BBC’s ‘Ashes to Ashes’

omahaid · 20-04-2009 9:15pm

Well, first episode over. My opinion : I dunno

, I thought it was good overall, a bit darker than the last series, and if that is a good idea time will tell. Life on mars was a bit darker too than series one of AOA so some similarity there. The soundtrack could have been a bit better I thought too

. Other than that, great to see the gene genie back on the tv!!

Basq · 20-04-2009 9:23pm

Wasn't too impressed myself!

Reminded me why I didn't enjoy the first season as much as 'Life on Mars' (I know I shouldn't typically compare them but can't help it), Gene Hunt isn't nearly as funny or interesting as he once was. He now seems like a caricature of his character and he's either playing up or playing down (that woeful "don't die Sally" sequence).

Maybe it'll improve but it definitely lacked a spark!

omahaid · 20-04-2009 9:28pm

basquille wrote: »

Wasn't too impressed myself!

Reminded me why I didn't enjoy the first season as much as 'Life on Mars' (I know I shouldn't typically compare them but can't help it), Gene Hunt isn't nearly as funny or interesting as he once was. He now seems like a caricature of his character and he's either playing up or playing down (that woeful "don't die Sally" sequence).

Maybe it'll improve but it definitely lacked a spark!

I'm choosing to believe it'll get better, the last season didn't have a great start either but I thought it ended well, so fingers crossed...

mike65 · 20-04-2009 9:37pm

I suspend all critical faculties and just suck it up myself

Arthur Daley · 20-04-2009 10:02pm

Was a bit better tonight in terms of the dialogue and grittier feel to the show. It's the first episode of a second series so it's pointless having Alex kidnapped and about to be killed only for Gene to come to her rescue again. I wish they'd stop with these 'dramatic' scenes every single episode.

The 80s sing a long they've put on the red button is a worrying sign.

Gene's delivery of 'get your knickers on you're nicked' a la Jack Regan 1974was more like it. :pac:

dave_29 · 20-04-2009 10:43pm

Is it repeated again, as how did i miss it or did i miss much.

How many eps are there?

omahaid · 27-04-2009 9:01pm

Well, episode 2 over. I quite enjoyed that actually

Storyline is filling out a bit better and we had a bit of humour.

mike65 · 27-04-2009 9:06pm

God I love "Bollie" (and her expanding arse!). I think we all knew that

Gene wasn't a flipping squardealer

27-04-2009 9:08pm

Haven't seen episode 2 yet, but I thought last weeks episode was a huge improvement in quality. Much better than any of the first series episodes.

BlitzKrieg · 29-04-2009 4:17am

just watched episode 1 and while it wasnt up to the standard of the latter half of season 1 (I still think season 1 finale was pure win.) I do find the

idea of a 2nd person running wild in the 80's coma world from the real world to be pretty cool if they take it to dark places (is it a dark side of her psyche, or another person in a coma? Could it be sam gone bad?)

Main thing I am happy though is it seems to be going with over arcing plotline from the start, season 2 of life of mars suffered from no real direction at the start of season 2.

mle1324 · 30-04-2009 5:51pm

have to say alex is looking good.
also noticed a change in gene,its like as if his is fed up with the coruption in the met

ixoy · 02-05-2009 10:40pm

Enjoyed the second episode a lot more than the first. They've got an interesting arc in there with Gene investing corruption in the Met and, of course, Alex and the shadowy figure from the present. Much more humour this week too - some great Hunt quotes.

grumpytrousers · 03-05-2009 12:14am

I agree completely. I think they've got their mojo back, in a sense; they realised that the 'get me back' thing of Series 1 was all fine and dandy, but that most people really wanted Alex trapped so we could have more Gene Genie.

It's still nothing more than a weak re-tread of Life on Mars, but it's pulled off with a sod of a lot of brio, so i'll forgive it. It's not pretending to be big or clever - it's accented on fun now!

The corruption arc is good; it's not a million miles removed from Vic Mackeys style in The Shield.

Sidney77 · 11-05-2009 3:06pm

Not really impressed with the new series although I am confident that they will have a good ending for it.

It doesnt look like the American version of Life on Mars will have an ashes to ashes version with Chris and Ray dead.

Flashraziel · 11-05-2009 5:00pm

I assume you haven't seen the last Life on Mars U.S. episode then?

Mr E · 11-05-2009 5:03pm

Ashes threads merged....

omahaid · 12-05-2009 7:58am

Well, I enjoyed that episode. I'm glad that

the supermac/corruption story arc is finished (well, I think it is)

and we can concentrate on Alex's story. I do admit to missing Gene's humour from Life on Mars though, he's not as funny in this series

mike65 · 12-05-2009 8:27am

But what is Operation Rose?

omahaid · 12-05-2009 8:41am

mike65 wrote: »

But what is Operation Rose?

A ha, that did pique my interest (I have no idea

)

Time travel experiments? I'm randomly guessing now!!

Sidney77 · 12-05-2009 4:43pm

Flashraziel wrote: »

I assume you haven't seen the last Life on Mars U.S. episode then?

not yet, its on here in 2 weeks (NZ) looking forward to that since you suggest there is a twist of some sort,im sure it will have/had a different ending to the british one, being honest its not great but i did enjoy the irish episode with tyler pretending to be bono, were the episodes with colm meaney as gene hunt ever shown?

tony1kenobi · 12-05-2009 10:57pm

Sidney77 wrote: »

not yet, its on here in 2 weeks (NZ) looking forward to that since you suggest there is a twist of some sort,im sure it will have/had a different ending to the british one, being honest its not great but i did enjoy the irish episode with tyler pretending to be bono, were the episodes with colm meaney as gene hunt ever shown?

The pilot with Colm Meaney was shown. It was very poor.

If you have enjoyed, even remotely, the US remake of Life On Mars do not watch the last five minutes of the final episode.

It is the worst murdering of an idea I have ever seen.

ElNino · 13-05-2009 2:50pm

omahaid wrote: »

Well, I enjoyed that episode. I'm glad that
the supermac/corruption story arc is finished (well, I think it is)
and we can concentrate on Alex's story. I do admit to missing Gene's humour from Life on Mars though, he's not as funny in this series

Good quote from him this week when he was briefing the troops before the raid:

"A quick word about police brutality............lots of it"

Hobbes · 19-05-2009 3:55pm

So it appears hints to

Ubik

as the plotline in the latest episode.

Oh well, still better then the US plots conclusion of LOM.

In case you don't know what Ubik is I recommend you read the book rather then telling you. Great sci-fi horror book ever.

JupiterKid · 22-05-2009 2:22pm

I think A2A is just getting better and better with the new series. The pace is more taut, and the storylines are more absorbing. Police corruption and in house cliques were a huge issue in the 1980s that the Thatcher government tried to eliminate - quite successfully in fact and A2A is picking up on this issue in the new series.

Again, I think posters are being somewhat unfair to compare Alex in A2A to Sam in LoM. They are two completely different characters with the own unique foibles. Roll on the rest of A2A. I'm glued to the box every Monday from 9 to 10pm.:cool::)

Go Gene Genie and Bolly Knickers!:D

26-05-2009 10:07pm

Excellent last night! The bit where he says to ray "fetch my search warrant" and ray comes out delighted with a crow bar was hillarious

Funnier still was bit in last weeks episode where the villain tells chris "he could have played for millwall", whilst pointing at a one legged villain beside him.

chris reply "He still could"

classic

Sidney77 · 29-05-2009 7:52am

i agree, the last 2 episodes have been great with lots of twists, im still confident of a good ending, i think well see more twists, i think shell go home but like tyler will she want to come back,

opinions on American life on mars ending???? (crap)

omahaid · 01-06-2009 9:09pm

No!!! Chris!!! How could you!?!?!?!?!

That was a cracker of an episode, best so far in season two. Only one more ep left, can they possibly resolve everything so quick in one episode? Will Alex and Gene be back for 1983?

mike65 · 01-06-2009 9:20pm

Indeed who'd have thunk it? And the ultimate punnishment too!

Basq · 01-06-2009 9:22pm

Really playing catch-up on this.. haven't seen an episode since the second one of the season (I think).

Probably will just have a marathon when it's over.

mle1324 · 01-06-2009 9:27pm

Next week episode is looking to be even a better one:):cool:

Sidney77 · 03-06-2009 4:34am

I think she is too close to home for them to make a 3rd series, much as id love to see one, maybe theyll make one in the 90s, since dance music was v popular they could call it 'lets dance'

The Maverick · 03-06-2009 12:30pm

I think a third series has been all but confirmed.The creator has mentioned how he would like to do one and the ratings for the current series have been very good.

Sidney77 · 03-06-2009 3:09pm

good stuff, same plot? 1983?

The Maverick · 03-06-2009 9:49pm

I would assume so.Still the 80's anyway.Don't know if it will be '82 or '83.

tony1kenobi · 03-06-2009 10:33pm

There is no way they can wrap it all up in one hour next week. Gleneister said before the current series started that he would definitely do one more series which suggests the current series won't close the story.

I can't imagine at this stage that we will just see a rehash of LOM. The writers are,hopefully, smarter than that and we will get a jaw dropper in the next series.

Personally I think it will be that

Gene Hunt and the lads are real, in some sense, and Alex/Sam are merely visitors......otherwise they cannot explain how storylines have deffered away from Alex.

Sam Tyler appeared in almost every scene of LOM implying everything was a creation of his imagination. This has not occured in Ashes to Ashes. I would hope that isn't down to lazy writing but rather a suggestion that she is not entirely in control of what is happening.......

04-06-2009 1:03am

tony1kenobi wrote: »

There is no way they can wrap it all up in one hour next week. Gleneister said before the current series started that he would definitely do one more series which suggests the current series won't close the story.

if gene ever leaves the show for me its the end. he is fantastic.

I think alex could go back next week but a whole 3rd series could be based on her moral dilemma on whether to go back to 1982 or stay with her daughter. Adrian Dunbar has proven to be a great addition to the show in my opinion.

Sidney77 · 04-06-2009 5:28am

heres an idea for them, the year is 2009 and someone comes back from 20 years in the future,

just a thought

omahaid · 04-06-2009 8:26am

Sidney77 wrote: »

heres an idea for them, the year is 2009 and someone comes back from 20 years in the future,

just a thought

I wouldn't be too keen to buy that soundtrack

05-06-2009 1:03am

Sidney77 wrote: »

heres an idea for them, the year is 2009 and someone comes back from 20 years in the future,

just a thought

I thought maybe put someone from the 80s/70s into the 60s.

Sidney77 · 08-06-2009 5:16am

Deleted User wrote: »

I thought maybe put someone from the 80s/70s into the 60s.

like a young gene hunt

mike65 · 08-06-2009 9:00pm

Brilliant ending!

omahaid · 08-06-2009 9:02pm

mike65 wrote: »

Brilliant ending!

Feckers had me for a second, right up until

Gene pops up on the monitor. So Alex is in a coma in 2008 and 1982 now

omahaid · 08-06-2009 9:06pm

And

we might find out what happens to Sam!!!!!!!!

Dont click unless you want a major spoiler!!
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hk_CAlFTOgZev8hd97UxnxWgZWMQ

ProjectColossus · 08-06-2009 9:08pm

Thoroughly enjoyed that! I knew they would have to pull something special after the LoM ending

Great stuff.

Arthur Daley · 08-06-2009 9:57pm

Didn't enjoy it as much as the ending to LOM, or series 1 of A2A at first. Will watch it again at the weekend. Without going into spoiler city there's a bit to work out.

Biggins · 08-06-2009 10:14pm

Good episode. Didn't expect

to see her shot and then the surreal type ending...

mike65 · 08-06-2009 10:28pm

Shaz wedding dress reminded me of the Ashes to Ashes Bowie vid.

Arthur Daley · 08-06-2009 11:07pm

mike65 wrote: »

Shaz wedding dress reminded me of the Ashes to Ashes Bowie vid.

Yes big reference to that there. Not sure Ray and Gene would pass as new romantics but.

lostexpectation · 08-06-2009 11:54pm

awful

tony1kenobi · 09-06-2009 2:00am

It would have been a tidy ending if the BBC hadn't press released the green light on series 3....and that the next series will reveal all about who/why Gene Hunt is.......

Looking forward to next year. Now that Gene has finally acknowledged Summers it's also an agreement that he knows Alex is from the future.........the next series could be gravy baby......as long as Shaz gets shot.....preferably out of a cannon.

BBC’s ‘Ashes to Ashes’

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