Ashes To Ashes (TV Series)

Ashes To Ashes is a BBC produced drama series that is a continuation of the cult TV hit, Life On Mars. In Ashes To Ashes, the central character is DI Alex Drake, a police psychologist who is familiar with the case of Sam Tyler and the world of Gene Hunt.

The premiere aired on 7th February 2008 on BBC One and ran for eight episodes. The series was produced by Kudos Film & Television for the BBC. A second series has been confirmed, but Philip Glenister has ruled out a third series for his character in interviews. However, the show creator Matthew Graham has suggested that there might be an opportunity for a third series.

The first series ran for eight episodes. A second series began filming in the summer of 2008 and the first episode was broadcast on 20 April 2009.

Synopsis

The show follows a similar theme to Life On Mars in that a member of the modern police force experiences a serious injury and seems to be transported back in time. During this 'coma' experience, they end up working with DCI Gene Hunt as a member of his team.

Alex Drake (played by Keeley Hawes, is shot in the head during an encounter with a dangerous criminal and wakes up to find herself dressed in early 1980's clothes. It is only when she meets Gene Hunt and relates him to the case of Sam Tyler that she assumes she's in a coma and possibly on the brink of death.

Throughout the series, Drake meets with her mother and father, who died when she was a child, and believes that if she can avert the death of her parents she can somehow return to real life. Like Tyler, Drake experiences brief bursts of communication from her daughter and also terrifying visions of a clown from a David Bowie album cover.

Gene Hunt and his team, Ray Carling and Chris Skelton, have relocated to London's Metropolitan Police.

Cast

• DCI Gene Hunt - played by Philip Glenister
• DI Alex Drake - Keeley Hawes
• DS Ray Carling - Dean Andrews
• DC Chris Skelton - Marshall Lancaster
• WPC Sharon Granger - Montserrat Lombard
• Supermac (Detective Superintendent Mackintosh) - Roger Allam: Supermac is Gene Hunt's boss at the Met, and a corrupt officer. He's a member of the Freemasons and convinces Hunt to join, but compells him to drop a case that a fellow mason is implicated in. Supermac first appears in the second series of Ashes To Ashes.
• Caroline Price -Amelia Bullmore
• Evan White - Stephen Campbell Moore

Critical Reception

Upon its launch, Ashes To Ashes received a mixed reception from critics. Keeley Hawes' performance in particular was poorly received. However, in the later part of the series, it was generally considered that the series had "stepped out of the shadow of Life On Mars".