Ashes To Ashes: Everything That Has A Beginning, Has An End - Part 1

Once upon a time, between the mid eighties and the mid noughties, British fantasy on TV was a barren wasteland populated by boring, unimaginative dirge like Crime Traveller and Invasion Earth. Then came Doctor Who's resurrection in 2005, which gave TV networks the confidence to green light not only new SF/fantasy shows, but well written ones too. The first of these post-Who series to hit was Life On Mars, a period set cop show with a twist. The protagonist was from 2006, trapped solving crimes in 1973. What made the show a critical success was the mystery as to how hero Sam Tyler got to 1973. Had he travelled back in time? Was he in a Coma, dreaming? Was he dead, stuck in purgatory? And it was the fusing of these fantasy elements into a popular police drama format that made the series a commercial success.

In 2007 it was revealed that Sam had been in a Coma, the 1973 stories apparently being all in his head. But with the desire of lead John Simm to depart, it was decided to revamp the series to an early eighties setting with a new lead. Thus, Ashes to Ashes was born with Keeley Hawes taking over as out-of-time, comatose cop Alex Drake. With Drake now inhabiting the same universe that Sam Tyler had, the central mystery shifted to why it was the same dreamworld and characters as Sam's.
A greater importance was also placed on the meaning of top cop Gene Hunt in the eighties universe.

In all 5 years of both series, the casting was impeccable, from Marshall Lancaster's confidence-lacking Chris, to Dean Andrews fearless performance as the bullish, politically incorrect Ray. But the enduring icon af Ashes/Mars will forever be Phil Glennister's DCI Gene Hunt, the swaggering, arrogant, hard as nails Police Chief that dominated the show, even if he wasn't in a scene. Many of the greatest fictional characters in TV history have been those with uncompromising contempt for all other human beings. Just look at Blackadder, Basil Fawlty and Al Bundy. Gene was one of those. His insults were legendary...but it was the venom with which they were delivered which ensured the success of the show (which the Americans failed to understand when they were casting, both the inadequate Colm Meaney and Harvey Kietel, in their unfortunate version of Life On Mars). He didn't care who he shot, punched, insulted or hurt; we loved him anyway.

The Ashes to Ashes finale which broadcast recently was pitch perfect. It revealed a powerful mythology behind the dreamworld, moving back-stories for the regular cast and, perhaps best of all, used English iconography illustrate the mythology (the good old British boozer). Moving, powerful and satisfying...the episode was a great end to a landmark British series. Gene might be gone, but it makes you feel safe knowing that DCI Hunt is looking out for us.