Ashes to Ashes

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BBC (ended 2010)
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Show Summary

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Welcome to the Ashes to Ashes guide at TV.com. DI Alex Drake of the Metropolitan Police is taken hostage and shot, and wakes to find herself apparently thrown back in time to 1981. She quickly recognises DCI Gene Hunt and his team from detailed reports made by DCI Sam Tyler about his own trip to 1973. Initially sceptical about the surreal nature of her new environment, Alex, a modern, no-nonsense woman, clashed regularly with her sexist colleagues but had to learn to adjust while she strove to find her way back to 2008. As time passed, Alex started to accept her situation, and wonder whether her life in the future had been the dream. Executive Producer Jane Featherstone described this spin-off from Life on Mars as "a touch of Moonlighting teamed with a measure of Miami Vice." The show aimed to build on the success of its award-winning predecessor, resurrecting Philip Glenister's ever-popular detective while taking the opportunity to wink at 1980s fashions and attitudes. Ashes to Ashes is a Kudos production in association with Monastic Productions for the BBC.moreless
8.1
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Episode Guide

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S 3 :  Ep 8 Aired 5/21/10
S 3 :  Ep 7 Aired 5/14/10
S 3 :  Ep 6 Aired 5/7/10
S 3 :  Ep 5 Aired 4/30/10
S 3 :  Ep 4 Aired 4/23/10

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Fan Reviews (17)

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  • Stick with it.

    7.0
    "Good"
    By Spadassinicide, Jun 09, 2011
    At first, Ashes to Ashes is both disappointing and vexing. The 80s milieu isn't particularly effective as a gone time captured and bottled to serve as a fantasy world, the characters all seem somehow less spirited (perhaps it's just the zeitgeist), and little respect is paid to the memory of DCI Sam Tyler (the twice-dead protagonist of the show's progenitor Life on Mars). However, the show picks up in a big way around half way through season 1 - the episodic plots become a lot more entertaining and the mystery surrounding the death of DI Alexandra Drake's parents starts to take shape. It never matches the charm of Life on Mars, but as far as spin-offs go, it's actually pretty damn good.moreless

  • As a standalone, separate from LoM, it holds it's own very well, gradually getting better, cumulating in a truly excellent third series, however, put the two shows together...

    10
    "Perfect"
    By joneswe01, Mar 04, 2011
    When this show started it's first series, it had a great deal to live up to, following in the footsteps of, what I think was, the greatest show of the past decade. Unfortunately, this was incredibly noticeable throughout the first few episodes of the show. It felt like a shallow retread that couldn't really escape it's predecessors huge shadow. However I am pleased to say that it improved as it went on and the first series finale was genuinely exciting and,though still not matching anything that LoM produced, definitely left me wanting more. And wow. How glad I am that I stuck with it. After a much better second series, we are now one episode away from the end of it all and I feel genuinely privileged to have grown up with these two shows. Perhaps the greatest compliment that can be given to the writers is that A2A no longer feels like a spin off, and instead of us currently being in series 3 of a show, we are actually in series 5 of an epic experience spanning 5 years and 2 shows. Going in to the final episode it feels completely right, as though this was the plan right from the very first episode of LoM and we have been following one intricate plot line all the way through.
    These two shows separately are excellent, but put them together, seeing the whole story unfold as one, I feel quite certain in saying that A2A, along with LoM has possibly been the greatest 40 hours (5, 8 episode series) of television I have ever seen. Do not miss it.moreless

  • forget this unoriginal retread, watch the original and be done with it.

    3.7
    "Bad"
    By aihyah, Jul 14, 2010
    Following on the brilliant life on mars series this is just a unoriginal retread in the 80s with a female lead. The problem is that it lacks spark, i don't really feel convinced its the 80s, and the lead actress is simply annoying to watch. I don't care about her journey so its hard to care about much else in the series. Its like they just reclothed life on mars and tossed in a new lead. the chemistry just isn't there. the sense of awe at leaping into a hyper realistic past is not there. The other favorite character gene hunt just seems to be phoning it it, but i don't blame him as he's not given much to work with.moreless

  • Entertaining but Im not as keen on it as I was with life on mars...

    6.7
    "Fair"
    By crazygirl184, May 27, 2010
    I see the solid reviews of 10/10 but I must admit that would be an overstatement. I understand that Life on Mars was a great series and can understand why they wanted to continue it but in someone else's point of view, and obviously in a different decade. Alex is linked to Sam Tyler, he sent her all the information on what had happened during his coma e.g. the people he met (most importantly Gene Hunt) and the different things that happened. This changed the story line slightly as she seems to have a sort of idea what is happening, but the same mission to get back home in the 21st century. Each unfortunately has to battle the different crimes and problems that were around in that area at the time, as well as finding time to figure out how to get home. First of all I was upset at how they explained the death of DI Sam Tyler, it did not seem that they had thought of a good enough way to kill him off. Secondly I noticed that Alex's parents were killed (or just her mother) in a car explosion, whereas Sam's father left. Both characters meet up with their parents and try not to let on who they were no matter how much they wanted to. I must admit though the one thing I applaud them on is the clown. The first time I saw him I was a bit freaked out and on the edge of my seat. The concentration on the clowns face as he runs to her is sheer terrifying!moreless

  • This is the follow on to Life on Mars which also was an amazing show. Ashes to Ashes has been a fantastic tv series with Phillip Glenister being the shining star as Gen Hunt. Alex Drake is shot in the present and ends up back in the 80's in Gene's world.moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Jemzym, May 22, 2010
    Ashes to Ashes has proven that it is an original and well written tv series. All of the characters in the show are fantastic and you instantly fall in love with them. Gene Hunt is a god as far as I am concerned! Although he may be slightly chauvanistic, his charcter develops before your very eyes. The relationship between him and Alex has been very intense from day 1, his team are all so different and diverse yet normal if that makes sense?! The final series has been a real eye opener. You find out the truth about Gene's world, who he really is and why Alex was there. I wont give the ending away incase some people havent seen it yet but I thought it was incredable. No-one I know could guess the ending. Ashes to ashes is a classic and will be for many years to come!moreless
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