I loved Life on Mars and I thought it impossible that Ashes to Ashes could be any good (no John Simm for one thing). Then I heard that Keeley Hawes was cast and I thought I'd give it a chance. This series was every bit as good as Life on Mars and the writers, director (s) and production team made the switch from 70s Manchester to Thatcher's London seamlessly. Pacy, exciting, superb storyline (and a great revelation in the last episode), this merits watching again and again. Great music, cleverly used too. The scenes with Gene Hunt, Chris and Ray are as brilliant as in Life on Mars. I think one reviewer felt that some elements were overdone? - not if you remember the 80s they weren't. I can't wait for series 2.

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.

After wrapping up all the loose ends in the final episode of Life on Mars there didn't seem to be any more of the story to tell; however, the public were still hungry for more Gene Hunt. But instead of giving him his own show what we have here is a weaker re-tread of the original series with a far less engaging partner. The actual detective side of the show works as well as before, but the mystery is missing this time and Alex Drake's awareness of her situation soon becomes annoying.

I never saw Life on Mars, but I am a fan of keeley hawes and tuned into see this on bbc one. It started a little slowly but soon grows on you and I became addicted!! I love all the characters- only shazza seemed a little out of place-but in episode 7 she was brilliant. Not to be missed.

When Ashes was on TV, I always said it was nowhere near as good at Life On Mars. I wasn't keen on Alex, and thought that Gene's one liners just weren't there. However, I bought the DVD anyway, just because I couldn't bare not to, and I have to say it's really grown on me. The humour is more subtle, and after a while I even started to really like Alex. Watching Life On Mars back now Chris's hair looks so flat, and everything just looks dull compared. I might even go so far as to say I actually prefer Ashes to Ashes, now. Roll on series 2.

Why do we need Life on Mars all over again with this woman... she is really annoying. Enough said.
We don't need a logical reason for going back to the '80s to see Gene, not this silly 'dream/time travel' stuff. It cut in LoM, but not any more. Just make a series that everyone wants to see, just Gene and the boys playing policemen.

A2A is as good as LOM in the setting, cast and storylines. Where LOM was a fish out of water story of modern vs 1970s policing, this time Alex Drake has to find who killed her parents. It is more charming than LOM with bigger rolls for Chris and Ray exploring more into their characters. Alex Drake is more interesting than Sam Tyler as she knows what is happening to her which gives more scope and depth to her character. Overall: a very good cop show with a twist.

i watched it all on tv and enjoyed every second of it. If your a first time watcher then some may be confusing to start with but you'll soon get the hang of it all.:D

My first issue with this series is keeley hawes, she cant really act.
Second, Gene (Philip Glenister) at times becomes a charicature of the DC we love from Life on Mars.
And finally, it feels that up until episode 3 or 4 this series is going no-where..........
However when it reaches that point then the stories get darker, the Gene Hunt we love returns and the plot begins to develop.
The soundtrack is absolutely fantastic and the strong David Bowie references throughout are creepy and awe inspiring in equal doses.
By the end of the series I was clamouring for the second series.

As a avid LOM fan I was concerned when the series of Ashes to Ashes was introduced as it seemed the stigma of political correctness British Government style had spread it 's poison as Sam Tylers charactor was replaced with the token strong minded high flying single mum. However after the initial episodes when her patronising superiority complex had been reigned in by none other than the Gene Genie himself the show took off greatley. The spotter in me picked up a few factual errors (namely there have been a few cars which were not around just then) and I don't beleive yuppies quite appeared until the mid 80's onward but overall the show is superb especially the legendry Gene Hunt who is quite honestly the best TV copper since Jack Regan (Equal 1st in my opinion).
Loved the twist at the end of the 1st series , didn't see that one coming I must admit. Good to see the charactors of Chris and Ray being developed whilst still retaining their comedy value whilst we also see a side to Gene who knows that his style of police officer is on borrowed time and is genuinely concerned for his future. Lets hope the second series keeps the standard up.
Note to self : I must stop using Geneisms in my everyday speach , I used the one about Alex Drakes skirt where Gene commented if it was hitched any higher he could see what she had for breakfast. The wife didn't half give me a dirty look afterward. Then again maybe not ,they are classic quotes, up there with all the quotes from Pulp Fiction but in a British way