It is seldom that a sequal is as good as the pilot series, often the second and subsequent series' are just riding on the succes of the previous one with little thought being given to an imaginative plot or character development, and soon things look really tired.
Not so with " Ashes to Ashes" .
Despite the first episode, which is a little "over the top" with Gene Hunt and his "Posse" making an entrance that wouldn't be out of place on a "James Bond " set, and Ms Hawes providing a few too many cliches that make her sound like Psychology graduate who got a distinction in Political Correctnes, the subsequent episodes settle down into a first class production with a much more structred story line than the prequal "Life on Mars". Gene Hunt is once again on top form and I am sure every police station in Britain must have a shrine dedicated to him somewhere in the building , Keelie Hawes looks fabulous in white leather, and provides a much better sparing partner for Gene Hunt… more »

It is seldom that a sequal is as good as the pilot series, often the second and subsequent series' are just riding on the succes of the previous one with little thought being given to an imaginative plot or character development, and soon things look really tired.
Not so with " Ashes to Ashes" .
Despite the first episode, which is a little "over the top" with Gene Hunt and his "Posse" making an entrance that wouldn't be out of place on a "James Bond " set, and Ms Hawes providing a few too many cliches that make her sound like Psychology graduate who got a distinction in Political Correctnes, the subsequent episodes settle down into a first class production with a much more structred story line than the prequal "Life on Mars". Gene Hunt is once again on top form and I am sure every police station in Britain must have a shrine dedicated to him somewhere in the building , Keelie Hawes looks fabulous in white leather, and provides a much better sparing partner for Gene Hunt than Sam Tyler ever did.
Having spent my early adulthood in the eighties, in which this is set , it is a feast of personal nostalga listening to the backing music contempory to the period, and remembering fondly those salad days of the V.W. Golf GTI, "Yuppies", small business development loans, and the general feel good factor that the eighties instilled in us....this is going to be a tough act to follow.