DVD : Ashes to Ashes: Complete BBC Series 1 [2008]

Rating: - Try and put Life on Mars to the back of your mind and embrace this wonderful show!
I absolutely love this show. I think another reviewer said thirtysomethings will enjoy this more and I have to agree. While Life on Mars was brilliant, a lot of the time it did seem to be nothing more than a pastiche of the brilliant Sweeney and Gene Genie nothing more than a piss-take of the legendary Jack Regan. That is not to slag it off LoM was groundbreaking and I adore John Simm and he made Sam Tyler such an empathetic character it was easy to sympathise with Sam's plight.

However (deep breath)...Life on Mars is a different kettle of fish altogether. The first thing that struck me was how cleverly it is filmed. The opening scenes of 2008 Alex tacking the demented Arthur Layton who is responsible for putting her into the `coma' are filmed in rather muted colours, the shots of London creating a sort of dystopia, then when Alex awakens in 1981 we are met with glorious colour and the whole series remains like this. There is a lot of red in this series (note Gene's car, a lot of Alex's clothes, the colour scheme of the wine bar) but I do recall a proliferation of red in the 80s. Yes, Alex is annoying (especially at the beginning of the series) but like the whole colour scheme thing, I think the whole point of Alex - and to an extent Sam in LoM is to hold a mirror up to ourselves and just how ridiculous some of our values are today and how much brighter and simpler life was back thirty years ago.

I think Keeley Hawes plays Alex very well and unlike an earlier reviewer, I do think it is easy to empathise with her. The scene in the last episode when she is saying goodbye to her mother is quite emotional because there are many people out there who have lost loved ones and never had the chance to say goodbye. My only small gripe is I think she looks a little too young to be Alex's age. In 1981 `little' Alex seems to be about ten which makes grown up Alex 37, and she doesn't look as though she is in her late thirties.

I can understand why men would feel let down by Gene Hunt in this series, as he is softer and less violent, but as a woman, I find his character sexier in Ashes to Ashes. He's still a dinosaur, but he adores Alex deep down and in the last episode (without giving away the plot) he shows an even softer side. Also, for some weird reason, the final scene of episode one - soundtracked by the fantastic Same Old Scene by Roxy Music - where Gene pours Alex a glass of wine is very sexy, sounds lame, I know, but ladies, watch it and you'll see what I mean.

I can't recommend this series enough, I could watch it again and again and write even more about it. Five Stars all the way!
Summerset:: 2

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Rating: - Life on Venus?
Quite simply, if you liked Life on Mars, there is no reason you should not like this. Yes, there are quibbles, and Sam Tyler is sorely missed - but the writers have managed something quite rare, in managing to keep life in the premise, keeping what worked, and yet injecting something new.
So what's new? This time, a woman - DI Drake - is the main character, as she was Sam's psychologist and therefore knows this world completely. When something happens to her, she finds herself immersed in it, with the characters we came to love in Life on Mars. However, this time it's the 80's, and as well conceived as the 70's was in Life on Mars, the 80's and 80's TV cop series conventions seem even more vivid here.
It takes a couple of episodes to get into gear, as Keeley Hawes struggles to fill the gap left by Sam Tyler. She is never as compelling as John Simm was as Sam Tyler, but does get into a groove, particularly in the chemistry with Gene Hunt.
And it's Gene Hunt that is really the star of the show... in the `70's he was in his hey day, here, the 80's bring the beginning of political correctness, and this makes for many of the more interesting scenes, the clash of Hunt versus pc-ness. The script and its wonderful one-liners that todays cops could never get away with are just so worth tuning in for. In fact, in this series it would be fair to say that all the characters get more of a chance to shine.. kudos to the scripwriters.
Don't make the same mistake I did though and think this was going to be the whole thing - this is only season 1, so not all story threads get wrapped up here! I for one will be keeping my eyes peeled for season 2...

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Rating: - Grows on you
When I first saw the first episode of Ashes, I thought 'this is like a take-off of Life On Mars. I hated Alex with a passion, and thought they'd completly ruined the legacy of Mars.
However, throughout the series it did grow on me, and when I bought the DVD, I quickly started to love it. Alex went from annoying and snobbish in my mind, to funny and engaging, and I geuinly love her, now.
The addition of Shaz to the team makes everything that little bit better - she's a real gem. Now, watching old episodes of Life On Mars, I can honestly say that in a lot of ways I actually prefer Ashes to Mars. Everything in Mars just looks so dark and dingey in comparism.
Give this series a chance, I garentee it'll grow on you.

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Rating: - Addictive and sexy
Life on mars was fantastic already. I did not get hooked by the first Ashes to Ashes episode but kept watching and got to really love it. Maybe it is because I can relate more to the 80s than the 70s, everytime music starts in ashes to ashes I was going like Uuh I remember that, the same with the fashion and details. The series is perfectly produced and the actors are great. I like how Chris and Ray have developed. And, quite frankly, Gene Hunt becomes one of the most sexiest characters on TV ..... Fire up the Quattro..... Now Bollinger Knickers you can either punch me or kiss me ..... Gene Hunt Chapter 1, Verse 2 .... - just a few of the utterly un-PC scruffy quotes by Gene Hunt. Of course, the female lead, Keeley Hawes, is great too and carries her part tremendously. Ashes to Ashes is very recommendable, either if you know Life on Mars or you dont, Ashes to Ashes stands for itself as well as it does as a follow up.

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Rating: - Should probably never been made....
I loved Life on Mars! Its one of the best tv programmes of recent years.
And Im not sure making a spin-off from it was the best way to go.
I liked that the end of LOM left you in a bit of confusment,what was a dream? What wasn't? However when you see this, what really was a dream is pretty clear (unless series 2 suprise the hell out of me)and I didnt want to know what!

Ashes to Ashes isnt bad. I still love to watch DI Hunt (Philip Glenister is a brilliant actor) and some stories were great but I have trouble with Alex.....Keeley Hawes is good but I cant decide how I feel about her character. She's a bit annoying and not in a funny way. It's what make this show hard to review....I loved Sam and I loved watching him and the other characters was a huge plus but in this they're still great but the main character...well lets just say I didnt feel anything for her. For all I care she can stay where's shes at......

Im giving it 3 stars cus I still can't get enough of Hunt and as said some of the stories are good BUT I do hope they'll take series 2 in another direction and maybe give Alex a personality make-over.....