves.

I can only hope the directing of Episode Two is rather more subtle. (I rather suspect, though, that the cartoonish feel is part of the makers' attempt to get into the '70s spirit.)


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## Dave

iansales said:


> The clown is from Bowie's video for 'Ashes to Ashes'.


Thanks Ian, I don't remember seeing that video, but it explains it.





Ursa major said:


> I found the first episode Ashes to Ashes strangely uninvolving.


That is exactly it. I didn't really care whether Alex was really there or not, because I already knew she was not.


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## Briareus Delta

I was also unimpressed by the first episode. Apart from lacking the 'intrigue' element of Life on Mars, I didn't find the Keeley Hawes character, DI Drake, a very realistic female police officer from any era. At least, she's not like any I've ever met. I'll probably stick with it though, as Phillip Glenisters portrayal of DCI Gene Hunt is always very watchable.


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## thaddeus6th

I was somewhat disappointed with it, but there's plenty of time to get into the groove. 

I think Hawes isn't a patch on John Simms, and LoM was great partly because of the Sheriff and Deputy dynamic. However, maybe if she stopped psychobabbling so much and paused for breath it'd be better.

A bit too cheesy as well, I felt. I was never really gripped.

Plus sides: Skelton and Ray are both amusing, and Hunt's presence is of course great. The clown is test card girl's equal in scariness (I used to be afraid of the test card girl and don't like clowns either. Happily I'm quite at ease with Zippy and George).

Hopefully episode two will give HUnt, Skelton and Ray more screen time.


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## rune

Im trying to keep an open mind as i so enjoyed Life on Mars and hoping the writing is as good as that series.  Im not sure why there is a woman in that situation this time, perhaps they are hoping for  a bit of sexual tension with Hunt


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## Anthony G Williams

The TV detective series *Life on Mars*, about a present-day policeman who inexplicably finds himself a part of a 1970s detective squad, was deservedly a huge hit. Not surprisingly it was followed by a new series, *Ashes to Ashes*, following the same detective team into the 1980s with a new "throwback", Keeley Hawes replacing John Simm. The first series was rather disappointing by contrast with LoM, but the second series (which finished a couple of weeks ago) was a great improvement. The characters were much better developed, and the twin plot threads of Hawes' character desperately trying to get back to the present day and her growing relationship with Philip Glenister's crusty, misogynistic detective became increasingly intriguing. As well as the drama and mystery this was one of the funniest series on TV, with more laugh-out-loud moments than most comedies (and – blessed relief – no canned laughter). From being an "OK to watch" for the first series this became a "must watch", and the highlight of the week's viewing. I realised just how much I had come to like the characters when felt quite sad on discovering that one of them had betrayed the team (for all-too-human reasons). The finale was the best episode of the lot, with a commendably ambiguous and open ending. 

There's no doubt that Glenister was the star of the show; he was given a string of often outrageously funny non-PC one-liners which he delivered in his characteristically gruff, deadpan, rapid-fire style. One which sticks in my mind; on seeing Hawes looking unusually happy: "What's up with you then? You look as if you've been sitting on the washing machine again!" And the gag in the last episode concerning the detective at a chip-shop crime scene who was happily munching on a battered and deep-fried sausage until he discovered that it was from a literally dis-membered murder victim brought tears to my eyes. I'm eagerly awaiting the third series, due next year.

(An extract from my SFF blog)


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## Fried Egg

Yes, I agree with you entirely. I thought the first series of "Ashes to Ashes" was disappointing but, like you say, the second series picked up.

I'm curious about the third series. It should be quite different. For one thing, she appears to have emerged from her coma although obviously still has issues to resolve. Also, I've heard that this new series will tie the events of "Ashes to Ashes" togther with "Life on Mars". Whether that means we'll see a return of John Simm, I've no idea but it sounds interesting...


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## iansales

I liked *Ashes to Ashes* - agreed, initially it wasn't as good as *Life on Mars*, but it definitely picked up. Series one felt a bit over-the-top - too much like a spoof of a 1980s cop show, but they toned that down in series 2.


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## thaddeus6th

Rather boringly I agree with all previous posters. I was unsure about watching series 2 because they really overdid the first series and made Hunt a bit of a self-parody.

That said, Life on Mars is still better than either Ashes to Ashes series.


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## Perpetual Man

Fried Egg said:


> Yes, I agree with you entirely. I thought the first series of "Ashes to Ashes" was disappointing but, like you say, the second series picked up.
> 
> I'm curious about the third series. It should be quite different. For one thing, she appears to have emerged from her coma although obviously still has issues to resolve. Also, I've heard that this new series will tie the events of "Ashes to Ashes" togther with "Life on Mars". Whether that means we'll see a return of John Simm, I've no idea but it sounds interesting...


 
Or has she? Perhaps she is still in the coma, 'dreaming' that she has come out of it, now in a second comatose state inside the original one -

Some one from 2008 in a coma reliving 1982 reliving 2008....

Ouch. my head hurts


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## Ursa major

I'm pretty sure that Hunt's "presence" (no pun intended) in what purported to be Bolly's present day was a clear indicator that she is still trapped inside her own mind (or whatever it is that's going on).


Broken record time: _Ashes to Ashes_ series one was disappointing; they turned it round for the second series, which was good (but it did not quite reach the heights of the two _Life on Mars_ series).


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## Perpetual Man

Ursa major said:


> Broken record time: _Ashes to Ashes_ series one was disappointing, but they turned it round for the second series (but it was still not quite as good as either of the _Life on Mars_ series).


 
Agreed Mr. Bear, but a lot better than the US version of LOM


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## Ursa major

I haven't seen that - and I don't think I will be by the look of it.


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## Perpetual Man

Ahhh, it was cancelled, but they had the time to wrap it up in the final episode. 

You don't want to know the resolution of that little saga. Coma? Not with this version! 

It also included one of the worst puns ever...


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## Ursa major

* Wonders whether he should hide. He can't; he has to ask: *


One of the worst puns ever, you say...? No, don't tell me.




(Damn you, Perp! )


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## Perpetual Man

I knew the pun would get you: Read if you wish (Spoiler)

Right at the end everything goes white and Sam Tyler wakes up on a spaceship travelling to Mars in the year (I think 2032). During his long sleep he was meant to go back to 2009 but a glitch in the program mean that he went to 1973 instead, and that all the characters he interacted with with actually the crew - all with the same names, except one particular character who turns out to be Sams dad...

And then there is the real punchline... their mission to Mars is to find any trace of life at all a gene hunt...

And back to Ashes to Ashes


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## Ursa major

Thanks for saving me the bother of trying to get hold of the last few minutes of that series, Perp.

(I'd read the entry on Wiki, which had the denouement but didn't have the pun.)


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## Rippers

I only recently found Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes and have loved them. Watched LOM pretty much in one go (I was off work for a few days) and loved it for many reasons.

I actually think I preferred ATA for a few reasons: the soundtrack was my era, the relationship between the Gene Genie and Bolly really kept me interested, seeing the characters develop so much more and the clothes all made for a cracking series for me. 

I love the idea of the two main series merging in some way in the final series of ATA, and can only hope that we get a full does of all those brill characters we've come to love.


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## Dave

A third and final series starts on BBC1 today.
BBC - BBC One Programmes - Ashes to Ashes, Series 3, Episode 1

I think it may have jumped the shark but I'll watch it anyway. Alex has shifted in time again. Gene is on the run, suspected of her Murder. Since they have changed time period again, I thought they could change the series title again - I was thinking 'Gene Genie'!


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## Dave

It was okay actually, though it no longer seems very original.

I have a nitpick with the soundtrack though. During the after-case party they played Katrina and the Waves, Walking on Sunshine. It wasn't being played as a backing track, it was actually on in the Police office. This is set in 1983. I can place exactly where I was when that single was in the charts in 1985. Now, the Album was actually recorded in 1983, but it was only ever released in Canada. Highly unlikely that they would have got hold of a import of some unknown new wave band.


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## Ursa major

But will we discover that Alex had been in Canada in 1983...?


Not that a delusion** has to be that faithful to reality anyway.






** - Or is it? Did I catch the slightest whiff of brimstone clinging to DCI Keats?


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## thaddeus6th

I rather liked it. Not excellent, but most enjoyable, and nice to see Gene Hunt back.


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## Harry Kilmer

Loved it. Though Alex's hair was bad even for the 80's

Whose that copper with the Travislike wound on his face?


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## Ursa major

So _that_ was what it was all about, eh?


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## thaddeus6th

Generally, I liked the explanation. It could've been a little clearer, I felt, when it was first explained though.


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## Ursa major

It did explain why Sam and Alex found the (parts of the) world in which they found themselves so unlike their own and different from how they themselves might have envisioned the past.


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## Dave

I also liked the tied-up explanation. I remember I was very disappointed with the end of _Life on Mars_, so I was expecting a similar kind of fuzzy disappointment. Instead, it all made a kind of sense,


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## Anthony G Williams

Yes, I agree. It was surprisingly satisfying - if still somewhat mysterious.


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## Perpetual Man

I really enjoyed it as well, although I did want Jim Keats to get more of a comeuppance. He's annoyed me all season, and thought he really came into his own in this last episode, something he had failed to do throughout the rest of the season becoming creepy and just down right maniacal.

I thought that it was well delivered and tied up everything nicely, even the things I missed made perfect sense and were logical and in keeping with the shows own parameters.

Thematically at least it had a lot in common with the end of Lost, totally coincidental but interesting all the same!

Unfortunately the best line from the episode may well have set Anglo-Dutch relationships back a few years...


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## Ursa major

Speaking as someone who is, by ancestry, a little bit Dutch, I can't see how the average, non-diamond-smuggling non-viciously-murderous resident of Nederland could be at all offended.



I will, though, say "Damn!" rolleyes:), if only because the series has come to an end.


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## thaddeus6th

Aye, I wanted Hunt to give Keats a battering. Still, can't have everything.


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## Perpetual Man

Ursa major said:


> Speaking as someone who is, by ancestry, a little bit Dutch, I can't see how the average, non-diamond-smuggling non-viciously-murderous resident of Nederland could be at all offended.
> 
> 
> 
> I will, though, say "Damn!" rolleyes:), if only because the series has come to an end.



Actually on reflection Ursa, I do believe I might have a bit of Dutch in my ancestry too...


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