Life On Mars/Ashes To Ashes

[on:]

Life On Mars

John Simm plays DCI Sam Tyler, a 2006 Manchester Policeman, who is transported back-in-time to 1973 after a road accident.  There he's demoted to DI and teams up with DCI Gene Hunt, played by Philip Glenister.

Throughout the 2 series of Life On Mars, Sam solves crimes in typical 70's fashion, while trying to (a) get back to 2006 and (b) figure out how he got to 1973 in the first place.

Philip Glenister has pretty-much the role of a lifetime, playing Gene Hunt, the most politically incorrect copper since Regan from The Sweeney (which was in the 70's.)

Ashes To Ashes

The follow-up series, which has just started, sees London policewoman DCI Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes) shot in the head, and winds up back in 1981, where she meets up with DCI Gene Hunt (again played by Philip Glenister), this time he's transferred to London, and is still as gruff and politically incorrect as ever.

For me, it'll take a lot to eclipse Life On Mars as a series, and John Simm (along with Liz White) is sorely missing from the follow up, but it's looking good so far, and the soundtrack is cracking.

So, anybody catch either of these series'?

[Reply #1 on:]

I seen most of LoM, the finale was awesome. I love the music in the new series too, I missed Ep 1 but heard the soundtrack (was on peel at the time!) watched tonights ep, it's quite trippy!, am intrigued to see more.
Incidentslly the concept of suicide bombers wasn't unkown in 1980's though im not sure if the idea of strapping explosives to oneself had been done then, I liked the concept though of her (having travelled back from now) planting the idea in the boys head.

[Reply #2 on:]

Agreed on the finale to LoM, quite possibly the best last episode of any series.  Absolutely fantastic, and oddly satisfying too.

I only watched episode 1 of A2A today, on the BBC iPlayer, and it was better than I thought it was going to be. I'll watch episode 2 tomorrow, as I missed it tonight (due to work, and UEFA Cup footy).

I must admit that it was a shiny moment in Episode One when Zippy and George from Rainbow appeared in one of the bizarre flashbacks.  Zippy's never been more evil. 

[Reply #3 on:]

I have been watching Ashese to Ashese and I thought it was really good. Have been watching Life of Mars in the past. Bravo is showing it Evert Tuesday nights I think

[Reply #4 on:]

I watched Life on Mars and really enjoyed it, so far I'm also enjoying Ashes to Ashes too, it is more nostalgic as I was fairly young in the '70s but the eighties was my teenaged decade.

[Reply #5 on:]

i have been watching ashes to ashes. i have enjoyed it so far. i also watched life on mars, and that was good! next weeks episode looks great!   

[Reply #6 on:]

Gosh, I love LOM, it's one of my favourite shows.
Simm and Glenister were brilliant.
The finale really was absolutely fantastic 

I saw the Ashes to Ashes finale yesterday, it was great as well, I loved the conclusion.
Although I've been a bit critic about the show ever since the first episode, mainly because I missed Sam and Annie, and Alex pissed me off with the constant "You are aaaalll just the creation of my imagination" talk in the first episodes. But  Gene, Ray and Chris are still bloody funny.

Gene's speech was fun in 1x08. "Kif, come here and hold up the flag. And wave it a little, for God's sake!"

[Reply #7 on:]

Life on Mars sounds pretty good. I think i might make that my next DVD purchase, or at least my next Ninja viewage...

[Reply #8 on:]

I think Ashes to Ashes got better as the series progressed, the finale was a cracker. I'm glad that a second series has been commissioned.

[Reply #9 on:]

I have the last episodes on Sky+ and haven't seen them yet and yeah, it's been excellent series.  Really enjoyed it.  Will be getting the DVDs to sit nicely alongside Life Of Mars on my shelf.

[Reply #10 on:]

Got into Life on Mars after Ashes To ashes started and by the time I had finished seroes 2 it seemed to make more sense jsut to wait for the DVD's.

I am certainly curious about Ashes To Ashes cause I thought the finale of Life onMars did make clear a few things  (at least I thought I did).

Now I have heard that Glenister has said that he does not really wnat to play the character in another series (after Ashes) But I was just pondering what songs they could use.

Space Oddity for a 1960's with a young Gene Hunt
The Man who sold the world 1990's

Persoannly I hope they just have the seires end nicely as they did with Life on Mars.

[Reply #11 on:]

Well, both Keeley Hawes and Glenister said that they'll be back for a 2nd series of Ashes, but I'm sure that they'll knock it on the head after that. 

It'll become a stale premise after then.  Even if Gene Hunt is the best cop character on TV.

[Reply #12 on:]

Is it revealed if its the 80's or just Drake's imagination?

[Reply #13 on:]

I'll not spoil it, but there WILL be a series 2...

[Reply #14 on:]

I bought the Series 1 and 2 boxset of Life on Mars the other day at a very cheap price. I want the get Ashes to Ashes on DVD when it comes out.

[Reply #15 on:]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ashestoashes/

Series 2 coming soon!   And this will be the last one.  The trailers are running on BBC TV, so it can't be long to wait...

[Reply #16 on:]

I watched all of Life on Mars and I loved it. I saw the first ep of Ashes to Ashes but it didn't grab me like Mars. I watched the second episode but I just thought it was too boring so I stopped watching it.

[Reply #17 on:]

  The creator/writer of this TV show, Life On Mars actually gave my dad this very laptop that I'm using right now!

That was cool, my father's a writer.